Joe Gibbs would ask the same question; Joe Bugel would provide the same answer. A large man on the screen was making an impression.
“Who is that?” Gibbs would ask. “Is that Heyer?”
Each time Bugel would tell him that, yes, that was Stephon Heyer.
So after Chris Samuels went down with a sprained medial collateral ligament Monday, and the coaches were tossing out names, Bugel ended the discussion with one: Heyer.
And when the first unit broke huddle in the 11-on-11 portion Tuesday, Heyer lined up at left tackle.
He could get the first chance there in Saturday’s scrimmage against Baltimore (quarterbacks can’t be hit in the scrimmage).
“It was a battlefield promotion for him,” Bugel said. “You play good and what the heck. I like what I see of the kid. We’re not afraid of playing rookies.”
Samuels could miss up to four weeks, which would put his return at the week of the final preseason game. He has a grade two sprain, which often results in a return fewer than four weeks. At least right guard Randy Thomas did some work during individual drills for the first time since the first practice.
Still, that leaves the Redskins searching for his backup. They have surly Jason Fabini, who has started 114 games — the majority at left tackle — but he’s mostly lined up at guard. Fabini, who has been ineffective, and Todd Wade, who is starting at left guard, could be long-term options.
“Before we’d put Wade out there, we’d put Fabini there,” Bugel said.
Taylor Whittley also took some snaps at left tackle before the full-team drills Tuesday. But Heyer, the University of Maryland product, took the majority of the snaps. He jumped early on the first snap, but overall acquitted himself well, driving end Andre Carter wide on a run play on the ensuing snap.
“Who knows what the next day may bring,” Heyer said, “but I hope I can stay in there for a little while.”
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Heyer missed the 2005 season at Maryland because of a torn ACL, which caused him to struggle part of ’06. And that led to his going undrafted in April. He stuck around before camp to strengthen his lower body, working with Thomas.
“When I strapped on [the pads], I started coming off the ball and hitting people in the mouth,” Heyer said. “[But] I never thought I’d be thrown into the mix so early. I have an opportunity and I have to take it.”
