Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Need to Know: Reed's head will be swimming in camp

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, June 19, 36 days before Redskins start training camp.

Reed will have to get “getting worse” out of the way in camp

When Jordan Reed was drafted, there was no mention that he was injured. But he ended up sidelined for all of OTAs and minicamp with an injury that was, well, complicated. We’ll let him explain it.

“I had a [thigh] contusion in college and that caused my quad to shutdown and stop working, which caused my kneecap to start moving around and banging into my bone, and that caused a bone bruise,” Reed told our Tarik El-Bashir. “As long as I get that quad back firing right, my kneecap will stay in place and I’ll be normal again.”

I don’t have the proper medical credentials to evaluate all of that but he and the Redskins hope that another five weeks of rest will take care of the issue. They need to get him on the field as soon as they can so he can get his initial growing pains out of the way.

“We haven’t seen him out there yet, but I think any rookie who comes in, there’s always a time where they’ve got to get worse before they get better,” said Kyle Shanahan when asked about how much Reed missed out on in OTAs and minicamp. “You know you throw a lot at them, they try and take it all in and they usually struggle and then by the time they come back to camp you hope that they’ve been through it and can start getting better.”

So OTAs serve as a way for rookies to get out of the “my head is spinning” phase. Having missed that phase in the spring, he’ll have to go through it in the summer.

Add in the fact that Reed will have a lot to learn since he will be playing a hybrid H-back/slot receiver role and a tough July and early August look likely for him.

This doesn’t mean that he is doomed to a lost rookie season. If he gets to the point where he is active on regular season game days they will probably simplify his responsibilities and add on more as the season goes on.

But in training camp they will throw it all at him and he is likely to carry around that lost look most of the time.

Bowen breaking down RG3’s bubble screen

Former Redskins safety Matt Bowen took a look at how just one aspect of Robert Griffin III’s game put pressure on the defense. Take a look at his tweets on his timeline (first, second, third, fourth)

What many don’t realize is that Griffin had the option to throw the pass, hand the ball off or run it himself based on his read of the defense. Not many rookies (maybe none) are entrusted with such responsibility.

In case you missed it

• Depth chart review: Left tackle
• No incentive in Orakpo extension talks likely means no deal
• A bad opening game upset David Amerson’s 2012 season
• Should the Redskins extend Shanahan now?

Days until: Training camp starts 36; Monday night preseason vs. Steelers 61; Monday night Eagles @ Redskins 82

Tandler on Twitter

The #Redskins have no "camp fodder" at guard. All 5 were on 53 last year--'Steiger, Chester, LeRibeus, Hurt and Gettis. #random

— Rich Tandler (@Rich_TandlerCSN) June 18, 2013

Need to Know: Bad game upset Amerson's 2012 season

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, June 18, 37 days before Redskins start training camp.

Amerson needs to learn to bounce back

According to Jim Haslett, David Amerson’s struggles last year, his junior season at North Carolina State, can be traced to one bad game.

“He got surprised the first game of the year,” said Haslett. “Tennessee comes out with these two wideouts, one was a junior college transfer and he didn’t know who he was. He got beat on a double move a couple of times, had some bad body language and he struggled the first half of the season.”

In that game against the Vols, Amerson was beaten by Cordarrelle Patterson, who was a first-round pick in the draft, for 42 yards and a touchdown. Then to show that he was willing to pick on the cornerback who had led the nation in interceptions in 2011, Tennessee QB Chandler Whitmer went deep to Zach Rogers. The result was a 72-yard touchdown pass that had Amerson throwing up his arms in apparent frustration.

“I think one of the great things about it is if you are a great player, especially as a quarterback or if you are as a corner, you’re going to get beat,” said Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien. “But you have to have amnesia and forget about it and come back and play from that point on”

But from the evaluations of Haslett and others, Amerson did not have that amnesia. He let the experience against Tennessee draft him down for weeks. Haslett said that he bounced back and had a good second half of the season; others didn’t see the rebound.

In any case, in the NFL a cornerback has to have a short memory. Very short. If he gets burned on one play he has to regroup and be mentally locked in on the next snap or the next series. In any case, he can’t be in a funk for half of the season.

As a rookie corner, it is inevitable that Amerson will give up some big plays. The sooner he can learn to put such plays behind him of it the better off he and the Redskins will be.

Players looking forward to Richmond camp

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com came up with a post that all NFL writers and most fans can heartily endorse. He listed some NFL-related story lines that need to be put to bed and retired. The lead one on his list was Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend. “The story is so old and tired I figure y’all would be moved on to something else by now,” Chargers QB Phillip Rivers said.

