WASHINGTON — The Redskins kick off training camp in Richmond on Thursday and begin their quest to defend the NFC East title. They are coming off a 9-7 regular season that ended with a home playoff loss to the Packers. Jay Gruden knows that there are higher expectations heading into 2016.
“I think that’s probably the consensus around here,” Gruden said from Richmond Wednesday. “They do feel higher. I think we accomplished a lot. We made major improvements last year and we continue to expect our team to make those improvements. This is no different. We’re excited as heck; we had a great OTA session. We just want to build off what we did during the OTA’s moving forward … We always have high expectations for this football team, and this is no different here.”
The offseason was highlighted by the signing of cornerback Josh Norman to bolster the defense. With the addition of Norman, the Redskins now have two top players at the position, along with Bashaud Breeland. DeAngelo Hall will move to safety.
While some defensive needs have been addressed, there are still other questions to be answered before the 2016 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 12. Here are a few of them:
Loss of Junior Galette
Before training camp even started, the Redskins got some devastating news. For the second straight year, linebacker Junior Galette will not take a meaningful snap for this team. After injuring his left Achilles’ last year, he tore his other Achilles’ doing football drills last week and is lost for the season.
“Devastated is a good word for him, ” Gruden said. “But for the team, we have to rebound.”
Last year, Galette tore his Achilles a month after signing with the Redskins. Second-year linebacker Preston Smith had an outstanding rookie season, finishing real strong with five sacks in December. He will be counted on even more with the loss of Galette. Look for Smith to have a big second season.
Kirk Cousins contract
Cousins and the Redskins failed to get a long-term deal done before the July 15 deadline, meaning that Cousins will play under the franchise tag during the 2016 season. Cousins will get quite the raise, going from $600,000 last year to $19.95 million this season under the franchise tag.
The quarterback set a number of team records last year and the team hopes his upward trend continues. If it does, then next offseason the team could franchise him again (a tag worth approximately $24 million), sign him to a long-term deal or let him walk.
Cousins has focused on the task at hand and won’t let the contract talk distract him this season, but there will be plenty of talk. If the team is winning, the questions will be about his contract. If the team is losing, the questions will be about his contract.
Gruden addressed the issue on the eve of training camp and for the first time since the deadline passed.
“The contract will take care of itself,” he said. “We won’t have any conversations about the contract, any of his future contracts, any of that stuff. All we’re going to focus on is this year and him getting better and being the best quarterback he can possibly be.”
This topic will not go away all season, and how Cousins handles it could go a long way in determining how this season plays out. As for right now?
“He’s got to get himself ready, his body ready, his mind ready to play a tough NFL season,” Gruden said.
Running back
With Alfred Morris now wearing a star on his helmet, having signed with the hated Dallas Cowboys, Matt Jones is left to assume the number one running back spot. Jones, now entering his second year, had some issues with hanging onto the football last year fumbling five times, the most of any player other than Cousins.
Chris Thompson is returning from injury and expected to get some carries, possibly on third down as he did last year.
The team also drafted Keith Marshall in the seventh round out of Georgia. He led all running backs at the Combine, running a 4.31 40-yard dash. He is expected to compete for a backup position.
Veteran Pierre Thomas finished the season with Washington last year and contributed down the stretch, especially in the NFC East clinching game in Philadelphia. He is a possible option as camp progresses and the Redskins try and figure out what they have.
This is a position we will watch all season.
Stay up to date on everything happening in Richmond over the next couple weeks on our 2016 Training Camp Live Blog.
