The Sports Xchange
NFL Team Report – Washington Redskins – INSIDE SLANT
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III’s right knee and his relationship with coach Mike Shanahan, each of which was damaged to an extent during the wild card playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, are coming along well according to the player himself.
Griffin, who needed surgery on his LCL and ACL three days after playing much of the Seahawks game on one healthy leg, worked on the field in front of the media for the first time on Thursday and then met with the media en masse for the first time since the injury.
“Me and Mike hashed everything out,” Griffin said. “The injury and what happened with the injury clouded the success that we had the whole season. It left a bad taste in the mouth of everybody. I don’t have a problem with the way I was used (last year).
“It’s proven (that) when you have consistency at the head coach position and the quarterback position, everybody’s on the same page, you win a lot more. I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be repaired. The only thing that needed to be repaired from last year was my knee and that’s repaired.”
Shanahan, who yielded to Griffin’s desire to keep playing against Seattle until the quarterback had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter, also played down reports of any rift between him and the franchise player for whom he gave St. Louis two first-round draft picks and a second-round selection.
“You talk about things that you could have done differently,” Shanahan said. “Robert’s the first person to tell you that this year, ‘I’m going to be a little bit more conservative than he was a year ago.’ If you’re not on the field, you’re going to hurt our football team. … We’re going to try to protect Robert as much as we can. We’re going to let him do the things we think he does best and hopefully it will be as productive.”
Griffin was so productive in 2012 that he set NFL rookie records for passer rating (102.4) and rushing yards (815) while leading the Redskins to their first NFC East title since 1999 after four straight years in the division basement.
“I can’t change my mindset, but I can be smarter about what I do out there,” Griffin said. “I know what I have to do and what I don’t have to do. It’s about limiting those hits, making sure that I’m staying out there for my teammates.
“If it’s third-and-7 and I’m three yards away from the first down and here comes (Pittsburgh safety) Ryan Clark trying to take my head off like he did last year, you slide or you get out of bounds. After what happened to me and what happened to this team at the end of the year, I understand that I have to more careful when it comes to that. I’m not going to risk my career to play in one game. I’m definitely all-in for Week 1, but I’m also all-in for my career as well.”
Griffin isn’t all-in these days, but he’s not just a spectator either. At Griffin’s request, Shanahan carved off a section of the main practice field for the quarterback to throw and/or hand off to receiver Pierre Garcon, tight ends Fred Davis and Jordan Reed, and running backs Roy Helu and Chris Thompson, all of whom are also rehabbing injuries.
“An all-world uncleared (to practice) team,” quipped Griffin, who believes that he’ll be cleared to return to full practice by the July 25 opening of training camp.
The Redskins’ medical staff wants to make sure that the team’s most important player doesn’t overdo it now or during the summer. Shanahan said that as long as Griffin takes some practice snaps with the regulars during training camp, he could skip the entire preseason and still start the Sept. 9 opener against Philadelphia.
As for today, Griffin, who admitted he cried when he woke up after surgery and realized that his ACL had been operated on as well as his LCL, said that his knee felt great and that he was able to do everything without any hesitation. Which is how he plans to play in 2013.
“You come back like you were never hurt ’cause that’s the only way you can play,” he said. “You don’t play the game afraid to get hurt. You play the game like you’re supposed to be invincible while at the same time being smart.”
———————————————–
NFL Team Report – Washington Redskins – NOTES, QUOTES
–Coach Mike Shanahan revealed that two starters had had pectoral surgeries which came as a surprise to the media that covers the Redskins. Receiver Pierre Garcon, who has firmly declined having surgery on the toe that limited him for much of last season, and cornerback Josh Wilson — who also had a torn labrum — followed two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo and inside linebacker Keenan Robinson, who had their 2012 campaigns ended prematurely by torn pecs.
Orakpo is back in full practice. Shanahan expects Wilson and Garcon to be ready for the start of training camp on July 25. Running backs Roy Helu (toe) and Chris Thompson (knee), tight ends Fred Davis (Achilles) and Jordan Reed (thigh), linebacker London Fletcher (ankle, toe), cornerback Chase Minnifield (knee) and safeties Jordan Bernstine (knee) and Brandon Meriweather (knee) were also kept out of practice. Fletcher, Davis and Reed will likely be the first to return.
–Backup offensive linemen Maurice Hurt and Josh LeRibeus, who seemingly put on a lot of weight during the offseason (a problem that he had while at SMU), were each sidelined with groin injuries that have occurred in recent weeks. Defensive end Adam Carriker, who had a setback while rehabbing the quad injury that ended his 2012 season in Week 2, wasn’t even on the field on Thursday. Kicker Kai Forbath was absent in order to attend his grandfather’s funeral.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “He’s not a human. He’s an alien. He’s from outer space. Pluto or somewhere. I don’t know.” — Tight end Fred Davis on quarterback Robert Griffin’s rapid recovery from surgery on his right ACL and LCL on Jan. 9.
———————————————–
NFL Team Report – Washington Redskins – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Redskins signed a dozen college free agents on the eve of last weekend’s rookie minicamp. They include receivers Skye Dawson of TCU, Chip Reeves of Troy, Jason Thompson of New Haven and Nick Williams of Connecticut; tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi; offensive linemen Jacolby Ashworth of Houston, Xavier Nixon of Florida, Tevita Stevens of Utah and Kyle Wilborn of Troy; and linebackers Marvin Burdette of Alabama-Birmingham, William Compton of Nebraska and Jeremy Kimbrough of Appalachian State.