The same can be applied to other “stories”, real or manufactured. Wesseling’s list included Tim Tebow’s religion, Terrell Owens’ quest for a job and Richard Sherman vs. Darrelle Revis. There were two Redskins-related items on the list:

» “If a beat writer turns to the triumvirate of retired quarterbacks (Joe Theismann, Joe Namath and Fran Tarkenton) for a quick quote, it's safe to ignore the ensuing balderdash.”

» Anything related to RG3’s wedding.

Again, I endorse this list and I hope everyone else does, too.

In case you missed it

• Depth chart review: Nose tackle
• The Pistol is “the key to everything”
• Some players resist new pads

Days until: Training camp starts 37; Final cuts 74; Redskins @ Cowboys 117

Need to Know: Some players resist new pads

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, June 17, 38 days before Redskins start training camp.

Williams will be happy to comply with pad rule

NFL players are going to get a little bit more protection from injury starting this season as a provision that requires players to wear thigh and knee pads during games takes effect. As with many safety measures (see the running back leading with the helmet rule), some players have expressed opposition.

“I’m definitely not wearing pads,” Browns receiver Greg Little said to Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  “It’s just a swag thing.  If you don’t feel good, you’re not gonna play good.”

The thing is, if Little doesn’t wear the pads he won’t be able to play at all. Failure to wear the proper pads is not like wearing the wrong socks, which is punished with a fine. Game officials will check the players for compliance with the pad rule and a player who is in violation will not be permitted to take the field.

One Redskins player who is unlikely to resist the change is Trent Williams. As usual, he wasn’t wearing thigh pads when he took the field against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. Early in the game he suffered a deep thigh bruise that a pad would easily have prevented. Williams had one of his worst games of the season in Dallas and the injury hampered him to an extent for the rest of the season. He started wearing thigh pads the next game and, obviously, he will continue to do so.

Players looking forward to Richmond camp

In case you missed it

• Minnifield eyeing a roster spot
• Tanard Jackson will be welcomed back “with open arms”
• The Week That Was: The grass is greener at FedEx Field

Days until: Training camp starts 38; Monday night preseason vs. Steelers 63; Redskins @ Packers 90

TW3: The grass is greener at FedEx Field

Here is what you need to know on this Sunday, June 16, 40 days before Redskins start training camp.

That Was The Week That Was

—Jason Reid had a good column in the Post about the decisions that await Mike Shanahan after team doctors clear Robert Griffin III to take the field. That could happen in time for the start of training camp on July 25 or it could be at some point after that. No matter when it happens, decisions such as how much to practice him and, assuming that Griffin is cleared in time, how much to play him in the preseason. One option that Reid mentions is the PUP list but I would be surprised if that was the way they go. Griffin couldn’t even play catch off to the side with teammates if he received the PUP designation. I doubt that they go the route of forcing him to sit for the first six weeks of the season. He will participate in training camp; the only question is when he will start and how much he will do.

—A couple of photos of the new grass field at FedEx have popped up. The one of the top is from @LewiVuittonDon. The bottom one is from @BCHerson89.

 

The new grass, which was installed over a revamped base and drainage system, will first be tested in just over two months when the Steelers come in to FedEx Field for a Monday night preseason game on Aug. 19.

—So Prince Amukamara told the Giants media that he intends to “become the No. 1 corner in the whole league.” Somehow, this quote was not picked up and accompanied by the snickering and derision that it deserves. It’s on a level with Rex Grossman picking the Redskins to win the NFC East a couple of years ago. Amukamara has played in 20 games in his two seasons in the year and he has two interceptions. And, no, his low interception total is not due to opposing quarterbacks being afraid to throw his way. Not that the 19^th pick of the 2011 draft is a bad player. But his ceiling is competence, not the ground occupied by the likes of Darrelle Revis, Patrick Peterson, or the other top corners in the game.

—We can say this now that it’s over—the Redskins managed to avoid sustaining any major injuries during the no pads, no contact portion of the offseason. Some teams were not as fortunate. The 49ers lost receiver Michael Crabtree to a torn Achilles when he planted his foot to go out on a route during an OTA practice on May 21. Two linebackers, Victor Butler of the Saints and Melvin Ingram of the Chargers, suffered torn ACLs. Injuries happen and they always are costly but big ones suffered at this time of year seem to hit particularly hard.

