Who to watch vs. Pittsburgh:
CB Justin Tryon
Coming off a poor preseason opener after a rough summer in 2008. However, he has responded well in practice, not giving receivers as much cushion; not getting beat as much in the slot. But he needs to prove he can transfer that to games. Otherwise, he’ll be the DB version of Taylor Jacobs, who would look like a star receiver in practice but do nothing in games.
LT Chris Samuels
He’ll face the NFL Defensive player of the year in James Harrison, the pass-rushing linebacker. Samuels has had problems with Brian Orakpo at times this summer. For the offense to flourish, Samuels must get by without needing much help, so the coaches can send it to the other side.
WR Devin Thomas
Many receivers have jumped out in practice, whether from having good days or making big catches. Thomas hasn’t had a lot of memorable days or plays. But he’s lining up as the No. 2 receiver. At some point he needs to prove he’s worthy of that role. His route-running has improved, but is he to the point where he’s comfortable enough to provide the big plays he’s supposed to? Don’t forget, he was considered very raw when he was drafted. Maybe he’s still another year from consistently providing those plays.
LB Brian Orakpo
He must show improvement from the first game in terms of how he plays the strong side. He was caught looking at the wrong clues last week. He’ll face another quality tight end in Heath Miller. Orakpo also needs to show better footwork coming up on draws. However, it’ll be nice to see him paired with Albert Haynesworth. How will the Steelers handle that situation? The Redskins won’t have these two do anything fancy, but we should still get a sense of what they might do during the season.
DE Rob Jackson
Jackson hasn’t done a whole lot of late after showing a nice spin move early in camp. That hasn’t been effective for a while. Jackson needs to play with more discipline against the run. At this point, it might be hard to justify a roster spot for him. Fortunately for Jackson, he could still end up on the Redskins practice squad. But if he makes a play or two maybe he’ll somehow win a spot.
