Redskins Misc News & Info

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Hmmmm

 

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Roster moves

For Immediate Release

May 15, 2017



REDSKINS MAKE ROSTER MOVES



LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have made the following roster moves:


The Redskins signed the following free agent:

TE Manasseh Garner


The Redskins signed the following college free agent:

CB Tevin Homer


The Redskins waived the following players:

LB Khairi Fortt

TE Wes Saxton


The Redskins released the following player:

CB Tharold Simon



-REDSKINS-

 

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Redskins 2017 Training Camp: Schedule, Fan Appreciation Day, 23 public practices

TC schedule

 

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roster move

For Immediate Release

May 16, 2017



REDSKINS MAKE ROSTER MOVE



LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have made the following roster move:


The Redskins signed the following college free agent:

LB Nico Marley

 

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[skinsdad62]

Wow

 

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[Krusheasy]

gruden presser

May 24, 2017


Head Coach Jay Gruden



On his overall impressions:

“I feel good. I think there’s an adjustment period for everybody, not just for the new guys, but for the guys who have been here playing with the new guys. So I think that’s the most important thing, getting everybody on the same page, figuring out everybody’s strengths and weaknesses and get things corrected and go from there. I feel good with the energy level that these guys have, their ability to learn and their desire to work hard. It’s been good.”



On the absences of T Trent Williams, RB Matt Jones and TE Jordan Reed:

“Jordan [Reed] is down in Miami training. He’s got a personal trainer down there. He’s working extremely hard. Trent [Williams], I believe, is in Oklahoma somewhere training and Matt Jones was absent today.”



On his impressions of WR Josh Doctson:

“He’s been impressive. I think the big thing for him is the confidence in his Achilles and I think he’s got that right now. I saw him out there today and yesterday, the last two days he’s looked better and better. It looks like he can run down the field. He made a good catch down the sideline today and [he has] strong hands, we know that about him. Now we’ve just got to continue to put one day after another after another. If he does have soreness, we have got to taper off for him, but right now, so far, so good. I like the way he looks, like the way he runs and love the way he catches.”



On QB Kirk Cousins adjusting to throwing to a receiver the size of WR Terrelle Pryor Sr.:

“That process would be evolving, I would think. That’s something we have got to get used to. Kirk [Cousins] has to get used to Terrelle [Pryor] and Terrelle has to get used to Kirk. First and foremost, we have to get the system of plays that we’re running and get Terrelle up to speed and how we want things run split-wise, depth-wise, how we want him coming out of breaks, and then are there are certain throws down the field that we have to get adjusted to – some of the back-shoulder fades, the opportunity balls that Terrelle really makes look easy that are harder to throw if you haven’t thrown them before. That’s an adjustment period we’ll have to go through. We’ll keep pushing the envelope out here at practice and try to get good at everything. Terrelle is a different target and gives us some different options down the field, but we do have to get him squared away on some of the fundamental route concepts that we have.”



On if he has talked to Jones:

“I talked to him before he left, yes.”



On the reason for Jones’ absence:

“That’s a good question, something that Matt Jones will have to answer. This is a voluntary deal, as we all know, and I can’t force the issue on anybody. So if he’s disgruntled in any way, shape or form, it’s news to me. I imagine like Jordan Reed and Trent Williams, I’m sure Matt is working out and staying in good shape.”



On if he expects Jones to return:

“I would hope so. When it’s mandatory [minicamp], he better.”



On what kind of impact he sees S D.J. Swearinger having:

“Wow, you know what? Watching him the first two days really excites me. He just looks like a safety back there. No offense to the previous safeties we’ve had before, but I just think D.J. is to a level in his career right now where he’s got a lot of confidence. He has got a lot of talent. We know that he’s a physical guy, but as far as coverages and breaking up things, he’s got a lot of confidence and I think he’s going to really, really emerge as a top safety not only for this team but in this league.”



On if he sees progress from Cousins and the receivers, particularly Pryor:

“I think the big thing when we’re talking about quarterback-receiver continuity is communication. They have no trouble communicating. Terrelle is not set in his ways. Kirk is not set in his ways. They’re always talking and communicating, ‘How you want to do this? This is how we want it done.’ And then I’ll jump in there, ‘No, this is…’ There’s always communication and it’s good. Terrelle being an ex-quarterback has a great idea of how routes should be run, but sometimes he sees things that the quarterback doesn’t see or he’s too quick to break when he should stem it up a little bit deeper. There’s just some things that we have to get coached up a little bit, but he was coached by a good coach, Hue Jackson, last year. He’s only been playing receiver for a couple of years, so there’s some things we’ve have got to get caught up, but he’s got a great skill set. He’s long, he can run, [has] a great catch radius and he’s been a pleasure to coach so far.”



On if LB Junior Galette is doing more than he anticipated:

“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to see Junior a whole lot this time of year, really. We’re trying to get him healthy. But he’s been out there working and he’s done a nice job. He knows he’s got a little ways to go, but you can still see that he’s got the quick twitch, which you really need off the edge. He can bend, and now as far as stamina goes, he’s going to continue to work to get in shape. But knowing Junior, the way he works and the way he trains and prepares, he’ll get himself into shape. The big thing is feeling confident in those Achilles, getting that burst back, which it looks like he’s got a lot of it back. It’s just a matter of maintaining that burst for a long period of time.”



