Washington Redskins: Getting Stronger

The Washington Redskins 2015 training camp has finally started and most fans and media are looking to see where the team has improved. Will the offense in Year Two under Head Coach Jay Gruden be more consistent and will the defense under new defensive coordinator Joe Berry be an improved unit?

All of those story lines will develop as training camp, the preseason and the regular season play out but one of the storylines that has been on display is the size of the players. Strength and conditioning coach Mike Clark has certainly made his mark… it is apparent that players have bought into his offseason conditioning program.

One of the knocks on the previous strength coaching staff was that players in Washington were getting hurt more than the average league numbers. Since 2012 the team has been besieged with injuries that have either cost starters games or derailed their chance to play at a normal and consistent level. As well since then, the Redskins have been one of the worst-hit teams in terms of injuries, a lot of which were in the lower extremities. This sometimes hints of concerns regarding the weight room.

Everyone remembers the career-altering injury to Robert Griffin, III during his 2012 rookie season. Remember that also in that year, wide receiver Pierre Garçon was nursing a toe injury and as well as having hamstring issues. Former defensive teammates linebacker Brian Orakpo and defensive end Adam Carrier were ironically injured during the same game in a Week 2 loss to the St. Louis Rams that same year. In all, 14 players hit the injured reserve list at some point in 2012 including the preseason.

The following year, the team was again besieged with injuries, losing 16 players to injured reserve.

Follow that with last year’s 13 hurt players and it was apparent the team needed to go in a different direction when it came to how the players were being trained and conditioned.

Enter Mike Clark who has a reputation as an innovative conditioning guru.

Yesterday the team had a scare when second-year cornerback Bashaud Breeland went down during the afternoon practice with what looked like a possible season-ending knee injury. Breeland, who was one of the team’s few bright spots last year, was carted off the practice field and his prognosis initially looked bleak.

Fortunately, by evening-time yesterday, it was discovered he was diagnosed with a right-knee MCL sprain which will keep him out 4-6 weeks.

To add insult to injury, the league had announced earlier in the day that the second-year player had been suspended one game due to a violation of the league’s Substance Abuse Policy which took place just before the beginning his rookie regular season. Despite both the injury and the suspension, Breeland should not miss any regular season time if he rehabs within the predicted 4-6 week period.

Is Clark’s new offseason conditioning program a saving grace for Breeland and the team?

Not to speculate but, the type of injury with which Breeland went down has ended the seasons of many athletes. The news that it wasn’t a full ligament tear was a welcome blessing for a team that needs many of its members to perform at a playoff-caliber level this year.

Players have spoken highly of their offseason work in the weight room.

Tight end Niles Paul has put on 20 lbs. of sheer muscle and feels more comfortable taking on linebackers and defensive lineman.

“I feel great,” he said. “The weight has not slowed me down in any way and feels natural. It is the best I have ever felt.”

Paul’s position-mate Logan Paulsen said he feels great as well, having added 10 lbs. to his frame.

“I feel like it is helping me at the line take on defensive lineman,” he said about the additional weight. “It will help me expand my role with everything asked of me.”

If the first two days of practice are any indication, the team may have finally gotten over the injury-bug hurdle that has ravaged them in the past. With many more hot days and practices ahead though, only time will tell.