The Washington Commanders needed help at running back with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on Injured Reserve until at least Week 12 and Jeremy McNichols done for the year.

So, they brought in an old face. They claimed undrafted rookie Robert Henry Jr. off waivers after the Seattle Seahawks, who initially signed him off the Commanders' practice squad October, cut him earlier in the week. This time, Henry is on the Commanders' active roster, and they will likely need him to produce quickly with a key matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on the horizon.

"I'm just preparing myself every day for that moment," Henry said.

The Commanders didn't want to let Henry go. Although he did not make the initial roster after training camp, the former UTSA running back was impressive in August, showing off burst, quickness and vision coming out of the backfield. His best performance came in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, when he had 75 yards on 12 carries, one of which went 22 yards for a touchdown.

Henry was quiet for the rest of the preseason -- he had 36 yards combined in the next two matchups -- but he showed enough with his ability as a ball carrier and pass protector to earn himself a spot on the practice squad. He likely would have remained there for the rest of the season, but per NFL rules, practice squad players are free to any team's active roster, and the Seahawks, who were having their own issues with running back depth, saw an opportunity for a temporary fix to their backfield.

Henry was back on the market once Jadarian Price was activated from Injured Reserve, and the Commanders had another chance to bring Henry back into the fold.

"It was good to get running back Robert Henry [Jr.] back on the team," Quinn said Wednesday. "We're excited for that."

Although he was on the back end of the running back depth chart in training camp, that was not a knock on Henry's talent. He became the third UTSA player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards during his final season, despite missing two games. He recorded 2,339 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns in three seasons with the Roadrunners, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. His highlight performance came against Texas A&M, when he rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries.

And Henry did have some positive moments outside of his preseason touchdown against the Dolphins. Henry's first three runs went for 11, four and two yards. He helped the Commanders get into field goal range and later accounted for 40 of the offense's 68 yards on their first touchdown drive of the night. In just two possessions, Henry had 57 rushing yards on six carries.

"I just kept running," Henry said. "The holes were definitely opening it up."

But Henry is not resting on what he did in August. Not only was that three months ago, but he is also on the active roster with a good chance of being a piece in the Commanders' game plan for the Rams, who allow the fifth-fewest yards per game and rank sixth in third-down conversion rate. He knows he needs to produce results, and quickly, with his spot on the roster.

"I gotta do more," Henry said. "I gotta show I can do it again."

The running back room is not as crowded as it was with Croskey-Merritt and McNichols on Injured Reserve, but he is definitively third in the pecking order with Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler ahead of him. Ekeler was not here when Henry was last on the roster, so in addition to making the most of his opportunities, Henry wants to make sure he is learning as much as he can from his veteran teammates.

"Ekeler is a wise guy," Henry said. "There's a lot I could learn from just him being in the league in 10 years. He can see things that I don't see. I'm a younger player; I'm still learning."

That extra knowledge could be useful on Sunday, as Henry could get his first snaps in an NFL regular season game. The Commanders might need some of the speed and athleticism he showed in the preseason, as they continue to climb back to .500 for the year and stay alive in the hunt for the division crown. Henry does not know what his role will be on Sunday. He knows the offense and has experience returning kicks, and both could be an option.

No matter what it is, though, Henry wants to maximize the opportunity.

"They're gonna get everything out of me that I can give," Henry said.