1. The Redskins had approximately 60 players in camp Friday morning, including all 12 rookies. Ryan Kerrigan was the last rookie to agree to a deal Thursday night. And he also got a nice taste of life in the NFL when linebackers coach Lou Spanos chewed him out after a play, telling him to get his “[rear end]” in tight. But he later praised him. Kerrigan, like all the rookies, will take time to feel comfortable. Saw him on one pass drop get turned around and lost. It’s going to happen often for now.
2. LaRon Landry and Kareem Moore worked on a side field when the rest of the team was in seven-on-seven or full-team drills. Moore is coming off knee surgery while Landry dealt with shoulder and wrist surgeries in the offseason as well as his Achilles injury from 2010 that caused him to miss the final seven games. Landry is being a little cautious now.
“I don’t want to overdo it,” he said. “I want to make sure the strength is there before I go full-go… The shoulder healed fine; the wrist, I had surgery on that and that’s nothing. I played with that during the season anyway.” Asked if he could be himself on the field now if he had to be, Landry said, “Mentally I think so. Physically I don’t know. Straight-ahead sprints, everything is fine. The Achilles is healed, I just want to make sure I’m strong enough to endure the whole season.
3. One thing that jumps out about O.J. Atogwe is his knowledge of the game and other players. Atogwe said he has watched Landry, studying him, since he came into the league. If he has a good feel for how Landry wants to play, then Atogwe can adjust his game to complement him. “I know where he’s strong and I know where he’s talented at,” Atogwe said. For what it’s worth, I liked watching how Atogwe moved in the secondary: he stays under control and arrives that way. When you’re having to tackle players in the open field, it helps to be that way.
4. Atogwe is also highly aware when it came to his number. He said he started wearing the No. 21 when he was 10 years old and, save for one year in high school, that’s been his number. Until now. Atogwe changed it to 20 out of respect for the late Sean Taylor.
“I’m a fan of the game and I’m a big fan of Sean Taylor and in my head I believe the number is retired,” he said. “It wasn’t even a question.”
5. Too early to start making strong evaluations of players considering they had no OTAs or minicamps (save for the players-only workouts). But a few guys will need to shake that rust off in a hurry. Tackle Selvish Capers had some tough moments, both in one-on-one work and in full-team situations. On one play, linebacker Edgar Jones started up and cut back inside him and Capers had completely opened his right shoulder, allowing an easy inside path. Like I said, lots of rust. I think. It’s a good thing they’re not in pads for the first couple days.
6. Perry Riley was getting the first look at the inside linebacker spot next to London Fletcher. But Lorenzo Alexander also took work at both inside ‘backer positions. Yes, Robert Henson will be getting looks there as well. But you have to believe Riley has the edge. Why? He was drafted by this group; Henson was a holdover. Riley and Henson were hurt by the lack of an offseason, preventing them from learning more about the defense and working with the coaches. Hurt the young guys a lot.
7. Will Montgomery looks comfortable at center, though it’s not as if he was tested this morning. He is considered strong, and has been one of the strongest players since he joined the team. Last year, Phillip Daniels and Adam Carriker were probably the only one’s stronger than Montgomery. But Anthony Bryant did put a little move on him to get past his outside shoulder in a one-on-one drill. Other than that, however, Montgomery was solid. Again, no pads; first day.
8. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan confirmed what we’d heard and written on Thursday: Chris Chester will play right guard. “He fits our scheme well,” Shanahan said. “He’s an athletic, quick guy. He does have some size also.”
9. When you have a potentially inexperienced quarterback such as John Beck, it makes sense to improve the defense and running game. Maybe that’s why Shanahan said of the running game: “We need to run the ball better. We need to run the ball more.” Of course, it’s easy to say that in July. But my guess is they will run it a little more than in 2010. They want to do so much play-action that it makes sense. Continuity in the run game would help; that means the line needs to produce and the starting back (Ryan Torain) must stay healthy.
10. Some players appeared to have heat-related issues this morning: defensive lineman Anthony Bryant was leaning over one of the upside-down garbage cans and was later carted off. Receiver Leonard Hankerson also was carted off and was struggling with the heat.
11. A lot was made of the Redskins adding more receivers this week. But the fact is, they had no depth at this spot in 2010 and it’s highly unlikely that a fifth- or sixth-round pick can come in, with no offseason, and contribute. So get some insurance if that’s the case; and add depth.
“Last year the competition wasn’t great,” Kyle Shanahan said. “We had guys who stepped up like Anthony Armstrong. He was our starting receiver last year. He’s 28, but he also had his first career catch last year and we want guys like that to play, but we need him to compete with people too. But we don’t just want them competing with young guys. We want them competing with guys who have done it and are proven…. If these young guys beat them out, awesome. Then we’ve got some guys who really can play.”
12. Artis Hicks said he learned long ago not to worry about players a team signs. So when the Redskins agreed to terms with Chester, Hicks wasn’t bothered. He knows his play must improve, regardless of who they bring to camp. Hicks lost his starting job to Montgomery. Part of the problem, Hicks said, is that he missed a game because of injury and wasn’t sharp upon his return. He started the next game, but sat the final five.
“I came back and I wasn’t on top of the technique,” he said. “I struggled a little bit and Will got a chance and did a great job and made the most of his opportunities. You learn from it and come back.” At 6-foot-5, Hicks had a tough time staying low enough to play guard.
13. Beck is happy to get as many reps as he can. With only two quarterbacks (undrafted free agent Ben Chappell being the other) that won’t be an issue. But check back next week to see how his arm responds to making all these throws. I’m guessing he’ll be happy to split some of the reps when Kellen Clemens and, presumably, Rex Grossman arrive. Or maybe not.
“I’ve been doing the best I can to prepare myself,” Beck said. “Drew Brees, when I train with him, he keeps it really high tempo, a lot of passes fast-paced. It was good to be around him because it simulated this work style. So you’re getting a full-body workout. My legs are feeling it as much as my arms.”
14. By the way, Beck and Clemens share the same agent (David Dunn). So now you know.
15. Here’s a story from earlier on the quarterback competition.
