BGO Training Camp Coverage: First Impressions

Pappas

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First Impressions
Quick hits from the first week of camp

- After one week I can confirm that the rumors you've heard are true. If you are an offensive lineman in the league, Albert Haynesworth will kill you and eat you.

Haynesworth does not care what you look like or whose team you are on. All week he has attacked the O-line with the worst of intentions, smashing and swatting those with the courage to stand up to him. They are having to double-team him in camp just to get plays off. Today he was facing Derrick Dockery in 1-on-1 drills.

First drill Haynesworth gives Dockery a bear-swipe knocking him sideways.

Second Drill Haynesworth bull-rushes Dockery, smashing him in the face as he lunges forward.

He did not apologize.

I mentioned to Haynesworth after practice today that the NFC has some fierce rivalries and asked if he had gotten a sense of it yet.

"I don't care about that," he groused. "There are 31 other teams in the league and I hate every one of them."

I thanked him for his time and got the hell away.

- By the way; Brian Orakpo is good as hell. There is a reason the team drafted him and Vinny did good with this one. I am not sure he is best suited for strong-side backer, but when he is at right end, he is a beast.

- By the way as well; Jeremy Jarmon is good as hell too. For a guy that came out a year early, he is already very impressive. I spoke to Phil Daniels about the kid and he said he is going to be very good.

- Anyone who knows me know that I am an Andre Carter guy. But there is no denying Orakpo is destined to be at right end. With Jarmon at left the ends should be good for years to come.

- Justin Tryon is having a good camp. Even better for him, Fred Smoot is not. However, I am not ready to pronounce him a bonafide threat to Smoot's job at nickel. I am saying however, if he plays well in games it could get interesting.

- Kevin Barnes is looking ok too.

- Devon Thomas has looked good and is getting praise from the coaches.

- If Malcolm Kelly can stay healthy, you will see that he is the better receiver of the draft picks from last year. He has the best hands of the young guys.

- And If one or both of these receivers stay healthy, Antwaan Randle El will be the slot receiver.

- Jason Campbell has the best fundamentals (footwork, release, accuracy) of the quarterbacks and it is easy to see that he is the starter.

- Todd Collins is looking much more comfortable in the offense and as much as I like Colt Brennan, it will be difficult for him to get the number two spot this year.

- That being said, if Brennan plays well he could help himself.

- I was standing next to a former Redskins' offensive lineman. We were watching the quarterbacks. He watched Brennan for a couple of plays then said to me; "that kid needs a few years watching the starters. After that he is going to be a starter in this league, and he will be good."

- Nothing should change at tight end this year in terms of depth. However, when Fred Davis gets the ball in his hands, he is by far the more dangerous runner.

- The offensive line has not looked good. With two starters (Samuels and Thomas) returning from injury and given their collective age, this is the greatest area of concern for fans of this team. I would be surprised if the team did not sign a veteran lineman before the season starts.
 
I'm itching to see Randle-El back in that slot receiver spot - he's like a different guy in that role. And very interesting comments on Fred Davis - of all the recent additions, he's the guy I feel I know the least about. I hope we get to see more of what he's capable of this season.

Great summary John. And Haynesworth? Me skeered.
 
Boone said:
I'm itching to see Randle-El back in that slot receiver spot - he's like a different guy in that role. And very interesting comments on Fred Davis - of all the recent additions, he's the guy I feel I know the least about. I hope we get to see more of what he's capable of this season.

Great summary John. And Haynesworth? Me skeered.
Click to expand...

Davis is like a running back when he has the ball. Fast with very good moves in space.
 
Thanks for the first week wrapup, John. I LOVE the Haynesworth quote. That's the old school attitude this team has been missing for so long.
 
Great write up. Short, sweet and too the point. Thanks very much for this.

Two things:

- So you are thinking Davis might be better than Cooley? Cause that is what I am taking out of what you have written.

- I have wondered since the first reports of Big Mike Williams being used as a turnstile by our DEs on the first day of camp that maybe the team should look at John Runyan. I know he is even older than Jansen but he had a better year last year than any guy we have on the roster now at that position. It might give Williams and Heyer another year to develop and worst case would be that we needed to draft one next spring which might happen anyway.

*shrug*

Just a thought and not likely to come to pass.
 
Neophyte said:
Great write up. Short, sweet and too the point. Thanks very much for this.

Two things:

- So you are thinking Davis might be better than Cooley? Cause that is what I am taking out of what you have written.

