The All Things 2022 OTAs/Training Camp Thread

[LetMeSeeYourWarFace21]

1 hour ago, philibusters said:

WR is going to be one of the more interesting positions to see who makes the team.

 

I got 8 candidates:

McLaurin, Dotson, Samuel, Milne, Sims, Brown, Erickson, and Michel all with a shot to make the team.   Are we keeping six?

 

Wake me when preseason over. Outside of McLaurin & Samuel, I need to see these WRs & TEs perform when the game lights are on. Hear all this great **** during TC, then come game time, they dropping wide open passes.

[Skinsinparadise]

Caught up with Keim's podcast from yesterday.

 

A.  Mentioned Milne having a good camp and he's been returning both kicks and punts.

 

B.  Jamin Davis.  He said as have I that its tough to judge LBs in camp.   Said they are using him closer to the line of scrimmage and he's looked fluid in coverage.

 

C.  Hyped the value of John Bates being back, really good blocker, talked about well he handled Sweat on a run play and moved him out of the way to create a hole

 

D.  Was told Cole Turner's hamstring problem isn't serious but they want to be conservative with it. 

 

E.  Armani Rogers making some nice plays but was told he needs to refine his route running

 

F.  Fuller having arguably his best camp in his career here

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[Chris 44]

1 minute ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Caught up with Keim's podcast from yesterday.

 

A.  Mentioned Milne having a good camp and he's been returning both kicks and punts.

 

B.  Jamin Davis.  He said as have I that its tough to judge LBs in camp.   Said they are using him closer to the line of scrimmage and he's look fluid in coverage.

 

C.  Hyped the value of John Bates being back, really good blocker, talked about well he handled Sweat on a run play and moved him out of the way to create a hole

 

D.  Was told Cole Turner's hamstring problem isn't serious but they want to be conservative with it. 

 

E.  Armani Rogers making some nice plays but was told he needs to refine his route running

 

F.  Fuller having arguably his best camp in his career here

 

Whole lot of good wrapped up in there!

[Conn]

4 hours ago, redskinss said:

I can't figure out which way you're supposed to read this list but looking at It I'm pretty sure they're saying we're the worst team in the league.

Which I think is bull**** but we'll see.

Nah they think we’re the 10th worst

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[xxprodigyxx]

4 hours ago, philibusters said:

WR is going to be one of the more interesting positions to see who makes the team.

 

I got 8 candidates:

McLaurin, Dotson, Samuel, Milne, Sims, Brown, Erickson, and Michel all with a shot to make the team.   Are we keeping six?

i know he's a long shot at this point, but i'm hoping harmon shows out. i liked what i saw from him his rookie year and liked him better than cam sims. i was very disappointed when he got that injury before year 2.

 

edit: to be clear, at this point, in aggregate, cams sims has shown more. just saying in 2019, i liked harmon better.

Edited August 10, 2022 by xxprodigyxx

[Skinsinparadise]

 

The Washington Commanders are around the halfway point of training camp, and while there were flashes of what the offense could be with Carson Wentz at the helm, there wasn't much consistency from the unit.

That changed Tuesday morning.

In what was certainly the best performance of camp for the offense, Wentz was on point throughout the day, dotting multiple receivers with accurate throws. The running game was also solid, as players like Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson broke loose for big gains. After practice, Ron Rivera said he has seen Wentz get more comfortable with the system and his weapons.

"He's developing a little more rapport with the receivers and the tight ends and the backs," Rivera said. "I thought the timing between him and the receivers is getting better, and that...is important."

Here's a look at some of the observations from practice:

-- First, the biggest news of the day came after practice. Rivera opened his press conference by announcing that Sam Mills III has been relieved of his duties as the Commanders' defensive line coach and will be replaced by Jeff Zgonina. A former player with 17 years of on-field experience, Zgonina has been the Commanders assistant defensive line coach since 2020 and is dedicated to helping the defensive line improve. He's earned the trust of Jonathan Allen, who said that Zgonina has taught him what it takes to be successful in the NFL.