On the NFL shortening overtime to 10 minutes:

“Who cares? [Laughter]”



On changes to the celebration rules:

“You know what, whatever rules they send down, we just try to coach them up. The celebration thing, if it is fun for the fans and the fans really want it, this is a fan league and that’s great just as long as it doesn’t become so much about the player as it is about the team.”



On two players now being allowed to return from IR:

“Oh, that’s a good rule [laughter]. These IR rules are tough, man. These players, it’s hard, especially when you have a lot of guys with nagging injuries that aren’t able to play on Sunday but they are not hurt enough to go on IR. You need a little bit of flexibility there. It’s been very, very important. We’ve had a couple instances before that’ve been here. [Martrell] Spaight, my first year or two years ago had that concussion, and we were torn to put them on the IR and we weren’t able to get him back and lost him for the year. And we had some other instances last year where you just don’t know so it’s important to have that flexibility to have another guy that you can bring back.”



On the defense getting the better of the offense on the first day:

“I told them not to celebrate on Day 1. The defense had a great day yesterday. The offense made some big plays today. We’re just trying to install plays, get our system taught, challenge our defense, push our defense, make some throws and let our receivers make some plays. They did yesterday. Josh [Norman] had a great pick down the sideline. [Quinton] Dunbar had a pick down the sideline today. We made the plays that we didn’t make yesterday. That’s the way it’s going to be. When you have a talented group, a competitive group, plays will be made, one side or the other. Good thing being head coach, I can celebrate both ways… or I could be angry both ways, you know? [Laughter] ‘Don’t throw picks… Great job getting the pick.’ But it’s very competitive. Guys are really working hard. It’s good so far.”



On DL Jonathan Allen:

“I think he wants to be coached. I think he likes football and obviously he competes. We’re just starting him out. These rookies, we’re trying to just get them baby steps. We don’t want to just throw them out in the fire. We’ve got some veteran guys in front of him like Ziggy Hood that are showing him the ropes. Matt [Ioannidis] has got some years under his belt. Obviously Terrell McClain, Stacy McGee, these guys – a little bit veteran-type guys – showing him the way a little bit. He’s going to progress at a fast rate. You can see the talent that he has. He’s just going to get better and better. First things first, let’s get his feet wet a little bit, and then we’ll throw him in there. But he’s doing a great job.”



On S Su’a Cravens:

“I’ve only seen one practice on tape, so I’ll go back. Yesterday, he looked good. He looked like he was fluid, looked like he has some range. You can’t see any physicality but you know he can tackle, which is a good thing. Today we’ll see what happened on some of these deep balls over their head. But I like the way he’s bought into the safety position. I think he’s fired up about it. That’s half the battle. I think he knows after two days, I think he feels like he belongs out there. I think the confidence is going to grow the more he understands the system and plays within the system, I think he’ll be fine. I think he still has a ways to go, but I think he has got a great chance to be a very good safety because he can play in the box and if he shows us the range that we think he might have, he can be very versatile. And D.J. [Swearinger] can come down, he can play back, whatever, so it’s a good mix.”



On Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula:

“I like how he coaches his guys, man. He demands greatness from them all the time. That’s the way it’s got to be. He’s going to coach them up fundamentally, number one, and obviously challenge them in the effort department all the time. He’s going to push the envelope with them, like I say. He’s a great coach, great motivator and understands the game not just from a defensive line standpoint, like a lot of defensive line coaches are just ‘in the box.’ This guy understands the entire defense – coverages, linebacker play, fronts, all that stuff. So he’s a very good add for Coach Manusky. They work well together, they bounce things off of each other. It’s a good team.”



On the shape “Fat Rob” Kelley is in currently:

“That was just a nickname, he wasn’t actually fat [laughter]… I think when you’re a 22-year-old kid, 21-year-old guy out of Tulane and you understand the wear and tear that the NFL is going to give you, you better get yourself into shape if you want to maintain a career in the NFL as a running back. Running backs’ careers are already tough to carry on for a long period of time as it is, but if you’re overweight or out of shape, you have no chance. He’s getting his body in shape, he works hard. He’s a very strong, physical runner. The way he runs, he better be in shape. He better be strong, work in the weight room, if he wants to maintain the skillset that he has. And he has. He’s done a good job.”

 

[Krusheasy]

cousins presser 1/2

QB Kirk Cousins



On the offense:

“We’re excited. Feel good about the players we have on our offense. It has been fun to get to know some of the new receivers and just continue to work and gain experience and try to build chemistry with the players around us.”


On his comfort level and relationship with WRs Josh Doctson and Terrelle Pryor Sr.:

“Well, I feel really good about it. I like playing with those guys. It’s just in-process. It is a really good thing we have OTAs and minicamps and training camp and preseason games to get ready for Week 1 so we are building to when it really matters. I just feel good about the raw ability that they have and now it’s just a matter of getting to understand one another and getting to learn the offense as well as we can such that we can execute at a high level and there is no drop-off. If anything, we take another step forward as an offense.”


