5 Winners from Redskins Training Camp
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Redskins training camp officially ended yesterday, and at this stage, I think as Redskins fans we can say the team is better now than we could have ever hoped. There are still some lingering concerns to iron out the next couple weeks, but several guys used the last month to either solidify their roster spot or make a strong case for it. Without further ado...the winners (H/T BGN)...
| 5 | Anthony Armstrong |
Throughout the early parts of camp, there were constant tweets and daily write ups that Armstrong was continually making impressive catches. He of course carried that strong play into his first game against the Bills putting his hard work on film. It should be noted Armstrong had a strong showing at Miami's camp last season and failed to make the team, but in a Redskins WR corps that's failed to impress, Anthony did just that...and most importantly in game time. Shanahan: "Anthony has done a good job. He does have some speed, he's made some very big plays." |
| 4 | Brandon Banks |
Last season was the worst KR/PR year I can remember as a Redskins' fan. We hoped to strike gold with guys like Anthony Alridge and other no namers last year, so it's safe to say we didn't think Banks would do much. The former standout Wildcat came into camp as an undrafted free agent with a high-school type frame of 5'7 151 lbs soaking wet. Banks has shown many flashes as a WR and of course his 77-yard score against the Bills validated his chances of winning the PR job. Shanahan: "That's what camp's about - giving people an opportunity to make plays. I can't say that it surprised me at all with the way he has played, not necessarily as a returner but as a wide receiver. He consistently makes plays; he has great speed, cutting ability and an excellent set of hands." |
| 3 | Kareem Moore |
It's rare that fans are right over coaches, but we all knew Landry should have been moved to Strong Safety by the BYE week if not sooner. Moore had a great camp last year, but he has double-downed this year making interception after interception as the 1st team starter. His on-field knowledge has finally caught up with his physical skills, and the NFL will certainly know who he is after this season. Haslett: "He's athletic and he's big, he's 215 pounds. He can run. He's a playmaker. Ball magnet." Steve Atwater: "The guy's got great body control. He has great ball skills in terms of accelerating to the ball. He's made some great plays here in camp." Steve Jackson (Safeties coach): "He's just letting it go - going out, playing with confidence and just going out and showing everybody his abilities. I mean, it's just part of maturation of the player. You know, guys come in and they're great football athletes but once they begin to pick up the nuances of the game, they become players. And there's a big difference between a player and an athlete." |
| 2 | Larry Johnson |
The signing of Johnson came with mixed emotions from fans given his checkered past. In an interview with the Washington Post, Johnson and his father talked about his mistakes and now 30 years old, with a new baby, he's finally matured. Over the summer we've certainly seen that. He finishes every run in practice and his hard-work has impessed every beat writer for the Redskins clamoring to add him in your fantasy drafts. Note taken. Shanahan: "Larry is a physical runner who will be a great addition to our backfield." |
| 1 | Trent Williams |
It looks as if Shanahan continued his homerun streak drafting first round Tackles. In the much debated discussions on this site of Okung vs Trent Williams, how can any fan not be pleased with his progress? He's a self-imposed film room junkie and has earned praise from the entire team. Shanahan: "Trent is quick and he's powerful ... a great athlete. He could fit any type of offensive scheme. Anytime you have a guy who runs a 4.8, is 315 pounds and is great with his zone blocking, he could also be very good with the power scheme." Orakpo: "Trent is a beast and will be a great player for us this season." |
Honorable mentions go to Graham Gano, Lorenzo Alexander, Carlos Rogers, Byron Westbrook (who looks like he'll win the roster spot from Tryon according to John Keim), and of course all the regulars (Fletch, McNabb, etc).
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It completely remains to be see if Larry Johnson has stopped abusing women.
ONLY time will tell.
Just sayin’
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
+1
I’m not ready to say Larry Johnson has matured, I’m also on the wait-and-see wagon. my biggest fear, is that he’ll do something stupid right in the middle of the regular season just like he always does.