-- Now, back to practice. While the passing game was the clear star from the day, it was the running game that actually got things started. Rivera said being in full pads allowed the offensive line to perform more effectively, and that was clear during the first team drill, as the running backs had several open lanes. Sam Cosmi sealed off Will Bradley-King, which allowed Robinson to slip into the second level. Jaret Patterson also delivered a shot to newcomer Steven Parker before sprinting into the secondary.

 

The seven-on-seven period was the moment where Wentz began to shine. The veteran quarterback completed all six of his passes, including a leaping grab by Dax Milne and a sideline shot to Terry McLaurin, who made the fingertip grab before falling out of bounds. Wentz's timing with his wideouts, which was a question that he addressed after Washington's practice at FedExField, was the best it has looked all camp. Granted, it did come during a drill in which pass-rushing is nonexistent, but it's a good sign that the offense is heading in the right direction.

-- A couple players trying to earn a roster spot continued to make standout plays on Tuesday. Milne, who got some work with the starting offense, caught a touchdown pass from Wentz during two-minute drills. Tight end Armani Rogers also had a touchdown today; he hauled in a catch during goal line drills, marking the third practice in which he has made a highlight play.

-- Speaking of tight ends, Curtis Hodges had a nice block against Kendall Fuller during goal line drills, allowing Wentz to roll into the end zone for a touchdown. Hodges has already shown that he can be a reliable pass-catcher, but he'll need to prove that he can block if he hopes to make the roster. Plays like the one he had today are a good start.

-- Here are a couple defensive highlights from the day: Jeremy Reaves ended the second offensive group's two-minute drill with an interception on Taylor Heinicke. Later, during goal line drills, the defense performed much better closed the running lanes that were so open earlier in the day. On one play, Robinson was knocked backwards for a tackle for a loss.

-- Benjamin St-Juste spoke to the media after practice about his new role, which involves him playing closer to the middle of the field. He knew he was going to be moved around based on how things unfolded last season. He's still learning about how to feel comfortable playing nickel, but his versatility gives plenty of evidence that he can handle himself.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[The Rook]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

 

It's nice what Warren Sapp said, but the more I see Jonathan Allen interviews, the more I realize how lucky this team is to have him.  This is a man among boys and I think his future will be bright with, and beyond this team.

 

This is a player whose jersey would be respectful to wear.

 

Salute to you, Jonathan Allen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rook

[COWBOY-KILLA-]

Don’t look now but Wentz seems to be finding his groove a bit.  Can’t wait to see this team start to compete in 5 weeks.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[The Rook]

Sam Mills III gets released and Carson Wentz has a good day.  Coincidence?

 

 

 

 

 

 

j/k

 

The Rook

[Die Hard]

25 minutes ago, The Rook said:

 

It's nice what Warren Sapp said, but the more I see Jonathan Allen interviews, the more I realize how lucky this team is to have him.  This is a man among boys and I think his future will be bright with, and beyond this team.

 

This is a player whose jersey would be respectful to wear.

 

Salute to you, Jonathan Allen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rook

He’s a future coach. 
 

You can tell he’s a leader… and he naturally tows the company line.

[FootballZombie]

5 hours ago, Reaper Skins said:

What's the deal with the sports bra looking things all our players are wearing this season?  Is this a league wide thing?  Don't remember ever seeing those before are they something for their pads?

 

Ive seen a lot of gear like that with GPS and or vitals tracking tech in it. Now that camp is amping up they may want more data on how much some guys are moving and how its effecting them

[The Rook]

1 hour ago, Die Hard said:

He’s a future coach. 
 

You can tell he’s a leader… and he naturally tows the company line.

 

Maybe even more than that.

 

I see a man who is "centered" - he knows who he is and where he fits in the reality of his life.  I think this is a man who leads by example, who is rewarded by his own goals, who looks you in the eye when he shakes your hand and you want by your side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rook

Edited August 10, 2022 by The Rook

[Skinsinparadise]

I watched a lot of Cole Turner in his last season in college from game 1.  I did it unintentionally because I was watching Carson Strong.  But Turner really stood out to me.  Him and Doubs (I wondered about Doubs being successful in the NFL though but from what i am reading he's killing it in camp, too) were machines in that offense.  Strong threw to them all the time.  They were tough to miss.   Turner would make one acrobatic catch after another -- on all three levels but mostly the 2nd level. 