- I have wondered since the first reports of Big Mike Williams being used as a turnstile by our DEs on the first day of camp that maybe the team should look at John Runyan. I know he is even older than Jansen but he had a better year last year than any guy we have on the roster now at that position. It might give Williams and Heyer another year to develop and worst case would be that we needed to draft one next spring which might happen anyway.

*shrug*

Just a thought and not likely to come to pass.
Click to expand...

I'm not suggesting that Davis is better than Cooley. Cooley is the better, more clutch receiver and probably better blocker (although neither are great at it). I am suggesting that Davis is hands-down a better runner.

I hear Runyan is done, too old. Levi Jones is out there but probably wants more money that the team is willing to pay.
 
Pappas said:
I mentioned to Haynesworth after practice today that the NFC has some fierce rivalries and asked if he had gotten a sense of it yet.

"I don't care about that," he groused. "There are 31 other teams in the league and I hate every one of them."

I thanked him for his time and got the hell away.
Click to expand...

Sadly, Pappas returned back to Redskins Park the next day though.
 
Excellent recap John and from being at camp today....I concur about Haynesworth...the man is monster on the line.

Our first team Defense on 11 on 11 drills probably could have had 5 or 6 sacks eaasily. They are ready to go as far as the disruptions on the LOS. They win almost every battle.

The new OT Bridges might surprise people this year. He has good footwork and is strong he uses leverage effectively to kick out DE's who speed rush against him. I looked at Rhinehart for a while and I believe he may never be a starter in the league he looks as if he might hit the field this year if we get an injury. He held his own pretty good at times against Big Al.

Tryon looks as if he has matured 4 seasons over the offseason. He has been filling in for Rogers on the opposite side of Hall and looked pretty good. Vinny may have been onto something.

The weather was wet and 70 degrees and it was great....better than 90 degrees and sweaty!
 
Thanks for the writeup Pappas.

I can't wait to see the D-Line in action. All the fuss people are making about the o0line getting dominated by the DL, but I'd be more concerned if the OL was getting the best of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. The Defense is supposed to be the better of the two, they are a top 4 D. Also, I'm loving the nastiness he brings as well. I think his mean streak will be contagious throughout the D-Line. I'm equally as excited about Orakpo, the dude just screams beast, and the Jarmon pick may just make Vinny look like a genius.

I'm also very happy to hear that Tryon and Barnes have looked good overall. Good to hear that the depth in the secondary goes pretty deep.

On the other side of the ball, I'm glad Devin is stepping up, he gives us the game breaking speed, and athleticism that will help take double teams off of Moss. Malcolm my biggest concern with him is his knee. The guy has everything else, hands, physicality and size. He reminds me of Anquan Boldin, he'll catch pretty much anything near him, and you'll have a tough time taking him down once he gets going. I'm hoping those two will be a formidable pair for years to come.
 
I was really happy to see Haynesworth at camp just completly blowing up OL till we started getting dinged along the OL. My thinking was that he will make our OL better along with Orakpo, Jarmon, Carter, Daniels, etc... But now I'm a little worried about being able to compete on O with our OL. I hope Im wrong!
 
Nice post to sum up the week, direct and to the point. With that said, having to practice against what could be the top defense in the league can only make the o-line better. The dings will heal and the o-line will come around.
God, how I love this defense.
 
Thanks Pappas for these reports. The best news in all is the Orakpo and Jarmon news considering how desperately we need youth at Defensive End. It will also be interesting to watch the battle between Justin Tryon and Kevin Barbnes in the pre-season. Alot of different reports out there are giving some kudos and praise to Tryon.
 
What a difference one potentital first-ballot HOF beast of a D Tackle can make. :)

Not to oversimply the matter, since there are about a million other factors involved as well, but watching that unit on the field yesterday morning, it was impossible to miss the swagger. From Big Al on down to guys like Justin Tryon, Kareem Moore and Chris Wilson (sez here that man is going to explode this year), there's a palpable sense of the players carrying themselves as is they know they've gone from a pretty damn good defense last year to a potentially dominant one this year.

Here's to their reasonable health and hoping the swagger doesn't cross the fine line to over-confidence before we ever get to see what they're really capable of.
 
Om said:
Here's to their reasonable health and hoping the swagger doesn't cross the fine line to over-confidence before we ever get to see what they're really capable of.
Click to expand...

Is crossing that line possible with Greg Blache in charge of the D? If it happens, I doubt it lasts for too long. ;)

Hard not to be overly optimistic about the D at this point. Let's just start the darn games so we have something to gauge besides practices.
 
Thanks, John. I really like the quick hits.

Anything you can add about the 3rd running back position and who is standing out (if any) between Cartwright, Mason, Aldridge, and Dorsey?
 
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