RICHMOND, Va. – The Washington Redskins will conduct their final two practices that are open to the public in the Virginia state capital. Here are three areas of interest for your wake-up call:
Linebacker Preston Smith. Talked to him the other day about his early experience in the NFL as a pass-rusher and what he’s adapting to, based on his performance vs. Cleveland. One thing others say is true: You think because Smith is lanky that he’s not as strong as he is; the fact that he’s 270 pounds probably surprises people. The story will be posted later Sunday.
Tight ends. They’ll remain a focal point for a while as the Redskins see what they have and what can be developed. It will be difficult to truly make it work unless Jordan Reed is able to stay healthy this season. It’s difficult to lose two players who might have been among your top three (Logan Paulsen was not a lock) and still have it work the way you hoped. How quickly can they develop players such as Chase Dixon and Je’Ron Hamm, both of whom were on their practice squad last season? I’ll have more on their options here later Sunday morning.
One on one work. Because the Redskins won’t be in pads Sunday, it will be tough to get a good feel for the full-team work. But the one-on-one situations, especially with the defensive backs and receivers, are always competitive. They worked with multiple sets Saturday, with three defensive backs facing bunch formations.