On adjusting to new starters:

“Obviously there is a little bit of an adjustment, but we spread the ball around so much. Chris Thompson catches quite a few balls, even Rob Kelley gets involved, we get the tight ends involved. I remember two years ago we lost DeSean [Jackson] for half the season. Derek Carrier played a bigger role when Jordan Reed was out. So you kind of expect a revolving door on offense at a lot of the skill positions and you just start to run plays, and regardless who is out there, you just go where your reads take you. If it’s Cover 2, you read that corner and you throw where he isn’t. Whether is Derek Carrier, Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, you still need to throw the ball accurately and they go catch it and make a play. Obviously, when you start playing teams that play man coverage, you need someone who is faster than the guy guarding them so personnel does come into play and you want to get great players, but at the same time, we’re used to whoever is up, hey, we expect you to go get the job done and to make the play happen. I think Bruce and Jay and our scouting staff did a really good job this offseason of bringing in a talented player like Terrelle Pryor and getting Vernon Davis back. Now it is just a matter of spending time in practice to develop our rapport.”



On adjusting to bigger receivers:

“I think it’s an advantage in the sense that you have a larger catch radius. When a guy is quote-unquote covered, hopefully he is still open because you can throw him to a spot where maybe the defensive back can’t quite make a play. It is a little new for me, haven’t had a ton of experience making throws like that, so it is one of the many things we will emphasize, work on and try to get a better feel for as we go through the offseason program. And as a quarterback it is exciting because we think that adds another wrinkle or element to our offense that hopefully can make us better and help us take a step forward.”


On the rule changes for celebrations:

“I haven’t thought about anything special, although I could get pretty creative and go back to maybe some of the high school days to try to think of some good ideas. I remember just the penalties last year. Josh Norman’s against the Browns and Vernon Davis’ against the Eagles, I just think it got to a point where I didn’t see the harm in it, and yet the effect it had on the game was significant and I think to our commissioner’s credit, he listened to the players and I think there is not a single faction of the NFL that doesn’t want to see the players celebrate and enjoy it. I think the fans want to see it. I think we as teammates and even opponents don’t mind seeing it. I say go ahead, celebrate, have a good time and if you heard me mic’ed up against the Packers, I was the one running into the end zone yelling, ‘Celebrate, celebrate!’ Hey, I think it is important to celebrate performance and doing good things. We work so hard. When good things happen, go celebrate it and let people know that that needs to happen again.”

On contract negotiations:

“You’re the guy. You’re the guy today [laughter]. Good question. I talk about as a quarterback getting experience and getting reps. I feel like when it comes to the contract, I have gotten reps now. I am getting used to answering questions and going through this now the second time through so I am not a rookie anymore when it comes to this stuff. It is a similar deal here too. It has been very positive. I have had really positive conversations with everybody involved throughout the process this offseason. I feel like everybody is on the same page and I really have nothing further to add to what has already been said. So I feel good about where I am at, where this team is at, where my teammates are at. And so it is just a matter of trying to move forward and we will see what happens come July 15. It will be a telling date as it was last summer.”


On if the team can add more wrinkles to the offense now that he is in his third year as a starter:

“Good question, Chris. I think the balance will always be, ‘Let’s not re-invent the wheel. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ We moved the ball last year so let’s just do more of what we’ve done, while also saying, ‘How can I be better? How can I be better?’ I think if you want to be a great player, a great offense, you are always looking for how to improve. You never want to get too cute and try to re-invent the wheel but at the same time we are always looking for little ways to improve our game. I think in our offense, it is, ‘Can we complete a little more 50/50 balls, back shoulders, when guys are covered, still throwing them open? Are there are ways to play off-schedule to make some scramble plays happen?’ I don’t know that I will ever be Michael Vick or Aaron Rodgers, but can we do that a little more? Are there times I can use my legs? I think there is more athleticism there than I give myself credit for. Can I run for a first down here or there more often? There are little things. I don’t think I am going to try and turn into a zone-read quarterback but there are times in the game where you say, hey, maybe you could emphasize this more, that more. That’s where the third year, the fourth year, the fifth year, you start to fine tune. That is where it gets fun because the game slows down. You’re not just fighting for a roster spot anymore. You’re fighting to become one of the best players in this league. You know, that is the goal now and one of the best offenses in this league more importantly. I am excited and looking forward to that challenge and now I am being held to an even higher standard.”


On WRs DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon signing with new teams in free agency:

“I was really happy for them. I thought to myself – I think I said it last year at training camp – that I take pride in seeing guys that I play with get paid well in this league. I think it’s a reflection that our offense was able to help them succeed, so that was an important thing to me. Even last training camp, I wanted to make sure that when free agency comes around this past year that whether it was DeSean or Pierre or Vernon [Davis] or whoever that these guys get a contract that pays them well because it means we helped them have success. I was thrilled from that standpoint. I felt like they were well-compensated for what they had done for us as an offense and that was a great thing to see. It’s a reality in the NFL. We’re constantly dealing with that. Terrelle Pryor is on a one-year deal, so it just is part of the deal. You have a good year and you go back to the drawing board and look at what can you get in the draft, what does the free agent market look like. That is the NFL and it’s always going to be that way, so you learn to deal with it. And even the Super Bowl champions, you saw them making all kind of moves this offseason, so welcome to this league.”

