After coming home from the Bon Secours training facility in Richmond, Virginia where the team held their 2015 training camp; the Washington Redskins held their 2015 Fan Day out at Redskins Park. Three days after the teams’ second preseason game against the Detroit Lions, wherein starting quarterback Robert Griffin, III sustained a concussion; the team took to the practice field and rolled out some of the starters that had been MIA for a few weeks. Griffin was on the field in non-contact practice as well, despite leaving the Lions game with the head injury.
The fact that the QB was out there doing as much as he was doing — not riding an exercise bike or off to the side doing individual drills — was a surprise to a lot of people. The NFL’s concussion protocol mandates certain goals that must be attained in a specific order before players return to practice. They (roughly) start with complete rest w/no media activities (cell phones, computers, tablets, TV) and graduate over time to full contact football activities. But usually passing through these stages takes at least a few to several days depending on the symptoms of the concussed player.
To see Griffin out doing as much as he was doing was a bit of a shock. He was in the yellow jersey, signifying that no contact was allowed but he was moving around freely, handing off the ball to his running backs, throwing passes and, at one point, took off running down the field to the crowd’s delight and applause.
How on earth did he get through all of the steps required to be out on the field in just less than 72 hours?
“I have no idea,” head coach Jay Gruden said. “You know, he just went through the necessary steps with the doctors and the concussion tests that are all implemented by our training staff. And so far, he has taken the necessary steps. You know, it’s been two full days and today is Sunday afternoon so he has had some time to recover and go through the necessary steps. He hasn’t been totally cleared yet. Like I said, he’s got to still go to a neurosurgeon. But, we’ll wait and see.”
The thought that a concussion was a convenient ploy to keep Robert from talking to the press has been tossed around but, like the theory that Gruden sabotaged the QB with bad play-calling during the Lions game, not really believable. That risks penalties from the NFL and would not be worth it.
While Griffin being on the field was the big story of the day, there were other starters that had been out due to injury that returned to the practice field.
Outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (knee) participated some in 11-on-11 drills, cornerback Bashaud Breeland returned wearing slightly shorter cleats (ones that were too long were the culprit in his injury), receiver DeSean Jackson (shoulder); inside linebacker Will Compton (groin) and rookie wide out Jamison Crowder all participated in individual drills and did some limited work with the team. Left tackle Trent Williams, who was held out of the game against Detroit, fully participated in practice, surely to Gruden’s relief. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall (left big toe sprain) also saw limited work.
Tight end Jordan Reed (hamstring) remained on the sidelines during team drills in shorts and a T-shirt. With the loss of Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen, the depth at the tight end position is almost dire. Reed’s return would do a world of good for the Redskins.
To address the situation, Washington recently signed tight end Derrick Carrier (they signed tight ends D.J. Williams and Ernst Brun last week) and have even considered offensive lineman Tom Compton to play the position. He did work with tight ends coach Wes Phillips and his unit during the last couple of days that the team was down in Richmond. There is still some contemplation about the idea in the works.
“We’ve been working on it a little bit,” he said, “I’m not sure how much we’re going to use [me there] but it’s always an option. However the coaches want to use me, I’m always happy to do what they need.”
There are options… the team has until Sept. 5 to end up with a 53-man roster.
“I consider myself an all-around tight end,” Carrier said in answer to what his strengths are. “I do a little bit of both, blocking and receiving. But from my background being a wide receiver in college and with [this] my first year in the NFL that’d probably be my strength – receiving.”
Gruden seems to have high hopes for the third-year man.
“Well, they were loaded at tight end [at the] San Fran[cisco 49ers]” the head coach said. “We watched him on tape and he’s very good. He’s a converted wide receiver, a basketball player. He’s put on some weight. He looks like he competes in the running game, which is excellent, but he’s obviously very athletic. I think it’s a good young prospect to work with. I wish we would have had him a little earlier but we’ll get him going. We still have a couple of weeks left to get him going and see if he’ll be ready for Miami, but we’re excited about the prospect of him coming in and competing right away.”
Both Compton and Crowder, the former an up-and-coming middle linebacker and the other a rookie, could turn out to be really valuable in 2015. Compton filled in admirably last year when starter Perry Riley, Jr. was out with a sprained MCL. And Crowder could be an answer for the special teams return game and as a slot receiver.
These early injuries can be discouraging for the players. Talking to (Will) Compton after practice, he stressed the regret in missed opportunities that go by during the healing and rehab process. And coaches get frustrated because they have plans and schemes that involve skills they see in their players that can’t be used. The passion and hard work to get back to the game that coaches witness is important.
“The big thing is we don’t like to rush those guys back,” Gruden said about the return of these guys. “We want to make sure they’re ready to roll. Jamison looks like he’s good and same with Will. Hopefully we’ll get DeSean back pretty soon. He did individual today. And Breeland did a little bit of work today which was fun to see. These guys are progressing along very good. You can see their commitment to rehabbing. Coming in here with the trainers every day and the work that they’re putting in because they’re recovering pretty quick. Jordan Reed is another one that is very close to being on the brink of coming back.”
With the third — and most important — preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens coming up in five days, having many of these starters back will be important… especially the offensive starters like Williams and Jackson. Otherwise, it will be next-to-impossible for Gruden to fully evaluate Griffin’s progress without both decent protection on the offensive line and all of his weapons on the field.