i dont gripe at late round picks to much they are flier picks . hosley is making a strong push to make the roster . sprinkle certainly has a great shot
Bashaud Breeland shrugs off perception of his camp, stays confident
11:09 AM ET
John KeimESPN Staff Writer
RICHMOND, Va. -- The play featured a terrific move by Washington Redskinsreceiver Terrelle Pryor and corner Bashaud Breeland biting hard, looking silly when the wideout cut back outside. It led to another round of social media angst regarding Breeland.
He joked after practice how he used to be the fan favorite. Now? Not so much. It seems whenever Pryor makes a big play in one-on-ones -- and sometimes in 7-on-7 sessions -- it's at Breeland's expense. That's not always the case, but a lot of the big plays have been that way -- sometimes it's Breeland guessing wrong on a throw. Other times, he's been in good position only to have the bigger, taller Pryor make the catch. Saturday, it was about the route.
routes. He runs the comeback well because corners must honor his deep speed -- that happened last week against Breeland, in which the two were running side by side, only to have Pryor stop and come back and create several yards of space.
This time, it was about the dig.
"It was the first time seeing him sell the route like that," Breeland said. "Normally you see him coming back out, but he really sold the dig and had me biting. So after the play I let him know, 'You sold that route.' I really thought it was a dig."
Pryor knows there has been criticism of his camp. Some if it is warranted, but it's hard to just go off plays in one-on-one work -- they might be good video, but they rarely present a full picture of a player. Last summer, he was on the opposite end as he made big plays in camp and looked headed toward a good season. Instead, it was an inconsistent one.
Regardless, Breeland isn't worried about any perception of his camp.
"It's training camp," Breeland said. "It's one-on-ones. When the season comes, that's when I'll turn into that Bashaud Breeland."
He'll need to be that guy. It's a big season for Breeland, who is in the final year of his contract. After all, the Redskins have future alternatives on the roster (Kendall Fuller, Fabian Moreau).
Other thoughts:
1. I still think Samaje Perine must improve in pass protection, and that will be a factor in whether he ultimately starts. However, it'll be interesting to watch him run in the preseason games. Perine looked good running the ball Saturday -- the defense is hitting, but not tackling, so it's often hard to get a feel for how much a back would have gained on a particular play. But I like how Perine runs through the hole, doing so with a good body lean to generate power. It was noticeable on several runs.
2. Receiver Josh Doctson caught a fade pass over Quinton Dunbar in the end zone on a well-thrown ball from quarterback Kirk Cousins. That play isn't going away after a tough season running it last year. The problems with that play were many: timing, size of the receivers, etc. It's not a high-percentage throw for most teams. Doctson couldn't catch one in his two games last season; there were several attempts. But unlike last season, there was no time for him to work with the quarterback in camp. "It's him getting to know me and knowing what kind of ball I like and me knowing what type of throw he likes," Doctson said. "It takes time for me and Kirk to get it down." Doctson helped by being patient enough off the line to allow Cousins a chance to plant and throw. The timing was crisp. Without a little stutter off the line, it can disrupt that timing. It also helps throwing to a 6-foot-2 receiver who can jump such as Doctson: He had a 41-inch vertical at the 2016 combine.
3. Rookie tight end Jeremy Sprinkle's length will be a big benefit. The 6-foot-5 Sprinkle showed just how on one receiver screen. Sprinkle had to step upfield, then circle back to make a block. Corner Josh Holsey sprinted up, but Sprinkle's length allowed him to bump him off stride enough to create an opening back inside. That's also about timing and the length is evident when blocking, too. It can bail him out of bad situations. The Redskins didn't have a tight end with that length last season. Sprinkle still must make the roster with a good showing in the preseason, but he has tools the coaches like.
