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The Washington Redskins’ last OTAs before veteran minicamp wrapped up today and there were a couple of things that stood out as the players worked in shells and shorts on a very windy Wednesday.
- The Fact that WR DeSean Jackson has Missed Some OTAs Doesn’t Mean he Won’t be Ready for the Regular Season
It’s common knowledge that Jackson works out unfailingly even when not at Redskins Park in the offseason and, to a man, every player to whom it was mentioned said that yesterday and Monday, the wide out looked great. Yesterday CB Josh Norman said he was “abused” by Jackson in practice. Today during his press conference, Head Coach Jay Gruden approached the podium like he knew the subject would come up and was weary of it. He put it to bed quickly.
“We expect him to be here next week,” Gruden said about the wide out. “In a perfect world, we know it’s not perfect, but it is what it is, man. We are going to coach the guys that are here. It’s voluntary for these players to show up here. We’d love for them all to be here, but I trust the fact that if he’s not here, he’s getting his body ready to go and he proved that the last couple days. He looked as fast as he’s ever been, had great stamina, was in good shape, had great knowledge of the game and was a lot stronger than I’ve seen him before. DeSean is going to be just fine.”
DL Ricky Jean Francois apparently agrees with his coach as do most of the players.
“He is stronger. He got a lot faster,” Francois answered about how Jackson looked. “He got thrown a few deep balls and I told some of the corners, ‘you’ve got to respect his speed. One thing you’ve got to respect in that guy, he’s still got his quickness.’ I don’t believe he’s dropped off at all. I believe he got better.
“That’s a nine-year vet, he continued. “He’ll be here next week… he’ll be here for mandatory minicamp. But I believe he’s not going to fall off. He knows the playbook; he knows what he’s got to do to help the team. He wants to be successful. He wants to go to Houston [where Super Bowl 51 is being held] too. He’ll be here when it’s time to be here.”
- Although Guys like CB Chris Culliver, DL Terrance Knighton and S Dashon Golston are no Longer on the Team, There’s Plenty of Leadership in that Locker Room
There was a lot of discussion last season about the strong leadership in the locker room but beyond the aforementioned players, there were other guys that, even though not hugely vocal, led by example. Wide out Pierre Garçon came to work every day and quietly showed young players how to be pros. Then-CB-now-safety Will Blackmon didn’t arrive in Washington until Week 2 of the regular season in 2015 but he came in, learned the playbook and started that same week. He is the type of guy that, if during a practice he dropped a possible interception or slipped, would drop and do 25 pushups right then and there. Left tackle Trent Williams, MLB Will Compton and countless others led by their work ethic and play of the field.
There are new guys that will step in and returning players that will step up. Leadership will not be a problem in 2016.
“Well, we have DeAngelo Hall too,” Gruden said today when asked about filling the void guys like Culliver left. “He’s a great leader. And Josh Norman comes in with a very successful team and he has come in and been a leader. [David] Bruton can obviously do that too, and Will Compton is emerging as a quality leader for our football team. I think we have a lot of guys that can emerge. Ricky Jean has obviously proven to be that. Baker, maybe not so much [laughter], but Baker has been doing a good job, too. [Ryan] Kerrigan, obviously he is one of the quiet leaders that leads by example. We have got a lot of guys on defense that are really good because they are maybe not the vocal-leader types, but the lead-by-example types. And people know when you step on the field on defense what is expected of you and that is the result of great leadership”
The rookies that are coming in will not have to go looking for help either.
“I wouldn’t say the rookies are hanging on [the veterans] every word,” Blackmon said. “We’re going to them… we’re helping them. So, they’re going to hear it from us, they don’t need to chase us around with questions. We’re going out of our way to speak to them.”
