RICHMOND, Va. — Day five is in the books at Redskins Training Camp, and it was a hot one. The on-field temperature was close to 105 degrees as the team was in full pads for the first time. They have the day off on Tuesday, so head coach Jay Gruden put them through a good two-hour practice in the heat.
The Redskins did some good situational work today, going through the two-minute offense and red zone offense. Quarterback Robert Griffin III was pretty effective in both. During the two-minute, he took the first offense down the field and connected with Ryan Grant on a touchdown inside the ten yard line. Griffin has had a good camp thus far, something that his coaches and teammates have noticed.
“He’s been doing fine,” Gruden said. “It’s just going back to the basics really. We’re continuing to build off what we did last year, and obviously in OTAs. It’s all about repetition now. Overall, I think he’s handled everything extremely well. He’s benefiting from coach Cavanaugh’s presence and he’s benefiting from the repetitions. I feel like he’s on a steady climb and we’ve just got to keep him that way.”
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson also has seen an improved Griffin thus far in camp.
“I honestly think I definitely have seen progression in RGIII and all the other quarterbacks this year too, as well, Kirk and Colt,” he said. “I think it’s a year-to-year base — these guys are young. But I’ve definitely seen them guys out here making some great throws, tremendous reads and getting the ball to where it needs to go at the right time.”
Kirk Cousins took all the second team reps today during the red zone and two-minute offense.
In case you were worried about Jackson’s confidence in himself, don’t be. He was talking to the media today and was asked about the addition of cornerback Chris Culliver, and how it was going against him in practice. While Jackson did say that Culliver is great skill player and a good cover corner, he brought the conversation back to him.
“As far as what challenges me, I don’t really get caught up in any of that type of stuff because I’m comfortable and confident in myself that I don’t think no one could guard me,” he said, smiling. “I mean [Culliver]’s a good player, don’t get nothing wrong away from him. It’s just how I feel about myself. I don’t feel no one could stop me — you could go get Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, whoever you want to get, but at the end of the day, we’re competing. We’re out here, we’re working and that’s all that matters. As long as we’re able to get the best out of each other every rep and do what we need to do to work to get better, that’s what’s going on right now.”
The headlines will read that Jackson says Revis and Sherman can’t guard him, but that’s not the way it came across. I have no problem with what he said and with him having confidence in himself — you want a guy to be like that, or he shouldn’t be in the league.
Injuries
– David Amerson left practice with a left shoulder injury. He hurt it while going to the ground during a one-on-one long ball covering DeSean Jackson. The team is already down two cornerbacks, with Bashaud Breeland out and now rookie cornerback Tevin Mitchell undergoing shoulder surgery.
– Mitchell’s season will be over before it even starts. The rookie will have surgery on a torn labrum on his left shoulder.
– Running back Matt Jones is listed as day-to-day with sore knee.
