TC thread

[skinsdad62]

 

[skinsdad62]

Training Camp Notebook: First Day In Pads

There was a different kind of energy Tuesday morning for the first day of pads. Here are some observations from today's practice.

www.washingtonfootball.com

 

[deanpet21]

A disciple dean

Should be the 6th Wr and Returner for our team.

 

[deanpet21]

apke may have found a home at CB

5th cb?

 

[skinsdad62]

5th cb?

Dont know if he makes the team but he is a better CB then safety

 

[skinsdad62]

Should be the 6th Wr and Returner for our team.

He is still buried on the depth chart

 

[Sportster 72]

Not a told you so but the reason I was cautioning against going all in on Heincke is because his previous career didn't add up to him being a full time starter. It isn't time to give up on him either. He is working to correct the things he doesn't do well. My wooden nickle is on Allen being the better of the two.

Hopefully with JDR and RR coaching Collin's he will be a little less reckless and be the guy everyone hoped he would in the beginning.

 

[skinsdad62]

Based on the rules I believe Lucas has the vaccine. He got activated pretty quickly again after being placed on the covid list so it's safe to assume he's under the Vaccine rules of having 2 back to back negative tests 24 hours apart instead of the non vaccinated rules

 

[skinsdad62]

 

[skinsdad62]

One fun roster debate all week among those covering the Washington Football Team’s training camp involved how many wide receivers it will or should keep. Talk about a moving target.

“That number will change,” coach Ron Rivera said.

Six feels right based on overall roster dynamics and the number of wide receivers generally on the field at one time, but there’s an argument for keeping more. The skills of the 12 players in camp, many of whom are flashing, make pinning down the specifics as challenging as covering Terry McLaurin one-on-one.

“What we’ve seen right now is we’ve got a tremendous amount of competition right now,” Rivera said. “We’re very pleased with the guys that we’ve brought in. Every guy out there is competing. Every guy out there has an opportunity.”

Curtis Samuel, one of Washington’s high-profile signings and the projected starter opposite McLaurin, has yet to participate in camp because of a lingering groin injury and is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. His absence has opened more work for Adam Humphries in the slot, Cam Sims outside and third-round pick Dyami Brown here, there and everywhere.

The snaps trickle down from there. That’s a good thing, even though Washington needs Samuel on the field in camp to incorporate him into an offense led by new quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

There’s another variable: If you’re down with keeping six, does that include a returner?

That must be considered since all four players in discussion for punt duties play wide receiver. Cornerback Danny Johnson is the only potential kickoff returner who’s not a wide receiver. None of the quartet of punt returners is a roster lock on offense and is so dynamic in the return game that he must stay over others.

One solution is to keep more than six. Perhaps that happens by the Aug. 31 final cutdown date. Then again, that’s not automatically the proper path. Teams can find help at wide receiver more easily than they can at other positions because so many good players have entered the league in recent years. Washington would have to forgo a 10th offensive lineman, fifth safety or sixth cornerback, or a member of its rookie class, to keep a seventh wide receiver.

Here’s another plan: Don’t bother keeping a returner. Kickoff returners have become muted as the number of touchbacks rises. Keep the best six wide receivers and an extra tackle, an 11th defensive back or whatever is needed.

Since the NFL is continuing last season’s practice squad rules, teams can protect up to four players weekly and activate two from the practice squad. Keep whichever punt returner clears waivers on the practice squad and activate one for the first two games. That’s how many times a practice squad player can be activated before he must be signed to the 53-man roster or exposed to waivers. By then, Washington likely opens a roster spot through injury or other factors.

Whatever the plan, Washington has choices to make. Here’s a breakdown of the candidates and where they stack up after six days of training camp.
From Ben Standig the athletic

 

[skinsdad62]

One fun roster debate all week among those covering the Washington Football Team’s training camp involved how many wide receivers it will or should keep. Talk about a moving target.

“That number will change,” coach Ron Rivera said.

Six feels right based on overall roster dynamics and the number of wide receivers generally on the field at one time, but there’s an argument for keeping more. The skills of the 12 players in camp, many of whom are flashing, make pinning down the specifics as challenging as covering Terry McLaurin one-on-one.

“What we’ve seen right now is we’ve got a tremendous amount of competition right now,” Rivera said. “We’re very pleased with the guys that we’ve brought in. Every guy out there is competing. Every guy out there has an opportunity.”

Curtis Samuel, one of Washington’s high-profile signings and the projected starter opposite McLaurin, has yet to participate in camp because of a lingering groin injury and is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. His absence has opened more work for Adam Humphries in the slot, Cam Sims outside and third-round pick Dyami Brown here, there and everywhere.

The snaps trickle down from there. That’s a good thing, even though Washington needs Samuel on the field in camp to incorporate him into an offense led by new quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

There’s another variable: If you’re down with keeping six, does that include a returner?

That must be considered since all four players in discussion for punt duties play wide receiver. Cornerback Danny Johnson is the only potential kickoff returner who’s not a wide receiver. None of the quartet of punt returners is a roster lock on offense and is so dynamic in the return game that he must stay over others.