 

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cousins presser 2/2

On his stress level:

“Playing quarterback in the NFL is a stressful job, so if it was easy, anybody could do it. I think the spring, the offseason, the stress is certainly not at the level that it’s at during the season, but it does help you to take a step back and just enjoy football. It feels a little bit more like going out to recess in elementary school than it does getting ready for a big, big game, so there’s a little bit more laid-back, fun approach this spring. But make no mistake, that’s not reality come the fall. So I do try to remind myself of the intensity that it does require come the fall, and we practice with that intensity and I think you guys saw that today. It’s a process.”



On the stress of contract negotiations:

“Again, with the contract, this just isn’t my first time through it, so I’ve just kind of learned from previous experiences and if you know my story going back to high school, I played my senior year of high school with no scholarship offers, in fact there was a coach here from Northwestern today who was my recruiting coach at Northwestern, he’s still the running backs coach 10 years later at Northwestern and I was getting recruited by Northwestern, wanted a scholarship, they didn’t offer me, and it was just a reminder that you never know what’s going to happen. He was here today and I shook his hand and said hello and remembered them well and remembered Coach [Pat] Fitzgerald there well, but you realize that, hey, they made a decision, they went in a different direction and that’s fine and you play with that. You’re just always trying to go out there, prove yourself, learn. Senior year of college, much the same way, trying to get drafted, you just go and play and see where the chips will land and try not to let it get to you.”



On expecting his first child:

“The baby is due in mid-September. It was supposed to be Week 2, but we got the 20-week ultrasound and they moved it up a week, so we’re looking for around Week 1, between Week 1 and Week 2, so we’re praying it’ll come on a day where it doesn’t conflict with any important football matters. So we’re excited. Julie has been great. She’s just been outstanding the whole time and she’s already told me that she’s going to carry the weight the first few months so that I can focus on football and she’s going to be a big help, so we’re looking forward to that. Lots to look forward to right now. I’m in a good place.”



On how Pryor being a former quarterback helps with their connection:

“I love that you asked that question because it’s even caught me by surprise. I worked with a receiver, Keith Nichol, in college who was a former quarterback, but Terrelle having been a college quarterback and a pro quarterback takes it to even another level. He’s going to hold me accountable because he knows where the ball should go. If it’s Cover 2 and he on Cover 2, if the read is over here, ‘I played quarterback, I know that.’ He’s going to hold me accountable. I like it because I’ve never had a conversation with a receiver like I’ve had with him where he said, ‘Yeah, it was two-invert, so I took it to the post. It was quarters on the backside.’ He really can see it and he’s going to hold me accountable, so you take the good with the bad. I love it. He’s an enthusiastic guy. He’s always wanting to run another route. ‘Let’s try it again, let’s do it again,’ just a positive attitude and he’s been a joy to work with thus far. I’m really looking forward to trying to get him as many touches as possible and allow him to impact our team in any way he can.”



On the difference in contract negotiations this summer:

“I don’t know that it’s been different, I just think that it’s been good communication, just keeping the lines of communication open and we’ll see where it goes from here.”



On members of the military attending today’s practice:

“It’s a good reminder why it’s such a benefit to play here in Washington. It just feels like it’s that much more real with Andrews Air Force Base here and so many soldiers here. There’s something special about playing for the city of Washington, D.C. and driving 30 minutes into the city and going by the White House and the Pentagon and the monuments. I love history and just last night went to a documentary in the movie theater about the Middle East and what's going on there and [I’m] just so grateful for living in this country and understanding that that came at a price and I just want to say thank you. If it means signing a few autographs after practice, what a cool way to do that and just more motivation. You say ‘Man, I want to give these soldiers, these fans something to cheer about and make them excited and bring this city together. Hopefully winning football games can do that. What a great thing. That’s the vision we’re chasing. Hopefully we can get it done this season.”



On the progress made in contract negotiations:

“It’s a process. If nothing happens right now… As one person has told me, deadlines do deals. That’s just kind of a rule in negotiating, so why would something happen way before a deadline? It just doesn’t make sense. I’m not in a hurry, they’re not in a hurry, so we’ll just see how things go. I’m being patient.”



On the chemistry between him and Head Coach Jay Gruden as a play caller:

“It’s been a good thing to have Jay right next to me every practice calling the plays. It’s good to be in constant communication with the head coach. It’s a little different because I’m used to having Sean McVay in that role, but I’ve enjoyed being that much closer to Jay and hearing it from his perspective. He’s kind of a natural. The game comes naturally to him. He understands it really well. When you talk ball with him, he can go up there and make the game make sense and I’m just trying to glean from him all that I can. Now that he’s more close to me in terms of calling the plays, being in the meetings on a day-to-day basis, it gives me greater access to do that and I look forward to seeing the game even more from his perspective being that he’s going to be so involved this year in the play calling and in the game plan design.”

 

[skinsdad62]

Redskins Sign Third-Round Pick Fabian Moreau 

all rookies are now signed

 

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gruden presser

1/2

May 31, 2017


Head Coach Jay Gruden



On WR Josh Doctson not participating fully in team drills:

“He had a good practice yesterday and today and started out pretty good and we just kept him out [of] the second half.”



