The Redskins Blog

‘Griffin Enterprises’ Ready For Combine

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Regardless of where he’s eventually taken in April’s NFL Draft, one of the most facinating prospects from this year’s class will be Heisman-winning Baylor quarterback RG3.

Or maybe I should say, ‘Robert Griffin III, CEO of Griffin Enterprises.’  That’s how he described his job to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, shortly before he left for the NFL Combine:

“This is a business trip,” Griffin, 22, says after a workout in Arizona last weekend. “I’m the CEO of Griffin Enterprises. It’s my job to go sell my product.”

But what exactly will that product be?  Rumors have suggested that top quarterback prospect Andrew Luck is ‘willing but unlikely to throw‘ at the Combine, acknowledging that it could only hurt his sky-high stock.  As the clock ticks down to throw time, it’s now being questioned whether or not Griffin will throw either: Read more »

Wizards’ Mason Has Deep Redskins Roots

A slow news day during the Redskins offseason affords me the occasional opportunity to catch up on news about other Washington area sports teams.

But only because I’m looking for a viable Redskins connection.

According to a piece done by NBC-4′s Sarah Kogod, the NBA’s Washington Wizard players have hotel aliases that keep the fans (and distant family members) at bay while they’re trying to relax on the road.

There were some humorous names on the list, but the best belongs to point guard and DC native, Roger Mason Jr.:

“I used to use ‘Doug Williams,’” Roger Mason told us. “He was my favorite Redskins football player.”

Mason describes himself on Twitter (@MoneyMase) as a Redskins fan for life.  Born in 1980, Mason has seen the best of times with this franchise, including the magical ride of the 1987 Super Bowl winning Redskins team.

Even in the lean years, he has and will continue to bleed Burgundy and Gold.  Since the beginning of the 2011 season, he tweeted no fewer than 25 times about his favorite NFL team. Sometimes it was excited, sometimes depressed, sometimes reflective, and sometimes focused on the future.

In Week 1, he tweeted (presumably) his view of the Redskins-Giants action at FedExField, adding, “A little too loud in here for Eli!!! leggo Skins!“: Read more »

Fans Asked To Participate In 2012 Combine

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This week signals the kickoff to the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, an even which has been held in Indianapolis, Indiana for the last 25 years.

Earlier last week, Redskins general manager and executive vice president Bruce Allen discussed his memories of the Combine with Redskins Nation’s Larry Michael.  Although Allen has only been an executive in the NFL since 1995, he’s been involved with the Combine since it’s early days:

Obviously, since 1985 the event has grown into a media spectacle that garners around-the-clock coverage on the NFL Network in the days and weeks to come.  Fans are taken into every conceivable angle of a player’s draft stock, but have never been allowed on the premises.

All of that will change this year, as 250 lucky fans are being invited to watch the workouts from stands in Lucas Oil Stadium. Read more »

Thompson Finishing Boise State Degree

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It’s been an academically productive offseason for Redskins rookies, as both linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and cornerback Brandyn Thompson have returned to finish their respective bachelors’ degrees.

Thompson shared the news with his followers on Twitter (@BThompson_BT), illustrating the hard work that got him to the NFL, with perhaps a touch of senioritis:

Officially Enrolled in my last 2 classes…gotta get the paper #degree—
Brandyn Thompson (@BThompson_BT) January 26, 2012

According to his Boise State player bio, Thompson is on track for a bachelor’s degree in communications.  A Facebook conversation with Thompson confirmed that he is back in the halls of Boise State–but only in the cyber sense–as he’s finishing up with online classes.

He’s spent most of his time since January living near his native Elk Grove, Calif., outside of Sacramento.

In addition to his work in the online classroom, he has been practicing his communication skills by keeping followers updated on Twitter. Read more »

Hightower Honored As A Richmond Great

Redskins running back Tim Hightower was honored yesterday for his athletic contributions to his alma mater by being inducted into the University of Richmond Hall Of Fame.

Hightower holds the all-time records at Richmond for most yards rushing in a game (295 at Bucknell 9/27/07), season (1,924 in 2007) and career (3,712). He is also the top scoring back in Richmond history, with 20 in 2007, and 34 in his career.

A particularly fitting element of his induction speech was his appreciation to the Spiders staff for giving him an opportunity (and scholarship) even after he was injured in his final season at Episcopal High School (via John O’Connor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch):

“It seemed like the end of the world,” Hightower said. A scholarship was his ticket to a college education. “Where am I going to go?” Hightower asked himself. For a while, there was no answer.

