1. Keep this in mind: The Redskins did not practice in pads or even shells. There’s only so much you can tell. That said, I’ll say a few things anyway. So you’ve been warned.
2. The rookie who has jumped out lately on offense is receiver Niles Paul. Keeps making big catches. The knock on him from scouts coming out of college was his route-running ability. Hard to say how precise he is now, but he is getting free and he is catching the ball (drops were an issue at Nebraska, too). And he seems to make a diving catch each day. Today, it was over corner Brandyn Thompson, hauling in a soft touch throw from Kellen Clemens. Paul is a mature kid who learned from his mistakes.
3. Thompson, incidentally, looked a little rough. Had trouble jamming Terrence Austin at the line on a play in which Austin broke free over the middle (the pass went elsewhere). Austin’s feet were much quicker than Thompson’s hands.
4. Rex Grossman showed what a fresh arm looks like, with a little more zip on his passes than John Beck. That’s not surprising given how much work Beck has received in camp. But it was noticeable. Grossman also typically looks pretty good in these situations. That said, he threw a better ball than Beck. Kellen Clemens’ passes were a little uneven; seems to sometimes come straight over the top and the nose of the ball is pointing down when it arrives. Not all the time, but that happened a couple times.
5. Second year C Erik Cook is struggling. One thing that I’ve seen: he occasionally gives away whether it’s a pass or a run by how he sets. He’ll sometimes lean back a little, a sure tip-off that it’s a pass as he’s anxious to set up. When he’s firm and leaning forward a bit, it’s a run. It wasn’t always this noticeable, but a couple times it was.
6. Anyway, he hasn’t shown an ability to handle a legitimate defensive lineman. He had a tough time in camp with this as well. Anthony Bryant knocked him off the ball during 11-on-11 work. Think I wrote down the word destroyed in my notes. Actually, I used two exclamation points after it. And, actually, I used that word a couple times when those two went against one another in the one-on-ones as well. Bryant looks solid, but Cook does not look ready.
7. This is why it’s hard to get a lot out of running plays in camp. Tim Hightower broke outside on an early run, leading to some cheers and oooooohhhs by the crowd. Problem was, he would have been stopped for a one-yard gain had there been pads and if the defense could tackle.
8. Josh Wilson plays with enthusiasm; when he joined the huddle after the CBA was ratified he was laughing and celebrating with his new teammates. Another time he was running with Donte Stallworth on a deep pass; both were laughing after the play. And on Wilson’s first play, he jammed the receiver with extra vigor.
9. Chris Chester was clearly rusty and you can’t blame him; new offense, new team, first practice. It was obvious that he could run; watched run to his left on one play and he gets out quick. But he also had a tough time lunging after defenders; could just be getting his rhythm and timing back. It was his first day, after all. He ended up on the ground a couple times, mainly because of those lunges. During the one-on-ones, Chester seemed focused on staying low, but sometimes in doing so he was too outstretched and lost control. Again, lunging. And, yes, he lunged at Barry Cofield on a stretch run and fell. There were a couple positive signs for Chester, particularly when he set up in pass protection; had a nice base.
10. Joe Joseph used his power to move Chester back once. And Jarvis Jenkins – you didn’t think I’d go a day without mentioning him, did you? – also knocked him back.
11. Another reminder: This was Chester’s first practice.
12. Darrion Scott beat Selvish Capers, aligned at left guard, to the inside. Capers shoulders turned too quickly and gave Scott an easy path. Scott beat him in full-team work; would have had a sack, too.
13. The rust was evident when Stephen Bowen and Cofield tried to run a stunt in a two-on-two session. They bumped into one another. My early impression of Cofield: he really understands leverage; sometimes the 6-foot-4 Cofield is lined up lower than anyone up front.
14. Lorenzo Alexander was working more at outside linebacker Thursday. But he still took reps inside. Rob Jackson is taking the reps with the first team at left outside linebacker. At times he seems a little mechanical in his movements, but he flashes enough and he’s much more fluid there than Andre Carter was.
15. Kory Lichtensteiger had a rough day in the one-on-ones. Kept allowing the defender to get into his pads and he’s just not as strong as the players he’s blocking. This drill does not highlight his strength (quickness) but it is telling. You need to prevent interior pressure.
16. Anderson Russell nearly made a nice play on a pass over the middle. But he didn’t. Which D-backs coach Bob Slowik reminded him of: “How could we miss that? You’ve got to get that. That’s a gimme pick.”
17. DeAngelo Hall intercepted a tipped pass off the hands of Jabar Gaffney. Davonte Shannon made a leaping interception along the sidelines later in the practice. Kellen Clemens telegraphed the pass and Shannon made a fast break on the ball.
18. Brandon Banks did not practice again Thursday because of his knee. Again: must prove that he’s durable. The Redskins have plenty of options. Aldrick Robinson was working on kick returns today as well.
19. Artis Hicks finally had a little victory in the one-on-ones. He went up against Kedric Golston and used some power and threw him down. Those victories are few and far between for him, however. When he faces starter-types, Hicks struggles to stay low and then loses his leverage. Rookie Markus White got around Hicks on a stunt; Hicks was slow to pick him up, not sliding his feet. Jenkins got Hicks in the full-team work. Beat him to the backfield.
I don’t know if Jenkins is this good or the Redskins O-line is just, um, finding itself.
20. Reed Doughty has excellent form on special teams. Watched him perform a drill in which they must attack a teammate holding a bag. His hands are in tighter than anyone else’s. Leads to quick jabs and an ability to get off blocks.
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