Complete Washington Redskins Training Camp Preview
When you've made as many changes as the Washington Redskins have this offseason, training camp offers vital time to make all of the new pieces fit. That's likely to be a long process for the Burgundy and Gold after the NFC East club changed its defense and altered its blocking system along the offensive line.
They are the most obvious schematic changes as head coach Jay Gruden prepares for his second year hoping to do better than the meager four wins he managed in 2014. But it's the men new general manager Scot McCloughan signed to implement those changes who will really be under the spotlight at Bon Secours in Richmond, Virginia, on July 30.
Keen eyes will be on new O-line boss Bill Callahan and how much he's improving a group that still has so much room to grow. Similarly, new secondary coach Perry Fewell has been given plenty of new toys to work with, but what's the overall picture going to look like?
If those two positions are under pressure, it's nothing compared to the scrutiny Robert Griffin III is going to face. The quarterback who's been stagnating ever since injury ended his phenomenal rookie year has to prove he can actually direct a winner in Washington.
His working relationships with Gruden and new quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh will be vital to his development and future in D.C.
Read on for a complete preview of all the things to keep a close eye on during camp.
Schedule and Injury Updates
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As part of their schedule, the Redskins will do some work with the Houston Texans, the team that beat them to open the 2014 NFL season. This is similar to the way Washington mixed it up with the New England Patriots last year.
It was those Patriots who felt Kirk Cousins was more advanced than Griffin, per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss. If the Texans get a similar whiff, the naysayers will be quick to predict another season of doom and gloom for Washington.
Here's the full schedule for camp, per ESPN.com's John Keim:
| Date | Event | Time |
| Thursday, July 30 | Walkthrough | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Thursday, July 30 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Friday, July 31 | Walkthrough | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Friday, July 31 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, August 1 | Walkthrough | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Saturday, August 1 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Sunday, August 2 | Walk-through | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Sunday, August 2 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Monday, August 3 | Walk-through | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Monday, August 3 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Wednesday, August 5 | Walk-through | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Wednesday, August 5 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Thursday, August 6 | Practice | 8:35 a.m. ET |
| Thursday, August 6 | Walk-through with Houston Texans | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Friday, August 7 | Practice | 8:35 a.m. ET |
| Friday, August 7 | Walk-through with Houston Texans | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, August 8 | Practice with Houston Texans | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Monday, August 10 | Walk-through | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Monday, August 10 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
| Tuesday, August 11 | Practice | 1:35 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, August 15 | Fan Appreciation Day | 1:35 p.m. ET |
| Sunday, August 16 | Walk-through | 10:35 a.m. ET |
| Sunday, August 16 | Practice | 3 p.m. ET |
That's what the schedule looks like. As for injury updates, the Redskins have a few concerns over Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, premier sack master Ryan Kerrigan and "joker-style" tight end Jordan Reed.
It's not yet clear how limited any member of this key trio will be for the start of camp. Things are still tentative, as Keim made clear in his latest update:
"Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and corner DeAngelo Hall both said over the weekend that they’re feeling good -- but did not know the Redskins’ plans for them early in camp. Left tackle Trent Williams is one to watch after he had to sit out spring workouts because of an ankle injury suffered during the season. Tight end Jordan Reed (knee) and tackle Morgan Moses (Lisfranc) are others to monitor.
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Hall's presence is no longer the vital factor it once was for a secondary that has been refreshed with extra talent this offseason. As for Moses, Scherff's arrival will leave him fighting for a backup spot as a swing tackle.
The most important consideration will be how well Williams is moving. He's the anchor of Washington's offensive line and is vital to every phase of the offense.
Fortunately, since Keim's original update, all five questionable players have been cleared to practice, per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Next up is a look at a few of the key new faces.
New Faces
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Key Arrivals: NT Terrance Knighton, DT Stephen Paea, DT Ricky Jean Francois, FS Dashon Goldson, CB Chris Culliver, SS Jeron Johnson, OT Brandon Scherff
Of the prominent new arrivals on the playing side, mammoth nose guard Terrance Knighton stands out. Granted, the bulky road-grader stands out in most situations.
But the Redskins are counting on Knighton being the focal point of their 3-4 defense in 2015. As one of the most formidable 0-techniques in football, Knighton can give Washington the power over center the team has lacked for far too long.
Fortunately though, Knighton won't be alone in his efforts to completely revamp Washington's defense in the trenches. He'll also be joined by fellow new arrivals Ricky Jean Francois and Stephen Paea.
Both are capable veterans who can rush the passer from the interior and also slide over center. Their versatility and dynamism should make D-line one of the more fascinating positions to watch during camp.
With this trio joining holdovers Jason Hatcher and Chris Baker, new defensive coordinator Joe Barry will have plenty of options for deploying a variety of combinations up front. Camp will offer a fascinating insight into how creative Barry and his staff are willing to get.
