Redskins News

"The way their starting skill position players were dropping, it was a good thing for the Washington Redskins that they won't return to the practice field until June 2. Quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Clinton Portis joined receiver Antwaan Randle El on the sidelines by the end of yesterday's practice. Campbell strained his left hamstring during the session. Portis sat out with a strained hip flexor, and Randle El had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Monday. Campbell said his hamstring grabbed a little early in practice. He expects to be 100 percent in a couple of weeks."

"They have spent a good portion of their adult life working, playing and praying together. And now, with their enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame just a few months away, Washington Redskins legends Art Monk and Darrell Green have joined once more to raise money and awareness for their respective foundations. The timing for the former superstars couldn't be better. With their names in headlines and faces on television once more — kicking off a summer journey that will end with those faces immortalized in the gridiron shrine in Canton, Ohio — Monk and Green saw an opportunity to use their rekindled fame to help those less fortunate."

"Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell has what the team described as a minor hamstring injury. "He just felt it grab, it didn't pull all the way," Coach Jim Zorn said yesterday after the last of the team's three organized team activities this week at Redskins Park. "He was feeling his hamstrings all along, and I think it's because I have him" bending his knees more to stay at one level while dropping back. "

"Washington Redskins receiver Antwaan Randle El underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee yesterday morning and is expected to miss three to four weeks. The procedure removed loose fragments of cartilage. Coach Jim Zorn announced the procedure after yesterday's organized team activity/practice at Redskin Park. Randle El did not practice Monday."

"Unlike quarterbacks, running backs and receivers, numbers rarely tell the story for offensive linemen. But consider these in the case of right guard Randy Thomas and right tackle Jon Jansen of the Washington Redskins: 32, 37, 30. The first is their age. The second is the number of games in which Thomas and Jansen didn't line up next to each other in the past four seasons. The last is the number of games in which they did."

"Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El underwent arthroscopic knee surgery yesterday and is expected to return for the Washington Redskins' second session of organized team activities that start in June, according to Coach Jim Zorn. Randle El, who missed the first organized team activity of the offseason Monday because of his right knee, had what Zorn described as a "fairly minor" procedure to remove floating cartilage. If there are no complications, Randle El should be fully recovered in a few weeks, Zorn said."

"Jim Zorn had not planned to pressure his former teammate and longtime friend, Sherman Smith, to join the Washington Redskins. But in his first week as Washington's head coach, Zorn was dissatisfied with the answer he received from Smith, so he decided to nudge him a little. And after he initially rejected an offer to become the Redskins' offensive coordinator, Smith reconsidered and became the final member of Zorn's coaching staff. Smith had a significant role in compiling Washington's new offensive playbook for Zorn's version of the West Coast offense, which Smith is helping Zorn install."

"Tanya Snyder, the wife of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, underwent surgery for breast cancer early last week at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Tanya Snyder, 45, returned to the family's Potomac home Friday. The aggressive cancer had been diagnosed within the past couple of weeks. Her mother also has battled the disease."

"After meeting with rookie tight end Fred Davis, Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn is sure the second-round draft choice from Southern Cal won't oversleep another practice like he did Sunday. "He definitely has got the message," Zorn said yesterday. "He was very nervous because when you mess up like that, you don't really know what's going to happen to you. He handled it the way he should handle it. He was mortified sitting in my office."

"The Washington Redskins are satisfied that tight end Fred Davis, the team's second pick in the recent draft, understands he acted unprofessionally in failing to attend the final practice of minicamp, and they expect him to learn from the experience, Coach Jim Zorn said yesterday. Davis missed practice Sunday because he overslept, the Redskins said. Attempts to contact Davis were unsuccessful, but Davis's brother, Kedran, also said in an interview Sunday that Davis probably overslept after a late night out on Saturday."

"Second-round draft pick Fred Davis missed the final practice of the Washington Redskins' three-day minicamp yesterday morning. The Redskins said the rookie tight end from Southern Cal overslept. Rookies typically have roommates during camp, but a club official said Davis moved into a single room Saturday night and failed to board the team bus the next morning. "[I'm] very disappointed, but part of this is life," coach Jim Zorn said."

