First-rounder’s move to linebacker not easy ASHBURN — The subtle parts of the job cause the biggest issues, forcing Ryan Kerrigan to ease into his new position. It’s the way he must stand. It’s how he must explode out of that stance. It’s the angle he must take while rushing. And then it’s his role in coverage.
Add it up and it’s easy to see why this transition from defensive end in college to outside linebacker in the NFL could take time. Kerrigan, not to mention his coaches, know this all too well. It’s why the coaches tutor him on the side when others are warming up, going over coverages and how he needs to move or use his hands.
“I have a long ways to go,” he said.
– John Keim
| Redskins position review: Defensive line |
| Jarvis Jenkins |
| Jenkins showed in the first preseason game that he can rush the passer. But now he wants to show he can play the run in the NFL as well. Part of that has to do with staying low; too often Jenkins said he would be too upright. “That’s the main thing,” he said. “I noticed when I got that pressure, I was lower. It’s going to take time, but I’ll catch on real fast. I have to get lower and push them back.” Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said Jenkins is a better pass rusher than the Redskins expected. |
| Kedric Golston |
| Golston remains in the Redskins’ plans, but if he makes the roster it will be as a fourth end. Last year he started at right end. But Golston is not an explosive player, and that’s evident in the one-on-one drills in which he often gets slowed by the linemen. His strength is trying to occupy blockers at the line of scrimmage. The coaches like his hustle, and Golston is the type of player who will give the same effort regardless of his role. |
| Adam Carriker |
| Carriker hit a point last season when he stopped thinking about what he needed to do in a 3-4 and started focusing on making plays. It’s one reason he finished strong in 2010. Thus far, Carriker has been overshadowed in camp by his new linemates — Jenkins, Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen. But Carriker did beat a one-on-one block vs. Pittsburgh to apply pressure. And he has been solid — if unspectacular — in practice. “We had 10 or 12 quarterback hits last week from the interior people, which was impressive,” Haslett said. |
| Notes |
| » Returner Brandon Banks will see Dr. James Andrews, the team physician, about his ailing left knee. Coach Mike Shanahan said Andrews performed the surgery on Banks’ knee in November. Banks practiced Monday but had to leave after running a few routes because his knee started to bother him. He sat out Tuesday and was not at practice Wednesday. “He was swollen after a few routes [Monday],” Shanahan said. “That’s not a good sign.” |
| » Kicker Graham Gano left practice early Wednesday because his wife went into labor. The Redskins worked out kickers later in the day and signed Clint Stitser, who made seven of eight field goals for Cincinnati last season, to kick vs. Indianapolis on Friday. |
| » Running back Ryan Torain didn’t do much in practice, but Shanahan is optimistic he will practice next week. But Shanahan said he doesn’t think Torain will be ready to play before the preseason finale. Other players not expected to play Friday: linebacker London Fletcher (hamstring/groin), cornerback Josh Wilson (hamstring/groin), safety LaRon Landry (Achilles), safety Kareem Moore (knee) and tight end Chris Cooley (knee). |
On Friday at Indianapolis, the Redskins’ first-round pick can adapt what he learned in the opener vs. Pittsburgh. He learned plenty. But with the season less than a month away, he needs to learn it fast.
“He’s smart though,” linebacker Brian Orakpo said. “He makes mistakes, but he’s able to learn quickly. That’s a disadvantage of the lockout. Guys have to pick up stuff at a faster pace. [Last year] we were getting in the books in March. They had three weeks to do what we did. It’s gonna be tough.”
Among the lessons learned in the opener:
The stance » As an end at Purdue, Kerrigan rushed from a three-point stance as opposed to a two-point stance at linebacker. He still hasn’t found the best way to be explosive out of this stance.
“In a three-point stance you can load up on your hand and really explode out,” Kerrigan said. “Now you have to focus on putting your weight on your front foot and really driving off with just that foot. It’s a tough thing to do.”
The angle » Against Pittsburgh, there was a noticeable difference between Kerrigan’s path to the quarterback and Orakpo’s. Kerrigan at times would run straight upfield for at least five yards before trying to turn the corner. And when he did, he often would take a step to the outside and then turn inside.
Meanwhile, Orakpo would go about three yards before cutting inside with a hard turn.
The result for Kerrigan is that tackles react to his rushes with ease. On one play Friday, Kerrigan went upfield too wide, and when he turned the corner, he reached his hands out to engage the tackle. But he was too far away to make contact.
“You try to eliminate the wasted steps and close the distance on every play,” Kerrigan said. “I was trying to use my speed, but I need to hug the angle tighter to make a more direct line to the quarterback.”
Don’t overpursue » Kerrigan got caught too far inside on two running plays, opening lanes to his side for two good runs. It’s a problem others have when adjusting to this position.
“There’s something every day that’s new to him,” Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. “We try to give him every imaginable situation we can, and sometimes we can’t do it and he has to rely on instinct.”
That instinct came through on a third-and-1 stop. There was nothing fancy; Kerrigan hopped back inside just before the snap as he was supposed to do, beat the tight end and made the tackle.
“That,” Haslett said, “is something he has to rely on.”
