The Redskins jumped back into action earlier today after a break from training camp on Monday. Here are some quick updates, brought to you on the daily!
You gotta love training camp. It’s not exactly football, but it’s the closest thing we’ve got for another week and a half.
The Washington Redskins battled inclement weather again to forage onto the practice field earlier today, getting some needed reps in after a day of rest and recuperation.
The offense continued to thrive after a solid first week, with Alex Smith’s attention to detail setting the bar for other, younger players. The defense, particularly the secondary, had an off day, but there were some bright spots. More on that in a minute. First, check out these observations by ESPN’s John Keim:
Some more observations/notes: 1) CThompson took a dozen reps with the 1's; looked good but still recovering; 2) Have said this before, but ASmith does such a good job with ball placement to avoid picks in traffic. A knack. 3) Scandrick brings a little attitude. Likes 2 compete
— John Keim (@john_keim) July 31, 2018
Chris Thompson has indeed been electric. Per Lake Lewis of The Redskins Wire, Thompson looks as good as he looked before he suffered a season-ending injury against the Saints. Thompson himself, however, is still gaining his confidence back as he grows comfortable putting more and more pressure on his healed fracture.
Thompson’s at the point where he can run at full speed, and he shouldn’t see a substantial dip in reps when the real football starts, but per ESPN’s John Keim, Thompson might not be both physically and mentally recovered until November. It’s a work in progress. He has a plate in place, so the risk of any major setback occurring is relatively low. But Thompson still has a ways to go before he’s at one-hundred percent. That’s why having a backup solely to Thompson will be important for the Redskins.
The rest of the Redskins offense
Continuing with the theme of running backs, Derrius Guice simply keeps impressing. According to John Keim, “Guice has drawn praise from coaches for how he is in the meeting room, with running backs coach Randy Jordan saying he asks questions to get answers — not just to ask them. On the field, Guice worked in pass protection drills and showed his aggressive nature. But the coaches say they want to make sure he doesn’t overcommit and lose leverage on his man. For him it’s about perfecting technique, not want-to.”
Rookies should always have a drive to learn, and Guice’s desire simply doesn’t flame out. He’s well on his way to making 31 NFL teams regret passing on him in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The team’s depth receivers continue to look solid. At some point this training camp, Brian Quick, Robert Davis, Maurice Harris, and Trey Quinn have all made impressive plays. If a tally were active, Robert Davis would likely be the front runner, but deciding who nabs the final three spots at receiver will be a challenging task.
There haven’t been many additional updates aside from that. Injuries haven’t been a concern yet. If I had to predict who team’s running backs and receivers would be, at this point, my prediction would look like this:
Running Backs: Derrius Guice, Chris Thompson, Samaje Perine, Byron Marshall
Wide Receivers: Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jamison Crowder, Trey Quinn, Robert Davis, Brian Quick
At this point, I do not expect the Redskins to keep Elijah Wellman as a fullback. Byron Marshall is the front runner as the fourth running back. Both he and Kapri Bibbs have reportedly run well, although Bibbs did have a fumble earlier in camp. Marshall has shown more. There’s still plenty of time for players to change their perceptions. Nothing’s going to the bank until preseason hits and we see the Redskins play at full speed. But the offense is beginning to take shape.
A standout on the Redskins’ defense
Dabbling onto the defensive side of the ball, Quinton Dunbar has clearly taken a leap at the cornerback position. Having officially changed his number to No. 23, Dunbar looks the part, both with his attire, and with his attributes. Here’s what ESPN’s John Keim had to say on him in a practice summary:
"Whether or not Quinton Dunbar starts remains to be seen as veteran Orlando Scandrick continues to work in that role. Regardless, Dunbar’s improvement has been noticeable in camp. If nothing else he’ll solidify the Redskins’ nickel coverage playing outside when Scandrick shifts inside. Tuesday, Dunbar continued his solid camp when he broke up a pass to the corner of the end zone for Robert Davis. Perfect position. Dunbar has done a good job reacting to the man and then the ball. He also handled some one coverages well in seven-on-seven."
Dunbar’s development is good to see, as the Redskins faced serious questions at cornerback heading out of the 2018 NFL Draft. Dunbar’s progression throughout his career has been impressive, and this year, he could be in line for a productive stint in a starting role.
Training camp will continue tomorrow, as always, and when that session is finished, we’ll be sure to give you an update on where the Redskins’ roster is at. Thanks again for reading!