Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Quick hits: Will one RB dominate?

Some quick hits to get your Friday morning going:

—Yesterday we hit on how good it was that RG3 has been signed after missing just two days of rookie camp because we didn’t have the owner out tweeting that a deal is “close”. Today, we are thankful that RG3 is in the fold because we don’t have to listen to the head coach talk about what critical work he is missing because the rookie isn’t there. Of course, I think many are thankful that Mike Shanahan is the head coach here and not Greg Schiano.

—I keep seeing fantasy “experts” saying that a Redskins running back is going to have a huge season; they just don’t know which one. The idea is that the threat of Robert Griffin III running will free up things for a running back to pile up some serious yardage. I think that the Redskins’ running game could be very effective but I’m not sure that any individual back will end up gaining 1200 yards or more. Tim Hightower, Roy Helu Jr. or Evan Royster are going to share the load and I think we’ll see those three backs gaining from 500-900 yards each instead of one fantasy stud piling up all of the yardage.

—Last year Panthers’ offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski pulled some plays from Auburn’s playbook to help Cam Newton feel comfortable running the Carolina offense. Will Mike and Kyle Shanahan take pages from Baylor’s playbook to do the same for RG3? We have an article coming later this morning discussing just that.

Days until: Training camp 6; preseason opener @ Bills 20; RG3 vs. Luck at FedEx Field 36; final cuts 43; Redskins @ Saints 51; home opener vs. Bengals 65

 

Bullet points: A 'dynasty'? Really, Mike Vick?

A few quick thoughts to get your Thursday morning going:

--Lost in the RG3 and LeRibeus signings yesterday was a report that cornerback Chase Minnifield will start the season on the physically unable to perform list. I had someone ask me on Twitter how Minnifield, who had microfracture surgery on his knee earlier this year, could play so well in minicamp and then end up on PUP for training camp. We don’t know for sure and we won’t until we have a chance to ask Mike Shanahan about it until next week. It’s possible that he had a setback. Or it’s possible that the team doctors looked at the fact that the pounding of training camp, with two-a-days and full pads, is more severe than the two-hour minicamp practices in no pads with no contact and decided to give the knee more time to heal.

--I’m all for bold talk about winning the division and making the playoffs at this time of year. But there should be a rule that you can’t use the word “dynasty” unless you’re talking about ancient Chinese history or something like that if your franchise has never, ever won a Super Bowl. Yes, Mike Vick went there saying, “I think we have a chance to develop a dynasty.” Wow, from “Dream Team” to “dynasty” without even making the playoffs in between.

--We are fortunate that the negotiations between the Redskins and Ben Dogra, RG3’s agent, were conducted between the two parties and not in the media. That is not the case in the process of the Colts and Andrew Luck trying to get his deal done, at least not on the team’s side. Yesterday team owner Jim Irsay made what was at least his third public pronouncement on the state of the negotiations, saying again that a deal is “close” and there is “no doubt” that it will get done before training camp opens. Irsay then went on to explain that “close” doesn’t necessarily mean an agreement is imminent or anything. He said “no doubt about it” twice in he span of three sentences. But until there is a piece of paper with both parties’ signatures on it, there is always “doubt”.

Days until: Training camp 7; preseason opener 21; RG3 vs. Luck at FedEx Field 37; final cuts 44; Redskins @ Saints 52; home opener vs. Bengals 66

 

Bullet points: Is Cooley good to go?

A few quick hits to get your Tuesday morning going:

--On NFL.com my friend Brian McIntyre wrote that Chris Cooley’s knee has to stay healthy if the two-time Pro Bowl tight end is going to stay on the roster. It’s true that the team will be reluctant to pay him $3.8 million this year if he can’t stay on the field. But as of right now there is no reason to think that Cooley’s knee, which had to be drained multiple times last year before he went on injured reserve, will not be good to go this year. He did not wear a knee brace during OTA’s and he appeared to be moving just fine. He also dropped 15 pounds, creating less stress on his knees. Things could change when the pads go on and the strain on the knee increases but for right now he is not an injury concern.

--There is nothing new in the RG3 contract. While it would be good to have him in for this rookie pre-camp period, the real deadline is in nine days. That is when the first full practice with all of the veterans present takes place. If RG3 is not there then it will be an issue.

--I get an occasional email or tweet from someone wondering if undrafted rookie tight end Beau Reliford has a chance of making the roster. At 6-6, 260 he is impressive physically and he displayed impressive athletic ability at Florida State. But he plays a position that already is crowded with four players with NFL experience in Fred Davis, Cooley, Niles Paul, and Logan Paulsen. There just doesn’t seem to be room for him. I think that the best he can hope for is a season on the practice squad to give him some polish so that he can come back a year from now and compete for a roster spot.

--Ryan Kerrigan is going to be doing a guest spot as a sportscaster for Comcast SportsNet tomorrow. I’ll have a chance to talk to him today as he goes through his preparation. We’ll talk a little TV and a lot of Redskins 2012. Check for posts later today and tomorrow.

