Camp tour: Redskins
ASHBURN, Va. -- Observations from Redskins camp:
1. Next time I'm sick, I'm calling David Patten's
physician. The wide receiver is back at practice after missing only a
week with viral meningitis. Amazing. I figured he would miss several
weeks. Instead, Patten returned to practice Monday and is there this
week -- albeit weaker than he was a month ago -- catching passes and
running through drills with teammates. "You've got to give the guy a lot
of credit for what he's done," said an assistant. Patten is the club's
fourth receiver, behind, in order, Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd
and Antwaan Randle El.
2. If there's a danger zone here, it's the offensive line, and
I'm not talking about the front five. They're fine. It's the reserves
that should concern the Redskins, particularly at backup tackle. Until
Monday, the first tackle off the bench was Jim Molinaro, who
played in 15 games in two seasons. But Molinaro is out with a bad knee
(torn cartilage) and is expected to miss two to three weeks. That means
the next in line is ... Jon Alston? Maybe Chris Pino? How
about ex-CFL product Jonta Woodard? Try Tyson Walter, a
free agent the club signed earlier this year. He's expected to take
Molinaro's place in Washington's first preseason game. If I'm Joe
Bugel, offensive line coach, I'm hanging onto Ray Brown's
phone number.
3. The most intriguing offseason move was the addition of
defensive end Andre Carter, whom San Francisco unsuccessfully
tried at linebacker last year when it moved to the 3-4. Bad idea. The
guy has talent and is back where he belongs -- at right defensive end in
a 4-3. Look for him to rush the passer and be more like the guy who had
12½ sacks in 2002 than the one who dropped to 6½ the past two years. "I
look at this as a new beginning," said Carter, who is a starter. "I'm
very much reenergized, but I don't think I have to prove myself. I know
what kind of player I am. I know I have a good work ethic, and I know
I'm very coachable. You put those two things together, and the sky's the
limit."
4. No longer is there anything called an H-back in Washington's
offense; now Chris Cooley is a tight end, and, yes, that's a good
thing. First of all, the guy catches everything -- with his 71 catches
last year first among NFC tight ends; second, he can be listed as a
tight end -- instead of fullback -- on Pro Bowl ballots; and third, and
most important, he's with an offensive coordinator who knows how to find
tight ends. That would be Al Saunders, and look what he did in
San Diego: Kellen Winslow was a Hall of Fame tight end, while Eric
Sievers and Pete Holohan were effective as backups. Now look
what happened in Kansas City: Tony Gonzalez is a future Hall of
Famer and already is the Chiefs' career leader in receptions. I'm
considering Cooley early in my next fantasy draft.
5. Todd Collins is the backup quarterback, not Jason Campbell.
That doesn't mean Campbell, a first-round draft pick, won't emerge as
the No. 2 eventually. But Collins is Saunders' safety net from Kansas
City -- with Collins serving as the backup there to Trent Green
-- and he will help Campbell absorb Saunders' system. "If Jason
progresses quickly," said Saunders, "when (Campbell) plays and when he's
ready will depend on his progress."
Why I like this team
Because it has Saunders coaching the offense, and Gregg Williams coaching the defense. Next time I'm in a fight, I'd like to have these guys by my side to figure a way out.
Why I don't like this team
Because I don't know how much more we can expect from Mark Brunell at 36 (his birthday is in September). If something happens -- and, yeah, I know you can say the same thing about Peyton Manning or Eli Manning or a dozen other quarterbacks in this league -- but if something happens to him, what happens to the Redskins? A playoff run behind Campbell? I don't think so.