"Experience must count for something for Phillip Daniels and Cornelius Griffin, starters on the left side of the Washington Redskins' defensive line. The team showed its faith in the aging duo by not pursuing any players at their spots in free agency and by not using a draft pick on a lineman until the seventh round."

"With an aging defensive line that struggled to rush the passer last season, finishing tied for 16th in the NFL with 33 sacks, the Washington Redskins entered last weekend's NFL draft with needs at both defensive end and defensive tackle. But after trading out of the first round, the Redskins used their three second-round picks on pass catchers, selecting wide receivers Devin Thomas (Michigan State) and Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma) and tight end Fred Davis (Southern Cal), and did not address the line until the seventh round, when they selected defensive end Rob Jackson from Kansas State with the 242nd pick of the draft."

"The crowd of Washington Redskins players gathered on the hillside Sunday morning said everything one needed to know about how things are going to be different around here. On a field below, Clinton Portis and LaRon Landry -- the team's two best young players -- lined up for a 40-yard sprint that would settle some trite locker room dispute for the vanity of determining which man is faster. After they thundered across the grass in the kind of potential hamstring-snapping duel that never would have happened in the years of Joe Gibbs and would likely have sent the current Redskins coach's mentor, Mike Holmgren, into a sputtering rage, the current coach had only one question. "Who won?" Jim Zorn asked. "

"Starting safety Reed Doughty was excused from the Washington Redskins' final minicamp practice yesterday to be with his ailing son, Micah, who underwent a kidney transplant recently. Doughty left Redskins Park after being informed his son had a high temperature, and the Redskins do not know when he will return."

"On the final day of the Washington Redskins' minicamp, Jim Zorn was confronted with the first challenge of his nascent head coaching career when former Southern Cal tight end Fred Davis, the team's second selection in last weekend's NFL draft, did not report to practice yesterday and had to be located by team security personnel. Davis overslept and was not involved in any legal trouble, said Zack Bolno, Washington's executive director of communications."

"In his first nine drafts as an NFL special teams coach, Danny Smith said he never pushed his bosses to pick a punter. But with veteran punter Derrick Frost having slumped last season for Washington, Smith advocated for the Redskins to choose the nation's top punter. They did, selecting Georgia Tech's Durant Brooks in the sixth round last week. The Redskins hadn't drafted a punter since they took Ed Bunn in the third round in 1993. Bunn never got in a game."

"It's not only the start of the Jim Zorn era this weekend at Redskin Park. Former line coach Greg Blache is also beginning his command of the Washington Redskins' defense during this minicamp. While the personnel and the coaches remains virtually unchanged, there's more than the expected tweaking of the scheme with the switch from deposed assistant head coach Gregg Williams to Blache."

"Special teams coach Danny Smith said yesterday that the "timing was right" to select punter Durant Brooks in the sixth round of this year's draft, and that the team hopes competition between the rookie and incumbent Derrick Frost will bring about improvement in the punting game. "In my mind, Derrick is in the middle of the pack in punting in this league," Smith said. "He is not a bad punter and he is not one of the elite guys. He is in the middle of the pack [and] you always try to improve your team. If we've improved our team, then we've done that and if not, we have a middle-of-the-pack kind of guy." "

"Out in the sunshine they toiled this weekend: five giant men with football jerseys cut too short, revealing bellies that spilled over the waistbands of their short pants. And the fact that they stood together adjusting their helmets and tugging up their shorts with their beefy hands was the most beautiful thing folks around here had seen here in months. They worked in the back corner of the practice fields at Redskins Park, a spot located next to a sandpit. And they did whatever it is offensive linemen do at minicamp. They squatted. They pushed at each other. They shoved a few giant toys around. The point wasn't so much what they did as it was that they were simply there. "

"With microphones and tape recorders pointed toward him again, Greg Blache, the Washington Redskins' defensive coordinator, spoke with reporters in one of his longest interviews in years at the start of minicamp. And at times, Blache, who had declined comment to reporters on all matters the last two seasons, citing his desire to retain a low profile, appeared to enjoy the interaction. Or maybe not. "Going to get my prostate checked or doing this? I think I'd [take] two prostate exams to one press conference," Blache said, only somewhat jokingly. "Trust me, this is like a dental appointment." "