Days until: Training camp 9; preseason opener @ Bills 23; RG3 vs. Luck at FedEx Field 39; final cuts 46; Redskins @ Saints 54; home opener vs. Bengals 68 

 

Bullet points: What's the holdup with LeRibeus?

--What is the holdup with getting a deal done for Josh LeRibeus, who was the eighth pick of the third round? In the rush to get draft picks signed last year after the lockout ended a couple of contracts for players chosen early in the third round ended up being significantly undervalued. Those contracts set the value for this year’s early third round picks lower than the CBA says they should be. The teams want the lower values to set the basis for the deals this year and the players and agents want the CBA to be the guide. Check out this article for a more detailed explanation.

--Robert Griffin III remains unsigned so unless something happens this morning he and LeRibeus can’t be at Redskins Park today when their fellow rookies report for work. If nothing happens with his contract this morning and Griffin misses today it won’t be a big deal. There isn’t much to worry about if it goes into Tuesday, either. If he’s not there Wednesday that will start to add up into some significant missed time.

--Until RG3 is in the fold or the veterans report, Kirk Cousins will be the top QB in camp. Sunday morning channel surfing brought me to a rebroadcast of Michigan State vs. Georgia in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day. Cousins was impressive for most of the game but his big moment came with two minutes left to play and his Spartans trailing by seven. Using his arm, his feet and his head, he led a 10-play, 85-yard touchdown drive to tie the game and sent it into overtime. Michigan State won it in the third extra period.

--The 53 players I have making the Redskins’ roster average 26.8 years old. Only seven of them are 30 or older and of those players only two, London Fletcher and Jammal Brown, are starters as of now. They are a lot younger than they were in 2010 when they were the oldest team in the league with an average age of over 28 and six starters over the age of 30. They have gotten younger, now it’s time for them to play better.

Days until: Training camp 10; preseason opener @ Bills 24; Luck vs. RG3 at FedEx Field 40; final cuts 47; Redskins @ Saints 55

 

Bullet points: Kerrigan says being an iron man is just his job

A few quick hits to get your Thursday morning going:

--Ryan Kerrigan, who was the Redskins’ defensive iron man last year as he played all 1,056 defensive snaps, talked to the local paper in his college town of West Lafayette, Indiana. He downplayed not missing a play, saying “It’s my job . . . That’s how I want it to be.” Kerrigan’s goal in 2012? “I have to be more consistent.”

--The more I look at the Redskins’ numbers in 2011 the more I think that they were undone by their minus-14 turnover differential. They were only outgained by 50 yards over the course of the season (gained 5,387, allowed 5,437) but they were outscored by 79 points (288 scored, 367 allowed). A team that is about even in net yardage will usually be about even in net points if the turnovers are about even. But the 24 interceptions thrown by Rex Grossman and John Beck and the 11 fumbles lost did them in.

--Although the Redskins have kicked the tires on former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon it would be surprising if they pulled the trigger and gave up what probably would be a mid-round pick in 2013 to take him in today’s supplemental draft. There was a report out there that Robert Griffin III was “pushing” the organization to take Gordon. Whether that’s true or not, Griffin is the rookie QB, not the GM. I think Mike Shanahan will go into the season with the receivers he has.

--I predicted that the secondary will undergo some major upheaval in my article yesterday. I have them releasing three players who were on the roster for most of last year including two who saw a substantial amount of playing time, and a draft pick.

Days until: Rookies report 4; training camp 14; preseason opener @ Bills 28; RG3 vs. Luck at FedEx Field 44; final cuts 51; Redskins @ Saints 59; home opener vs Bengals 73

 

Bullet points: A big year for Davis

A few quick hits to get your Wednesday morning going:

--The Drew Brees contract situation is somewhat confusing. One local writer said that it would be a huge upset if the Saints and their franchise quarterback did not have a long-term deal done by Monday’s deadline. But now we get Chris Mortensen reporting that Brees is threating to stay away from training camp if a deal doesn’t get done. That doesn’t make it sound like negotiations are going smoothly. Obviously, this situation bears watching as it could affect the Saints’ readiness to take on the Redskins in the season opener on Sept. 9.

--It’s hard to overstate how big a year this is for Fred Davis. At age 26 he has a window of about two years to take that step from being a nice player into being a very good one. If he takes a step towards that this year the Redskins will give him a long-term contract and not worry about the position for the next four or five years. If he’s just OK in 2012 the Redskins could begin looking for a replacement.

--Quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is another person under pressure in Ashburn. Along with Kyle Shanahan he is responsible for the development of the franchise, Robert Griffin III. If RG3 comes out and lights things up this year LaFleur could be in demand and up for a promotion, either in Washington or elsewhere. Should the team’s most valuable asset struggle, LaFleur could be looking for a job next year.

--The 53 continues today with the defensive backs. I might be one short at one of the spots but we’ll see how things turn out. Check back later today and let me know what you think.

