Jacory Croskey-Merritt is known as "Bill" by Washington Commanders fans and his teammates for a simple reason: he used to look like the main character of "Little Bill" -- a popular kids show that ran from 1999-2004 -- when he was growing up, and he kept the nickname going in his college and NFL career.
But Bill doesn't look little anymore. He's a little bigger, a little stronger and ready to take another step forward in his second season.
"Just being a better me; that's it," Croskey-Merritt said. "That's the main thing we've been emphasizing. Just do you, but keep working."
The Commanders significantly reworked their running back room in the offseason, but Croskey-Merritt -- the 2025 seventh-round rookie -- remains a constant in the backfield and is set for an improved Year 2 after rushing for 804 yards as a rookie. He has a shot to be the lead back, but the Commanders aren't going to simply hand him the job. He has to earn that right, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"That's all they wanna see, and that's what I'm gonna do," Croskey-Merritt said.
Croskey-Merritt was a pleasant surprise for the Commanders after he was taken with the 245th overall pick. He impressed coaches with his burst and vision in training camp, despite spending most of his final year in college on the sideline because of eligibility issues with the NCAA. Croskey-Merritt took on a larger role during the season once Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon in Week 2, and he eventually became the de facto starter with a team-high 175 carries.
Croskey-Merritt's rookie season was mixed -- thanks in part to him needing to develop more in the passing game, both as a protector and receiver -- but overall positive with a few highlight games sprinkled throughout the year. He had 111 yards in the 27-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and 96 in a win over the New York Giants. Half of his touchdowns came in the final four games, including a 72-yarder on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys.
His overall performance pleased the Commanders' coaching staff and left them interested in how much more he could grow.
"I think it's really exciting to think about what he can look like in a second year behind this offensive line," new offensive coordinator David Blough said in February. "And it depends exactly kind of how the room looks, but man, [I'm] incredibly confident in what Bill can be in this league as a starting running back."
Croskey-Merritt was the only running back guaranteed to be on the roster for 2026 heading into the offseason with Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. all set to be free agents. McNichols re-signed with Washington on a one-year deal, but Ekeler and Rodriguez are gone and have been replaced by Rachaad White and Jerome Ford.
The Commanders want to have more options in the backfield because they plan to give Croskey-Merritt and his fellow running backs more opportunities. They want to rely more on their ground attack, which finished fifth in yards per attempt last season, but they're also looking to get their backfield more involved in the passing game to diversify the passing game for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders want to push Croskey-Merritt to see how much of that he can handle. They know he is "hungry for it," as head coach Dan Quinn put it at the end of mandatory minicamp, and they feel he is elevating his skill set and rising to the challenge. They still want to see more, and they let him know that if he wants to take on a larger role, he needs to get bigger.
"You can kind of see some of that take on shape through workouts and getting stronger and so add more size and strength to him," Quinn said. "So, those are things that you don't do during that first year. You need to do it during this time [the offseason]."
The Washington Commanders were back on the field for their second minicamp practice of the offseason. Take a look at some of the best photos from the afternoon.
Quinn said he doesn't know yet if the Commanders have a "main guy" at running back or if they even need one. As it stands right now, it looks like the Commanders have "some main guys in certain parts" and will take a committee approach to the position. But Croskey-Merritt wants to show that he can be an every-down player. He's trying to be more decisive in practice and show he can keep first down chains moving and make explosive plays.
"That's where I feel like I've grown most in my game," Croskey-Merritt said.
Croskey-Merritt knows he still has more work to do, though.
"I just gotta keep working and just being way better than last year," Croskey-Merritt said. "That's my only thing. That's my only goal; my only focus -- just winning and being a whole different version of myself."
Two ways he can do that: be a better receiver and improve in pass protection. Croskey-Merritt was used sparingly in the passing game last season with just nine catches for 68 yards on 13 targets. He had a three-game stretch at the end of the season where he received less than 20 offensive snaps per week, partially because he struggled at times to protect the quarterback.
The coaches have made it clear to Croskey-Merritt that they want to see him make strides in those areas this offseason.
"The natural running instincts, whether it's running from the gun or from under center, that kind of handles itself," Quinn said. "But certainly, in the passing game and on the return side are two things we're wanting to see elevated over the rest of this and even into camp as well."
And Croskey-Merritt is eager to add those traits to his skill set. He's excited about the possibility of getting more snaps this season and wants to show he can be a "complete back" who can catch passes and protect the quarterback. He wants to be a more reliable player, and the Commanders want to rely on him more.
"Whatever helps the team win," Croskey-Merritt said. "That's all I'm here for -- just to win a lot of games and have a lot of fun while I'm doing it."