"Jim Zorn seems like he could be the nice guy next door who lets you borrow his power tools or lawnmower. But the Washington Redskins' coach has a fiery side, too, as he showed yesyerday during the afternoon practice of his team's first day of minicamp. Zorn exploded when Shawn Springs picked off a Jason Campbell pass and lateraled to fellow veteran cornerback Fred Smoot, who went tumbling head over heels and lost the ball."

"It figures to be like this for a while, as Zorn gets a handle on his new job and the club gets a feel for its new leader. Or to put it another way: This minicamp will be a learning experience for everybody, players and head coach alike."

"In starting their only minicamp of the offseason, the Redskins and Zorn took another step out of Joe Gibbs's shadow. Zorn began to install his version of the West Coast offense in morning and afternoon sessions, replacing the timing-based scheme the Redskins used the last two seasons under Gibbs with an approach that is predicated on the quarterback developing a rhythm by completing short passes."

"But as much as Zorn longs to cut loose with every new and amazing thought he has scribbled his notebooks, he has a teacher's conscientiousness. The man of such boundless enthusiasm can't leave a play until it is right. Even if it takes all day to accomplish this. Such patience hasn't always been a virtue around here."

"Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn has a reputation for being a good teacher and a nice guy, but he erupted in anger after cornerback Shawn Springs intercepted quarterback Jason Campbell's pass and attempted to lateral the ball to cornerback Fred Smoot on the first day of the team's minicamp. Zorn stopped play while shouting: "Don't do that! Don't do that!" Not wanting to risk a fumble, Zorn made it clear that the Redskins will not take chances like that. "

"The Jim Zorn era at Redskin Park officially gets started today with the opening of his only three-day minicamp this year, not quite 12 weeks since he replaced retired Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs as the coach of the Washington Redskins."

"After the Washington Redskins introduced their top draft picks in news conferences earlier this week, Coach Jim Zorn shifted his focus to minicamp, which begins today at Redskins Park. Zorn said he hoped to accomplish a lot in his first opportunity to work with the entire team, and there was one big item atop his to-do list. "When I say something to them about who I am and the kind of person I am, I want them to see that that's the way it is," Zorn said."

"Jason Campbell saw firsthand last year how nagging injuries piled up on the Washington Redskins' receivers, limiting the options he had in the passing game. And recently, Campbell has seen on DVD how the Seattle Seahawks — whose staff included new Redskins coach Jim Zorn — used 25 three-receiver formations and 13 four-receiver formations in their playoff win over the Redskins. So it's not surprising Campbell rubber-stamped the addition of tight end Fred Davis and receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly in last weekend's draft."

"Six months ago, Reed Doughty was a special teams player for a Washington Redskins club trying to recover from a blowout loss at New England that made a mockery of its playoff hopes. And Doughty was troubled that his 14-month-old son, Micah, was not gaining the weight necessary to withstand much-needed kidney surgery."

"There was something heedlessly bold about the Redskins' draft; it was many things, but it wasn't cautious, and owner Dan Snyder and vice president Vinny Cerrato surely know that what's left of their reputations with ticket holders is riding on it. With needs at tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end, center, guard, safety, cornerback, outside linebacker and fullback, the Redskins instead concentrated three precious second-round choices on the trio of pass catchers, two of them 6 feet 4 and the other 6-2."

"As they ate breakfast together yesterday before their first news conference at Redskins Park, wide receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, and tight end Fred Davis discussed their plans to contribute to the Washington Redskins. The team's top selections in the NFL draft, they see plenty of opportunity in the version of the West Coast offense that Coach Jim Zorn plans to run."

"The jersey presentations and photo opportunities complete, Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn finally was able to talk about adding three weapons to his passing offense. It didn't take him long to get rolling."