On if Doctson sitting out was injury-related:

“It had nothing to do with that, don’t worry.”



On from where the emphasis on technique and teaching with the defense this year comes:

“I think this time of year is the time to get that done. A lot of times once you hit the season and you start talking about all the coverages and fronts and blitzes you’re going to play and situational work, sometimes technique gets pushed to the backburner. This is a time where we really emphasize technique. We’ve done that since I’ve been here. Adding obviously Coach [Jim] Tomsula and [Defensive Coordinator] Greg [Manusky], those two guys are technically sound guys, but this is the time to do it.”



On how the running backs studying other running backs can help them:

“It helps a lot, watching other people do what you do, especially guys with great history and who have been very productive for long periods of time. See how they take care of their bodies, see how they hit the holes, see how they run the wide zone course, the tight gap-trap schemes, all that. It’s a good chance to watch other teams’ schemes, other good players doing what they do and they can learn from it.”



On his line of communication with QB Kirk Cousins during two-minute drills now that Gruden has taken over play-calling duties:

“It’s just something that I need to work on more than Kirk. Kirk gets the plays and executes them, it’s just about me spitting them out quick enough because some of the terminology has changed over the years from when I called plays in Cincinnati and a little bit in my first year here. So it’s just a matter of me getting back in the flow. It’s been smooth so far. We’ve got a long way to go. Kirk is very good at two-minute drill, Colt’s [McCoy] very good and they execute it well.”



On what changes he’s seen from RB Rob Kelley compared to last year:

“I told him today, I joked around and said, ‘Last year at this time you were the ninth-string running back for God’s sakes,’ and now he’s the guy. So it’s exciting to see how far he’s come in a short period of time. With that experience comes confidence and I think he’s more confident with every rep that he takes, with every path, with every course that he takes at running back, with his protections, with his routes . You become more comfortable at the running back position when you’re not thinking about, ‘Right foot back, left foot stutter step, drop step,’ all of that stuff. ‘Am I aiming at the outside leg of the tackle, inside leg of the tight end? Where am I going?’ Now it’s just natural to him. He can be a runner and he’s very gifted in that regard as far as finding holes and running through people.”



On Kelley saying he’s lost body fat and if he looks different as a result:

“He does look a little trimmer right now. I’m going to get the final numbers here in a couple of days and find out how they came in and where they are now. We have some great body composition machines in here. We’re taking close tabs on their bodies and we’re going to get all of that information so we can get a good weight for them that we want them to have set goals for coming back for training camp, but he does look good. [Head Strength and Conditioning Coach] Chad [Englehart] has done a great job with these guys in the strength room and these guys have bought in and they’re working hard and he’s a great example of it.”


On if he expects RB Matt Jones to return:

“I hope so. I expect him to be. He’s on our roster, he’s eating up a spot. We all know that this is voluntary, so there’s really nothing that we can do. We’d like everybody to be here without a doubt, but at the end of the day, Jordan Reed is in Miami working out, Trent [Williams] is working out in Oklahoma, Matt Jones chose not to be here, so we obviously want people to work together and learn together, but it is voluntary at the end of the day.”



On LB Zach Brown citing his dinner with Gruden as one of his reasons for signing with the Redskins:

“He’s got a great personality. He’s a fun guy to hang out with, to have dinner with. I think he’s a guy that comes into a system [that has] a lot of similarities from what we’re doing here is what he did at Buffalo, so he’s very comfortable. It’s just a matter of getting the calls down and the terminology down a little bit, but he’s a great athlete. You can’t coach the height, weight, speed that he has – the natural speed. You can feel it at linebacker with him chasing down players on the outside zones or the tosses outside and chasing down backs out of the backfield, so it’s a great addition for us and it’s just a matter of him picking it up, communicating the defense to the other players around him, but he’s going to be a heck of a player for us.”



On if he’s trying to spend more time with the defense:

“I’m always involved and I have a pretty good idea about what they’re playing back there as far as coverages and blitzes and as long as they’re sound and running to the football, I’m good. I think Greg [Manusky] and Coach [Jim] Tomsula and obviously [Defensive Backs Coach] Torrian [Gray] and K.O. [Inside Linebackers Coach Kirk Olivadotti], these guys are a good staff and I have faith that they’re going to get the job done and you’ve got to let them breathe a little bit, let them do their thing and see how it goes. We’ll make the corrections as need be. That’ll be a weekly thing, could be a monthly thing, we’ll see how it goes, but I have total faith in those guys.”



On LB Nico Marley:

“I don’t put anything into [his last name], I just watched him at the rookie minicamp. We brought him in here, saw this little linebacker and the object of a defense is to try to get the ball back for the offense and he had two interceptions and recovered a fumble and had about three tackles for loss. I said, well, he deserves an opportunity, so we gave him an opportunity. As far as his name is concerned, he’s very proud of his name and all that stuff, but I’m just worried about Nico Marley as a football player, teaching him linebacker and see how we can make him fit in our scheme if we can.”

