1. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said corner Phillip Buchanon was suspended four games by the NFL, though he did not say why. Here’s the story on the situation. The NFL declined comment. This will leave the Redskins with a corner trio of DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson and Kevin Barnes, barring another signing. It’s hard to imagine a starting quality corner would re-sign here knowing that Buchanon would return and there would be a logjam. And it’s hard to picture Buchanon re-signing if he knew he’d end up as a fourth corner (unless he had no choice; but there were other teams interested in him).
“I’ve always been a big Phil Buchanon fan,” Shanahan said. “I like the way he handles himself and the way he works. He’s what you look for in a player.” Aside from the four-game suspensions. Other teams knew he would be suspended, as did the Redskins.
2. Free agent quarterback Rex Grossman is expected to arrive at Redskins Park Tuesday night, which means a signing would come next. Grossman can’t practice until Thursday.
3. Running back Tim Hightower attended practice Tuesday morning, but can’t work until Thursday. He was re-signed by Arizona as a restricted free agent last week and therefore is ineligible to practice before Thursday. Shayne Graham was in camp, but can’t yet work. And punter Sav Rocca remains in Australia with visa issues. Problem was, when he was cut by the Eagles he had to return to Australia and re-apply for a visa. So now they wait.
4. Graham Gano said he made an adjustment to his kicking style, hoping it helps him improve after making just 24 of 35 field goals last year. Yes, I hear the critics saying one adjustment should be putting the ball through the uprights. But at the end of last season Gano did talk about wanting to tweak where he puts his plant foot, seeking more accuracy at the expense of a little distance. Still, he’s in for a big battle.
“Veteran competition is what we’re looking for,” special teams coach Danny Smith said.
5. Rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan was on the field Tuesday, but remains limited because of the bone bruise in his right knee. Shanahan said it could be another two or three days before Kerrigan returns to full speed. “They’re going to be more cautious than usual and make sure he’s ready to go,” Shanahan said. “We wanted to make sure he’s healthy before we threw him out there.”
Kerrigan wore a brace on his right knee. “It felt good today,” he said of the knee.
6. Shanahan said it wasn’t a huge setback for Kerrigan to miss this time, considering he’s transitioning from end to an outside linebacker in a 3-4. “It’s not hard to learn the position,” Shanahan said. “He gets all the mental reps, he’s in the film room. But there will be a big difference in doing it and watching it…. But we’re afraid if we put him out there too quick it will set him back.”
7. Josh Wilson is anxious to play in this defense, mainly because the Redskins play a lot of zone coverage. That enables corners to read the play more rather than just the receiver. “I like to play with vision,” Wilson said. “I seen DeAngelo get all them picks; I want to have that Chicago game too. The ability to see the ball, to make a play on the ball is huge.”
8. Wilson also said he’s comfortable covering in the slot, something he had to do in Seattle. The Redskins like to blitz from that position.
“It doesn’t matter where I am, I’ll try to go out and change the game,” Wilson said. “That’s the mentality I have. That’s what all great players should have. You want to go in there and every time the game starts you want everyone to know Josh Wilson was on the field and changed the game.”
9. Quarterback John Beck’s arm is getting sore, Shanahan said. That’s not surprising given that he’s taking more reps than normal. That’s why the Redskins signed Marc Verica the other day, just to have another QB to throw passes in camp. It’s common for QBs to have some soreness in their arms, especially those throwing as much as Beck.
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