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... Continue reading

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,... Continue reading

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... Continue reading

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... Continue reading

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... Continue reading

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,... Continue reading

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... Continue reading

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.... Continue reading

Here are my observations during Tuesday’s Redskins minicamp practice. —Even though it was beautiful day, practice had to be held in the bubble since the practice fields were still wet from the rains over past few days. —Donte Stallworth was out on the field wearing No. 14. The 33-year-old former Redskin (also ex-Saint, Eagle, Patriot, Brown, and Raven) is here trying out for a roster spot. He is looking pretty fit after his balloon accident earlier in the year. —In... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, June 11, 44 days before Redskins start training camp. Is Griffin a lock to start the season? When the Redskins held their OTA practice last week, reporters had to park on the grass outside of the gates as the team had a couple of events going on. As I was walking up towards the gates I saw Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who was headed inside also. I went up,... Continue reading

When Barry Cofield left the New York Giants and signed with the Redskins in 2011 he made two major moves. One was the 220 miles from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey to FedEx Field in Landover. The other move covered much less distance but was far more important. With the Giants, he was the left defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme. In Washington, Cofield moved a few feet over to the right and checked in as the... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, June 10, 45 days before Redskins start training camp. Can Orakpo take home the big honor? Brian Orakpo told USA Today the following last week: "Defensive Player of the Year is a goal of mine. I worked extremely hard this offseason and Defensive Player of the Year is very obtainable." Assuming that he is healthy, and there is every reason to believe that he is, how “obtainable” is DPOY for... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Sunday, June 9, 46 days before the start of training camp. That was the week that was —I had this in my practice notes but for some reason I left it out of my report from Thursday: Pat White’s arm looked more lively and accurate than it did a couple of weeks ago. He fired a few passes in on target about 15 yards downfield. For the first OTA those passes... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Saturday, June 8, 47 days before Redskins start training camp. Garçon says he could play a game tomorrow During Michael Jordan’s heyday, a commercial featuring Spike Lee as a character called Mars Blackmon teamed up with Jordan to pitch Nike basketball shoes. The tag line, delivered by Lee as Blackmon came as he watched Jordan perform amazing feats on the court, was “It must be the shoes”. That line could be... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Friday, June 7, 48 days before Redskins start training camp. Listen to what Shanahan says Two things on RG3’s “without a doubt” comment yesterday: First, Griffin was not asked if he would be ready for the start of training camp. He was asked if being ready for camp was a realistic goal. There’s a big difference, of course. He wasn’t saying that there was no doubt that he would be under... Continue reading

We had an overflow of questions for yesterday's Tweetbag so I'm going to answer a few more of them this morning as we get ready for today's OTA session. Here we go: @rich_tandlercsn what LB do you see challenging for playing time? — Man in the mirror! (@Jtrob_1) June 5, 2013 Jim Haslett likes to keep four linebackers on the field for four downs for the most part so anyone besides Orakpo, Kerrigan, Riley and Fletcher will have a hard... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Thursday, June 6, 49 days before Redskins start training camp. Another indication that RG3 will be back? The Redskins’ offseason program is starting to wind down. They have today’s OTA session and minicamp next week. After that they go their separate ways on a vacation that lasts about six weeks. Redskins veterans will report to Richmond for training camp on July 24 with the first practice on the 25th. Rookies will... Continue reading

Wednesday Tweetbag, let's dive right in to your questions. @rich_tandlercsn what's the deal with Gomes? Looked awesome at times, lost other times. What's he need to do? Please don't say "consistency" — Adam Greendale (@HailToOldDC) June 4, 2013 OK, I won't say it. But how about he needs to be awesome more and lost less? No? OK, here's the deal as I see it--I really haven't seen much of the "awesome" Gomes. If the Redskins had see much awesomeness out... Continue reading

The Redskins went from 5-11 in 2011 to 10-6 and a playoff berth last year. History stretching over the last decade indicates that the Redskins will take a step back this year. But the more recent trend says that they have a pretty good shot of holding their ground, or even improving. From 2002 to 2011, there were 29 instances of a team doing what the Redskins did from 2011 to 2012—post a record of 7-9 or worse in one... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, June 5, 50 days before Redskins start training camp. Jones was a force If you are drawing up an all-time NFL team and you don’t have Deacon Jones at defensive end you are doing it wrong. There can be debate at many positions, most of them in fact. But Jones is to the defense what Jerry Rice is to offense. You write both of them down with a Sharpie and... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, June 4, 51 days before Redskins start training camp. Gibbs comes in ninth Joe Gibbs came in ninth on ESPN’s list of the greatest NFL coaches. I suspect that many Redskins fans will take issue with this ranking. Gibbs 12-season run as head coach of the Redskins from 1981 to 1992 is the greatest era in the history of the team and is among the best for any team ever.... Continue reading

The 2012 NFC East champion Redskins are returning 21 of their 22 starters. The good side of this is that all of the starters know the system. They are spending their time prior to the start of the season refining techniques and chemistry, not learning the basic plays. However, there is a possible downside to the Redskins’ stability. Their starters are now a year older than they were last year. According to ESPN blogger Mike Sando, the Redskins have the... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Sunday, June 2, 52 days before Redskins start training camp. What happened to June 1? June 1 used to be a big day on the NFL calendar. It was the day teams would release veteran players in order to get some salary cap relief and push back some of the cap consequences for doing so into the next season. In some seasons as many as 20 players would hit the market... Continue reading

Here is what you need to know on this Sunday, June 2, 55 days before Redskins start training camp. That was the week that was —Josh Morgan could be a key to the Redskins’ offense this season. He had a decent 2012 but the lingering affects of the broken ankle that cost him the last 11 games of the 2011 season hampered his explosiveness. Last year Morgan averaged 10.6 yards on 48 receptions. In 2010 he averaged 15.9 yards on... Continue reading