Three takeaways from Redskins 2019 rookie minicamp
By Ian Cummings
No. 2 – Redskins rookie receivers gaining strong chemistry with new quarterback
With both Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith, wide receiver chemistry was an aspect of the Redskins offense that was often dissected with scrutiny. Smith never quite hit his stride with his weapons in ten games, and Kirk Cousins wasn’t immune to miscommunication, either. After DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon left, Cousins never gained that chemistry back from his receivers, and it showed in his 2017 campaign.
Heading into his rookie season with Washington, Haskins is bound to experience some inconsistency in this area. But at rookie minicamp, Haskins displayed an already strong chemistry with his two fellow draft picks at wide receiver: Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon.
The chemistry with McLaurin was strongest, and it makes sense. McLaurin was Haskins’ team mate at Ohio State, and in 2018, McLaurin caught 11 touchdowns from Haskins, churning out over 700 receiving yards. In his press conference, Jay Gruden spoke to the impact that having a familiar face could have for a rookie quarterback.
"Just the comfort level, having a guy here that you know, and you’re comfortable with. You know, Dwayne’s a great guy; he gets along with everybody. But to have a guy that you can talk to, hang out at lunch with at the first day of school, so to speak, I think it’s just a comfort level [thing]. And you can see, they have a natural relationship, throwing and catching the ball with the routes. Terry was very impressive in these two days with his speed and ability to get off the jams, and make plays down the field. Easy guy to throw to. Fast, and kind of big."
Gruden also spoke highly of Kelvin Harmon, likening the sixth-round pick and potential wide receiver steal to Mohamed Sanu, an offensive weapon with whom Gruden is familiar, having worked with him in Cincinnati in 2012 and 2013. Sanu has been a model of consistency in the league despite lacking speed, logging 2,194 yards over his past three seasons, and Gruden thinks Harmon can have a similar impact, with both reliability and versatility.
"You know, when you watch [Kelvin Harmon] on tape, you don’t realize how big he is. He doesn’t look that big on tape, but when you watch him in person, man, he’s got great arm length, he’s tall, he looks every bit like 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3. And he plays to his size. He’s a very quarterback-friendly target. Learning the system for the first time, the route concepts, all the different cuts we gave him, I think he handled it quite well, mentally. Now it’s just a matter of continuing to add to his plate, working both inside and outside. He didn’t do a lot of inside work at NC State, but I think there’s a place for him where he can work on the inside. Very similar to Mo Sanu. Very similar skill set, in my opinion."
Gruden likes Harmon, and so does Dwayne Haskins. Haskins has already taken to calling Harmon “Baby Julio”, in reference to Julio Jones. No one should expect Harmon to provide that kind of impact, but it’s clear that Haskins is building chemistry with his targets quickly, and his rookie targets are earning his confidence. As we’ve seen in years past, a quarterback’s confidence in his options can go a long way.