Redskins changing training camp schedule in hopes of improving recovery

The Washington Redskins were one of the most injury plagued teams during the 2017 season. Jay Gruden is trying to combat that in 2018 by switching up the team’s practice schedule.

Last season, the Washington Redskins dealt with an absolutely ridiculous amount of injuries. They had over 20 players on the Injured Reserve last season, cycled through at least nine different running backs, and couldn’t seem to catch any lucky breaks at any time during the season. Their lack of health was one of the major reasons they ended up going 7-9 during the 2017 season.

For the 2018 season, many fans and players have been clamoring for change. They can’t afford another injury plagued season. And head coach Jay Gruden seems to have come up with a solution for the squad.

Per Matthew Paras of The Washington Times, Gruden is switching the team’s training camp schedule for 2018. Instead of doing a walkthrough in the morning, the team will practice and then do the walkthrough in the afternoon. This is what Jay Gruden said about the switch, per Paras.

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"I want to give them a full day to recover. I kind of have been doing a little research here and I think we practice in the morning, we are off the field around noon and they get a nice lunch. … So, I think to give that full time for recovery, so they can drink a lot of fluids and take care of their bodies is important."

This is a logical move by Gruden, and it’s one that very well could make the team’s extensive injury list dwindle in 2018.

With the players practicing in the morning, they have the rest of the day to engage in preventative maintenance and manage any injuries that they suffer in practice. This could be as simple as relaxing in a hot or cold tub, working with trainers to fight some soreness, or even just resting more during the day.

While it could be argued that they had the same amount of time to do this last season, most of those would have come after the actual practice session. With that ending in the late afternoon or early evening, it’s possible that players just wanted to get home and could have eschewed injury treatment. And that’s something that D.J. Swearinger spoke about in the past, as he felt that players weren’t dedicated to taking care of their bodies.

With more time available post-practice and pre-walkthrough to seek out treatment, perhaps the Redskins players will be more diligent in dealing with their injuries. At the very least, doing something to try to improve the injury situation was necessary, so props to Gruden for trying to find a solution.

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As the offseason continues, we’ll learn more about whether or not Gruden’s plan works. But for now, it at least seems like a welcome change for the Redskins.

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