ASHBURN, VA - Day Three of training camp for the Washington Redskins is in the books, and SBNation DC was in attendance. Here ere some observations and highlights from Saturday's practice:
- It was difficult to judge Robert Griffin III's performance today, mostly because the Redskins offensive line didn't give him an opportunity to do much. During team drills, Griffin faced plenty of pressure just moments after each snap, giving him little to no time to find a man open. He showed his ability to slide left and right in the pocket to avoid the blitzers, but there were other times where the rush was in his face so quickly he simply stopped the play.
- There were still, however, some good moments for Griffin. During one-on-one drills, he hit Pierre Garcon (who beat DeAngelo Hall) for a long gainer. Griffin also showed his ability on play-action passes, hitting Leonard Hankerson on the left sideline on a bootleg. There were also plenty of designed runs for him, but you have to wonder just how much the Redskins plan on utilizing those in game situations. But if the offensive line struggles come the regular season, Griffin will probably be on the move regardless.
- Speaking of the offensive line, starting left guard Kory Lichtensteiger had a scheduled day off, with third round rookie Josh LeRibeus taking his place.
- It was interesting to see the various ways the outside linebackers were used today. Both Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo often switched sides from where they'd usuallyrush from, with Kerrigan blitzing from the right side and Orakpo from the left. It's a bit of a changeup from last year, and could open up more possibilities this year with the Redskins defense determined to improve their pass rush.
- Saturday was the first day where players practiced in full shoulder pads, which, naturally, meant more hitting. A lot more hitting. It's been months since players were allowed to be more physical in practice due to the new rules laid out in the latest CBA, so it was only fair to expect a chippier session. Running backs were lowering their shoulders, pass catchers were wrestled to the ground, and there were some other hits that left the assembled crowd oo-ing and ahh-ing. Mike Shanahan has traditionally shied from having a ton of padded practices, so it was a bit out of the ordinary to see one like this.
- One player who appeared to have a good day was seventh round rookie cornerback Richard Crawford. The SMU product had moments where he showed great instincts, ball skills and speed. He covered Santana Moss on a deep route and ran stride-for-stride with him, eventually breaking up the pass down the sideline. He later picked off fellow rookie Kirk Cousins, and weaved his way through traffic for what would have been a score.
Players who didn't practice: Lichtensteiger
Limited: Tim Hightower
Injuries: Jonathan Goff (Left knee, will have MRI)
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