1. Rob Jackson makes enough plays to be interesting. During a one-on-one blocking drill with the tight ends, Jackson got into Fred Davis’ chest and drove him back. Good explosion. Jackson also got around Sean Locklear on a couple occasions in full-team work (and knocked him back in the one-on-ones.) Haven’t watched a lot of Jackson in coverage, but going forward he has done OK.
2. Speaking of Locklear, looked like his feet were slow today. The Redskins worked him at left tackle Monday and he got beat off the edge a few times and each time he ended up reaching for his man. He struggled at this spot in Seattle.
3. Ryan Kerrigan looked rusty, as you would expect from a guy who has had one NFL practice and is changing positions. He’s still working on how to rush from a two-point stance. Looked like you could tell when he was coming; he was leaning a little more forward in his stance and sometimes would take a half step before the snap. Kerrigan got blocked on one play by receiver Niles Paul and on another play was buried by Jammal Brown on a bootleg. Brown didn’t have any problems against his rushes; I’ll be curious to see if Kerrigan gets a little lower on his rush.
4. Keyaron Fox worked ahead of Horatio Blades on the second unit, which likely is the reason why Blades tweeted this, “Right is right wrong is wrong. Don’t ask people to be loyal when ur not. It’s been real dc appreciate ya” Backup linebackers drafted by a different regime should never feel safe. Ever. The Redskins have shown that they’re constantly trying to upgrade the roster.
5. Watched Brandon Banks in a one-on-one drill vs. Kevin Barnes and was reminded, again, of his quickness. Barnes couldn’t get a hand on Banks to jam him and then couldn’t catch up. Banks caught a long pass. On their next matchup, Banks tried a different move off the line, allowing Barnes to jam him, but Banks drove him off for a short grab.
6. However, before you get excited about Banks, here’s something that happened earlier in practice. He didn’t know where to line up on one play (in a drill with just receivers and backs and no defense). On his next play he ran the wrong route, cutting outside. Receivers coach Keenan McCardell’s hard hand gesture indicated this: he should have gone inside.
7. Both LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe were taking mental reps behind the play when the Redskins were working in the red zone Monday, going through the play at a slow pace. As Atogwe did it, he would shout reminders to his teammates going through at full speed. “Good eyes here, good eyes!” he yelled. Another time, Landry ran with the play and yelled at rookie DeJon Gomes, in coverage vs. tight end Logan Paulsen, “That’s your ball. That’s your ball. .. Good [expletive].” In other words, good coverage.
8. QB Rex Grossman on a rollout to his right appeared like he might try to tuck and run from the 5-yard line. But Grossman, who used to be more athletic before some leg surgeries, couldn’t turn it and ended up throwing an incompletion out of the end zone. No, it’s not because he’s somehow fatter this summer. Have yet to talk to a media member who thinks he looks any different than a year ago.
9. Grossman did have a perfect pass to Anthony Armstrong in the corner of the end zone, over Barnes. Armstrong got two feet in bounds; that’s about all he had room for.
10. Incidentally, today was the first time the Redskins worked a lot on their red zone offense and defense.
11. During the one-on-one drills Leonard Hankerson was slower off the line than the other receivers. Again, he’s more of a long strider. But he used his body well to catch a short pass vs. corner Dante Barnes. Later, in a seven-on-seven drill, Hankerson had to reach back inside for a John Beck pass. Showed good, strong hands as he pulled it in.
12. Doug Worthington knocked Artis Hicks on his backside during a one-on-one drill. I’m not pointing that out because Worthington is an ex-Ohio State player who along with his D-line mates played a great game vs. Oregon in theRose Bowl two years ago and I happen to be an alum. Nope, not the reason.
13. Jarvis Jenkins did another nice job, getting into Chris Chester’s body, then going around him. Liked watching Jenkins in a two-on-two drill where he ran a stunt to the outside with Markus White coming inside. Jenkins was able to sucker the center (Erik Cook) to come with him. Cook got tangled up and White slipped to the inside with no problem. I’ve seen Jenkins be able to set teammates up like this a couple times, where he occupies two blockers. Jenkins later had a pressure through Kory Lichtensteiger but had to pull up to let the play continue. It would have been a sack.
14. Maurice Hurt did not have his best day. Darrion Scott and Barry Cofield went around him. He also didn’t recognize a stunt quickly enough, allowing more pressure by White. Yes, White seems to do a lot except when he goes up against experienced players. They’re patient with his moves and stop him.
15. London Fletcher almost seemed to try and goad Will Montgomery into a fight, holding onto his facemask after one play. Well, Rocky McIntosh succeeded in getting him to tussle. McIntosh threw a few swings after a play and the two had to be separated.
16. Stephen Bowen tipped a Grossman pass that landed in the arms of Brian Orakpo, who was on the ground in the backfield.
17. Just checked my notes to see another entry: Jackson around Locklear; slow feet. So there you go. Oops, just found another entry saying the same thing. Seems to be a pattern here.
18. Donte Stallworth knocked Reed Doughty off his feet, just a little, with a crackback block. Heard one of the DBs yell, “I see you 19, I see you!” Stallworth wears No. 19. Stallworth still has quick feet, as he showed on a pass where Phillip Buchanon had good coverage.
19. Erik Cook did have a nice block on Anthony Bryant and helped open a lane for Tim Hightower to squeeze through.
20. Gomes did a nice job breaking up a pass to Hankerson in the back of the end zone. Hankerson had it, but Gomes was quickly there for the strip. Gomes was active Monday.
21. Shayne Graham missed a 42-yarder badly, with the ball looking like one of my sliced approach shots. But he shouldn’t worry; Graham Gano then hooked a 47-yarder.
22. One of the highlights of the day: Ben Chappell running a bootleg to his right then throwing back on a screen to Keiland Williams. An easy touchdown, a well-designed play.