On the back end, cornerback Chris Culliver and safeties Jeron Johnson and Dashon Goldson will command a lot of attention. They were signed by McCloughan to revamp a secondary that has consistently been a factory of nightmares the last two years.
Despite the new additions up front, the only way this defense will make strides is if the secondary is better. If Fewell's group is looking good during camp, it will be an early cause for optimism ahead of the real action.
If the secondary has held back the defense in recent seasons, the offense has been stunted by dire line play. That's supposed to change with the arrival of Callahan, a grand master in the art of trench dominance.
While his approach and coaching techniques will keep scribes like myself very busy during the next two weeks, it will be rookie tackle Brandon Scherff who really bears watching. Selected fifth overall by McCloughan in this year's draft, Scherff is expected to be the key building block for the revival of this vital position.
If Scherff is making the grade at Bon Secours, Redskins fans will start to feel very good about the state of the team's fortified offensive front.
Coaches Under the Spotlight
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When a team passes on two deans of defensive football to hire you, you're going to be under a lot of pressure. That's the situation facing Barry after the Redskins chose him over 3-4 wizards Wade Phillips and Vic Fangio.
It hardly helps that Barry's only previous stint as an NFL coordinator came with the Detroit Lions in 2007 and 2008. His units finished last in yards and points allowed during both seasons.
Yet despite that worrying context, there's still a healthy amount of optimism surrounding Washington's defense headed into the new campaign. Barry has been given plenty of weapons with the likes of Knighton, Paea, Goldson and Culliver.
There's also been the promise of a more attack-minded approach. Gruden insists this defense will swarm and destroy rather than contain, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post: "There will be some different ideas that we have, as far as it’s not a two-gap 3-4. It might be more of a shoot-the-gap-type of 3-4, a get-up-the-field-and-rush-them 3-4, you know what I mean?"
But the Redskins have made this sort of promise before. Now it's up to Barry to put the words into action. If he can't, fans and pundits won't waste time pointing to what might have been had the team made a more high-profile hire.
Callahan won't be under as much pressure. Not after successfully molding a young group of players into one of the best O-lines in football with the Dallas Cowboys.
That's the expectation in Washington, even if Callahan doesn't have quite the same quality of tools to work with. Yet he's still being seen as perhaps the most significant addition to this season's coaching staff.
The hype is understandable considering how much this team needs better play up front. But Callahan's task is far from straightforward when he's dealing with a rookie right tackle in Scherff and a right guard, Spencer Long, who didn't make a start as a first-year player in 2014.
He's smartly chosen to counter inexperience with a crash course in the proper techniques so far this offseason, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Stressing the fundamentals is a great way to get the young right side up to speed fast. Hopefully, Callahan's work will show reward during camp.
But there's no doubt that the new coach who will feel the most glare from the spotlight is new quarterbacks guru Matt Cavanaugh. He's the man charged with laying the groundwork for what needs to be a significant revival from Griffin.
Cavanaugh has been stressing fundamentals since he arrived, according to CBS DC reporter Brian McNally:
"According to Cavanaugh, Griffin has a long stride. Sometimes when he moves around in the pocket it is difficult for him to re-set and keep his mechanics sound. He’s worked with Griffin all spring to focus on setting himself again and then delivering the ball in rhythm. That comes naturally for some quarterbacks. For others, they have to drill it constantly to make it stick.
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A stricter adherence to the basics is the only tonic that will cure the ailing Griffin. Training camp will show how much, if at all, Cavanaugh's early efforts have paid off.
His success is the key to the whole season.
Fringe Players to Watch
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Of all the fringe players, there are two in particular you should watch very closely during camp. Both Chris Thompson and Ryan Grant are bidding to fill vital roles currently missing from Washington's offense.
For Thompson, that means becoming a third-down, change-of-pace back that Griffin and the coaches can trust. For that to happen, he must first prove he can stay healthy. It's the main concern coaches have regarding a player that is otherwise fast and versatile enough to be a very useful weapon out of the backfield, per CSN Washington's Rich Tandler.
As for Grant, he's spent all offseason impressing Gruden, according to ESPN.com's Keim. But he'll still have to be at the top of his game during camp.
Grant has excellent hands and runs very smart routes. Yet those qualities may not be enough to compensate for a lack of natural explosion, especially since fourth-round rookie Jamison Crowder can provide plenty of that. This particular competition is one worth watching during camp, according to Tandler.
Key Storyline: How Alfred Morris and Co. Are Taking to the Power Running Game
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One of the more intriguing storylines is how Alfred Morris and Washington's running backs and linemen will take to the extra emphasis on power blocking. That emphasis is what Gruden wants and why Callahan was hired, according to the Washington Times' Boyer.
