My Observations from Redskins Training Camp 8/9/2011

Keep in mind that these observations are from one day at camp and that players have up and down days. I'll be posting the video interviews separately, but they're available on YouTube.com/hogshaven. I got to talk with Fred Davis, Lorenzo Alexander, and Ryan Kerrigan on video. Make sure to read my recap on the Safeties after the jump. I got to stand 10 yards behind Atogwe and Landry most of the day and it was pleasure watching them do their thing.

Defense

• There was a lot of goal line defensive drills today. The front four from left to right were Carriker, Cofield, Jenkins and Bowen. They looked VERY Impressive. Bowen is a monster on the field. Standing next to Orakpo it almost reminded me of the movie Twins. In these drills Haz had the trash cans out (see pic) and was hammering them on their gaps and what if scenarios.
• Horatio Blades was here but saw very few reps...which is the norm with the third team.
• Rocky McIntosh was with the 1st team all day today I saw. Perry Riley was 2nd team bouncing back and forth between RILB and LILB.
• During punt drills, the special teamers fielding them were; Armstong, Banks, Aldrick Robinson, Josh Wilson, Santana Moss, and Niles Paul.
• Ryan Kerrigan really struggled in coverage. It's nothing to really get worked about. Lou Spanos did some 1-1 drills with him to the side at one point. I interviewed both Kerrigan and Orakpo after practice...more on this later. Logan Paulsen scored on a cross route and Kerrigan got yelled at by coaches for turning back vs staying with his man
• Our defensive line is getting pressure. Cofield was successful with a nice swim move. Neild got scolded for being late on the snap. Anthony Bryant looked solid in the few plays I saw.

• Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth looked good. They know what they're doing and complemented that with good hands.
• Hankerson had an on/off day. He dropped 2 passes in a row, one which caused Kyle Shanahan to throw his hands up. Both of these passes were over the middle of the field. He seems to like the edges more. I definitely plan on keeping an eye on that.

• John Beck was on and off. I watched practice with John Keim for a bit and he said Beck is being Beck....on and off. He played a full practice. 
• All the QBs threw today the majority of the time with no pass rush, and all of them held onto the ball WAY too long. Prepare for a rocky pre-season in regards to QB decision making.
• The first half of practice Mike Shanahan let his coaches coach. Kyle was on one side of the field working with offense and Haslett was on the other with the defense. I liked seeing this. 
• Kellen Clemens was awful. He could not hit QBs in stride and on one pass, he threw a long ball off his back foot which prompted Trevor Matich to ask if it was a punt. It was a duck. Ironically, it was completed to Donte Stallworth who came back on it, but the next play Clemens through a pickle. 
• In a rather comical moment, Ben Chappell was doing a drill with tight ends way off in the distance, dropped back for a pass, and tripped over the catching net. His passes aren't perfect spiral (think McNabb) but he's got potential and showed some accuracy.
• Grossman and Beck were as you expected. Really nice throws than some really poopy ones. Grossman I still think has slight edge, but game time will tell all.