Five things I’d like to see at Redskins minicamp this weekend (or, at least, in the one day the media is allowed to watch; and I’m not including Albert Haynesworth mainly because I can’t see all the way to Tennessee):
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1. Trent Williams. Until the pads come on this summer it’s hard to know what many of these players can do. And his head will be swimming with all sorts of stuff. So it’s hard to judge him based on watching him for a day. However, I’m curious to see the athleticism up close. Will they have him pull at all? Will it be evident in his pass sets (even if he messes up at times)? And will they continue to put Stephon Heyer with the first unit to make the kid earn the job?
2. Joey Galloway. What does he have left? At this time of the year he should look good, but I’d love to see him go up against Carlos Rogers or DeAngelo Hall in some drills to provide a good gauge. I’m not all that optimistic about Galloway’s chances of helping this season and what he shows this weekend might not be all that revealing. But I’d like to see some clues that might say something about his future, one way or another. Does he still have burner speed?
3. Rocky McIntosh’s mindset. Of course, that’s a hard thing to see and the fact that he’ll be there says he wants to stick around. But he hasn’t signed the tender yet and clearly wants a better, longer contract. The Redskins, wisely, want to see how he fits into the new defense before committing more to him. Rocky is a nice player and is very physical (of course, linebackers are supposed to be), but I don’t think he has a lot of leverage on this one. This isn’t Pro Bowler Lance Briggs threatening to miss time. It will be interesting to see if Rocky talks to the media (he’s hit or miss) and drops some insight into his situation.
4. The third-year wideouts. They’ve been dealt a message with the signings of Galloway and Bobby Wade. Even if those guys don’t make the roster, it’s clear the Redskins are on the lookout for more receiver help. Of course, even if Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas are in the top three, that would still leave Washington needing two more guys. But my strong hunch is that Mike Shanahan is not wowed by these two; how will they respond?
5. Darryl Clark. The Penn State quarterback wasn’t drafted, but he does fit the profile of what Shanahan looks for in a QB: he can run, he’s athletic and has a good arm. However, I have to say as an Ohio State fan he never, ever scared me. Didn’t trust his accuracy under duress. But he’s still intriguing as a long-term developmental guy. I don’t know what they have in mind yet for the No. 3 QB job (how firm is Colt Brennan’s spot?) but I do know that nothing is secure. Why should it be?