One solution is to keep more than six. Perhaps that happens by the Aug. 31 final cutdown date. Then again, that’s not automatically the proper path. Teams can find help at wide receiver more easily than they can at other positions because so many good players have entered the league in recent years. Washington would have to forgo a 10th offensive lineman, fifth safety or sixth cornerback, or a member of its rookie class, to keep a seventh wide receiver.

Here’s another plan: Don’t bother keeping a returner. Kickoff returners have become muted as the number of touchbacks rises. Keep the best six wide receivers and an extra tackle, an 11th defensive back or whatever is needed.

Since the NFL is continuing last season’s practice squad rules, teams can protect up to four players weekly and activate two from the practice squad. Keep whichever punt returner clears waivers on the practice squad and activate one for the first two games. That’s how many times a practice squad player can be activated before he must be signed to the 53-man roster or exposed to waivers. By then, Washington likely opens a roster spot through injury or other factors.

Whatever the plan, Washington has choices to make. Here’s a breakdown of the candidates and where they stack up after six days of training camp.
The athletic

 

[skinsdad62]

Curtis Samuel​

Washington signed Samuel to a three-year, $34.5 million contract in March, and there’s not much to add since then. We know Samuel, McLaurin’s former Ohio State teammate, isn’t a standard wide receiver but someone capable of producing outside, in the slot or out of the backfield.

Rivera has said there’s no worries about Samuel from the coaching staff since most worked with him in Carolina, but he needs to acclimate to his new teammates.

“We’re not worried about that,” Rivera said Tuesday. “Honestly. He’s a veteran guy. We brought him in for a reason because of his abilities, what he does and he’ll be fine. I’m not concerned with it right now.”

At some point, Washington needs to insert Samuel into the lineup simply so other players can play off him. For now, we must wait to see that Ohio State reunion on the field.

“It’s kind of cool to have a guy that you’re so familiar with,” McLaurin said. “Best friends on and off the field, I mean, I think that helps our chemistry. We’re both guys that want to do whatever it takes to help win and help our team offensively as leaders. I think we push each other. … It would be good to have him back out there with us and really get a feel of what it’s going to look like during the season.”

Dyami Brown​

The hype on the second of Washington’s two third-round draft picks is real even if Brown hasn’t been spectacular in camp. He’s not terrible by any stretch, but he hasn’t had more splash plays than his teammates.

Yet the 6-foot target caught an in route from Taylor Heinicke for a solid gain during a two-minute drill that led to a touchdown. Brown’s speed keeps corners on their heels and his route-running is advanced for a rookie. There was a reason one prominent league talent evaluator considered him a “steal”as the 82nd pick. The North Carolina alum was the first FBS player to average at least 20 yards per catch in consecutive years since 2000.

“His explosiveness, his ability to get vertical, his ability to get open, especially on those crossers,” Rivera said, listing Brown’s strengths.

There’s a world where the rookie emerges as a third receiving target since he offers the best all-around skills. However, Brown cannot obtain experience immediately and “he’s got a ways to go,” Rivera said. “But again, that speed is elite, and that speed is going to help us.”

 

[skinsdad62]

Adam Humphries​

Fitzpatrick’s journey from team to team has helped him learn his new teammates though nothing trumps putting in the work — other than leaning on prior experience, of course.

Fitzpatrick and Humphries played together in Tampa Bay in 2017 and 2018. Fitzpatrick made 10 starts in that stretch and Humphries caught 137 passes in those 32 games. The instincts kicked in during a play in Richmond.

The route design had Fitzpatrick anticipating a specific choice from Humphries, “but all of a sudden, I saw the body language he gave and I knew exactly where he was going,” he said.

Humphries is in Washington in part because of Fitzpatrick’s recommendation. He won’t make the team for the same reason and there’s no potential Aaron Rodgers-style personnel feud looming. But the two have a connection, and Humphries appears healthy after two injury-plagued seasons.

Rivera described Humphries as “savvy.”

“One thing you’re looking for is when a guy’s out there and he recognizes coverages, you don’t run the route the way it’s drawn,” he said. “So, when you watch him and his releases and he sees certain things, he makes those adjustments quickly because he’s a veteran guy and he gets that. And if you’re on the same page as your quarterback, the ball can get to you, and we’ll find ways to advance it down the field and you see that from him.”

The coaches used Samuel primarily on the outside in Carolina. If that remains the case in Washington, Humphries, 28, could emerge as Washington’s third receiver.

Is there a scenario where Humphries doesn’t make the team? Probably not, but if Samuel is more of a slot option as was the case with the Panthers last season, Washington decides one of its six wide receivers will be the punt returner and those recent injuries recur … maybe? There’s a surprise cut every year, but there’s probably a better chance that Humphries finishes high on the team in receptions, especially if his quarterback keeps correctly reading his body language.
The Athletic

 

[skinsdad62]

Cam Sims​

At 6-foot-5, Sims is the lone big target among the top options. That he’s among the team’s better receivers is quite the rise since he didn’t make the initial 53-man roster last season. He re-emerged from the practice squad, turned into a gunner on special teams and then started opposite McLaurin.

While he can be inconsistent, Sims is capable of making a spectacular catch and perhaps much more.

