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The Redskins resumed OTAs on Monday, with more than 75 veterans and rookies returning to the practice fields at Redskins Park.

The team hosts full-squad OTA sessions from June 1-4 and June 8-11 before taking an off-season break.

Attendance was not mandatory and several players were absent from Monday’s work, including Clinton Portis, LaRon Landry, Mike Sellers, Carlos Rogers and London Fletcher. Rookie Kevin Barnes was absent due to an illness.

The practices are significant because they are the last time players will be on the field together before the start of training camp in late July.

Jim Zorn was confident that players would work out on their own when not in attendance at OTAs.

“I know that everybody has a plan about it, but I’m not necessarily concerned that there’s a problem,” he said.

Zorn preferred to focus on those players in attendance, of course. He was impressed with their physical conditioning at this stage of the offseason.

“What I saw was a step-up from the first set of OTAs,” Zorn said. “Guys were getting into the swing of things and in even better shape than they were the last time. It’s a testament to how hard our guys have worked.”

Added Santana Moss, celebrating his 30th birthday on Monday: “When you have been doing this as long as I have, you just tell yourself to go out there, take it one play at a time and don’t waste an opportunity to get better.”

Top draft pick Brian Orakpo returned to the practice field for the first time since the May 1-3 mini-camp, as did the rest of the 2009 draft class and 10 undrafted rookies.

Orakpo continued to see action at strong-side linebacker in OTAs. The 6-3, 260-pounder played defensive end at the University of Texas.

Malcolm Kelly participated fully in Monday’s practice after missing most of the offseason rehabbing from a knee scope.

Kelly earned praise from head coach Jim Zorn after he caught a slant pass across the middle, even though the ball was slightly thrown behind him.

Off-season practices are prime time for young players looking to impress, Zorn emphasized.

“They’re working and trying to work with their teammate next to them, or with the quarterback, or with the defense in whatever way they can to get the concepts down,” Zorn said. “They have to get the feel of speed and agility of offense, defense and special teams.

“But I don’t think anybody [during OTAs] is making the team. There were a couple of guys out there who knew that they have to impress to make the team, and they’re working hard to do that.”

The Redskins returned to the practice field for the first time since the release of right tackle Jon Jansen.

The ramifications of his departure are sure to be a focus during OTAs.

Stephon Heyer is expected to take over at right tackle, but he faces competition from behemoth offensive lineman Mike Williams and veteran Jeremy Bridges.

Williams weighed in at 385 pounds last week--down from 410 pounds in April--and he was expected to increase his practice workload during OTAs.

Chris Samuels appeared to be practicing at his familiar left tackle spot, opposite Heyer. Samuels is making his 2009 debut after undergoing surgery to repair his triceps last year.

Meantime, rookie fullback Eddie Williams, the Redskins’ seventh-round draft pick last April, did not practice. He was working on the sidelines with physical therapists to rehab a knee injury suffered last year.

Monday, June 1: On The Field For The Return Of OTAs

Posted Jun 1st 2009 1:26PM by Matt Terl (author feed)
Some impressions from today's practice, the first of this session of OTAs on a glorious, beautiful day. Days like this make the 98 degree, 100% humidity days that are coming during training camp sound even less appealing.

Absent from today's session -- which is optional, after all -- were Carlos Rogers, Kevin Barnes (out with a 103 degree fever, according to Coach Zorn), Clinton Portis, LaRon Landry, Mike Sellers, and London Fletcher. Rookie FB Eddie Williams was doing light work with the trainers as expected; he continues to rehab his predraft injury.

One thing really struck me today: it's obvious what the primary storyline for this OTA -- and probably the remainder of this offseason -- is going to be.

It's not the second-year wide receivers, although that would certainly be a reasonable guess. They've both been talking optimistically all offseason, and as of today they appear to be living up to it. Devin Thomas continues to seem like a totally different guy from last season, more focused, more determined, and also notably bigger.

And today, as planned and as promised, Malcolm Kelly participated in the full practice session and flashed all the abilities that made him seem like such a promising talent coming out of college last year. He caught balls in the air, ran crisply, and looked -- maybe for the first time that I've seen -- like a healthy, ready player. Now all he needs to do is string together a hundred or so more days like that and he'll be in terrific shape.

Zorn was asked after practice if he could tell that Kelly had had surgery by watching him run. "No, not watching him run," he said. "The only thing I could tell is he's just trying to get the offense down, because this is basically his first year. So it's easy to tell everyone, I ran a curl route, but to line up at the right splits, look inside, get off on a snap count, run it against a db who may be inside or outside ... that takes a little bit of time and he's going to have a learning curve, if you will, of the position."

Which doesn't sound as promising as you might be hoping, so here's the optimistic follow-up quote: "I hope he can compete for the starting role. There is Santana who is our starter, and Antwaan is our starter on the other side. Devin and Malcolm will both compete for a position, and if not the starting position, their roles are to hopefully be real players that get on the field this year and hopefully I'll be able to give them the ball."

The story was not Albert Haynesworth either, although I still maintain that even in non-contact practice drills, the defensive line looks more effective when he's participating.

The story is also not the defensive backs, although DeAngelo Hall looked like a man possessed out there today, possibly because of his anger over his drop in the Madden ratings. (More on that a little later today.) Whatever the reason, he was breaking up passes, intercepting passes, and high-fiving Coach Zorn all day today.