In case you missed it

If you didn’t have a chance to keep tabs on the Redskins during your busy work week, here are links to all 36 Redskins posts from here this past week:

Sunday 06.09

• Roy Helu is on the mend
• Rookie safeties have work to do
• The Week That Was: Patience needed with Amerson

Monday 06.10

• Kerrigan looks to build on last year’s success
• Enemy Intel: Giants missing starters at OTAs
• Cofield feels at home at nose tackle
• Can Orakpo take it to the next level?

Tuesday 06.11

• Injury report: Meriweather should be ready
• Practice report: WR’s looking good
• Redskins leaning towards signing Donte Stallworth
• Montgomery ready to compete
• RG3 says he’s still on target for training camp
• Griffin says he’s happy for Tebow
• Minicamp primer
• Is RG3 a lock for Week 1?
• Is Cofield the right guy at nose tackle?

Wednesday 06.12

• No major changes to Redskins’ attack
• Practice notes: Amerson has his ups and downs
• Redskins sign WR’s Stallworth, Henderson, K Potter
• Adam Carriker is one of the few lingering injury concerns
• Shanahan praises Stallworth
• Paul looks to be a “true tight end”
• Are the Redskins set at punt returner?

Thursday 06.13

• Is the read option the best way to protect RG3?
• Young excited to be back with Redskins
• Meriweather a key in 2013
• David Amerson is getting comfortable
• Redskins release Boyce, Worthington and Peterson to IR

Friday 06.14

• We are not participating in the offseason news drought
• Cruz signs his one-year tender
• Can “Hank Time” become big time?
• Will RG3 be ready for the first day of camp?
• New WR’s provide veteran insurance

Saturday 06.15

• Experience on defense lets Haz add wrinkles
• Bowen aims to be more disruptive
• Redskins get cap relief on new WR contracts

Need to Know: Redskins get cap relief on new WR contracts

Here is what you need to know on this Saturday, June 15, 40 days before Redskins start training camp.

Redskins get cap benefit from WR signings

The Redskins not only got a couple of wide receivers who could help them at some point during the season but they got them at the right price.

According to Zac Boyer of the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, Donte Stallworth and Devery Henderson signed contracts that allow the team to take advantage of the veteran minimum salary benefit.

They both signed for the veteran minimum salary of $840,000. The CBA has a provision that encourages teams to sign veteran players rather than those of the younger, cheaper variety. Under that provision, each player will count just $620,000 against the cap.

During the offseason, only the cap numbers of the 51 highest-paid players count against the salary cap. The salaries of Stallworth and Henderson will be among the top 51 but they also will push two players with cap hits of about $555,000 out of the cap calculation. That means that the net impact of the addition of the two veterans is $130,000.

That leaves the Redskins with about $1.413 million in cap space according to the NFLPA website.

Cousins talks QB depth

In case you missed it

• We are not participating in the offseason news drought
• Cruz signs his one-year tender
• Can “Hank Time” become big time?
• Will RG3 be ready for the first day of camp?
• New WR’s provide veteran insurance

Days until: Training camp starts 40; Preseason opener vs. Titans 54; Final cuts 77

Need to Know: A look ahead at the NFL calendar

Here is what you need to know on this Friday, June 14, 42 days before Redskins start training camp.

Slow period coming but not here

In a move that surprised no one, Mike Shanahan cancelled the final day of minicamp, which had been scheduled for yesterday. The Redskins’ attendance during OTAs was near 100 percent and when that happens (which it usually does on a Shanahan team) the players get the three-day minicamp shortened to two days.

It added a day to the real news vacuum that happens between now and the start of training camp. Not much will happen regarding the Redskins as the coaches aren’t going to be there. I asked Mike Shanahan what the coaches will be up to over the next six weeks.

“I try to get the coaching staff, get ‘em out of here. They’ve been hitting it hard for a while. And when you go, at the end of the season it really kind of starts your organization with free agency, the draft and all the film that is involved, going through these minicamps. I want them [to] recharge themselves and once we come back on that Monday on [July] 22^nd, they’ll be ready to go. We’ll go to Richmond and get started.”

There is very little on the NFL calendar between now and July 25, which is when camp opens. The rookie symposium takes place from June 23-29 so some of the newest Redskins will be headed to Aurora, Ohio. That site apparently was chosen because it is about an hour from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. They will take a field trip there at some point during the symposium.

If there is a supplemental draft, it will be held Jul 11. So far there are no notable candidates for the supplemental draft and, in any case, the Redskins are likely to sit it out.

July 15 is the deadline for players who got the franchise tag to agree to long-term deals with their teams. That has zero effect on the Redskins since they did not use the franchise designation on anyone.