 

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gruden presser 2/2

On RB Chris Thompson saying he appreciated Gruden staying in his corner early in his career despite injuries and why Gruden did so:

“First of all he is a great human, person. He is a joy to be around, he works extremely hard, he cares about the details. To be in the position he is in, a third-down back, it’s a very important position. He has got to be able to pick up linebackers blitzing and sometimes he is stuck on a 295-pound defensive tackle, sometimes blocking a defensive end and he has to get open against a linebacker, safety in pass routes. It’s a very, very hard position to play and if you can master that position – which I think he is really close to getting to that point – it’s a very valuable guy to have. I mean, you look around the league and you think of Darren Sproles and you think of some of these other third-down backs, Reggie Bush back a few years ago, these guys are very valuable to your team because it keeps drives alive and big plays are because of them. I mean, you can double team Jordan Reed, you can double team the receivers, but that back gets a lot of one-on-one matchups. He can win in pass routes but he is excellent in pass protection and he has also proved to be a pretty good first-, second-down back if I wanted to, but he is so valuable on third down. He works very hard. Randy Jordan does a great job with him. But I just like the kid. I like the person and I like the way he works and there is such a big need for us, I saw the value early on in him.”


On quarterbacks learning to trust the speed of WR Terrelle Pryor Sr.:

“You know, Terrelle is a different guy when he is running. He is such a long strider that it doesn’t look like he is running that fast. So we have underthrown him like a dozen times already in two weeks. So it is just a matter of the quarterbacks getting used to it. Once he gets his feet churning, he’s fast, so they’ve got to trust that he’s going to go get it. It’s just a timing deal. The quarterback has got to see it and feel it. You can’t talk about it on tape so much, you have got to go actually out there and execute it. They’ve got to understand, they’ve got to really stick that back foot in the ground and launch it for him because he will go get it. He has been good, he’s been good to work with. The timing will come with Josh [Doctson] and Terrelle and obviously Ryan Grant is doing a much better job and [Jamison] Crowder is doing a good job, so we’ve got a good group of receivers that are working hard. Pryor’s brand new. He is a different style of runner and they have to get used to him.”


On WR Brian Quick:

“He had a big red zone catch yesterday on a fade and he has done some good things. It’s just a matter of getting him on the field and finding out what he is good at. He can run, he is big, he is physical. [He’s] got to learn who to block in the running game, which he is doing a good job of that, and just continue to work and find a way to fit in. You know, we have a number of receivers that are battling. If we played tomorrow, we could only dress five, it would be a really, really hard decision right now. So special teams will become part of that obviously but we have got great options right now and it’s a matter of keeping them healthy and giving them all opportunities from now until the fourth preseason game after training camp and seeing who the best ones are, who makes the most plays.”



On Defensive Backs Coach Torrian Gray’s focus on technique with the safeties and if that was needed:

“I think so. I think that was one area that we really needed to work with was technique from our secondary and I think they’re doing a good job. Torrian and James Rowe both are. They speak the same language and they focus in on technique. We have different coverages we play and all that stuff but really it comes down to technique from a defensive back, where your hand placement is, where your body position is, your first step, when you’re backpedaling, when you’re opening, all that good stuff, when you have vision on the quarterback, when you don’t. So those guys are very good at what they do and the players are buying in and you can see it getting better.”


On selecting defensive players with each of the team’s first three picks in the 2017 NFL Draft:

“Offense is my ‘specialty’ but I am really a defensive-minded coach, just so you know. I’m a little better at offense, but I understand how important it is to have a good defense, especially in this division. In this league, you have to have a good defense and we haven’t had an opportunity to really address it. My first year here, we didn’t have a first-round pick. We got Trent [Murphy] in the second round. Second year, we took Brandon Scherff in the first round and then we took Josh Doctson in the first round. Great picks, I’m fine with them, but we needed to go defense and Jonathan Allen was sitting there. We had a couple other good options on defense that were sitting there. So, we felt the need and we saw great players there so we took them.”



On WR Kendal Thompson:

“He’s nursing an injury right now. We’re going to get him right, hopefully for training camp.”



On the injury:

“I’m not going to talk about injuries right now, sorry. You can ask him, he’ll tell you. Plus, I’m not even sure what it is [laughter].”



On Su’a Cravens’ adjustment to safety:

“I like Su’a. I like what he’s doing right now. You know, we’re out here without pads on, and we know the importance of being able to tackle at safety, so we obviously can’t see that and the angles. Based on his football knowledge and his skill set, I think he’ll be a good tackler. I think the key for him is his angles and playing coverage and playing in the post, playing two-deep, playing quarters, all those different things and seeing how he does, seeing how he reacts to the ball. I think he’s doing a good job. He had a couple picks yesterday, which was good to see. I feel him around the ball a lot. We’ll get the pads on, see his run fits. I feel his presence there, but we’ve still got to see him wrap up and tackle, which obviously based on his track record he can do.”



On the division’s influence on the defense:

“Well, it has a major influence, not to mention, we were not very good on third downs last year, which we need to get better on third downs. So we added an interior pass rusher like Jonathan Allen who is big and another edge rusher in Ryan [Anderson]. So those were two big adds for us, and a corner who can play maybe inside and outside in Fabian [Moreau] when he gets well then a safety like Montae [Nicholson]. We added four pretty good players with a skill set that can help us out in the division and on third down, which we really need.”

