Impressions of Redskins training camp day 3
-- Things move crisply under Mike Shanahan. There is no screwing around. No tossing beach balls at quarterbacks. No chit-chat. No wasted space. Horns move the players from drill to drill and the coaches move the players during the drills.
-- RB Coach Bobby Taylor is fierce. That dude isn't exactly young anymore, but he's out there [in sweat pants!] knocking heads together.
-- Special Teams Coach Danny Smith, a holdover from the Gibbs and Zorn years, is a dynamo. He's the coach who most reminds me of Joe Bugel. I don't know which one would win a yelling contest, but it'd be close. He rides the special teams players hard.
-- Believe it or not, WR Roydell Williams is moving up the depth chart. If the season began today, I think he'd be the starter opposite Santana Moss. Of course, the season does not begin today and the other wideouts have plenty of time to change the situation. Right now, though, Williams is making the most of his opportunity.
-- Don't be surprised if RB Ryan Torain wins a roster spot. He runs hard and well and hits holes quickly.
-- This is not the Clinton Portis we've become accustomed to. Whether it was fear or simply feeling re-invigorated by playing for a coach who will bench or cut him, Portis is a new man out there. He looks quicker than he has in years. He has real burst and acceleration, something we've seen precious little of in recent years. Right now, he looks as good as anyone on the team. It shows what Portis can do when he actually works in the offseason instead of loafing for six months. It's a pity he wasn't doing this the past five years.
-- TE Fred Davis is catching everything thrown at him and is even blocking decently. This is definitely the player the Redskins envisioned when they drafted him in the middle of the second round in 2008. Davis looks good enough to lead the team in receptions. He's even showing an ability to go low to get passes, something that will be useful with Donovan McNabb at quarterback; when DMac misses, it's usually low.
-- CB DeAngelo Hall had a nice interception in 11 on 11 drills, returning the pass for a TD. On the return, ILB London Fletcher blew Clinton Portis up with a ferocious block.
-- I saw some interesting formations in the Redskins defense, including a 3-3-5 formation, using 3 cornerbacks and two safeties, The 3 corners were Phillip Buchanon, Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall.
-- Buchanon dropped an easy interception and LB Robert Henson dropped two easy picks. That's why he's on defense.
-- I thought Colt Brennan threw the ball very well on Saturday. He got good air under the ball on long passes and had a nice zip on the mid-range throws. He's clearly heard all the chatter about Richard Bartel possibly taking his job and is determined not to go down without a fight.
-- WR Devin Thomas still does not impress. He dropped two passes, failed to stretch out for a nice Brennan bomb on a post pattern and actually fell and dropped a ball when knocked by WR Coach Keenan McCardell during position drills. That last one drew the ire of the watching crowd.
-- S Laron Landry likes playing safety now and was really hitting. He was knocking people around all morning, but one particular hit on Chris Cooley left the tight end jawing about it. Landry's hit on Cooley was the biggest of the day and it nearly landed Cooley on my chest as I watched from the press row.
-- Speaking of Cooley, he had a rough day. He dropped several passes and didn't look at all like his usual self. Cooley was honest about it his press conference, saying it was one of his worst practices ever. Speaking to reporters, Head Coach Mike Shanahan agreed with that assessment, but voiced confidence Cooley would bounce back quickly and in a big way.
-- I think the slot receiver will do well in this offense. It will be interesting to see who lines up in the slot -- I have a feeling it may be a rotating cast of characters.
-- PK Graham Gano does indeed have a good leg and he had good accuracy, too. He only missed two kicks and Head Coach Mike Shanahan blamed both of them on bad snaps.
