From left, Washington Redskins’ Roy Helu Jr., Stephen Campbell and Silas Redd run drills during practice at the Redskins NFL football team training center in Richmond Va., Wednesday, July 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Mark Gormus)
Washington’s NFL team finished week 2 of its 2014 training camp at the team’s training center in Richmond, Va. The players welcomed the fresh techniques of new Head Coach Jay Gruden, and saw more live drills as opposed to light walkthroughs. Gruden ran a high-tempo practice, with more contact and a more dynamic atmosphere.
Physicality of Camp
Gruden brings a new approach to training camp, very different from former Coach Mike Shanahan. Whereas Shanahan opted against full-pad practices to keep the players fresh, Gruden encourages physicality. Going all out in practice helps the team develop an overall physical mindset for game day. Washington practiced twice in full pads – Monday and Saturday – and the players welcomed the change.
“It helps a lot. Just getting those hits, knowing where defenders are coming from and how to protect yourself. It’s a very physical game,” third-year running bac k Alfred Morris told reporters. “The pursuit is crazy on this level, the way some of these bigger guys can move. Being able to get those real time reps in practice, having some of these live drills definitely helps in protecting ourselves. It is a very physical game. I love contact, I’m a weird running back. I look forward to it. It definitely helps me translate it onto the field on gam
e day.”
Washington Redskins running back Lache Seastrunk (35), left, and linebackers Jeremy Kimbrough (47) battle during practice at a NFL football training camp, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014 in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Daniel Sangjib Min)
Enforcing Illegal Contact for Defensive Players
Washington went through practice with a crew of officials for two straight days. With the National Football League (NFL) placing new emphasis on enforcing illegal contact on receivers after five yards, Washington’s defensive players received an annual crash course in rules and regulations. Seven flags were thrown for illegal contact in the Aug. 1 practice alone.
“If you modify the way you play too much, you could get hurt out there. Of course, there are rules and regulation that you have to abide by, but you’ve got to play your game. You can’t worry about what the call is. Just treat it as grey matter,” five-year cornerback E.J. Biggers told reporters while explaining how hard it is to play defense in the NFL.
Veteran safety Brandon Meriweather received more than $100,000 in fines – along with a one-game suspension – last season for what the NFL considered illegal hits. His new partner in the backfield, Ryan Clark, has reminded him to lower his target this season. “We’ve talked about it in the sense of him keeping his money and a sense of him staying on the field,” Clark told reporters after practice. “I’m going to try to talk him out of as many fines as I can this year, but I don’t want him to change his game. I want him tolower his strike zone the best he can because that’s the rule. But other than that, man, just keep playing football.”
Upcoming Joint Practice with Patriots
Gruden confirmed to the media that Washington will hold joint practices with the New England Patriots from Aug. 4 through Aug. 6. This will give coaches an opportunity to evaluate players against new competition in a game-like environment. Sometimes, the defensive players learn the offensive plays, so bringing in the Patriots will level the playing field.
Washington Redskins’ Robert Griffin III runs with the ball during morning practice at the Redskins training center in Richmond Va., Thursday, July 31, 2014. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch,Mark Gormus)
“We’re going to come out here and have some team sessions with them that are live, that aren’t live. Ones against ones, maybe twos against ones. It will be a good mix for them and a great test for us to go against obviously a great football team that’s been a great football team for a long time and to see another team prepare, that will be good to see. To see how they consistently go about their business is going to be good for all of us,” Gruden told the media.
Although joint practices will be entertaining for fans and informative for coaches, star quarterback Robert Griffin III made sure nobody misunderstood the ultimate goal. “It’s going to be a game-like atmosphere out here. Nobody wants to be embarrassed. Everybody has a sense of pride. They’re not our friends, we’re not their friends,” RGIII said to reporters outside of camp. “At the end of the day, we’re going to protect each other because we are in the NFL. Its practice, not a game, so there will be no hitting. But it’s going be physical out here, man. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Washington will face off against New England in the preseason opener at FedEx Field on Aug. 7.