The world looks mighty different when you're peeking out your belly button
by Skins Fan '77 on Aug 20, 2010 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Suggest a little more sugar and
a little less lemon for your Kool-aid. :) My take, if LJ wasn’t doing absolutely everything he is supposed to be doing within the new regime, he would be outta here. He’s not, he’s worked hard and though has had a checkered past I’m willing to give him the chance to make amends on and off the field. (Not that anyone listens to me! LOL)
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
'he's doing what he's supposed to be doing' doesn't address my point.
His problem abusing women can only be proven with time.
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
Yes
Only if he never has another incident with a woman will he ever be considered rehabilitated. I’m hoping he will prove out just that – knowing that change is difficult.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
The three incidents involving women that know of are bad, but only completing 9 of 40 hours of community service with a kids club that happened THIS SUMMER shows me all I need to know about this “matured 30 year old.”
He tried to set up an art program for an athletic kids club, are you fucking serious? What the hell would they want you to come in there to teach kids art for? Are you fucking Picasso? No. You are not, you play football.
"You're fucking out!"
But he was DJing at a club just the other week
He was probably testing out some new mixes for his baby’s nursery.
Hogs Haven. On Twitter. And Facebook.
by Kevin Ewoldt on Aug 20, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
He's gonna have one pissed of baby then
they said he sucked so bad he cleared the dancefloor
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
LJ
I sort of hesitate to judge domestic troubles – they are notoriously nasty. And LJ could have been going though a mid-life crisis then. Based on the sentences, the Judge didn’t think the incidents were too serious. As for the art – he was certainly imaginative, if not too smart. He should have just taken the easy way out and taught football.
You have GOT to be kidding me man
So basically it’s OK to abuse women because you’re going through a mid-life crisis? I don’t whether to, as a woman, to excuse that as utterly stupid and another one of your cockamamy ideas or whether to be sickened.
I'm back. YAY SUMMER!
LJ - Abuser?
Feel free to get sick again – you seem sort of prone to that. There are abusers, then there are ABUSERS. It’s not clear that LJ is a chronic abuser, one who regularly uses violence to dominate a woman, who seems to think he has a right to do it, and who sometimes escalates it to murder. I.e., a mean violent person who hurts weaker, defenseless people. LJ’s incidents were (I think) isolated incidents, not necessarily with a domestic partner he was trying to dominate. More like bad temper, losing control briefly, but not a thing likely to escalate to serious violence. It’s still illegal, just as it would be if the victim was a man, or if it was a woman hitting a man. I.e., more like “battery”. Say, if I told him to his face that he was a gutless turd, and he hauled off and punched me. Probably still a crime, but not evidence of a career criminal.
In general, I rather think his problem was that he was immature and couldn’t control his temper, especially when drinking. That’s regrettable and dangerous, but more a symptom of being young and stupid, rather than a serious criminal (which you seem to consider him).
You should take things on a case by case basis, try to figure out what kind of a person you’re dealing with. The courts basically took it easy on him, maybe because they had seen much worse stuff. If you see a mean, cruel guy who has physically attacked his wife over a period of years, and it is getting worse – repeated criminal behavior – you should throw the book at him, because he’ll undoubtedly keep doing it until he kills her. I doubt (or hope) that LJ is not like that – I hope he has “grown up”. The latest flap was on his community service. That was sort of goofy, but doesn’t mean he has relapsed, or renewed his criminal ways. More like, “Larry, knock it off, this is serious”. Who knew he was an artist? All this doesn’t mean that I’d always excuse good old Larry. If he ever whacked his current wife or girl friend, I’d begin to look at him differently – he would then really look like a habitual abuser, and thus very dangerous, and I’d have no qualms about putting him away for many years. But for now, I’m inclined to just forgive him a “youthful mistake”,assuming he pays his dues (finishes the community service) and let the guy play football. So, DCO – pick up what you threw up, and let’s watch good old Larry help beat the Ravens.
