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Coach Rivera speaks to the media after Day 1 of OTAs https://t.co/2Ad4EEMcYn
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) May 25, 2021
OTAs attendance:
Rivera said it's pleasing to have the majority of players on the field for the start of OTAs. There's a lot of new faces on the team and it's important for everyone to get to know each other.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Rivera on having 86 players here “guys understand we have a fairly new team. To get together, to work together, to develop, our guys see the significance of This. I’m really grateful they’re here.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2021
Chase Young/Montez Sweat:
Ron Rivera not worried about Montez Sweat & Chase Young not being at OTA..."They'll be here" #WashingtonFootball
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) May 25, 2021
Rivera said he understands why some players chose to skip these voluntary sessions, but also appreciate those that showed. Said Young and Sweat have been in touch with their position coaches. https://t.co/akxaPDOjF2
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 25, 2021
Veterans:
Ron Rivera said Brandon Scherff and other veterans will get in work these next few days, and then they'll taper them. "This is really just about getting them reacclimated to playing the game, building up their callousness to getting ready for training camp."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick:
More on Fitzpatrick's leadership: Rivera said he took command of the huddle, which show his knowledge of the offense. On the sideline, he was talking with Scott Turner and Ken Zampese offering some suggestions on schemes.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick took command of the huddle, Rivera said. “There’s that type of seniority you see and feel from him,” he said.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Ron Rivera on Ryan Fitzpatrick 'He picked up our system pretty quickly" & liked that he threw a nice back shoulder fade to Cam Sims.#WashingtonFootball
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) May 25, 2021
Quarterbacks:
Ron Rivera: "I like what we saw from all our quarterbacks today. I thought those guys worked hard. Their retention from last year was very good, their retention from installations this year has been really good. So I think we’re in a good position at quarterback right now."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
George Floyd:
Ron Rivera opens his press conference by addressing George Floyd. He said “justice was served” but said he wanted to address it with being the one-year anniversary.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Morgan Moses:
Rivera on moving on from Morgan Moses. Says they are going in a different direction and they feel comfortable with the players on the roster including younger guys.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 25, 2021
Culture:
There are some smaller examples of how Rivera's culture is affecting the players. Rivera said he heard one of the veterans saying to a rookie, "we don't walk around here." Rivera constantly preaches tempo, and that is rubbing off on the team.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Sam Cosmi:
Rivera said Sam Cosmi is taking snaps on both sides of the ball. He's been doing a good job, he said, and he'll sit down with John Matsko and Trevelle Wharton to get a better evaluation of his progress.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Curtis Samuel:
Rivera said it was good to see Curtis Samuel on the field. It felt like old times, he said. Washington has taken a lot of steps to get faster and Samuel is certainly part of those efforts.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ron Rivera on Curtis Samuel: “he’s fast ... one thing very noticeable about that wide receiver group is those guys can run.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2021
Offensive weapons:
Rivera said in Carolina they had to rely on Qb. Here, he said “We don’t have to rely on quarterback because of the weapons around the quarterback position.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2021
Kyle Allen:
Rivera was pleased with how Kyle Allen looked. He moved and threw the ball well, which is definitely a positive sign considering the gruesome injury he suffered last season.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Competition:
Rivera thinks there will be some good competition throughout the roster, not just for the starting roles but also for backup positions as well.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Saahdiq Charles:
Rivera said they are still open to Charles at tackle and guard, though obviously there was a need today with Leno out. https://t.co/gpsjqvcNML
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick speaks to the media after Day 1 of OTAs https://t.co/4geR2OVrgd
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) May 25, 2021
1st day of OTAs with new team:
Fitzpatrick said it was nice to be able to be around his teammates and get used to his new setting. He wants to begin getting comfortable with them and make sure they're on the same page on the field.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick explains this week for him is about learning his surroundings. Mentioned finding the meal room before finding the meeting room. pic.twitter.com/yYPNugUF0S
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 25, 2021
New city:
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's first day of Washington Football practice was like a @Disney movie!! @wusa9 @WUSA9sports pic.twitter.com/KbPc6AVTC4
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick is still in the process of getting acclimated to the area. His kids are still in Tampa, finishing up school. He’s also getting to know his teammates
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick appreciated walking out into air that "was crisp" today, as opposed to the sweltering heat he got used to in Miami. Also saw a deer when he woke up, which reminded him of a Disney movie. So there you go
— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) May 25, 2021
Practice energy:
Fitzpatrick said there's a good energy on the field today. He used the words "youthful exuberance" when describing the atmosphere and he likes how competitive everyone is.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Fitzpatrick has had plenty of "first experiences" with teams. He reiterated that there is a good energy in the building and the players are willing to learn. That makes him excited to be part of this team.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Wide receivers:
When it comes to building the right timing with his receivers, Fitzpatrick said everyone is a little different. For him, he wants to put the ball in the spot where he thinks it needs to be. That will result in some incompletions, but that will help them learn from each other.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick on the wide receiver group: “It’s diverse. We’ve got big guys. We’ve got small guys. ... early impressions, very very excited.”