No, the story is the offensive line. Between the release of Jon Jansen on Friday and the competition at the right tackle position, those were the guys everyone wanted to talk to. Stephon Heyer was swarmed by the media as he came off the practice field (allowing Chris Samuels to make a clean getaway) and declared the position his to lose, and Mike Williams held forth for something like twenty minutes on the bench outside the facility, sparring briefly with Andre Carter about something in Williams' blocking scheme that had surprised Carter. "It's what Buges wants," Williams said.

I talked to Carter about those two; here's his take after one practice of lining up across from them. "Stephon's always been good," Carter said, "and he's been consistent. I think the main thing now is just him being healthy, and I think he's worked his butt off in the offseason toward that."

What about Williams? Is this for real? Can he really make it all the way back? "I think he can. He's been working really hard to shed those pounds, along with his diet. He's already as strong as an ox, and I think it's just about consistency and longevity, with a big guy like that."

Maybe you and your group should take him to Whole Foods, work on his diet? "I know, right?"

Carter wouldn't say which of these guys -- or the other candidates, Jeremy Bridges or D'Anthony Batiste -- was his choice for early favorite at the position, and, if I'm being honest, I didn't really expect him to. This is the biggest story of the offseason, and there's still plenty of offseason left in which to explore it.

Monday, June 1: On The Field For The Return Of OTAs

Posted Jun 1st 2009 1:26PM by Matt Terl (author feed)
Some impressions from today's practice, the first of this session of OTAs on a glorious, beautiful day. Days like this make the 98 degree, 100% humidity days that are coming during training camp sound even less appealing.

Absent from today's session -- which is optional, after all -- were Carlos Rogers, Kevin Barnes (out with a 103 degree fever, according to Coach Zorn), Clinton Portis, LaRon Landry, Mike Sellers, and London Fletcher. Rookie FB Eddie Williams was doing light work with the trainers as expected; he continues to rehab his predraft injury.

One thing really struck me today: it's obvious what the primary storyline for this OTA -- and probably the remainder of this offseason -- is going to be.

It's not the second-year wide receivers, although that would certainly be a reasonable guess. They've both been talking optimistically all offseason, and as of today they appear to be living up to it. Devin Thomas continues to seem like a totally different guy from last season, more focused, more determined, and also notably bigger.

And today, as planned and as promised, Malcolm Kelly participated in the full practice session and flashed all the abilities that made him seem like such a promising talent coming out of college last year. He caught balls in the air, ran crisply, and looked -- maybe for the first time that I've seen -- like a healthy, ready player. Now all he needs to do is string together a hundred or so more days like that and he'll be in terrific shape.

Zorn was asked after practice if he could tell that Kelly had had surgery by watching him run. "No, not watching him run," he said. "The only thing I could tell is he's just trying to get the offense down, because this is basically his first year. So it's easy to tell everyone, I ran a curl route, but to line up at the right splits, look inside, get off on a snap count, run it against a db who may be inside or outside ... that takes a little bit of time and he's going to have a learning curve, if you will, of the position."

Which doesn't sound as promising as you might be hoping, so here's the optimistic follow-up quote: "I hope he can compete for the starting role. There is Santana who is our starter, and Antwaan is our starter on the other side. Devin and Malcolm will both compete for a position, and if not the starting position, their roles are to hopefully be real players that get on the field this year and hopefully I'll be able to give them the ball."

The story was not Albert Haynesworth either, although I still maintain that even in non-contact practice drills, the defensive line looks more effective when he's participating.

The story is also not the defensive backs, although DeAngelo Hall looked like a man possessed out there today, possibly because of his anger over his drop in the Madden ratings. (More on that a little later today.) Whatever the reason, he was breaking up passes, intercepting passes, and high-fiving Coach Zorn all day today.

No, the story is the offensive line. Between the release of Jon Jansen on Friday and the competition at the right tackle position, those were the guys everyone wanted to talk to. Stephon Heyer was swarmed by the media as he came off the practice field (allowing Chris Samuels to make a clean getaway) and declared the position his to lose, and Mike Williams held forth for something like twenty minutes on the bench outside the facility, sparring briefly with Andre Carter about something in Williams' blocking scheme that had surprised Carter. "It's what Buges wants," Williams said.

I talked to Carter about those two; here's his take after one practice of lining up across from them. "Stephon's always been good," Carter said, "and he's been consistent. I think the main thing now is just him being healthy, and I think he's worked his butt off in the offseason toward that."

What about Williams? Is this for real? Can he really make it all the way back? "I think he can. He's been working really hard to shed those pounds, along with his diet. He's already as strong as an ox, and I think it's just about consistency and longevity, with a big guy like that."

Maybe you and your group should take him to Whole Foods, work on his diet? "I know, right?"

Carter wouldn't say which of these guys -- or the other candidates, Jeremy Bridges or D'Anthony Batiste -- was his choice for early favorite at the position, and, if I'm being honest, I didn't really expect him to. This is the biggest story of the offseason, and there's still plenty of offseason left in which to explore it.

Irn-Bru wrote:First impression: our defense is going to be nasty this year. You have to believe they'll be coming out with a chip on their shoulder.

I'm actually a little disappointed that the two second-year WR's aren't getting looked at for that 2nd WR spot. Hmm.

Irn-Bru wrote:First impression: our defense is going to be nasty this year. You have to believe they'll be coming out with a chip on their shoulder.

I'm actually a little disappointed that the two second-year WR's aren't getting looked at for that 2nd WR spot. Hmm.

VetSkinsFan wrote:My wet dream fantasy is both youngins step up and have Moss in the slot. Welker who?