Youthful mistake
Hitting a woman when you are a 220lb+ NFL RB is not a mistake, it’s a potentially lethal violent event. Fuck him and his ignorant, arrogant, “mid-life” crisis.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 21, 2010 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting that
going into the off season, our number one holes across the board have all been at least potentially addressed with a high likelihood of success. I love it when a plan comes together.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I just love that there seems to be a sense of competency in the FO
The only difference between a kiss-ass and a brown-noser is depth perception
We may not win the SB - but at least I'm no longer embarrassed by our FO & Coach
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
I'm satisfied with
a competent FO and competitive team. We may or may not win another SB, but I believe each year that will be a fairly realistic objective before too long.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Its too early for me to be drinking this much...
F it. Its Friday, pass me another Kool-Aid.
I was an avid member of the “Draft Okung” camp earlier, but so far I’m glad that Shanny didn’t listen to me. Trent has been even better than advertised. I can’t speak for how Okung is doing in Seattle, but I like our guy.
with you on that one
Trent has been even better than advertised.
But Okung has been doing well in Seattle too.
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
Meh. How Okung is doing doesn’t bother me one bit. I care about the ’Skins players only.
The Once and Future King
didn't say you should
I just remembered that Carver was for Okung during the draft, he said he didn’t know how he was doing, so I let him know.
That’s all I’m gonna say about him though, because you’re right. We should be worried about our guys.
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
It's Friday
and only 24 hours or so until tailgate time. If Shanny and Orakpo are happy with Trent, then I’m stoked.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I was an Okung guy myself, me and a guy from work called him the silverback gorilla so it was really wierd when Trent got called up there as silverback…
I’ll toast to Williams though, he’s our guy and I’m not upset about it anymore. Even though Okung is a way better name…
"You're fucking out!"
I don't know if we could
have done a better job replacing Chris Samuels physically, mentally or emotionally. Absolutely awesome.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I'm excited
The line is showing serious promise and I can’t wait to see what Capers can do. He’s use to playing in a fast and very mobile offense. With Shannahan and Samuels to bring him along, this could be a very good group.
The only difference between a kiss-ass and a brown-noser is depth perception
I think I had Carlos Rogers as a camp winner over Armstrong
but I can’t argue too much. Given the amount of belly-aching Rogers has done over the last year or two, I have been very pleasantly surprised by Rogers’ attitude and performance in camp this year. He needed a good camp, not only to cement his role in our defense, but to get his head right so he can be most effective this year.
If the Cowgirls have any trouble protecting Romo in Week 1 (and they might with a weakened line) Rogers could find himself on the receiving end of an errant or tipped pass. If he hauls it in, we go to the playoffs.
I was saying a while back we needed to resign either Rocky or Carlos.
Get ’em signed to a contract; with the draft, at least ONE of those two needs to be signed to stay on.
We need to get all three of them signed, now: Carlos, Rocky, and DonnieMac. Before the season starts. After all, we can only franchise one.
Assuming...
that the franchise tag sticks around with the new CBA. Of the many issues the NFLPA has with the current situation, you know that the franchise tag is high on their list of “do not want”.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Funny story...
my wife surprise me with tickets to the TB game last year for our 1st wedding anniversary. At one point Carlos drops what was, putting it mildly, the easiest INT chance ever inside of the Skins RZ. When the crowd boo’d him mercilessly, she was confused, her logic being that by preventing a TB player from catching the ball, he did his job. Yeah, she doesn’t really understand football.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
She also wasn't familiar
with the frustration that is Carlos Rogers’ inability to catch. I’ve never seen a guy so good at getting in position to make interceptions, but so completely unable to actually catch a football.
One of the most annoying...
things about this team is CR’s mad inability to fucking follow the ball into his chest. Looking at his PFR numbers, I only shudder to think how many of his PD’s were INT’s waiting to happen.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't think that's too illogical for someone who doesn't really understand football
Understandably the interception would have been much sweeter but if the TB player didn’t get the ball that’s the point, right? Still, funny indeed.
I'm back. YAY SUMMER!
Yeah...
it was a reminder that there are a lot of nuances to the game that as “fans” we can take for granted. She’s been really trying to get into learning football, which is mega-hot in my book. I had a laugh last night as I’m quizzing her on team names and colors while playing Madden.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Just make sure
that she doesn’t decide that another team’s colors really bring out her eyes, or some other such crap.
