Our man Marcus
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Sometimes even the NFL is just football. The higher you go in the football hierarchy the more they know about you, it is easy to come as a walk on and succeed in high school, tougher in college, very difficult in the pros. Yet that is what Marcus Mason is doing with the Redskins for a second year in a row. Yes there is a logjam in the Redskins backfield. Yes Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts each has a new deal for big money. Yes Rock Cartwright is a long serving role player who can carry the ball when needed, yes Marcus fumbled the opening kickoff, yes all of this is true.
And yet Marcus doesn't let up, 168 yards rushing in two games. Coach Jim Zorn is at the point of realizing this is a football player the team cannot let go, with a little luck he can be in the Redskins' future. It is players like Marcus Mason that make preseason fun to watch.
In Cornerback Estates Carlos Rogers may be ready to go as soon as the Jets game on Saturday. This is great news considering how badly Carlos' knee was mangled last October. Shawn Springs was not in pads today (op. cit.) for some reason. Fred Smoot talks as much as you would imagine and apparently so does Marcus Washington (ibid.).
In Linebacker Landing, Rocky McIntosh also may be ready to go earlier than expected (op. cit.), he is practicing though likely will not play until the Panthers game in two weeks (op. cit.). He also fucked his knee up pretty good back in December.
In Defensive Line Acres Jason Taylor has plantar fascitis in both feet (ibid.), this is a condition he has had since at least the 2006 season. Maybe Jason's feet just get sore, maybe it is worse, it was plantar fascitis that held Mark Price to less than seven games, 127 minutes out of a possible 3936 for the Washington Bullets in the 1996-96 season. Like Jason Taylor, Mark Price was an aging veteran for whom the team paid a high price in trade, in Mark's case the Bullets' first round pick in 1996. (great piece at Bullets Forever). Anyway, coach Zorn had to yell at Jason Taylor and Marcus Washington for getting too close to the QB even though it was terrible blocking by the offensive line (ibid.).
In Safety City Vernon Fox took LaRon Landry's snaps today as LaRon and his hammy took it easy (ibid. and see Injury Island below).
In Punter Parks, Matt Terl reports from afternoon practice that kicker Shaun Suisham looked better with Derrick Frost as the holder (op. cit.). This makes me wonder if a kicker could intentionally work to make a holder look worse for the purpose of favoring the other guy in camp. Not that Shaun is doing this, if, say, he and Derrick were buds and Shaun wanted to see Derrick get thr job he could just work hard to make Durant Brooks look bad as a holder, forcing the team either to consider that a material weakness on the part of Durant, or to look to another player for holding duties (usually a backup quarterback).
In Receiver Row Antwaan Randle El also rested his hamstring which interestingly enough is not injured (op. cit. and ibid.).
On Punt Returner Road coach Jim Zorn said Antwaan Randle El and Santana Moss will handle punt returns to start the season, with a smattering of James Thrash and Byron Westbrook of he makes the team (ibid.), and Maurice Mann will likely not make the team so I expect his preseason punt returns will go to someone that has a chance. Jason La Canfora did not think Antwaan had a great year returning punts and I generally agree to the extent that after Antwann injured his hamstring in game 4 against the Lions he was not great the rest of the season and Santana was nursing a groin (pronounced grow-in) the whole season. I just cannot believe that all these ball catchers and there are no other players that can take that job from Santana and Antwaan. They need to be healthy and not have to return punts.
On Injury Island, safety LaRon Landry (hamstring) did not practice and likely will not play this week, receiver Devin Thomas (hamstring, knee scope) played a full practice and likely will play Saturday, OT Stephon Heyer (knee) was on the field today but did not practice (ibid.) and WR Malcolm Kelly (hamstring) and LB HB Blades and OT Todd Wade are all on the mend and may play against the Panthers (ibid.)
The team breaks camp after tomorrow's sessions, training camp goes on, two a days end, the players move out of the conference center hotel they have been living in and get to go home (ibid.).
It is David Wagner at Riggo's Rag's turn to predict the Redskins final roster. An on that note Jason La Canfora at Redskins Insider takes a look at who is on the bubble:
DEs Chris Wilson and rookie seventh round pick Rob Jackson appear to be fighting it out for one defensive end spot.
P Derrick Frost, the pressure of a team to keep a drafted punter is apparently huge.
TE Jason Goode is absent from the three tight ends Jason LaCa thinks the team will keep (Chris Cooley, Todd Yoder, rookie second round pick Fred Davis).
