1. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said he’s still not sure if tight end Chris Cooley will be ready for the start of the season. Cooley did not play vs. Pittsburgh Friday because of a sore left knee and already has been ruled out “for a couple of weeks,” according to Shanahan.
But when asked if he was convinced Cooley would be ready to start the season, Shanahan said.
“I really don’t know,” Shanahan said. “It’s day by day and we’ll see what happens in two weeks. I surely don’t know what the answer to that is.”
Cooley has dealt with a sore knee for the majority of training camp.
2. Quarterback John Beck was able to go full speed in practice for the first time since hurting his groin on Aug. 6. Beck executed all the bootlegs and rollouts and even had to scramble on one play.
Shanahan still has not said whether or not Beck will start at Indianapolis Friday.
Beck was rusty during the 11-on-11 portion, throwing several passes behind receivers. He’s had a tendency to do this in other practices so whether it stemmed from getting his timing back or it’s just how he is we’ll soon find out.
3. Running back Ryan Torain, who had four screws placed in his hand on Aug. 4, will see a hand specialist Monday to determine when he can return. After the surgery, Shanahan said Torain would miss seven to 10 days.
4. Safety Oshiomogha Atogwe remained sidelined with a bad left hamstring. He hasn’t practiced since hurting it on Aug. 6. Atogwe has been limited to mental reps, working alongside strong safety LaRon Landry. They have yet to work together in live action.
“A lot of playing with someone is communicating,” Atogwe said. “The more you talk the more you know them… that rapport of do you see what I see is really going to strengthen the bonds. These walk-throughs have been so beneficial for the both of us to talk about what we’re seeing at a slower pace and really just getting inside each other’s heads, ‘OK, what are you thinking about this?’ “
Still, it’s a concern that they might not work together much before the season begins.
5. Shayne Graham is gone, but Graham Gano can’t relax. The Redskins cut Graham Saturday. Shanahan said they probably won’t bring in another kicker – not many good options at this point — but Gano still has to inspire confidence.
“We haven’t solved this kicking issue by any means,” Smith said.
Gano has talked about adding leg speed to make him more explosive.
“Tell Graham to quit talking about all this [stuff] and make field goals,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”
6. Receiver Terrence Austin continues to have a strong camp, coming off a solid game. His hands are reliable, his routes are good and he’ll catch the ball in traffic. Austin’s size sometimes makes it tough to get a clean release, but his quick feet often compensate. He made a terrific catch in practice Sunday; as he ran to the right a pass from John Beck was behind him. Austin was able to reach back and catch the ball, drawing a chorus of, ‘Nice catch’ shouts from teammates.
Smith likes him as well.
“I like him a lot, he’s quite capable,” Smith said. “He’s a very sure-handed guy. He’ll get his opportunities; he’s a good player.”
7. Some quick thoughts from Shanahan on three players from Friday:
Ryan Kerrigan: “Typical first game for a guy who’s had three or four days of practice. You can see the talent. Mentally you can see he’s very sharp, being able to do what he did in three or four days on the field.”
Barry Cofield: “You could see his pass-rush ability. Not often do you see a nose tackle put pressure on the quarterback. I’m impressed the way he plays and handles himself. He’s a true pro and a natural leader.”
Chris Chester: “I really thought he did a great job. He was really into it. He’s very quick on his feet. There’s a lot of times he’ll go sideline to sideline and he can move quite well.”
8. Linebacker London Fletcher was limited because of a tight hamstring. Shanahan said he could have worked during the 11-on-11 portion, but they held him out as a precaution.
9. Receiver Aldrick Robinson had another tough go, dropping a pass from Kellen Clemens. Robinson struggled on punt returns Friday.
10. Just one opinion, but: Selvish Capers needs to pick it up. Didn’t think he’s looked good in camp and he’s coming off a game which wasn’t terrific either. Sunday, saw him get moved back by Doug Worthington in one-on-ones and then he missed Perry Riley on a blitz attempt. Capers tried to shove him as he went past, but failed.
11. Artis Hicks returned to practice after missing time last week with a concussion.
12. Can’t imagine Brandon Banks, who had fluid drained from his left knee and sat out Sunday, is going anywhere after listening to the coaches today. Also, Shanahan said their goal is to have Banks ready for the season opener. You don’t say that if there’s a chance he’ll get cut. A team devoid of playmakers can’t set any free.
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