Will Compton and Ryan Kerrigan get a stretch in at Redskins training camp on Saturday. (John McDonnell / The Washington Post)
RICHMOND — Despite dark clouds, thunder and lightning in the skies over the facility around mid-day Saturday, the Washington Redskins still managed to get in their third day of training camp, which marked the first day in pads for the players. That stoked the competitive fires another level or two and also helped give an early indication of where things stand in the trenches.
Without pads, it’s been hard to get a true feel of the offensive and defensive lines. But we got a little insight Saturday. The arrival of pads also brought one-on-one blocking/pass-rushing drills, which always prove entertaining.
There’s a noticeable difference in third-year pro Trent Murphy, who this offseason packed on 30 pounds and has moved from outside linebacker to defensive end. Already a big guy, Murphy is now massive – but in a good way. He’s still very lean and, at 6 feet 5 and 290 pounds, still very imposing.
We saw the benefits of that weight gain in today’s one-on-one drills as Murphy faced off with Trent Williams. The athletic Williams fended off Murphy’s wide rush attempts, just as he did last year, but Murphy’s increased strength proved evident when he went back at Williams with a bull-rush on a second attempt. Murphy knocked the 6-5, 320-pound Williams back on his heels with his initial burst off the line, and Williams at first struggled to recover. Murphy was strong last year, but I don’t remember him having much luck against Williams on power rushes last year.
Inside linebacker Will Compton, left, defensive end Ricky Jean Francois, center left, defensive end Trent Murphy, center right, and defensive end Chris Baker, right, participate in a rushing drill during Day 2 of training camp. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) The remarkable thing is that Murphy still has good mobility despite adding the mass. During 11-on-11 action, Murphy got some snaps back at outside linebacker, and also rushed as a 4-3 end. On one play where Murphy dropped back into coverage, he made an acrobatic mid-air catch to snag an errant Kirk Cousins pass and raced 40 yards to the end zone. Murphy said that he has been encouraged to learn that bulking up hasn’t slowed him down. He’s still trying to get bigger, but he’s closely monitoring his explosiveness, and if he feels it diminishing, he’ll drop back down a few pounds.
Some other observations from the day:
● Stephen Paea, Chris Baker and Jerrell Powe had some of the best rushes in one-on-one drills. Paea easily won his matchups with Arie Kouandjio and Josh LeRibeus, and then gave Kory Lichtensteiger some trouble. Eventually Lichtensteiger recovered and the drill ended in a stalemate. Powe put Spencer Long on his backside, and Baker whipped Brandon Scherff.
● Rookie Matt Ioannidis got off to a great start, man-handling second-year center Austin Reiter three straight times before being stone-walled by Long. Maybe Ioannidis’s success said more about Reiter than Ioannidis himself? We’ll see.
● Over on the other end of the field, the defensive backs, receivers and tight ends engaged in their own one-on-one drills, and Baushaud Breeland continued to shine after his strong showing Wednesday. He made a great play to intercept an underthrown Cousins pass intended for Maurice Harris.
● Cousins bounced back and connected with DeSean Jackson for a touchdown. Jackson beat Josh Norman on the play, continuing the intrigue of their budding and friendly rivalry.
● DeAngelo Hall liked the move from cornerback to safety, but he didn’t like the fact that last year marked his first time in his 12-year career without an interception. He hopes more comfort at the position, and the addition of Norman, will lead to more opportunities for him. Hall did get a pick today, however. Covering Vernon Davis in 1-on-1 drills, Hall made a good play on the ball and plucked it from the air — and did a little high-stepping to celebrate. A few plays later, Jordan Reed burned Hall up the sideline for a touchdown.
Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson looks up for a long bomb pass during Day 2 of training camp. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) ● Back to Jackson and Cousins: The two connected in 11-on-11 action later in practice when Jackson got by Hall and David Bruton Jr., who appeared to be attempting to bracket him. Cousins threw a perfect pass for a touchdown. I say “attempting” to bracket him because it could’ve been a mix-up further up in the secondary, with Hall and Bruton simply on damage control. Maybe. After the play, Hall seemed a little upset and appeared to be discussing some type of mix-up with Perry Fewell and later with Norman.
● Either way, Jackson looks very good so far. He has talked about drawing motivation from competition with Norman and younger players nipping at the heels of him and Pierre Garcon.
● This is a rather deep cornerback position, and it features everything from seasoned veterans like Norman and eight-year veteran Greg Toler to a steadily rising Breeland and young prospects like Quinton Dunbar, Kendall Fuller and Dashaun Phillips.
● Toler has shined through three days of camp, recording two interceptions and two break-ups. Today, while running step-for-step down the sideline with the speedy Rashad Ross, Toler got the inside position and hauled in Colt McCoy’s pass for his second interception in as many days.
● Things got a little chippy at one point of 11-on-11. Niles Paul caught a pass over the middle, then turned and popped inside linebacker Martrell Spaight. Spaight had pulled up on the play and took offense, the two jawed back and forth, and Paul — never one to shy away from a fight — started throwing punches. Spaight swung back, but the two got pulled apart. Shortly after, Paul walked over to Spaight on the sideline, and the two hugged and grinned.
● Perry Riley Jr. got more work with the first team, alternating defensive stands with Mason Foster. Riley looks pretty motivated to go out and win his starting job back, so this should be an intriguing battle, especially when you throw in Su’a Cravens, who also is getting reps here and there at that spot next to Will Compton.
● Ricky Jean Francois is doing everything he can to help Matt Jones cure the fumble problems that plagued him last season. Any play where the defensive end and running back shared the field, Jean Francois would run up to Jones — even if the play had already ended — and try to rip the ball from his grasp. Jones never let go.
● Another defensive end is doing everything he can to help a teammate as well: Chris Baker is back to harassing the place kicker. As he did last year with Kai Forbath, Baker stands right behind Dustin Hopkins — today, yelling and singing in an operatic voice — in an attempt to distract the kicker on long field goal attempts. Hopkins blocked out the noise and made a 50-yarder. Baker grinned and shook Hopkins’s hand afterward.
● Rehabbing tight end Derek Carrier appears to be moving well, seven months removed from knee reconstruction. No longer wearing the brace, Carrier was running with good speed as he ran a series of gassers under the eye of a trainer today. Carrier said his knee feels good and that team doctor James Andrews was impressed by the progress. Carrier said his quad still needs more strengthening, but he says he’s very encouraged. There’s no timetable for his return.
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