first OTA look at amerson

[skinsdad62]

• John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer

ASHBURN, Va. -- I was going to do a post on the Redskins' defense after this week's open availability in the organized team activity session, but I kept coming back to the secondary. Here are some highlights and observations about their secondary, focusing on some of the young backups:

• Watched David Amerson for a few snaps – it was mixed. He would have been called for a holding penalty on one play vs. rookie Jamison Crowder. Amerson grabbed Crowder’s jersey a little with his right hand off the snap. Then, when Crowder broke to the outside, Amerson still had a handful of his jersey (the pass went to the other side). A couple plays later, receiver Ryan Grant created separation vs. Amerson with a hard stem and cut.
  
  
• Robert Griffin III over Amerson – a perfect route and throw. The coverage wasn’t bad, but the offensive execution was excellent. Amerson was OK in press coverage last year; he struggled more when off the ball because his eyes would get lost or his instincts were bad.
  
  
• Here’s what coach Jay Gruden said of Amerson: "David is a one of the great examples of coming in every day, learning the new system and competing. We signed Chris Culliver. He could have buried his head. We’ve got [DeAngelo] D-Hall coming back. We’ve got [Bashaud] Breeland, who had a great year last year as a rookie. But David has come in here, opened his eyes up, learned a new system and competed just like everybody else has, so I’ve been very impressed with David.”
  
  
• Meanwhile, corner Tevin Mitchel looks comfortable covering in the slot, a role he played at Arkansas. It’s going to take time before he can handle top slot receivers, but that’s to be expected – and I have no idea if he’ll ever reach that point. Way too early. But Mitchel showed good patience on a couple plays, especially vs. Grant. The receiver tried to sell him on a cut, but Mitchel didn’t bite and though Grant caught the pass, it was for a short gain. He had good coverage on Grant later as well. This is where it will help to face Houston this summer; players get used to one another in practice and can anticipate moves, etc., so you sometimes get a false sense. Regardless, Mitchel’s patience vs. Grant showed.
  
  
• The secondary’s rotation was the same as we’ve seen in the first two open OTAs: Duke Ihenacho and Dashon Goldson as the safeties. However, Ihenacho and Jeron Johnson have rotated at strong safety (Johnson also worked some at free safety Tuesday). I’ll have more on this later, but Ihenacho said he’s much more patient than he was as a starter in Denver. Perhaps that will help him in coverage; regardless, he nearly intercepted a Griffin pass at the goal-line with solid coverage. Johnson and Trenton Robinson worked as the safeties on the second unit. Have not seen Phillip Thomas do a whole lot.
  
  
• amerson looks like a 3rd or 4th guy at this point , good to see mitchel doing well in the slot

 

[martinez]

Id be shocked if thomas makes the team, he should do better when the pads come on.