The CBA allows a team to require its rookies and first-year players to report to camp up to 22 days before its first preseason game. For the Redskins, that would be July 18 but it does not appear that they will be taking full advantage of that time if, indeed, the coaches are going to show up in Richmond on the 22^nd. In any case, training camp will start on July 25 and run through August 16.

Some publications will have their Redskins writers going on a hiatus, taking some vacation, or going on other assignments. Not here. Tarik El-Bashir and I, along with the rest of the CSN Washington team, will be cranking out multiple Redskins posts every day, seven days a week. It’s a good time for some in-depth analysis, some reasoned speculation, and giving you everything you need to know to get ready for the 2013 season.

See you tomorrow!

Google Hangout with Bacarri Rambo and Phillip Thomas 

In case you missed it

• Is the read option the best way to protect RG3?
• Young excited to be back with Redskins
• Meriweather a key in 2013
• David Amerson is getting comfortable
• Redskins release Boyce, Worthington and Peterson to IR

Days until: Training camp starts 41; Monday night Eagles @ Redskins 87; Redskins @ Cowboys 121

Transcript: Kyle Shanahan 06.12.13

Here is a transcript of Kyle Shanahan's press conference on Wednesday, June 12 via Redskins PR.

On if it has been tough to coordinate without Robert Griffin III this offseason:

“No, it’s not tough to coordinate. I mean you do the same stuff. You work everybody no matter who’s in there, doesn’t matter what quarterback is in there – we’re really working the same plays and everything. You do some plays more with one guy than the others, but you’re still working with all of them. The thing that’s frustrating is you know your eventually you are going to play with them and you’d like to work with them and practice with them, but you can’t do that. So it’s part of the injury and you’ve just got to wait and be patient and get ready when he comes back.”  

On if tight end Jordan Reed will be set back by not being able to participate:

“I don’t know. You don’t know how much of a setback it’ll be. I mean, we haven’t seen him out there yet, but I think any rookie who comes in, there’s always a time where they’ve got to get worse before they get better. You know you throw a lot at them, they try and take it all in and they usually struggle and then by the time they come back to camp you hope that they’ve been through it and can start getting better. When you miss all of OTAs as a rookie, you hope that he’s really learning mentally and getting those reps, but putting his body through it for the first time will be in training camp. So you hope that learning curve will be fast, that the mistakes he makes will be… You know he will make some and you just hope that he can learn from them. If you’ve got a guy who’s got the right mind and they’re working at it. you know you can overcome that, but it’s definitely a challenge for him.”   

On different the offense will be this year:

“I really can’t answer that until I see the defenses that we face. There’s nothing that we’re going to do that says, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this or we’re going to do that.’ The thing that’s awesome about having a guy like Robert [Griffin III] is Robert’s capable of being great at anything. It doesn’t matter whether it’s dropping back, play pass, bootlegs, zone read, options, it really doesn’t matter. He’s capable at being great at all of it. That’s what’s fun when you coach a guy like that, that you really don’t have to force anything. We’re going to do whatever the defense gives us. If they give us that, we’ll take it. If they take it away, I enjoy throwing the ball and doing other stuff too.”

Need to Know: Meriweather a key in 2013

Here is what you need to know on this Thursday, June 13, 42 days before Redskins start training camp.

Meriweather should be ready for camp

Brandon Meriweather was generating some genuine excitement when he finally got on the field last year after a series of knee injuries had kept him out through the first nine games of the season.

Against the Eagles in Week 11 he was all over the field as he intercepted a pass, batted down another one, and made three tackles. But in the third quarter, after just playing just 44 snaps, his season ended with a torn ACL.

That was a little less than seven months ago. Meriweather was a sideline spectator during OTAs and he is watching minicamp as well but it appears that all systems are go for him to be ready for training camp.

“Well, according to the doctors, he’s ready to go in July,” said Mike Shanahan. “They don’t think there’s any question about it. He’s full speed, ready to go.”

Meriweather could be one of the keys to the Redskins’ season. For those 44 snaps last November, he looked like he was made to play strong safety in the Redskins’ scheme. The Redskins did draft two safeties in Bacarri Rambo and Phillip Thomas but they are more about the future. Safety play was the team’s biggest weak spot in 2012 and if Meriweather can play like he did against the Eagles on a somewhat consistent basis that position could be shored up considerably.

We will have to wait until Meriweather takes his physical just prior to the July 25 start of training camp to find out for certain whether or not he will be able to go. If he can get out there, we will start to see how much of an impact he can have.