No No No...
although it was hell trying to explain to her how I get to be an Orioles/Redskins die-hard without liking the Ravens.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
That's how
my best friend’s ex became a Cowboys fan ::shudder::
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
Every female Cowboy's fan I've ever asked
responded that way. Why else would anyone like the Cowgirls in VA unless they were just trying to be contrarian?
That's awesome
My wife just asks me when she sees something she doesn’t understand, and just forgets on the next play so she can ask me again later.
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
Send her out to Cal Torilla Factory for food
then just sit back and relax. :)
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I'm getting plenty of that...
especially the random guesses at the names of the positions, though she’s smart enough to apply logic: “hmm…well #59 is behind the line on defense, he must be a linebacker”.
She hates my favorite sport (baseball) so for her to show an interest in this is pretty fan-fucking-tastic. She already went out and bought us tickets on stubhub for two games this year.
I also can’t get too frustrated when she forgets things like down and distance, she’s pregnant and miserable, so I don’t really complain.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions
you lucky bastard
haha
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
I very much am...
but I put time in tonight cleaning the house up and getting the yard done right so that when game time comes tomorrow, I’m in the clear.
by TerroristFistJab on Aug 20, 2010 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I think a lot of bitching
and petty issues that were surfacing last year are gone by the wayside. Players really want to be part of a winning program and that’s what this coaching staff is bringing to the table. The entire team has a lot to prove, but I’m not worried about Carlos, Rocky or DMac. This year, the players are going to be given opportunities to win games and that speaks volumes to all concerned.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I love mocking Carlos's catching abilities
I usually refer to him as having been born with tennis rackets for hands. It doesn’t bother me as much as it does others though. I just find it funny. My only concern with Rogers is that even outside of last year could be kinda inconsistent. He’d be lights out for 3-6 games and then look like he didn’t even wanna be out there for 2 games. More so than most CB’s. Maybe he just needs to be moved around more to keep his head locked in.
by BayAreaBullet on Aug 20, 2010 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
It is a combination of players and offensive schemes that will reverse this teams fortunes.
It is not that the 3-4 defense won’t help by getting the offense more possessions. An exerpt: “The major renovation started early, shortly after Mike Shanahan took over. It’s hard to miss the results: Trent Williams, Jammal Brown and even Artis Hicks. If the Redskins’ offensive line improves, it won’t be hard to know why.
Another reason could be just as important.
Along with new personnel, the Redskins hope a shift in philosophy results in fewer sacks, as well as hits on the quarterback. Unlike the past six seasons, Washington will use more of a zone, or slide, protection scheme — while pass blocking at least. Under Joe Bugel, the Redskins had used mostly man blocking.”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sports/redskins-081910-101007474.html
On Redskins' possessions
“In this league, you average 10 to 11 possessions on offense a game,” Haslett said. “And if you can get three turnovers, that gives your offense 14, and that gives the team we’re playing against eight. So our number one goal is to create turnovers, get the ball out, [make] interceptions, [cause] fumbles.”
Read originial ==>> Fredericksburg.com – ‘Skins’ defenders turning ballhawks – page 1 FLS http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/082010/08212010/570023#ixzz0xGTcdr84
We will have to see how this pans out against the Ravens tonight.
by Jefferson1935 on Aug 21, 2010 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I just got back from the Redskins luncheon...
At my table was Heyer, Jon Embree, and Ken Harvey…pretty solid. Shanahan gave an amazing speech…will try to transcribe some asap.
I asked Heyer how he’s improved over last year…and if Foerster has him doing diff things than Bugel did….Heyer said, “No…fundamentals are always the same…it’s just nice being in 1 position.”
Makes sense.
Hogs Haven. On Twitter. And Facebook.
Kareem Moore has had great reviews...
This is great news getting over that three year N.F.L. initiation hurdle and getting to hear it from Atwater means it is real. Landry moving back to his proven position should create more turnovers. All this waiting has paid off for the Skins.

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