A closer look at the Redskins’ picks:
Round 2/51 — David Amerson, CB, 6-1, 205, North Carolina State
The Redskins passed on a more immediate need at free safety to go for the ball-hawking Amerson, who picked off 18 passes during his two full college seasons as a starter but also got burned by going for the big play so often.
Round 3/85 — Jordan Reed, TE, 6-3, 243, Florida
Washington again opted to look ahead to 2014 with top tight end Fred Davis unsigned beyond this year. A high school quarterback, Reed made All-SEC with 45 catches for 559 yards and three touchdowns in 2012, his second year at tight end.
Round 4/119 — Phillip Thomas, SS, 6-0, 210, Fresno State
After taking the Football Bowl Subdivision leader in interceptions in 2011 with its second-round pick, Washington again looked for a ball-hawk in the secondary by bringing in the player who led in that category last season. Thomas had eight interceptions, 84 tackles and four forced fumbles as a senior.
Round 5/154 — Chris Thompson, RB, 5-7, 192, Florida State
Seeking a change-of-pace back for their option-based offense, the Redskins took a running back who tore the ACL in his left knee on Oct. 20 but should be ready for the start of training camp. Thompson had 657 yards and five touchdowns through six games.
Round 5/162 — Brandon Jenkins, DE, 6-2, 251, Florida State
Graded by several scouting services as a potential selection in the first two rounds before last season, Jenkins broke his left foot in the opener and missed the rest of the year. After picking up 22.5 sacks in 40 games, he’ll move to outside linebacker in the Redskins’ 3-4 scheme.
Round 6/191 — Bacarri Rambo, FS, 6-0, 215, Georgia
A pair of suspensions for drug-related incidents in college sank Rambo’s chance of going higher, but the Redskins were pleased to scoop him up in the sixth round. He finished second to Amerson with eight interceptions in 2011 and had 73 tackles and three interceptions through 10 games as a senior.
Round 7/228 — Jawan Jamison, RB, 5-7, 203, Rutgers
A running back who is adept in pass protection and catching passes out of the backfield, Jamison ran for 1,075 yards and four touchdowns in 2012, his redshirt sophomore season. He’ll fit in well in the Redskins’ zone-blocking running scheme.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (6)
–OT Jordan Black will miss the first game of next season under an NFL suspension and wasn’t that great in his limited duty in 2012. Borderline to return.
–OT Jammal Brown, a starter in 2010-11 on the right side, missed all of last season following hip surgery. Brown will be 32 in March and had his contract voided this month. He’s almost surely an ex-Redskin.
–TE Chris Cooley is one of the greatest tight ends in franchise history, along with the late Jerry Smith. However, Cooley hasn’t been the same since knee surgery in 2011. He was cut last summer, made little impact after being re-signed and doesn’t figure to be back.
–CB Cedric Griffin was decent as the nickel corner in his Washington debut before serving a four-game suspension following a positive drug test. The cap-strapped Redskins are thin at corner and will likely try to keep Griffin.
–S Madieu Williams was a disappointment as the fill-in free safety last year after Tanard Jackson was suspended. His career could be over at 31.
–DE Chris Wilson had a chance to become a starter after Brian Orakpo was hurt in Week 2 last season. Instead, Rob Jackson took the job and ran with it. Wilson, 30, could still return as a backup and special teamer.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)
–WR/KR Brandon Banks (not tendered as RFA) had a second straight down year as the return man and lost those duties in December. Don’t expect the NFL’s smallest player (5-7, 150 pounds) back in Washington.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
–CB David Amerson (2/51): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–S Phillip Thomas (4/119): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–RB Chris Thompson (5/154): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–LB Brandon Jenkins (5/162): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–S Bacarri Rambo (6/191): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–RB Jawan Jamison (7/228): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
–NT Chris Baker: RFA tendered at $1.323M with no compensation; $1.323M/1 yr.
–TE Fred Davis: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–DE Kedric Golston: UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
–QB Rex Grossman: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–CB DeAngelo Hall: FA had been released by Redskins; $2.25M/1 yr.
–LB Rob Jackson: Potential RFA; $715,000/1 yr.
–LB Bryan Kehl: UFA; terms unknown.
–G Kory Lichtensteiger: Potential UFA; 5 yrs, terms unknown.
–TE Logan Paulsen: Potential RFA; $3.41M/3 yrs, $1M SB.
–OT Tyler Polumbus: UFA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–P Sav Rocca: UFA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–LS Nick Sundberg: Potential RFA; 4 yrs, terms unknown.
–FB Darrel Young: Potential RFA; $6.2M/3 yrs.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
–CB E.J. Biggers: UFA Buccaneers terms unknown.
–NT Ron Brace: FA; terms unknown.
–C/G Kevin Matthews: Not tendered as ERFA by Titans; terms unknown.
–DE Phillip Merling: FA; terms unknown.
–T Tony Pashos: FA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–LB Darryl Tapp: UFA Eagles; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–T Jeremy Trueblood: UFA Buccaneers; terms unknown.
–QB Pat White: FA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
–LB Lorenzo Alexander: UFA Cardinals; $9.5M/3 yrs, $3M guaranteed.
–CB D.J. Johnson (released).
———————————————–