Jim Haslett talks about the rookie DB’s

In case you missed it

• No major changes to Redskins’ attack
• Practice notes: Amerson has his ups and downs
• Redskins sign WR’s Stallworth, Henderson, K Potter
• Adam Carriker is one of the few lingering injury concerns
• Shanahan praises Stallworth
• Paul looks to be a “true tight end”
• Are the Redskins set at punt returner?

Days until: Training camp 44; Monday night preseason vs. Steelers 67; Final cuts 79

Tandler on Twitter

.@JM_Skins I'd tap the brakes on Henderson enthusiasm. Started 10 games and had only 22 rec on a team that threw almost 700 times.

— Rich Tandler (@Rich_TandlerCSN) June 12, 2013

Wednesday practice report: Amerson good and bad

Here are my practice observations from the Redskins’ final practice until training camp in Richmond.

—It was a warm, mostly sunny day in Ashburn and practice was held outside. That will be the only place to hold practice in Richmond, as there is not a practice bubble.

—Doug Worthington was not in uniform and was strictly an observer. Mike Shanahan later told us that he has a biceps tendon injury that may require surgery. This is not good news for a player who faces a lot of competition along the defensive line.

—Chris Thompson, playing with the rest of the players who aren’t fully participating due to injury, caught pass after pass from RG3 just as he has been doing in every practice the media has been able to watch. He’s probably caught hundreds of passes from Griffin over the past few weeks. Timing between the two won’t be an issue when camp comes around.

—Give David Amerson credit for tracking the ball and then making a well-timed move to pick off a Rex Grossman pass. But it was just a terrible pass by Rex, no idea what he was thinking.

—The rookie makes a good play then he makes a bad one. A few plays after that Amerson lined up tight on Josh Morgan, who was split out wide left. He tried to jam the receiver but only got a small piece of him. Morgan took off on a deep crossing pattern with Amerson trailing him. Cousins hit him with a nice pass and the rookie had been burned.

—Richard Crawford had a tough time covering Lance Lewis. The first-year receiver made a couple of catches on Crawford including one where the 6-2 receiver out jumped the 5-10 cornerback for the ball.

—The practice was called off early as they utilized just about an hour and a half of the two and a half hours the CBA allows for a minicamp practice. We found out a little later that Thursday’s OTA has been called off. It is no unusual for Shanahan to call off the end of minicamp as a reward to the team for having good attendance during OTAs. 

Need to Know: Is the Redskins' punt returner set?

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, June 12, 43 days before Redskins start training camp.

Who will return punts?

I hit on this in yesterday’s practice report but I think the subject warrants a post on its own.

Yesterday there were five players fielding punts during the special teams portion of minicamp and it is extremely unlikely that four of them will be the primary punt returner when the Redskins open the season on Sept. 9.

Here are the five:

• Richard Crawford
• Santana Moss
• DeAngelo Hall
• Nick Williams
• Skye Dawson

So let’s go down the list and cross off the names of those who are unlikely to be the Redskins’ punt returner.

Starting from the bottom, you can cross off Dawson and Williams. They are both long shots to make the roster. You can cross them off of the list with a high degree of confidence.

Hall is going to be a starting cornerback and Moss will play a substantial role as the slot receiver on offense. Hall will be 30 in November and Moss just turned 34. Neither one of them is going to return a punt unless there is some sort of a dire emergency.

That leaves Crawford, who averaged 19.5 yards on eight punt returns after taking the job for the final four games of the season. Yes, that average is inflated by the 64-yard return in overtime that set up the game-winning field goal against the Ravens. But even if you take that return out he averaged 13.1 on the other seven returns, an average that would be in the top five in the league with enough returns to qualify.

It looks like the job is Crawford’s to lose.

RG3, Redskins make a wish come true

Today’s schedule

• 9:45—Jim Haslett press conference
• 10:40—Minicamp practice
• 12:30 (approx.)—Players and assistant coaches available coming off the field. Kyle Shanahan and Mike Shanahan news conferences.

In case you missed it

• Injury report: Meriweather should be ready
• Practice report: WR’s looking good
• Redskins leaning towards signing Donte Stallworth
• Montgomery ready to compete
• RG3 says he’s still on target for training camp
• Griffin says he’s happy for Tebow
• Minicamp primer
• Is RG3 a lock for Week 1?
• Is Cofield the right guy at nose tackle?

Days until: Training camp 43; Monday night preseason vs. Steelers 68; Redskins @Packers 95

Tandler on Twitter

#RG3 looking confident, zipping some spirals. pic.twitter.com/odGF9ZPXNd

— Rich Tandler (@Rich_TandlerCSN) June 11, 2013