Days until: Rookies report 5; training camp 15; preseason opener @ Bills 29; final cuts 52; Redskins @ Saints 60; home opener vs. Bengals 74 

 

Bullet points: Allen advocates kickoff from 40

A few quick hits to get your Tuesday morning going:

--In case you missed the correction in the article yesterday, it turns out that Bruce Allen would like to see the NFL go back to the pre-1974 rule and have kickoffs come from the 40-yard line. There was some confusion over him advocating kickoffs going “back to” the 40 in the Monday Morning Quarterback column he wrote filling in for Peter King on SI.com. Many assumed that Allen meant to say the 30, where it was prior to last year. But Redskins PR clarified that he did mean the 40 as an alternative to eliminating the kickoff altogether.

--I was asked on Twitter yesterday if I thought that RG3 would sign by next Monday. Here was my response: “Anything could happen. But I think that at some point this week RG3 will tell agent he doesn't want to miss time, get it done.”

--I have a few details on the rookie camp the Redskins are starting on Monday. One thing that was surprising to learn when I looked into it was that the Redskins are starting it a week and a half later than the CBA permits them to.

--My friends at Hogs Haven had a chat with Adam Gettis and they got some interesting nuggets out of the Redskins’ fifth-round pick including some of the mechanics of zone blocking. 

Days until: Rookies report 6; training camp 16; preseason opener @ Bills 30; final cuts 53; Redskins @ Saints 61; home opener vs. Bengals 75

Bullet points: Armstrong's 2011 disappearing act

A few quick hits to get you going on this Monday morning.

--It’s always fun to come out to training camp and I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from doing so anytime there is an opportunity. But if one of the main reasons you go is to hear the pop of the pads you might want to skip the first two days of camp. That’s because per the new CBA pads can’t be worn at practice for the first two days. So if you want to see some contact, we’ll see on Saturday, July 28.

--In case you missed it yesterday, I did a quick post on the relationship between Andrew Luck signing a new contract—something Jim Irsay said is “close”—and RG3 getting a deal done. I think that everyone gets back to work today and that there will be an agreement in the next seven days.

--Kentwan Balmer is the man on the bubble on the defensive line as was discussed here last week. I remembered something Haslett said last year when asked why they picked him up, here’s the quote: “I think as long as he is doing what he’s supposed to do, he fits the look. He fits with what you’re looking for and guys that are 6-5 that weigh 325, they just don’t really fall out of trees. The guy’s athletic and he was a first round pick. You’d like to give him an opportunity.”

--The 53 looks at linebackers later this morning. I have 10 of them making it, perhaps too many. The article will be up in a while, let me know what you think.

--Anthony Armstrong had two catches, including one for a TD, against the Giants in Week 1 last year. The next week he had two more receptions vs. the Cardinals. And then he caught just three passes the rest of the year. He did have a hamstring injury but, still, this was the greatest and most baffling disappearance since Amelia Earhart.

Days until: Rookies report 7; training camp 17; preseason opener @ Bills 31 ; final cuts 54; Redskins @ Saints 62; home opener vs. Bengals 76

 

Bullet points: Redskins have 2 of 31 unsigned picks

A few quick hits to get your Friday started:

--Robert Griffin III and Josh LeRibeus are two of 31 NFL draft picks who have yet to sign their rookie contracts. Fourteen of the 32 first-round picks have yet to sign and none of the top eight are in the fold. The conventional wisdom is that once one player in the top five signs, the rest will fall into line quickly. If rookies are not signed they can’t attend the pre-camp prep sessions that start on July 16.

--Later today I look at a very stable offensive line picture in The 53. It looks like there a maximum of two battles for jobs and maybe just one.

--I probably won’t include him in my “under pressure” series but the spotlight will be on wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard this season. The team spent some big free agent money on receivers this year and drafted two in 2011 (actually three but Niles Paul has moved to tight end). The focus is on the development of RG3 but if the receivers don’t perform the rookie QB can only do so much. Hilliard needs to get it done.

 

Bullet points: Keeping an eye on Morgan

A few quick Redskins hits to get your Thursday going.

--I’m not quite sure why so many people are concerned that fans being able to subscribe to see the “all-22” view of NFL games is anything but a positive. Maybe it’s just because it’s the slowest of the slow periods for NFL news but these concerns that fans and media will know too much are just stupid.

--SI.com picked a “player to watch in training camp” for each NFL team and they named Josh Morgan for the Redskins. I agree with the selection because the Redskins gave him a pretty big chunk of money over a short period of time (2 years/$12 million) and got a receiver who has never caught more than 52 passes or gained more than 700 yards in a season. I’ll be looking at that in a little more depth in the next several days.

--The 53, my roster projection series, will continue Friday with a look at the defensive line. I have no changes from last year as of now, but that could change as I flesh things out while writing the article.

--Back to receivers, in case you missed it in the late afternoon on a holiday even on Tuesday, I wouldn’t be surprised if when all is said and done the Redskins top receiver in 2012 ends up being not Morgan, not Pierre Garçon but Leonard Hankerson.

Also, the Nats are as hot as the weather. And I suppose one could look at today as the second Monday this week after the holiday yesterday. But, just think, tomorrow is your second Friday of the week.

Days until: Rookies report 11; training camp 21; preseason opener @ Bills 25; final cuts 58; Redskins @ Saints 66; home opener vs. Bengals 80