He also noted how McCloughan is setting the direction for the new style of ground attack, one reason why Scherff was drafted and Long is being promoted to right guard:
"Adding a pair of bigger bodies in Long and Scherff could help stem that trend. When new general manager Scot McCloughan was hired in January, he quickly made known his preference to control the line of scrimmage with larger, stronger, more physical players.
"
But while a beefier line will naturally play a vital part in revitalizing Washington's running game, the deeper question involves Morris. Specifically, can the three-time 1,000-yard rusher who made his name behind zone-style stretch blocking survive and thrive in a new system?
That's not an unreasonable question to ask. After all, the famed zone scheme of Gruden's predecessor, Mike Shanahan, helped make Morris a star.
In fact, that same system made stars out of a host of other initially unheralded runners, including Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson and Reuben Droughns.
But so few truly succeed outside the scheme. Morris offered some proof of that sobering fact last season when Gruden's tweaked ground attack contributed to his worst year as a pro.
For his part though, Morris remains confident about the changes Callahan is making, per Tom Schad of the Washington Times: “It’s not new. I did all downhill in college with the Power I. Did a little inside zone, maybe a tad of outside zone, but mostly it was just downhill, so I feel like I’m better in downhill plays anyways."
But there are reasons why Morris should be concerned under all that bravado.
First, he's a free agent in 2016. He's also under threat from third-round pick Matt Jones, a bruiser who's certainly born to play in a power-based ground game.
On a broader level though, Morris' effectiveness is the key to Washington's offense. If he's pounding defenses, there'll be less pressure on the struggling quarterbacks and more opportunities for big plays off play action.
The Redskins want an offense geared to the run, according to ESPN.com's Keim. That makes getting Morris back to his best a priority.
Camp will show how much work still needs to be done. It will also reveal which backfield mate is pushing to take carries away from 2012's sixth-round pick.
Key Storyline: Gruden and Griffin Watch
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On the same page, headed in the same direction, simpatico, in lockstep. Whichever euphemism you care to use, Griffin and Gruden were none of those things in 2014.
Their relationship simply has to change for the better in 2015. Having a buffer in the form of Cavanaugh between them will be a big help.
But while Gruden is being positioned as less micromanager and more overseer this season, his coexistence with his quarterback remains key. After all, it's still Gruden's offense Griffin is being asked to execute.
Things didn't go well in that regard last term. It didn't help that Griffin couldn't take to the pocket-based restrictions of Gruden's system, according to Liz Clarke of the Washington Post: "The result was Griffin’s least productive season as a pro. In his nine appearances, he tallied four touchdown passes, six interceptions and five fumbles and led the team to victory in just one of the seven complete games he played."
While it won't all be smooth sailing this season, what happens when things go wrong will be crucial.
In particular, how both men react to one another when faced with adversity, self-inflicted or otherwise, will determine how Washington's season unfolds. If it's more of the public putdowns and demotions that defined 2014, then expect another season of dysfunction and losing for the Burgundy and Gold.
How Gruden and Griffin interact during camp will naturally draw attention. Civility will likely be the order of the day, but bigger questions remain.
For instance, how much more tolerant, if at all, with Gruden be of Griffin's many growing pains? He wasn't last season, and that didn't endear him to many at Redskins Park, per ESPN.com's Keim: "He couldn’t solve the quarterback situation and his, at times, brutal honesty didn’t always sit well with his bosses."
But it won't all be on Gruden, at least it shouldn't be. Will Griffin's discomfort in the pocket still cause him to bridle against the system the man in charge wants to see?
He must show real dedication to refining his overall game to the demands of the pro level. That means improvement reading pre-snap alignments and coverage, as well as a willingness to forgo the big play if it means protecting the ball.
Patience and tolerance have to be the defining features of the coach-quarterback bond in Washington this season. Camp will show just how much of each are in supply at Redskins Park.
Key Storyline: Attitude Check
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Since he was hired, McCloughan has been busy building a bully. He wants a bigger, nastier football team on both sides of the ball.
That's why he spent free-agency dollars on Knighton, Paea and Francois. It's also why he used the team's top draft pick to snag Scherff.
But will those moves really succeed in toughening up these Redskins? Camp will surely offer a clear glimpse one way or another.
If practices are physical, even marred with a few skirmishes here and there, McCloughan will likely allow himself a wry smile. While unity is what all teams ultimately crave, toughness is an attitude that starts from within the group.
If this team is treating every practice like a chance to compete at maximum intensity, or at least close to it, a tougher, more aggressive group will certainly take the field in Week 1.
Consider camp one big checklist for every move Washington has made to get better this offseason. The state and progress of new-look offensive and defensive fronts will tell a lot about this team's potential to win in 2015.
But the biggest indicator will still come from any improvements Gruden and his coaches are able to coax from Griffin.
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