On the third day of training camp, the Washington Redskins took part in their first fully-padded practice, with some new drills that weren’t on display the first two days.
Offensive tackle Trent Williams blocks linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Photo by Jake Russell.
Redskins training camp wasn’t quiet for long. On the second day, the team signed troubled linebacker Junior Galette while it was announced that cornerback Bashaud Breeland was suspended one game for his citation of marijuana possession during last year’s training camp.
During practice Breeland suffered an apparent leg injury and was carted off the field. He is expected to miss several weeks.
Tight end Niles Paul goes against linebacker Adam Hayward in special teams drills. Photo by Terri Russell.
Football is back and the Washington Redskins kicked off their 2015 season in Richmond, Va. for their their third summer at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center.
The team switched up their routine this year with walkthroughs in the morning and practices in the afternoon.
Enjoy some sights from today’s p.m. practice.
Linebacker Martrell Spaight lunges for fullback Jordan Campbell. Photo by Jake Russell.
By Jake Russell
The Washington Redskins selected Iowa guard Brandon Scherff with the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
By Jake Russell
The Redskins are expected to have 16 players with free agent designations when the new league year begins on March 10. The open negotiation period between free agents and other teams opens on Saturday but deals can’t be signed until Tuesday at 4 p.m. The team will need to make several big decisions.
Assuming restricted free agents Kai Forbath, Trenton Robinson and Justin Rogers, and exclusive rights free agents Chris Thompson and Rishaw Johnson all return, the team will be left with 11 unrestricted free agents, meaning they are free to sign anywhere after March 10.
Safety Ryan Clark was set to become an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year deal last year. The 13-year veteran instead opted to retire after a lackluster 2014 season.
The team re-signed tackle Tom Compton on February 27, who was slated to become a restricted free agent. Compton played in all 16 games in 2014 and started the final nine games in place of soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Tyler Polumbus.
Exclusive rights free agent safety Duke Ihenacho was re-signed on March 4. As an ERFA, the fourth-year veteran would have had to either re-sign with the team or retire.
Below is a list of the team’s 11 unrestricted free agents.
Keep ’em:
OLB Brian Orakpo
Photo by Brian Murphy.
By Jake Russell
Early on, the defense, especially Indiana native Ryan Kerrigan, showed they wanted to win this game.
A sack-fumble created by Kerrigan that gave the Redskins offense the ball at the Indianapolis Colts’ 15-yard line was followed up with three plays for eight yards resulting in only a field goal.
The next Colts drive lasted only four plays when safety Ryan Clark notched his first interception since 2013 and gave the Redskins the ball back at the Colts’ 45-yard line. The offense again put up a dud, mustering only a three-and-out and a punt to the Colts’ 17-yard line.
After trailing 21-3, the Redskins put together strong scoring drives to end the first half and begin the second half to cut the Colts lead to 21-17.
That was as close as it would get the rest of the game.
At the end of the day, Andrew Luck put up a monumental performance by going 19 of 27 for 370 yards, five touchdowns and one interception on the way to a 49-27 drubbing. The loss knocked the Redskins down to 3-9, marking their ninth losing season since 2002.
By Jake Russell
The more things change for the Washington Redskins, the more they stay the same.
After the Redskins’ opening offensive resulted in a three-and-out, their defense immediately allowed a quick five-play, 59-yard drive by the San Francisco 49ers. In the first four minutes of the game, a blowout appeared imminent.
However, the offense tied the game at seven in the second quarter and the defense only allowed 10 points the rest of the game. The problem was offense, which could only generate two field goals after Alfred Morris’ one-yard touchdown run.
After a stellar defensive performance, the Redskins had two opportunities to win in the final minutes of the game but couldn’t come through. The end result? A 17-13 loss and their second 3-8 record in as many seasons.
The storyline this week will continue to be Robert Griffin III and his inability to come through in the clutch like he did in his rookie season.
By Jake Russell
Embarrassing. Disheartening. Lifeless. Sad.
Those are just a few of many words that can be used to describe what an announced crowd of 77,442 witnessed at FedExField on a gray Sunday as the Redskins lost to the 1-8 Buccaneers 27-7.
As someone who has attended about 150 Redskins games in my lifetime, a 20-point loss to a one-win Buccaneers team rivals a 27-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on a rainy Sunday night in December at FedExField in 2003. Yes, the same game in which Redskins quarterback Tim Hasselbeck put up four interceptions and a 0.0 passer rating.
By Jake Russell
A changing of the guard occurred during the Washington Redskins’ 19-17 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday when third string quarterback Colt McCoy took over for Kirk Cousins after halftime.
Cousins isn’t progressing the way the team would like and head coach Jay Gruden announced on Monday that McCoy will be the team’s starter heading into next Monday night’s showdown against the 6-1 Dallas Cowboys unless Robert Griffin III is 100 percent healthy and ready to go.
The Washington Redskins experienced the ultimate highs and lows Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
From injuries to quarterback Robert Griffin III and wide receiver DeSean Jackson to displaying total domination on offense, defense and special teams for the first time in recent memory, Sunday had it all.
Washington racked up 449 yards on offense and the defense held the Jaguars to just 148 yards in a 41-10 victory, evening their record to 1-1 on the season and snapping their streak of nine straight losses dating back to 2013.
Jake Russell Sports 