 

Turner was one of my favs before this last draft.  IMO he's in the right spot.  TE.  IMO he's a natural F-move TE.    While he didn't block in the games a heck of a lot, they did use him in line some and he was a willing blocker.  He definitely has the size with his height and weight ranging during the season from 240-250 pounds.  In practice I hear some that he's improving as a blocker.   But with Nevada in the games I watched they moved him around -- slot, in-line, and wide.   That seemed to be part of the charm, using him as a chess piece. 

 

His college career actually blossomed when he converted to being a TE from WR.  That's actually a big part of his story.  He is supposedly a real hard worker.  High intangibles.  Logan Paulsen mentioned, you can see his intensity in practice which bodes well for him developing.

 

I am really jazzed to see him play this year.  I like this rookie class.  He, Dotson and Robinson on offense should be a fun watch.

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/commanders/tight-end-cole-turner-intrigued-washington-throughout-draft-process

 

"That's what's very intriguing about this -- and I'm not saying he is, but he reminded me of [former Pro Bowler] Greg Olsen when the ball was in his area and he was covered," Rivera said. "He had the ability to separate using his body, keeping himself between the defender and the ball. And so when you see flashes like that and it reminds you of somebody that's a very good football player, you feel this is somebody we got to continue to watch."

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/16/commanders-cole-turner-tight-ends/

Cole Turner, a 240-pounder who switched to tight end two years ago, is the youngest of the group at 22 but perhaps the most promising. A fairly raw receiver coming out of Clackamas, Ore., Turner was a lanky 190 pounds when he started his college career. But in three years he filled out to 250, fitting the bill as a red-zone weapon and a magnet for 50-50 balls — such as his one-handed, back-shoulder catch on a fade route against Idaho State last year or his touchdown three weeks later against Boise State when he spun 180 degrees, falling almost parallel to the ground in the corner of the end zone.

 

“We just did that against everybody we played,” said Jay Norvell, the former coach at Nevada who has taken over at Colorado State. “Everybody in our stadium knew we were going to do it. The defense knew we were going to do it.”

In Nevada’s Air Raid offense, Cole Turner was used primarily as a receiver, but Norvell found plenty of ways to exploit him as a mismatch.

 

“[Bill] Belichick used to talk about the tight end and say: ‘It’s the one position that changes every formation in football. When you move the tight ends around, the defense has to adjust,’ ” Norvell said. “So I always remembered that. I loved putting all our receivers on one side and flex Cole out of the backside. They would have to flip the corners over or they’d have to play a safety or linebacker on him, and every time they did it was a mismatch.”

Washington tight ends coach Juan Castillo could see the potential for even more. In the months ahead of the draft, he spoke often with his receivers and the tight ends coach at Nevada, Chad Savage (now the wide receivers coach at Colorado State). Castillo also met with Cole Turner at the combine and again in Reno for dinner, alongside Scott Turner and Washington executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney.

“When you sit like that, you get a good feel for the individual,” Castillo said. “And he’s been everything I thought he’d be, plus more — being a hard worker is very important to him. His craft is very important, he’s willing to do the extra work, he can handle adversity, and he’s a physical kid.”

 

To try to prove Castillo right, Cole Turner spent much of his offseason training for the draft in Irvine, Calif., with Joe Staley, the former San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle, and John Garrett, the brother of former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and the previous coach at Lafayette College. Their focus: blocking.

“It’s something that I know a lot of people always like to call that a knock in my game,” Cole Turner said. “I want to make it a strength, and I want to be an all-around player.”

Edited August 10, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[KDawg]

21 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

I watched a lot of Cole Turner in his last season in college from game 1.  I did it unintentionally because I was watching Carson Strong.  But Turner really stood out to me.  Him and Doubs (I wondered about Doubs being successful in the NFL though but from what i am reading he's killing it in camp, too) were machines in that offense.  Strong threw to them all the time.  They were tough to miss.   Turner would make one acrobatic catch after another -- on all three levels but mostly the 2nd level. 

