Washington Redskins rookie minicamp begins today

While other teams have already concluded their rookie minicamps, the Redskins start theirs today. The minicamp runs through May 12 to May 14. Here, we’ll get a first glimpse at the Redskins’ newest and youngest additions.

There’s plenty of reason to be excited heading into this year’s minicamp. The Redskins added 10 talented players in the draft, signed 8 more as undrafted free agents, and invited a number more to try out at minicamp.

They picked up considerable amounts of talent, primarily on the defensive side of the ball, and it should be interesting to see how far along these players already are. Here are a few things to watch for in the coming three day span:

• You won’t want to miss seeing Jonathan Allen. Expectations are high for the Redskins’ first-round pick. Originally projected as a top five pick, he dropped to the Redskins at No. 17, and now he’s likely to give the defense an immediate boost. He does have a mild shoulder issue. From this point on, we’ll see just how severe that issue is at the professional level.
• Fabian Moreau comes into minicamp with a bit of uncertainty surrounding his rookie season. He has a pre-existing pectoral injury, and because of this, he’s the only rookie to remain without a deal. He’ll get signed eventually, but it remains to be seen to what extent he’ll play. Keep an eye on Moreau, and stay tuned for any updates on his situation.
• It’ll be interesting to see how fourth-round pick Samaje Perine fits into the Redskins’ running back situation. The bruiser out of Oklahoma is in a position to contribute right away, brought into the middle of a murky running back depth chart.
• Last year, we saw three undrafted free agents find their way onto the roster by the midway point of the season. This year, the Redskins hope to have the same success in that regard. In a recent article, I highlighted safety Fish Smithson as a candidate to make the roster, but all players have a chance to impress. Here is the list of undrafted players who will make appearances this weekend. The Redskins recently released a full list of tryout players on their website as well (courtesy of Stephen Czarda).

Next: Redskins sign nine draft picks to rookie deals

The Redskins’ rookie minicamp starts today and ends on May 14. From that point on, the incoming rookies will continue the familiarization process. By week one, we should see considerable progress. But that’s in the months to come. Today, for these rookies, the professional process truly starts.