 

[Krusheasy]

DC Manusky presser

Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky



On the linebackers:

“Overall, I think their communication is pretty good. I think they’re playing together as a unit and that’s the hardest thing – especially during training camp and the OTAs, sometimes you’ve got different guys in there at different positions. Maybe rookies, maybe first-year players, maybe nine-year players, but they’re working together and they’re figuring it out and they’re trying to get the calls down the best they can.”



On the most essential thing he needs to accomplish with new starters in this time:

“Like I said, going back to it into training camp, I think playing together and understanding what each guy can do across the board I think is very important. But I want them from a communication standpoint to communicate and be on the same page. I don’t have a crystal ball. I can’t read what they’re going to do. As long as we’re playing the same defense across the board, we’ll have success. With all the new guys that are coming in, they’ve got to catch up, especially the young draft choices. The install that we have is pretty lengthy, and they have got a lot of stuff to catch up on, but through those repetitions, they’ll eventually get it.”


On comparing the amount of teaching time he has now compared to when he was a player:

“I think definitely with the time we spend in the meeting rooms and then being out on the field and doing what we have to do there, we do have enough time. I think back in the day it was more training-camp-involved with double days and going through that process more so than it is today. But during these offseason programs and the OTAs, we do a lot in terms of the walkthroughs and the meeting times. So they’re getting efficient reps in their heads once they go out to the OTAs… You’re eventually going to find out their tackling skills and then all the skills that they can do when they actually hit somebody during training camp.”


On if he has to teach his own staff and if it helps that he was with the team in 2016:

“It’s similar. I’ve known Jim Tomsula for a long time. But from a coaching perspective, we have some growing pains too. Being with Torrian Gray and then also with James Rowe – Kirk Olivadotti I’ve worked with before – with those two guys from the defensive side, it’s been a little bit of growing pains. There’s things that are going to come up throughout any offense that you breakdown and go through that you’re going to do certain things against. So we go through a couple of those growing pains, but same thing as the players. When they come into the building and actually perform on the field, they’re going to go through some growing pains. And I understand what they’ve been taught before, but it might be a little bit different so I try to tell them, ‘Try to forget what you were taught and try to start fresh and start new and try to understand our system.’”


On the defensive line:

“Overall, I think from a toughness standpoint – I’m not saying that the guys that we did have before weren’t tough – I’m just saying that’s what Jimmy Tomsula is kind of putting into them. It’s ‘tough.’ It’s talking about hard work each and every day in the weight room, out on the field, and eventually when we get into the five weeks during the summer, I mean, that’s a time when they can really mess it up or take advantage of it and really perform at a high level and do great things. Across the board, I’m happy with the guys that we have right now. I see Jim working with them every day. We’re not there by any stretch of the means of the word, but I think we’re getting there. You see progress with each player, young and old, and we’re excited about what we have up front.”


On if it is a tougher transition for him in his new role or his players:

“To tell you the truth, neither. We’re just going to go out and play tough, hard-nosed football. And I think that’s the way it was when I was here playing and that’s the way it is going to be this year when we go into it. We want tough, solid football players that’ll tackle and make plays in the open field and perform at a high fashion. Right now, it’s a figuring out process with some of the players that are younger. I know what we had last year and the players that we had, but for right now at this situation at this point in OTAs, I think we’re above the curve right now.”


On his philosophy on cornerbacks traveling:

“I think it’s important; it depends on the individuals, though. I think some guys always play on the right side or on the left side. They feel comfortable, and then all of the sudden, if you take that guy – certain players – and move them to the other side, it’s kind of foreign for them. From my standpoint, even from a linebacker’s perspective, I’d rather have been on the right than on the left. So there is some people – from the perspective of a corner – it’s hard for them to travel at times, but will we do that? Yeah.”


On if his current cornerbacks are capable of traveling:

“Yeah, I think depending upon who we’re playing and who we want to travel and who we want to match. Yeah, sometimes you want to put that better player maybe on their lesser player and try to double the other guy.”


On CB Josh Norman potentially playing more off-man coverage:

“It’s something that he hasn’t done before very often, so from our standpoint, we’re working with each player – not just Josh. We’re trying to emphasize what they can do best. Then all of a sudden in a situation with Josh, we’re trying to play him a little bit off and have vision and see the quarterback, man-to-man situations and in zones, [it’s] something that he’s I think been taught a little bit before but some of that is a little bit different, and he’s made some plays.”


On why Norman’s skill set would be suited to that type of coverage:

“I think just from a football perspective, he feels it and he knows it. And I think they’re the players that you want on the field and that’s what he has. He has that feel for it, and when the ball is coming out, he can break on it and he has in these OTAs.”


On how his 12 years as a player informed how he coaches:

“Well, it’s a little bit different. I’m not talking to corporate America in those rooms. I just try to have fun with it because over my 12 years I’ve had some real good coaches and some so-so coaches. But I think from the perspective of… I want them to enjoy coming into the building, enjoy being in the building. From my standpoint for them, I think laughter is great. But there is times that you’ve got to lay the law down on them, but I like having fun. It’s a long season. It’s 17, 18, 19 weeks of the same thing over and over and over again, and I think that repetitiveness kind of gets on you and I think you need to change it up on them. That’s what I try to do in the meetings and the coaches do the same thing.”