 

Turner was one of my favs before this last draft.  IMO he's in the right spot.  TE.  IMO he's a natural F-move TE.    While he didn't block in the games a heck of a lot, they did use him in line some and he was a willing blocker.  He definitely has the size with his height and weight ranging during the season from 240-250 pounds.  In practice I hear some that he's improving as a blocker.   But with Nevada in the games I watched they moved him around -- slot, in-line, and wide.   That seemed to be part of the charm, using him as a chess piece. 

 

His college career actually blossomed when he converted to being a TE from WR.  That's actually a big part of his story.  He is supposedly a real hard worker.  High intangibles.  Logan Paulsen mentioned, you can see his intensity in practice which bodes well for him developing.

 

I am really jazzed to see him play this year.  I like this rookie class.  He, Dotson and Robinson on offense should be a fun watch.

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/commanders/tight-end-cole-turner-intrigued-washington-throughout-draft-process

 

"That's what's very intriguing about this -- and I'm not saying he is, but he reminded me of [former Pro Bowler] Greg Olsen when the ball was in his area and he was covered," Rivera said. "He had the ability to separate using his body, keeping himself between the defender and the ball. And so when you see flashes like that and it reminds you of somebody that's a very good football player, you feel this is somebody we got to continue to watch."

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/16/commanders-cole-turner-tight-ends/

Cole Turner, a 240-pounder who switched to tight end two years ago, is the youngest of the group at 22 but perhaps the most promising. A fairly raw receiver coming out of Clackamas, Ore., Turner was a lanky 190 pounds when he started his college career. But in three years he filled out to 250, fitting the bill as a red-zone weapon and a magnet for 50-50 balls — such as his one-handed, back-shoulder catch on a fade route against Idaho State last year or his touchdown three weeks later against Boise State when he spun 180 degrees, falling almost parallel to the ground in the corner of the end zone.

 

“We just did that against everybody we played,” said Jay Norvell, the former coach at Nevada who has taken over at Colorado State. “Everybody in our stadium knew we were going to do it. The defense knew we were going to do it.”

In Nevada’s Air Raid offense, Cole Turner was used primarily as a receiver, but Norvell found plenty of ways to exploit him as a mismatch.

 

“[Bill] Belichick used to talk about the tight end and say: ‘It’s the one position that changes every formation in football. When you move the tight ends around, the defense has to adjust,’ ” Norvell said. “So I always remembered that. I loved putting all our receivers on one side and flex Cole out of the backside. They would have to flip the corners over or they’d have to play a safety or linebacker on him, and every time they did it was a mismatch.”

Washington tight ends coach Juan Castillo could see the potential for even more. In the months ahead of the draft, he spoke often with his receivers and the tight ends coach at Nevada, Chad Savage (now the wide receivers coach at Colorado State). Castillo also met with Cole Turner at the combine and again in Reno for dinner, alongside Scott Turner and Washington executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney.

“When you sit like that, you get a good feel for the individual,” Castillo said. “And he’s been everything I thought he’d be, plus more — being a hard worker is very important to him. His craft is very important, he’s willing to do the extra work, he can handle adversity, and he’s a physical kid.”

 

To try to prove Castillo right, Cole Turner spent much of his offseason training for the draft in Irvine, Calif., with Joe Staley, the former San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle, and John Garrett, the brother of former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and the previous coach at Lafayette College. Their focus: blocking.

“It’s something that I know a lot of people always like to call that a knock in my game,” Cole Turner said. “I want to make it a strength, and I want to be an all-around player.”

I don’t disagree with a thing you’ve said.

 

Cole Turner can be moved around and that adds value. I don’t get the obsession here with position designations, though? Is it because they are labeled a certain way on TV? Madden?

 

I get it from players - they get paid by their designation most of the time. So I get it on that end.

 

Positions in football are fluid. If a guy is a pass catcher he’s a pass catcher. It doesn’t matter if it’s an in-line, H, RB, Y, X, Z, etc. Pass catchers catch passes. You want your best pass catchers on your roster and put into positions to catch passes. 
 