Sims is poised to earn steady snaps and perhaps challenge for the team lead in touchdown receptions, though he might fall outside the rotation some weeks depending on the matchup. When he plays, and with McLaurin, Samuel and tight end Logan Thomas around, Sims will face a steady diet of one-on-one matchups. Any around the red zone could lead to six points since he can climb high for a catch in traffic.
The Athletic

 

[skinsdad62]

The final tier​

Antonio Gandy-Golden: The players in this final section are based on my perception of where they stand. Gandy-Golden is the odds-on favorite despite only catching one pass in six games as a rookie because coaches don’t easily move on from fourth-round picks.

The lack of production stemmed from a combination of a steep learning curve coming out of Liberty, the lack of any formal offseason work because of the pandemic and a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve in October.

“I just wasn’t used to (being injured) in college. I could have a little lingering thing here and there and get some treatment and for the most part I was still the best, if not one of the best, guys on the field at all times,” Gandy-Golden said. “Just having that, it was kind of a (down) thing — I wouldn’t say depressing, but I kind of had to go into a good head space … because it just wasn’t something I was used to.”

Now the 6-foot-4 wide receiver — and proud owner of an 11-month-old goldendoodle named Staxx — feels far more comfortable on the field. He’s made several impressive over-the-shoulder catches on deep throws.

“Oh, I feel much better. It’s different having an offseason and just being able to come in knowing things … and knowing the people around you,” he said. “Coming in this year, I feel like I kind of have an edge.”




DeAndre Carter: Lost in the headline-making signings during free agency was the addition of Carter, a 5-foot-8 wide receiver who caught 33 passes for three teams in three seasons while returning a combined 108 kickoffs and punts.

While the return game isn’t a significant part of non-tackling practices, Carter caught some attention with work as a wide receiver.

“He is a dual returner,” Rivera said last week. “He’s got NFL experience and that’s one of the things that attracted him to us. … To have a dual returner, it gives you more flexibility with your game-day roster. So, there are some things that he brings to the table in terms of his skill set. He can play the slot if you get into a situation. He can also play the X receiver. … Looking at what we do offensively, he’s more than a fit in terms of looking for a guy that can do those types of things.”

Could Carter jump into the top six? We’ll see, but Rivera noticed the quickness and hands in camp. That’s a start. Ultimately, he’s one of the players who probably only sticks if the team keeps seven wide receivers, barring injuries elsewhere.

Steven Sims Jr.: There’s no debating Sims labored in all facets last season, his first playing for Rivera. A surprise roster addition as an undrafted free agent in 2019 who had four touchdowns over the final three games, Sims finished with 27 catches for 365 yards and a touchdown last season. Yet the return game was where he shined as he averaged 25.6 yards on a league-high 32 kickoff returns as a rookie. Washington barely used him in that role last season and Sims averaged a paltry 6.7 yards on 22 punt returns.

Then the team signed Samuel and Humphries and drafted Brown and Dax Milne, all of whom diminished Sims’ chances of sticking. Despite the lower odds, he clearly worked on his game this offseason and has stood out in the passing game.

“He looks more explosive underneath right now,” Rivera said last week. “When you watch some of his routes that he’s running, some of the plays he’s had an opportunity to make and that’s what you need from that slot position — you need a guy that can be explosive, can shake his way through the middle, make a play, and they get vertical. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Sims has typically lined up first for returns, but it’s hard to forget last season’s struggles. Maybe that changes in the preseason.

Kelvin Harmon: In most years, we’d be talking much more about Harmon’s return from a torn ACL that cost a starter in 2019 all of last season. Blessed with good hands and a willingness to block, Harmon has produced in camp and provided a physical element. He’s the potential seventh wide receiver if that choice comes down to playing the position rather than returning kicks. Don’t assume that will happen, however.

Dax Milne: The seventh-round pick out of BYU can play. Like most in this category, put him in camp in recent seasons and we’re probably talking about a fun roster surprise. Milne has quality hands and a good feel for the position and offers hope in the return game. The practice squad is probably in his future. That’s fine since Washington probably hopes to keep Milne, a former walk-on, around beyond the season.

Isaiah Wright: Another undrafted success story, Wright made the roster last season thanks to his special teams prowess. That might not be enough this time, though he’s also part of the competition as a returner. Rivera once cited Wright’s good work unprompted. That’s notable. So is Washington’s depth, which is why he’s another practice squad candidate more than a roster hopeful.

Tony Brown: Washington signed the 6-foot-1 wide receiver from Colorado last season when injuries struck. He played in one game. Barring another round of injuries, he’s doubtful to match that number this year, though a practice squad slot seems plausible. In another year, maybe Brown would have a shot. He’s just up against a deep group.
The Athletic

 

[skinsdad62]

Thank God because our season was doomed in fucking August

 

[skinsdad62]

 

[skinsdad62]

RR presser the video

 

[countryroads316]

I don't think we really need a WR for just kickoff returns when it's usually always a touchback now

 

[gkekoa]

Should be the 6th Wr and Returner for our team.

Maybe…but you mentioned received for the first time. I think you may be understanding. Then again, Sims may just kick his ass.