1. The Redskins put Malcolm Kelly on injured reserve today, which is only a mild surprise. They could have cut him – and still might. Mike Shanahan left open that possibility, but it sounds like if Kelly works hard while rehabbing then Shanahan might give him a shot next summer.
2. Shanahan regretted not putting Kelly on the physically unable to perform list. “When a guy comes in and practices the first day and he says he’s fine to go, you can’t put him on the PUP list,” Shanahan said. “That’s another conversation that I had with him. We won’t go into that conversation.”
3. However, Shanahan also said Monday that the injury was worse than they originally thought. If that’s the case, what else could Kelly have told them? I don’t think anyone believed it would take this long.
4. Remember, Jim Zorn said he wished they had put Kelly on IR his first season. So why keep him around? Kelly offers size and good hands and maybe he’ll finally stay healthy and he’ll “get it.” But when you’re considered damaged goods coming into the NFL and then two of your first three years play into that perception, it’s a longshot that he’ll ever do anything. Good guy, too; good attitude.
5. And now onto the other second-round receiver from 2008, Devin Thomas. Yes, you’d better believe he’s on the bubble. He may still make the team – what other choices do they have? But think about this: He’s on the bubble despite being part of an unimpressive receiving unit; how little must they think of him?
6. Thomas absolutely needs to have a good game Thursday. There’s clearly a lot of debate going on about him in the football offices. He might still make the roster, but it’ll be a close call.
7. When asked what he thought of Kelly coming out of college, Shanahan said Denver wasn’t looking for receivers at the time so he really had no opinion. Rich Campbell of the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star then reminded Shanahan that Denver did take a receiver that spring – Eddie Royal (nine picks ahead of where the Redskins took Kelly). I wouldn’t be surprised if Denver had taken him off the board for injury concerns as apparently some teams did.
8. Jeremy Jarmon also is on that bubble. Part of the problem is, he’s probably a better fit in a 4-3 as an end than in a 3-4. Remember, they originally wanted him to play outside linebacker then they told him they wanted him to play end. So he gained 35 pounds. Another problem is, he still limps at times on the field, especially when he runs sprints.
9. Kyle Shanahan said he expects Donovan McNabb to practice next week, which of course would mean that he’ll play in the opener vs. Dallas. Mike Shanahan wouldn’t commit to that, but that’s not a surprise.
10. RB Clinton Portis returned to practice today, but FB Mike Sellers and LB Perry Riley did not. RT Jammal Brown was not on the field, but the media failed to do its job and did not ask Shanahan about it later. Of course, today’s topic was mostly Kelly. Still, put us on the Dud list for today.
11. With Brown out, heard that Will Robinson took snaps with the first team at RT today. Could mean that the Redskins want to see if he can be a swing guy.
12. By the way, put Justin Tryon and Chad Rinehart as other former draft picks on the bubble.
13. The Redskins cut Hall Davis today, after acquiring him in a trade Sunday night. Around noon, we talked to Davis who said he was told he’d play Thursday night. A few hours later, he’s gone. The Redskins won’t lose a draft pick in this trade. But it’s doubtful Davis was going to make the roster anyway – he’s not going to bump Lorenzo Alexander or Chris Wilson. But, maybe, they’ll look to keep him on the practice squad. Maybe they didn’t want to put him on film playing outside linebacker, giving other teams a chance to see him. Or, maybe, they just didn’t like him. We’ll find out when the practice squads are formed Sunday.
14. The Redskins also released OL Edwin Williams, S Lendy Holmes and LS James Dearth. Williams looked good early in camp; very strong anchor. But he seems to do better in one-on-one situations than in the game. When the Redskins signed Dearth a couple weeks ago it was assumed he’d beat out Nick Sundberg, who looked very shaky early in camp. But Sundberg has actually snapped well the past three weeks in practice and in games. Dearth’s snaps always were high in games. Holmes wasn’t a surprise. Just no room for him.
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