Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, September 2, five days before the Redskins open their season against the Texans.
Redskins Park notes and quotes
The buzz from around the team on Monday:
—David Amerson played about 700 snaps last year and he’s taking a step up in 2014. Instead of guarding the slot receiver he will be covering the outside guys, the best in the game. Against the Texans, for example, that means some plays against Andre Johnson. "With me being a competitor you always want to go against the best . . . guarding their best guy,” the second-year corner said. “I’m ready for it.”
—Robert Griffin III was present as a statue of him was unveiled at Baylor’s new stadium last night. Asked if he thought the statue at Baylor looked like him he said. "It better, it's gonna be there forever.”
—The team is using its practice squad as sort of a short-term reserve list for injury-prone players Rb Chris Thompson and S Phillip Thomas. “Some of those guys, Phillip and Chris, we had high hopes for, obviously, but being that they missed some time with some injuries, we just have got to make sure they get right and we feel good about them moving forward so that they can be a durable player for us,” said coach Jay Gruden. “So, get them on the field, get them practicing, let them show what they can do for a couple more weeks and then have them in the bullpen ready to roll."
—New safety Duke Ihenacho is not sure how much he will be ready to contribute Sunday against the Texans but he wants to contribute. “I’m going to do what I can,” he said. “[I’ll be] running under some kickoffs, playing in a few packages but I can play Sunday.
—Undrafted rookie RB Silas Redd made the 53-man roster and he told the media that running backs coach Randy Jordan said that things just got real. “’Your preparation has to change,’” Redd quoted Jordan as saying. “’Everything’s not good enough any more. You’ve got to step it up another level.’” Redd got the message. “I take full responsibility for that and I’m ready for it,” he said.
—Kai Forbath had to fight off a big challenge to keep his job as the kicker. He said that he figured that the best frame of mind to be in would be that it was his job and he would have to get knocked off to lose it. “You always have to have confidence when you go in there,” he said. “I’ve been here to years so I’m kind of going, it’s my job to lose. Don’t give them any reason to. So, that’s pretty much what I did.”
—Gruden said that the Redskins would have claimed Ihenacho even if Brandon Meriweather had not been suspended. "It was just that he was available, a lot of experience, type of safety we're looking for that played special teams also,” he said.
If you have any questions about what's going on at Redskins Park, hit me up in the comments. I'll answer all questions as soon as I can get to them. And I'm always on Twitter @Rich_TandlerCSN.
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Timeline
—Today’s schedule: Off day, no availability
—It’s been 247 days since the Redskins played a game; in five days they play the Texans in their 2014 season opener.
—Days until: Home opener vs. Jaguars 12; Redskins @ Eagles 19; Thursday night Giants @ Redskins 24
In case you missed it
- Griffin: 'We fixed what we had to fix'
- Gruden addresses Redskins' running back decisions
- Kai Forbath says kicker competition made him better
- Redskins mostly healthy going into opener
- New Redskins' safety Ihenacho eager to contribute vs Houston
- Redskins issue jersey numbers
- Redskins get younger, are still one of league's older teams
- 5 observations on the Redskins' 53-man roster