OT Todd Wade aka Big Head Todd aka 8 Ball may be at risk based on the development of second year tackle Stephon Heyer and rookie third round pick guard-tackle Chad Rinehart, Rich Tandler at Real Redskins echoes this sentiment. Although dinged right now with a high ankle sprain and prone to nagging injuries, Todd played well enough last season in place of Jon Jansen, he may be valuable as depth, if it is a numbers game then jet Todd go and keep the young players, experience is nice, a chance to develop is crucial for the youngsters, and it takes several seasons for a young lineman to get in the groove.
Jason LaCa thinks LB Matt Sinclair and FS Vernon Fox are going to make the team as reserves.
Later Jason LaCa posts a guest spot by Tim McAlevy on who should be the next Redskin for the Hall of Fame, and picks linebacker Chris Hanburger, the original Redskins number 55, played his entire 14 year career for the Redskins, from 1965 to 1978, spent at least four years in the Army after high school, all ACC center as a junior and senior at the University of North Carolina, played on UNC's 1963 ACC Championship team, nine time Pro Bowl selection, 1972 NFC Player of the Year (the year the Redskins lost to the Dolphins in the Perfect Season), boy do I remember this guy from being a little kid, I mean come on what eight year old is not going to remember a guy named hamburger?
Matt at Burgundy Army has fantasy outlooks for top Redskins. Clinton Portis would be a decent pick, maybe late first round, Chris Cooley is the one, he's got to be a top fantasy tight end.
Matt Terl at the ORB (Official Redskins Blog) has a sample of the pronunciation guide that is part of the media packet the team hands out on gameday so talkers can get the names right, although I could not tell whether the kicker's name is pronounced /all ee hah jee shake/ or /all ee hah jee sheek/. Matt also found a vintage 1980s video online of Jim Zorn, says he sounds exactly the same. Matt's afternoon practice report says the offense dominated and Jason Campbell looked great and Devin Thomas is looking in fine form.
Matt Terl also has the runners up in the RedskinsPope photo contest, I could photo mine the ORB for years to come. And check out Chris Samuels' fly 1976 Cadillac El Dorado.
=====
Redskins transactions of note
Signed: defensive end Dorian Smith (ibid.), Dorian had been signed an as undrafted free agent 1 May, released 27 May, re signed 9 June, released again 14 July and now is back.
Marcus Mason in the Bills preseason game: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP photo from here.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Sometimes even the NFL is just football. The higher you go in the football hierarchy the more they know about you, it is easy to come as a walk on and succeed in high school, tougher in college, very difficult in the pros. Yet that is what Marcus Mason is doing with the Redskins for a second year in a row. Yes there is a logjam in the Redskins backfield. Yes Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts each has a new deal for big money. Yes Rock Cartwright is a long serving role player who can carry the ball when needed, yes Marcus fumbled the opening kickoff, yes all of this is true.
And yet Marcus doesn't let up, 168 yards rushing in two games. Coach Jim Zorn is at the point of realizing this is a football player the team cannot let go, with a little luck he can be in the Redskins' future. It is players like Marcus Mason that make preseason fun to watch.
In Cornerback Estates Carlos Rogers may be ready to go as soon as the Jets game on Saturday. This is great news considering how badly Carlos' knee was mangled last October. Shawn Springs was not in pads today (op. cit.) for some reason. Fred Smoot talks as much as you would imagine and apparently so does Marcus Washington (ibid.).
In Linebacker Landing, Rocky McIntosh also may be ready to go earlier than expected (op. cit.), he is practicing though likely will not play until the Panthers game in two weeks (op. cit.). He also fucked his knee up pretty good back in December.
In Defensive Line Acres Jason Taylor has plantar fascitis in both feet (ibid.), this is a condition he has had since at least the 2006 season. Maybe Jason's feet just get sore, maybe it is worse, it was plantar fascitis that held Mark Price to less than seven games, 127 minutes out of a possible 3936 for the Washington Bullets in the 1996-96 season. Like Jason Taylor, Mark Price was an aging veteran for whom the team paid a high price in trade, in Mark's case the Bullets' first round pick in 1996. (great piece at Bullets Forever). Anyway, coach Zorn had to yell at Jason Taylor and Marcus Washington for getting too close to the QB even though it was terrible blocking by the offensive line (ibid.).
In Safety City Vernon Fox took LaRon Landry's snaps today as LaRon and his hammy took it easy (ibid. and see Injury Island below).