So when I say Turner is a receiver, I don’t mean he should never be used in a wing set or as an in-line Y. I don’t mean he should always be a X or Z or F. 
 

I mean that he needs to make this team. If it’s not as a true tight end, then it needs to be as a receiver. If his blocking isn’t as good as the other guys at the Y spot and we have three solid guys at the Y but he’s a better pass catcher than the receivers, he needs to make it over them.

 

If that means he’s a “tight end” in designation but we keep one less receiver, then that is still exactly what I’m talking about. He took the place of a receiver. 
 

I still think it’s going to be:

 

McLaurin

Dotson

Samuels

Milne

Sims

Brown 

 

Thomas (PUP)

Bates

Hodges/Rogers

Turner

 

Gibson

McKissick

Robinson

 

Thats 12 pass catchers, 1 PUP. If we keep 10 OL and 3 QBs that’s 25 offensive players. 
 

If Thomas isn’t on PUP to start then we will need to cut someone. Sims/Brown/Hodges/Rogers are the obvious candidates. And ultimately it comes down to what spot they need more and which pass catchers are doing better in camp.

 

I think Dyami makes it. If they still like Sims I think the team is going to just as many of you would like: Thomas/Bates/Turner as the tight end room.

 

I like true blocking tight ends as Ys, and therefore I would do it differently.

 

But keep in mind, I’m not saying that’s what I think is going to happen or what the Commandos will do.

 

I think they will be more traditional with their approach and that’s okay, too. Just a difference in how I’d approach it.

[Skinsinparadise]

12 minutes ago, KDawg said:

I don’t disagree with a thing you’ve said.

 

Cole Turner can be moved around and that adds value. I don’t get the obsession here with position designations, though? Is it because they are labeled a certain way on TV? Madden?

 

I get it from players - they get paid by their designation most of the time. So I get it on that end.

 

Positions in football are fluid. If a guy is a pass catcher he’s a pass catcher. It doesn’t matter if it’s an in-line, H, RB, Y, X, Z, etc. Pass catchers catch passes. You want your best pass catchers on your roster and put into positions to catch passes. 
 

So when I say Turner is a receiver, I don’t mean he should never be used in a wing set or as an in-line Y. I don’t mean he should always be a X or Z or F. 
 

I mean that he needs to make this team. If it’s not as a true tight end, then it needs to be as a receiver. If his blocking isn’t as good as the other guys at the Y spot and we have three solid guys at the Y but he’s a better pass catcher than the receivers, he needs to make it over them.

 

 

I agree.   A big slot WR -- same thing as a TE playing in the slot, etc. 

 

I actually though don't think he's bad as a in-line playing Y, below average but nothing too bad -- or at a minimum he's a willing blocker.  IMO he needs to play with better balance-leverage. He needs to get lower when he blocks IMO.  I like that its something he's working on.  Jordan Reed for example I thought at times played soft as a blocker, came off as a dude at times who didn't want to block.  Turner at a minimum doesn't play soft.

 

Digesting camp fodder.  A. Rogers, Turner, Hodges are all works in progress as blockers.  Reyes is a good blocker but struggles catching the ball.  I get the impression that Rogers is the most raw of the group, the best athlete as a receiver but the weakest blocker of the group.  Logan Paulsen among others have touted the talent in that group but they are all works in progress.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[Chris 44]

12 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

"They pouring concrete right now"  lol, gotta love Sapp!

Getting the feeling the D line will be buying in to what this group of DL coaches are selling. Thinking they gonna have a good year!

Edited August 10, 2022 by Chris 44

[Warhead36]

Feeling a Pro Bowl year from Fuller

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[Malapropismic Depository]

If somehow Kerrigan is hired as Asst DL Coach - then both our DL Coach and his Assistant will be Purdue Boilermakers.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Skinsinparadise

[Chris 44]

14 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

 

I imagine the media are waiting for an incompletion so they can chime in. They must be a little frustrated that they could not extend the narrative the last couple of days.

[Skinsinparadise]