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Jay Gruden Redskins Presser: Case Keenum will start vs Giants, Dwayne Haskins is still the backup

Jay Gruden answers questions after today's practice

NFL-Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images

Jay Gruden spoke with reporters after today's practice. All three Redskins QBs practiced today. Case Keenum was dealing with a foot injury after Monday's game against the Bears, but his boot was removed and he is slated to start this week. Dwayne Haskins got some reps with the starters today, but remains the backup QB. Colt McCoy practiced, but will likely be inactive on Sunday. Oh, and Terry McLaurin is hurt....

Injury updates:

Terry McLaurin:

Case Keenum:

Colt McCoy:

"He did O.K. I think it’s going to be a few days or maybe weeks before he gets back in the flow here with his timing, his feet, fundamentals in the pocket. He’s missed a lot of time. It’s good to get him back out there and watch him zip it around and move around. I think he felt O.K. it’s just a matter of getting comfortable with his feet and his legs."

Dwayne Haskins Jr.:

Haskins progress from preseason up until now:

”I feel pretty good. We’d have a plan for him if he did go in without a doubt. As we would with anybody, but he did fine. I think the most important thing for him is to make sure you continue to study protections and all that stuff, so you can protect yourself with all the blitz looks that teams give you on third down especially. Other than that, he’s done a nice job.”

Changes to the offense if Haskins starts:

"Not really, not really. It might not be as extravagant but it never really is that extravagant anyway, it’s just football – plays. It’s about execution anyways. I think we’ll give him some things that he’s comfortable with. That’s the biggest thing is that he’s comfortable with the plays we give him. [He] can spit them out and then execute.”

QB depth chart vs Giants:

Right Guard if Chase Roullier and Brandon Scherff are out?:

"You guys love these if questions, don’t ya? Well, we have [C Tony] Bergstrom at center, Bergstrom can play right guard as well. We could dress [C] Wes [Martin]. So we have a lot of different options here. A lot of versatility on our offensive line, by-golly.”

Greg Manusky Presser

Halftime adjustments vs. Chicago:

“I think it’s a group effort that we’ve got to make sure we just pull together as a group. As a defense, we didn’t like the way it turned out in the first half, but we saw some production in the second half and we did good. We’ve just got to keep on pressing and fighting every day.”

Defending difficult route concepts:

“Just during practice and stuff, trying to get the exact looks that we’re trying to get and then keep on working them. We’ve got to make sure we communicate on the backend along with the safeties. Overall, it’s just a [communication] standpoint that we’ve got to make sure that we keep on talking and doing the right thing.”

Coaches getting players to execute better:

“I think it comes with practice. Keep on practicing as much as you can on the plays that they’re going to run. They can’t show every look that they’re going to have, but you try and give them the basis of what they’re going to be doing on Sunday. For the most part, we had a couple of breakdowns, but that happens in the league – I mean, that’s across the league, everybody has those breakdowns and people are taking advantage of those breakdowns when they do happen, so we’ve got to make sure we fix them.”

Poor performance by defense:

Cole Holcomb:

"He’s a good player. He was put in a position last week where we kind of changed it up a little bit when he wasn’t out there. Overall, he’s had some good games where he’s executed and done some great things, and I expect good things from him this week.”

Case Keenum Presser

Foot injury:

Running game:

“There are a lot of things. I think we can all do better. The run game is not just the offensive line and running backs. Wide receivers block a little better, I thought those guys did a good job on a lot of plays and you see it happen, you see it. But it’s just being consistent with it. Same thing with offensive line, they can be a little better. Running backs can be a little better. Really, for me, only person I can control is me. I can do better. Operationally, getting us in the right run checks, making sure people are set, getting the operation of everything, I can be better too. So, I know we can all be a little bit better.”

5 turnovers vs Bears:

Giants defense:

Chemistry with WR Paul Richardson Jr.:

“I’m really excited about [WR] Paul [Richardson Jr.]. A little slow start, [WR] Terry [McLaurin] was hot and Paul is just ‘Steady-Eddy.’ He’s been there just constantly grinding. He’s a great worker and I really enjoy working with him. I think he’s just going to be a guy we constantly count on. You go back and watch some of his film of his blocking on some screens and run blocking, they were probably some of his best plays in the game on Monday night. And he made really, really big-time catches. Tough catches, contested catches too. I’m really excited to keep that connection going.”

Redskins vs Giants Injury Report