In Punter Parks, Matt Terl reports from afternoon practice that kicker Shaun Suisham looked better with Derrick Frost as the holder (op. cit.). This makes me wonder if a kicker could intentionally work to make a holder look worse for the purpose of favoring the other guy in camp. Not that Shaun is doing this, if, say, he and Derrick were buds and Shaun wanted to see Derrick get thr job he could just work hard to make Durant Brooks look bad as a holder, forcing the team either to consider that a material weakness on the part of Durant, or to look to another player for holding duties (usually a backup quarterback).
In Receiver Row Antwaan Randle El also rested his hamstring which interestingly enough is not injured (op. cit. and ibid.).
On Punt Returner Road coach Jim Zorn said Antwaan Randle El and Santana Moss will handle punt returns to start the season, with a smattering of James Thrash and Byron Westbrook of he makes the team (ibid.), and Maurice Mann will likely not make the team so I expect his preseason punt returns will go to someone that has a chance. Jason La Canfora did not think Antwaan had a great year returning punts and I generally agree to the extent that after Antwann injured his hamstring in game 4 against the Lions he was not great the rest of the season and Santana was nursing a groin (pronounced grow-in) the whole season. I just cannot believe that all these ball catchers and there are no other players that can take that job from Santana and Antwaan. They need to be healthy and not have to return punts.
On Injury Island, safety LaRon Landry (hamstring) did not practice and likely will not play this week, receiver Devin Thomas (hamstring, knee scope) played a full practice and likely will play Saturday, OT Stephon Heyer (knee) was on the field today but did not practice (ibid.) and WR Malcolm Kelly (hamstring) and LB HB Blades and OT Todd Wade are all on the mend and may play against the Panthers (ibid.)
The team breaks camp after tomorrow's sessions, training camp goes on, two a days end, the players move out of the conference center hotel they have been living in and get to go home (ibid.).
It is David Wagner at Riggo's Rag's turn to predict the Redskins final roster. An on that note Jason La Canfora at Redskins Insider takes a look at who is on the bubble:
DEs Chris Wilson and rookie seventh round pick Rob Jackson appear to be fighting it out for one defensive end spot.
P Derrick Frost, the pressure of a team to keep a drafted punter is apparently huge.
TE Jason Goode is absent from the three tight ends Jason LaCa thinks the team will keep (Chris Cooley, Todd Yoder, rookie second round pick Fred Davis).
OT Todd Wade aka Big Head Todd aka 8 Ball may be at risk based on the development of second year tackle Stephon Heyer and rookie third round pick guard-tackle Chad Rinehart, Rich Tandler at Real Redskins echoes this sentiment. Although dinged right now with a high ankle sprain and prone to nagging injuries, Todd played well enough last season in place of Jon Jansen, he may be valuable as depth, if it is a numbers game then jet Todd go and keep the young players, experience is nice, a chance to develop is crucial for the youngsters, and it takes several seasons for a young lineman to get in the groove.
Jason LaCa thinks LB Matt Sinclair and FS Vernon Fox are going to make the team as reserves.
Later Jason LaCa posts a guest spot by Tim McAlevy on who should be the next Redskin for the Hall of Fame, and picks linebacker Chris Hanburger, the original Redskins number 55, played his entire 14 year career for the Redskins, from 1965 to 1978, spent at least four years in the Army after high school, all ACC center as a junior and senior at the University of North Carolina, played on UNC's 1963 ACC Championship team, nine time Pro Bowl selection, 1972 NFC Player of the Year (the year the Redskins lost to the Dolphins in the Perfect Season), boy do I remember this guy from being a little kid, I mean come on what eight year old is not going to remember a guy named hamburger?
Matt at Burgundy Army has fantasy outlooks for top Redskins. Clinton Portis would be a decent pick, maybe late first round, Chris Cooley is the one, he's got to be a top fantasy tight end.
Matt Terl at the ORB (Official Redskins Blog) has a sample of the pronunciation guide that is part of the media packet the team hands out on gameday so talkers can get the names right, although I could not tell whether the kicker's name is pronounced /all ee hah jee shake/ or /all ee hah jee sheek/. Matt also found a vintage 1980s video online of Jim Zorn, says he sounds exactly the same. Matt's afternoon practice report says the offense dominated and Jason Campbell looked great and Devin Thomas is looking in fine form.
Matt Terl also has the runners up in the RedskinsPope photo contest, I could photo mine the ORB for years to come. And check out Chris Samuels' fly 1976 Cadillac El Dorado.
=====
Redskins transactions of note
Signed: defensive end Dorian Smith (ibid.), Dorian had been signed an as undrafted free agent 1 May, released 27 May, re signed 9 June, released again 14 July and now is back.
Marcus Mason in the Bills preseason game: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP photo from here.
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