Washington Redskins to host joint practices with New York Jets
By Ian Cummings
The Washington Redskins are making the most of the time they have to prepare this offseason.
From August 12 to August 14, the Washington Redskins will host joint training camp practices with the New York Jets of the AFC East. These practices will not only prepare the team for preseason, which starts on August 16, but they will also help players prepare for in-game situations and opponents.
The impact of these joint practices may be minimal when the regular season starts, but they will help the Washington Redskins players get in a head start by helping them go through matchups and one-on-one drills with different competition.
“I’m extremely excited to welcome the Jets to Richmond for three days of practice,” Jay Gruden said in a Steven Czarda article on the team’s official website. “In the past, joint practices have given our coaching staff a great opportunity to evaluate our players in competitive situations against other teams, and we look forward to having that opportunity again this year by hosting the Jets.”
Joint practices will also allow the players to preserve their health while undergoing these evaluations, and for the Washington Redskins, that is a valuable opportunity. The Washington Redskins were among the teams most impacted by injuries in the NFL last season, and their confidence in fringe starters at toss-up positions could work toward more rest at the end of preseason.
The Washington Redskins have only hosted two other teams at their current training camp facility in Richmond. They hosted the New England Patriots in 2014, and the Houston Texans in 2015. There did not appear to be a correlation between these practices and wins later on in the season, but as Jay Gruden said, the Redskins are excited to get to work, nonetheless.
Two former Redskins players will reunite with the burgundy and gold in these joint practices: Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and interior offensive lineman Spencer Long. The former spent just one season with the Washington Redskins; that season was marred by injuries, and after a brief spell on the free agent market, Pryor signed with the New York Jets. Long’s stint on the market was shorter, as he was in higher demand. With a salary of around $6.8 million, Long is the fourteenth-highest paid center in the league.
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The Jets bring a young and building roster to the capital area, headed by rookie quarterback Sam Darnold. The Washington Redskins, meanwhile, are ready to win now after a strong draft and the acquisition of Alex Smith earlier in the offseason. These joint practices could go a long way toward telling the Washington Redskins just how ready they are.