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Fitzpatrick is excited about the diversity of skillsets on the team. There are fast, quick and strong players, he said, and he wants to build a chemistry with all of them.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Sammis Reyes:
Fitzpatrick on Sammis Reyes: “we haven’t had a lot of time to talk or do work on the field but he’s a guy when you see him walking through the hallway, you take note. There’s not a lot of human beings built like that.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2021
Fitzpatrick hasn't interacted with Sammis Reyes much yet, but he said the tight end is the type of person you take notice of very quickly because of how big and muscular Reyes is.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Fitzpatrick mentioned he thought the same with O.J. Howard, but added Reyes may be even bigger. https://t.co/Ca2aI4f5Vy
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Trust:
Fitzpatrick wants his teammates to know that he trusts them. When they know that he trusts them, their confidence rises significantly.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Communication:
On offenses taking a jump in Year 2, Fitzpatrick said communication is going to be key. That allows the unit to perform crisper and faster. And there are some parts of the game that become second nature because of a good rapport with teammates.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick said it's about having an "open dialogue" with his receivers and O-line to get their rhythm and timing down. At one point in OTAs, he went up to Terry McLaurin and the two appeared to be hashing out details on a certain route/play.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
( by @j_macpost) pic.twitter.com/wqeeJLag5x
Landon Collins
Achilles injury:
Landon Collins is speaking with us for the first time since his Achilles injury. “I feel awesome. ... It’s been a long journey,” Collins said, adding he’ll be ready for Week 1.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Landon Collins, without much hesitation: "I'll be ready for Week 1."
— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) May 25, 2021
Collins said he's had a lot of time to himself. He said he's spent a lot of time praying and trying to stay on the path God has put him on.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Recovery:
Landon Collins said he’s been doing a lot of blood-flow restriction training, which is also what Alex Smith used (among other things) to help him come back from his leg injury.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
Linebacker:
Collins said he's had a lot of time to himself. He said he's spent a lot of time praying and trying to stay on the path God has put him on.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Landon Collins on the chatter of him possibly moving to LB earlier this offseason ...
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
(Jack Del Rio said he's not moving to LB): pic.twitter.com/8mu2unBqWb
Depth:
Collins said there's a lot of knowledge on the field now, which is going to help the secondary play better. There's a lot of depth at SS now, which he likes because if someone goes down, there won't be any dropoff.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Kamren Curl:
Landon Collins said he wasn’t concerned about where he’d fit in after Kam Curl’s emergence: “I’m just happy the way he played. ... I’m proud of him.”
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) May 25, 2021
Playoff loss to Tampa Bay:
Landon Collins said sitting out of Washington's playoff loss to Tampa especially hurt because he was very familiar with Tampa and felt he could've helped.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 25, 2021
Teaching young players:
Collins wants to continuously stay healthy. He wants to teach the younger players as much as possible.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Leadership:
Collins said he wants to step up and be a leader for players on both sides of the ball.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Bobby McCain
Signing with Washington:
Bobby McCain is up next on the podium. He said he's excited to be with Washington. The team runs a tight ship, he said, and he's looking forward to being the best player he can.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
New chapter:
McCain said he's in Washington to play and win. It's a new chapter and a new beginning, he said.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Kamren Curl:
McCain said Kam Curl is a talented player. He got thrown into the fire last year, he said, and he told the second-year pro that it was good to get that experience early so he can build on it.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Versatility:
McCain said he can play all spots in the secondary. No matter where the coaches put him, he's going to give his best and win.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Ryan Fitzpatrick:
McCain said Fitzpatrick is a good person to be around. He's going to make himself and the players around him better, and that's all you can ask for from a quarterback.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
William Jackson III
Energy:
William Jackson III is at the podium right now. He said there's a great energy and a good vibe in the build, so he's excited to be here.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Washington’s CBs:
Jackson said there are some talented CB "from top to bottom." The sky is the limit, he said, for a group that has that much skill.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Chemistry:
Everyone wants to get better, Jackson said, and everyone is looking forward to building a chemistry with each other.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Wide receivers:
Jackson on Washington's receiver corps: they're fast. They're some guys who can run.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Reminder that Curtis Samuel and Terry McLaurin run a 4.3 and Dyami Brown runs a 4.4.
Swagger:
Jackson said the team already has a certain swagger to it. He just wants to add a little bit more.
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWFT) May 25, 2021
Change of scenery:
William Jackson III says "sometimes you need a change of scenery to reach your full potential."
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2021