Meanwhile back on Earth the offensive line falls apart
Tuesday 4 August 2009 | forty days until kickoff
Washington Post Training Camp Tracker: kicker Dave Rayner, challenging incumbent Shaun Suisham, Dave last played sixteen games in a season with Green Bay in 2006; injuries; strong safety Chris Horton on his hydration policy.
Washington Times Training Camp Report: fumble recovery drill for quarterbacks, the quote fetal position unquote; one of Jason Campbell's receivers finally catches a deep pass; four questions with undrafted rookie receiver Marko Mitchell.
Back to two a days with an 8:30am and a 2pm practice.
Offense
Matt Terl at the ORB (Official Redskins Blog) has the first look at Jason Campbell's Sports Illustrated cover, cue nervous laughter about the cover jinx. Considering how far out the regular season is I hope Jason can keep his head down and let it blow over. I think the cover story is by Peter King who didn't like Jason then did then did not again now does again. *sighhhhh* Peter King is the fart you drop in your cube right before your coworker walks in. Ryan O'Halloran at the Washington Times has a wrap up of other Redskins' appearances on the cover of SI.
Re: the offensive line, is the story the meme or is the meme the story? Because the offensive line stinks. Oh and they are already banged up. The players continue to insist that it takes time for an offensive line to gel (ibid.), as long as they need no more than another month I am ok with it. Once again I managed to tranquilize the raging I told you so that lives in my shed, I do not know how long I can keep him down, probably not longer than the end of September.
On that thread, former Bengals tackle Levi Jones' and former Eagles tackle Jon Runyan's phones are not ringing with Redskins interest.
Offensive tackle Stephon Heyer bruised his left knee in a morning practice goal line drill and had an MRI on it(op. cit.), the results were quote encouraging unquote even if the cloud over the offensive line continues to be quote not unquote. In his place at right tackle Jeremy Bridges had his best practice yet (ibid.). Right guard Randy Thomas did not practice with a sore knee and right tackle Mike Williams did not practice with a groin pull (both from here).
Flyweight tailback Anthony Aldridge fumbled... again (op. cit.).
That finger injury really hurt veteran receiver Roydell Williams, John Keim at The Washington Examiner says he was on his way to making the team (op. cit.) and now, not so much. That leaves Marques Hagans (Wahoowa!), Marko Mitchell, Keith Eloi and Trent Shelton competing for the number five receiver spot.
John also wrote that both backup centers Will Montgomery and Edwin Williams look good. Is that because they look good or because many players would look at least decent next to incumbent center Casey Rabach?
Defense
Rookie defensive endbacker Brian Orakpo continues to work on his hybrid role, soaking up everything he can from Redskins linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, term of the day here is sucker route, he is very impressive and continues in a three way duel with fellow new hybrid defensive endbacker Chris Wilson and linebacker Alfred Fincher, a part timer from last season.
Speaking of defense, both Brian Orakpo and prize acquisition defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth are dominating (op. cit. and op. cit.). Even left tackle Chris Samuels, a ten year NFL veteran, thinks Brian does not look like a rookie out there. And as previously noted, poor guards Derrick Dockery and Randy Thomas are getting tired of handling Albert.
Defensive end Phillip Daniels, coming back from tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the first play of the first practice of last year's training camp, looks incredibly good and is phenominally strong, he is on a powerlifting team in the offseason. Note to Phillip, you are technically correct, ligaments do not connect to muscle, that is what tendons do, nonetheless is it maybe just a lil bit possible that squatting and dead lifting over 600 pounds regularly on a 36 year old body put some stress on those old bone to bone connections?
Rookie supplemental third round selection defensive end Jeremy Jarmon speaks French and was planning to go to France on his way to a second major before getting nailed for banned supplements and forfeiting the last of his NCAA eligibility. He seems like a really savvy guy and I look forward to have a Redskin on the team that I know is politically aware if not active, I just hope he is not a teabagger. Oh and Jeremy if you get over to France please say hi to Phillipe Gardent, the Redskins French NFL Europa exchange program practice squad linebacker from 2006.
Boomerang Redskin defensive end Renaldo Wynn is spending a lot of time on special teams, the first time for him in twelve years. It looks more and more like 35 year old Renaldo is on the bubble.
Brian Murphy at Homer McFanboy scored an excellent interview with Redskins weakside linebacker Rocky McIntosh. If you thought that interview was good, check out his ever better interview with Fred Smoot, Fred unsurprisingly thinks he is a genius and is hoping to become a general manager after retiring, as with many things Smoot I have no idea if this is serious or not and that is a good thing.
Defensive tackle Vaka Manupuna was released (ibid.), marking the end for now of his third go round with the Redskins, an Arena Football League veteran, sadly there is no longer an AFL for Vaka to go back to.
Et cetera
Dan Steinberg at the interminiabuhble DC Sports Bog captured a slice of the day in photos, including one of official Redskins blogger Matt Terl, the guy that the job I want but could never have.
Hey Ryan O'Halloran at the Washington Times, wasn't it Tuesday, not Wednesday? No one had dropped a comment on this so I had to.
Jason Campbell SI cover via here.
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