Washington Redskins: What We've Learned Through Week 2 of Training Camp
If the Washington Redskins learned anything from the second week of training camp, it's that Pierre Garcon is still a major factor in their offense.
Speaking of being a factor, Jordan Reed might not be the team's starting tight end, but he's still going to feature in the team's passing game. That's the plan anyway.
On the other side of the ball, a newbie lineman is already showcasing the strength and burst that make him an effective interior pass-rusher. This season's scheme is predicated on greater pressure from the front, something that's been obvious during camp.
While there are question marks at every other level of the unit, at least the defensive line looks ready to do its job.
Find out what else the Redskins learned this week.
Jordan Reed Still Has a Key Role to Play
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Niles Paul will start when Washington deploys traditional personnel on offense—namely two wide receivers, two running backs and one tight end. But that doesn't mean "joker-style" playmaker Reed doesn't still have a key role to play.
After announcing Paul as his primary option at the position, head coach Jay Gruden also laid out his plan for Reed this season, according to Rich Tandler of Real Redskins.
"Jordan will play a lot in our three-receiver sets, one-tight-end set, obviously. He is probably the starter in that particular group," he said. "When we go two tight ends, it will be Niles and Jordan. We change personnel so often, they will both get a lot of playing time."
It's a plan that makes a lot of sense for Reed. Specifically, it gets him in space more often. That's the best ploy for a pass-catcher with outrageous natural athleticism, speed and excellent hands.
If Gruden and his staff are smart, they'll regularly put Reed in the slot, where he'll be a mismatch against linebackers and defensive backs. He can also help create bunch and trips looks with inside receivers like Garcon, Andre Roberts and even rookie Jamison Crowder.
Flexing Reed off the line can also mitigate his struggles as a blocker. That makes sense considering this season's ground game is going to require more bulk at the edges of the offensive line than the 237-pounder can provide.
But it would certainly be a mistake to waste Reed's talents. Of course, like most things with 2013's third-round pick, the success of this plan will depend on his health.
To no great surprise, the 25-year-old is already an injury doubt. Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweeted that Reed withdrew from a recent practice because of a sore hamstring.
It's easy to get frustrated when a player of such obvious ability can't stay healthy. However, it's still not the time to give up on Reed just yet.
As long as Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay really commit to moving him around, Reed can still be a vital source of clutch catches and big plays this season.
D-Line Already Performing to Expectations
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A lot is expected from Washington's defensive line this season. New general manager Scot McCloughan dedicated a hefty portion of his first free-agency kitty to adding playmakers along the front.
Since Ricky Jean Francois, Terrance Knighton and Stephen Paea arrived at Redskins Park, there's now better talent and more options in the trenches. The latter member of that trio has been catching the eye during practice sessions this week, per the Post's Jones:
"Paea has a great first step off the ball. He also has quick hands, and that enables him to win a lot of battles in the trenches. We’ve seen him stop running backs behind the line multiple times during camp. Monday’s team run/run defense drills were no different. Paea lined up alongside Terrance Knighton and Jason Hatcher and seemed to have the quickest burst of any of the three.
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Paea's ability to consistently create pressure from the interior will be the key to this season's defense. First-year coordinator Joe Barry is tweaking the current 3-4 scheme to give linemen more license to attack single gaps.
That's why a dynamic 3-technique like Paea was brought in this offseason. Having Knighton absorb double-teams in the middle will leave Paea and Hatcher free to exploit one blocker. It also works the other way.
The idea is to make it so that offensive linemen don't know who to double. Paea's impressive early showings are a promising sign that the new system can be an instant success.
But the former Chicago Bears starter isn't the only lineman making the most of camp. A forgotten member of the rotation is also offering a reminder that the new faces won't push him off the team just yet.
Veteran Kedric Golston also looked good this week, according to Andrew Walker and Stephen Czarda of the team's official site:
"First, working with the first team during a session of 11-on-11s, the Georgia product did a nice job clogging the running lanes especially against Alfred Morris. Then later in the day in 1-on-1 drills, Golston had a nice rip move on Tyler Larsento get around him with ease. Finally, during the final 11-on-11 drills, Golston had a possible would-be sack. The 10-year veteran could be an important part of the team’s defensive line rotation, as he’s also been playing some nose tackle as well.
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Golston looked like a man ticketed for the exit after McCloughan went lineman-heavy in free agency. Not only does Paea's arrival guarantee he won't start, signing Francois also makes it tough to see where he fits among the position group's key reserves.
It becomes tougher still when you consider the presence of Chris Baker and Frank Kearse, both of whom are very adept at creating pressure from the edges of the line. What counts in Golston's favor is the flexibility to play over the center as well as in the guard-tackle B-gap.
The 6'4", 318-pounder is also a pretty stout run defender. That's a valuable quality the Redskins shouldn't easily dismiss, especially when there are so many top running backs on this season's schedule.
Keeping Golston around only further strengthens the options line coach Robb Akey has to work with. It also gives Barry more combinations to throw at offenses.