On the defining characteristics of the good coaches for whom he played:

“Consistency, you know what I’m saying? Not so much how we do defensively, it’s complementary football. It’s how we do on offense, it’s how we play on defense, it’s how we play on special teams. I think all three of those parts have got to play and they can’t play independent of one another. They’ve got to play as a team and as a unit. Even though in OTAs and during training camp we’re focusing on what we’re supposed to do, which is great, at the end of the day, it’s got to be complementary football where we’re playing… maybe another unit has a great special teams unit and we’ve got to pick it up on defense or vice versa. They’ve got a great offense or they’ve got a great defense. I think complementary football in this league is big. I want us, not just as a defensive unit but us as a team, going out there each and every week and perform at a high fashion.”


On if last year was his first season with Head Coach Jay Gruden:

“Yeah, last year was the first time… The best thing with Jay is, across the board, I know him when he was Cincinnati and he came here, of course I knew he was the offensive coordinator [in Cincinnati]. From situational football, that is the most important thing that players have got to know and that’s one thing that Jay does great – situational football, try to put those players in situations that are going to actually happen during the game. And that’s what he does best. On the field today was a two-minute drive, same thing. So I think he educates the players as a unit and as a group that in those situations, that’s when we’re going to win.”


On how he has evolved as a teacher and how he would classify his teaching style:

“I think it’s evolved a lot from my first year starting out until now. Just the things – and I always tell the players – I remember more of the bad plays than the good plays. You learn from those situations. Trust me, I’ve had a lot of bad plays but I’ve had some good plays, but I’m just saying from the players’ perspective, just like they grow, same thing – coaches grow. Every defense does the same thing. It kind of takes its wind and its path and it starts one way and then just based upon the players that you have, it might circle around and do something different. But from our standpoint, I’m excited with the coaching staff we have, the players that we have in the building and I’m looking forward to it this year.”

 

[Caliskinsfan]

John Keim...


ASHBURN, Va. -- Just before the snap, Washington Redskins corner Josh Norman hustled to the line and jammed tight end Vernon Davis after the snap. But safety Su’a Cravens stayed back, and a gap was created for Davis to exploit. That led to Norman and Cravens having a discussion after the play.

It’s partly the continued education of Cravens at safety. And it’s exactly what the spring workouts are about since it allows them to work out coverage details. Norman has spent the past few weeks trying out new coverages. He is playing off more and is anticipating that technique often this season in an attempt to make big plays.

But for the secondary to click, the safeties and corners must be in unison. Considering that Cravens is playing this spot for the first time in the NFL, it will take time. They’re not alone in growing together, but they are one example. The Redskins’ defense might have up to seven new starters and even more as reserves. They could be much better, but it also could take time.

“Playing together and understanding what each guy can do across the board I think is very important,” defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said. “But I want them from a communication standpoint to communicate and be on the same page. I don’t have a crystal ball. I can’t read what they’re going to do. As long as we’re playing the same defense across the board, we’ll have success.

“With all the new guys that are coming in, they’ve got to catch up, especially the young draft choices. The install that we have is pretty lengthy, and they have got a lot of stuff to catch up on, but through those repetitions, they’ll eventually get it.”

So as organized team activities resume this week (Monday through Thursday), our focus when it’s open to the media on Wednesday will again be on these adjustments. Here are other areas to watch:

Red zone work: It’s a good news-bad news scenario when the offense has success in the red zone. It means, of course, that the defense isn’t. A mixed bag probably bodes better. But it must be an area of emphasis for Washington and, in the case of receiver Terrelle Pryor, most of his success (when we’re able to watch) has been outside this area. He’ll be a factor in the red zone this season. Jamison Crowder becomes a sneaky weapon near the goal line because of his quickness, his willingness to run any route and his ability to win one-on-one matchups. Again, the misnomer is that height alone makes a receiver good in the red zone.

Linebacker progress: Rookie Ryan Anderson did not show up in the best of shape so that was disappointing. His on-field skills have been obvious to the coaches so as he continues to work back into shape. What more will he show? And how does Junior Galetteprogress? We’ll have a much better idea in training camp when he faces left tackle Trent Williams in one-on-one situations. With Galette, the progress likely will come over the long haul as he returns from missing two years. That’s not easy. Zach Brown is another one to watch. Again, his best work will start to show in camp as he learns the defense better.

Rob Kelley’s hands: He said he’s worked on them a lot in the offseason so if he becomes a bigger pass threat, it enhances the Redskins’ offense. Obviously, he won’t become a third-down back with Chris Thompsonaround, but he at least needs to be a threat. Too often last season he wasn’t. Kelley caught the ball well at Tulane so he said it’s not a matter of hands, it’s focus. “Just calming down, taking a deep breath and catching the ball,” he said.

Receiver battle: As Jay Gruden said last week, it’ll be a tough decision on game day as to which five receivers he keeps active. That’s not because all will be good, but each can offer something. An eventual deciding factor will be special teams, but for now it’s just a time to measure the progress of players such as Brian Quick, Maurice Harris, Ryan Grant and Robert Davis. Also, Josh Doctson did not participate in the open portion last week so assuming he does Wednesday, it’s another chance to gauge his development.

 

[Caliskinsfan]