"At great risk to my retinas yesterday, I pored over page after page of the "Complete Pro Football Draft Encyclopedia," a handy publication put out by the Sporting News. I just had to know whether any team had ever done what the Redskins did over the weekend — that is, take three receivers (in their case, two wideouts and a pass-catching tight end) — in the first two rounds."

"Apparently, the Washington Redskins are trying to send a message to punter Derrick Frost. After offering Frost, a free agent this offseason, only a veteran minimum contract to re-sign, the Redskins made the unusual move of drafting a punter, selecting Durant Brooks of Georgia Tech in the sixth round with the 168th overall pick."

"After focusing exclusively on receivers on the first day of the NFL draft, the Washington Redskins addressed other needs yesterday, selecting Northern Iowa tackle-guard Chad Rinehart and Arizona State cornerback-kick returner Justin Tryon with their highest second-day picks. Washington also drafted Hawaii's record-setting quarterback Colt Brennan with one of their last picks in the two-day process."

"Colt Brennan has seen his share of tribulation. After dealing with multiple college transfers and a general lack of respect for his college-passing prowess, the wait to be drafted yesterday in the sixth round of the NFL Draft was nothing out of the ordinary for the 24-year-old former Hawaii quarterback."

"The reserve center is still the starting 34-year old left guard with creaky knees. The competition for fourth safety is expected to include sixth- and seventh-round draft choices. The lone defensive line addition came with the 242nd selection and has a similar build to holdovers Chris Wilson and Alex Buzbee."

"The Washington Redskins wrapped up their busiest draft in six years by choosing seven players yesterday. However, they chose as many punters (one) as they did defensive linemen."

"Chad Rinehart... Has the size and versatility the Redskins covet on the line, and adds much-needed depth. Will start as a backup right tackle-right guard."

"A four-year starter at left tackle, Rinehart registered the best career blocking grade (88.5 percent) of any Division I lineman during the past 15 years. Rinehart gives assistant coach Joe Bugel a young lineman to develop."

"For the second consecutive year, the Raiders added a fourth-round draft pick by dealing a player who once figured prominently into their future plans. Last year, the Raiders traded Randy Moss to New England for a fourth-round selection. This time it was cornerback Fabian Washington, who was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens for the 125th pick in the 2008 NFL draft. "

"The Washington Redskins succeeded in trading their first-round pick in yesterday's NFL draft -- sending the No. 21 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons -- and then made a surprising move for a team that acknowledged it has needs in many areas, focusing exclusively on their receiving corps in drafting wide receivers Devin Thomas of Michigan State and Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma and pass-catching tight end Fred Davis of Southern California with their top three picks."

"After swinging a trade with the Atlanta Falcons during yesterday's first round, they chose three pass catchers in the second round — Michigan State receiver Devin Thomas, Southern Cal tight end Fred Davis and Oklahoma receiver Malcolm Kelly."

"With three picks on Day 1 of the NFL draft -- all of them prime second-round selections, the kind of choices that NFL teams expect to turn into standout starting players -- the Redskins selected three receivers. That's right, three, all of whom have the same primary function -- catching the football."

"Vinny Cerrato, executive vice president of football operations for the Washington Redskins, spoke openly of his club's many needs entering this NFL draft after the team was unusually quiet in free agency. Going into the second day, in which it has six picks, most of those holes remain."

"When the Washington Redskins went receiver-tight end-receiver within an hour of last night's second round, the following names should have taken note: James Thrash, Anthony Mix, Jerome Mathis, Todd Yoder and Tyler Ecker."

"Thomas started just one season of Division I football, but he made the most of it with 79 catches for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns at Michigan State. Thomas, who played his first college season at Coffeyville (Kan.) Junior College, figured to go No. 11 to Buffalo, so the Redskins were fortunate that he was there after they had traded down from No. 21 to No. 34."

"The Washington Redskins' efforts to trade their first-round pick -- No. 21 overall -- in today's NFL draft are expected to continue as the selection process unfolds, and the Redskins could focus on defense if they fail to make a deal, league and team sources said yesterday."

"After two relatively inactive months in free agency, the Washington Redskins should live up to their freewheeling reputation in this weekend's NFL Draft."