It’s interesting to watch those vets with the rookies during the practices. Sometimes it’s obvious they’re trying to counsel them. Other times, it’s clear they’re hounding them and holding the youngsters accountable for something. For instance, Francois was really riding rookie RB Robert Kelley (Tulane – CFA) during practice today. At one point, Kelley hit a hole nicely during a play but ending up running directly into the defensive lineman. The field was a little slippery (to say the least) and everyone involved went down. It wasn’t a tackle but once everyone was on the ground, the veteran defensive lineman did not hurry to get up. I asked him about it as the players and media walked off the field and he said that while the vets don’t necessarily pick on a rookie at any given time they will make sure they are working as hard as they can and that they “keep ‘em on their toes.”
Another example of the abundance of leadership the 2016 locker room has.
- QB Kirk Cousins’ Performance During these OTAs Shows he Should be “the” Man
During each of the days that the media has had access to the Redskins’ practices, Cousins has looked sharp, throwing bullets and throwing them accurately. Granted, these are OTAs and involve no pads, no tackling and no real pressure up along the line. But the QB still has to put the ball in the right places for his wide outs to beat the Redskins corners (like Norman and Bashaud Breeland) and he has to make sure he’s not “sacked” in the process.
Maybe it’s a good thing that Cousins was ranked 23rd amongst all 32 NFL signal throwers by NFL analyst Andy Benoit recently, even after helping take Washington to the NFC East title last year.
While Redskins Nation might take offense at this, the national media apparently still doesn’t see Cousins as even a Top 15 QB yet. But the value of him getting all of the first-team reps with his receivers this offseason should not be underestimated. This will only make him more accurate and help develop his timing with the likes of WRs Jackson, Garcon, Jamison Crowder, tight end Jordan Reed and, at some point, rookie wide out Josh Doctson. As the offseason and preseason approach, unless injured, Cousins will continue to develop and improve.
“I think [Cousins’ natural development] happened with his maturation and the more experience that he’s been able to gain through playing last year,” offensive coordinator Sean McVay said today. “And then, with his offseason preparation, the way that he goes about just his everyday routine, he’s innately just going to get continuous improvement and that’s what we always strive for from him. And I think just the feel for what we’re trying to get done, different situations and, kind of, what we want to operate, how we want operate philosophically offensively, and he’s got a great feel for that right now.”
If the Redskins must only deal with only half the injuries this season that they had in 2015, they should be very good in 2016.
Any potential that analysts, media and fans see is based on guys coming back successfully from bad injuries last year or starters simply remaining healthy. Linebacker Junior Galette, safety Duke Ihenacho, LB/special teams ace Adam Hayward; tight ends Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen and Derek Carrier all could provide quality depth and potential starting talent in 2016. That would be huge for a team that was basically put together with General Manager Scot McCloughan’s magic band aids last year and still went on a seven-game tear to win the NFC East.
NOTES: The reason Jordan Reed was in street clothes during today’s drills was just to have a veteran day-of-rest according to Gruden. As well, the head coach said that LT Trent Williams was feeling “a little under the weather.” Apparently, there’s a bit of strep going around the locker room.
LG Shawn Lauvao and Junior Galette were also in street clothes and worked with trainers or watched from the sidelines. Rookie wide receiver Josh Doctson had on his shells and a helmet but only participated in warm ups.
I’m sure he didn’t but it seemed as if TE Logan Paulsen participated in every single snap regardless of whether it was the first, second or third team. He also worked with the special teams. He’s going to be tired tonight.
Keep an eye on second-year MLB Martrell Spaight this training camp. Spaight was suddenly put on IR during the preseason last year after suffering a concussion and has been doing well during OTAs according to Gruden and his teammates. Describing him as “strong” is an understatement and he should bring some quality depth behind Will Compton, Mason Foster and Perry Riley Jr. (once he’s healthy) to an important — and cerebral — position as quarterback of the defense.
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When sailing uncharted waters to a new destination, it can be hard to for the captain of the ship to know when to ride out the storms and rough seas (to see if the waters will settle) or when to turn around and go home.
Based on the enthusiasm and initial look of the players on the field during these OTAs, if they stay healthy and play up to their anticipated potential in 2016, it will be a good thing that Captain Dan Snyder didn’t turn the U.S.S. Washington Redskins around after the drama-filled 2014 season and go home.
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