This line, dubbed "Capital Punishment" by Knighton, will be under the spotlight in the team's preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, per Rick Snider of the Washington Post.
If the rotation performs well, it will be a good early omen for the success of this season's overhauled defense.
Pierre Garcon Is Still a Pretty Good Player
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As if they needed a reminder, the Redskins found out this week that Garcon is still an excellent receiver. The dangerous catch machine has been in fine form during recent practices, offering a clear message to Gruden: Get me the damn ball more often this season!
Garcon's numbers were way down across the board last season following the arrival of premier deep threat DeSean Jackson. The depressing carousel at quarterback didn't help much either.
But Garcon is just too good to be left gathering dust, even if Jackson can get this team six points on one play. Yet the benefits to targeting No. 88 are perhaps more far-reaching.
His sure hands and tough running after the catch turn simple and even errant throws into productive gains. That makes Garcon a vital outlet for any quarterback, but particularly ones who struggle as much as the men under center in D.C. have.
He offers a variety of ways to get the ball in his hands at every level of a defense. Garcon showcased those skills at the start of the week, helping make Robert Griffin III look pretty good in the process, per Jones:
"As mentioned before, Griffin and Garcon connected on a crossing route that saw the quarterback get the ball out quickly and lead the receiver perfectly. The two connected several more times throughout the day. Griffin again hit Garcon in stride, this time on a 50-yard touchdown pass. Garcon had gotten a step on Culliver and caught the pass over his shoulder. Griffin also had three other first down passes to Garcon – once on a slant and two other times on out routes just beyond the sticks.
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The best way to get Griffin on track is to make Garcon his most frequent target again. Based on how he's performed so far during camp, the ex-Indianapolis Colts ace already looks set for a major revival this season.
That's great news for every quarterback on the roster.
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Backup QB Race Is Still Undecided
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No winner has emerged in the race to be Griffin's backup. Is anybody really a winner in that race? The pressure is now firmly on both Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins as preseason games begin.
They've both produced "mediocre training camp and offseason showings," according to the Post's Snider. He also noted how Cousins' penchant for interceptions makes him a prime candidate for the chop.
Having his finger pressed firmly on the self-destruct button is a shame for the player who is otherwise the best pure passer on the team. Of course, throwing perfect spirals to the opposition is no small problem.
That's why it will be interesting to see what effect new quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh has had on 2012's fourth-round pick. Most of the focus has naturally been on how Cavanaugh will help improve Griffin's fundamentals, but his impact on Cousins' grasp of the basics will be just as significant.
Snider expects both Cousins and McCoy to play a "quarter or so" against the Browns. It will be fascinating to see how far—if at all—Cousins has progressed since his catalogue of errors last season.
Of course, McCoy will also want to prove he's still relevant. It's always good to have an experienced head at football's most important position.
McCoy's knowledge of Gruden's offense is excellent. But he'll be putting that knowledge to use with "players who are unlikely to make the team," per Tandler.
Deciding between Cousins' ability to run the pocket-based scheme he wants or McCoy's assurance with the concepts he designs represents a tough choice for Gruden this offseason.
Nothing has been settled at camp. Preseason games will clear things up.
Looking Ahead to Cleveland
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One of the more interesting aspects of Thursday's preseason opener will be how the offensive line handles a tough Cleveland Browns defense. That will be very relevant early on when starters are on the field.
The Browns have talent up front, and head coach Mike Pettine isn't afraid to use complex blitz pressures to challenge protection. That will make things tough for the young members of Washington's offensive front, particularly on the right side.
This week has put the spotlight on top draft pick Brandon Scherff's move to right guard, along with second-year man Morgan Moses playing right tackle. Regardless of which five linemen take the field in Cleveland, the Redskins need to see improvement in keeping pass-rushers at bay and opening holes on the ground.
The first quarter is where the protection will count the most. That's when RG3 will be on the field, according to ESPN.com's John Keim. Griffin has "looked much better in training camp this year that he did in 2014," per Tandler.
But all eyes will be on whether he can translate the progress he's made to a more competitive environment. In all honesty, though, this may be a better game to test the effectiveness of the ground attack.
The Browns had the worst run defense in football a year ago, according to the league's official site. Meanwhile, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport told NFL Network's Total Access (h/t NFL.com) that the Redskins are expecting the rushing attack to be the focal point of their offense in the new season.
Now's the time to put the theory into practice.
As for the rest of the game, the majority of it will naturally be about giving fringe players a chance, as Hank Kurz Jr. of the Baltimore Sun noted: "Gruden's primary goal is finding out who among the backups and rookies warrant a spot on the final roster."
Gruden should get plenty of chances to evaluate depth players considering his roster is already pretty banged up.
Jones tweeted that Ryan Kerrigan has been ruled out for Thursday's game. He also revealed that cornerbacks David Amerson and Bashaud Breeland join wideout DeSean Jackson, middle linebacker Will Compton and pass-rusher Trevardo Williams on the sidelines.
Griffin's performance will command the most focus, but the team's performance in the trenches will tell more about Washington's chances of winning once the games start to count.
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