He started getting phone calls from Jim Reid, the University of Richmond’s coach at the time, and Jeff Hanson, one of Reid’s assistants. They visited Hightower in Alexandria.

“The next thing you know, I’ve got a scholarship to the University of Richmond, which I knew nothing about,” Hightower recalled on Saturday, when he was inducted into the UR athletics hall of fame.

“It truly was a blessing. I went from this kid who was very unsure of his future, had no clue what the next day held, to being a kid with a support system, with a coaching staff, with teammates, who helped me become somebody who people respect.”

Interestingly, Hightower finds himself in a similar situation going into free agency this offseason.  Teams that had previously been following his contract season closely were certainly disheartened by his injury in Week 7 against the Panthers.

Now, no matter where he ends up, Hightower has announced that he intends to be ready for the start of training camp this season.  Although there are some good and bad days, he also reported that his rehab is going well  (via the Richmond Times-Dispatch):

“You have those days when you wake up and you’re a little sore, and you’re thinking you’re not doing better. And then you go out there and do something functionally that you couldn’t do last week. That lets you know you’re progressing.”

“I don’t know how to throttle down. I don’t know how to back off,” said Hightower, Washington’s leading rusher (321 yards on 84 carries) before suffering the torn ligament in his left knee.

Hightower also told reporters that he hopes and expects to be back in Washington next year, keeping him close to his Alexandria, Va. home.

Congratulations to Tim on the well-deserved honor after a dazzling Richmond Spiders career.

Carriker Looking To Be ‘Explosive’ In 2012

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Redskins defensive end Adam Carriker is widely considered to be the team’s strongest player, and one of the top forces in the NFL.  Last season was a bit of a breakout year for the defensive end, who has steadily increased his production since coming into the league five seasons ago.

I recently chatted with Carriker about his time in the gym, and how he was able to translate that into football success in 2011.  According to him, this is a year-round process to exceed his prior limitations.

“Two years ago, I was the strongest I’ve ever been in my life, and last year I was even stronger,” he said.  ”I’ve been around for long enough and I get tips from other people, so this year it’s my goal to do that again.

“I can tell you that I’ll be stronger next year than I’ve ever been.”

In 2011, Carriker made it his goal to bench over 500 pounds, incline press 450 pounds, dip 550 pounds, squat 600 pounds, and clean and jerk 405 pounds.  Check, check, check, check, and check.

This year?

“I wanna do the same exact weight and same exact reps–but I wanna do them faster and more explosively,” he told me.  ”Instead of struggling on the seventh and eighth reps and barely getting them, I want to do four incredibly fast, and then four where I don’t even need a spotter.”

He continued: “I can be a body builder, I can be a power lifter, but at some point with strength, you need to convert it into something else.  When I say, I should say ‘stronger,’ I  really mean ‘to be more explosive with the same weight.’”

Carriker employed his explosiveness in 2011 by registering 5.5 sacks from the 3-4 defensive end position, an impressive stat that led the Redskins defensive linemen for 11 weeks.  He finished the season a half-sack behind teammate Stephen Bowen, but rarely played in nickel packages on obvious passing downs.

Carriker maximized his opportunities on defense, finishing tied for fourth in the NFL for sacks by a 3-4 defensive end.

“Y’know, London can run around and get 166 tackles and lead the NFL, the outside guys get the sacks, and it’s not our job to do that,” he said with a shrug.  ”We can still make plays, but we know that our job won’t get the numbers.”

Carriker likened his role on defense to what his opponents in the trenches do for the offense–hard work with little glamour. Read more »

Addressing A Redskins Need For Speed

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The end of next week kicks off the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, on the same field that recently hosted Super Bowl XLVI.  I guess it’s true that the Midwest has all the fun.

The Combine is a time to measure every tangible element of a prospective players’ game: speed, strength, obstacle courses and hand size.  It’s a time of quick risers and tragic falls, as teams try to decide who will be the future faces of their franchise.

In anticipation of the festivities, NFL.com expert Mike Mayock posted his list of Combine attendees that he predicts will wow the stopwatches in the 40-yard dash.  Some of the names could be targets for a Redskins offense and defense looking to add speedy playmakers.

Here’s a recap of his top players to watch for: Read more »

Redskins Players Spend Time With Family

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[Editor's Note: In honor of this post, I dredged up an AP Photo of Redskins great Sam Huff with his family, taken on April 10, 1964.  From left to right, his wife Mary, his son J.D., Sam, daughter Cathy, and son Sammy Lee.]

For most NFL players, this part of the offseason is a time for the R’s: rest, rehab, recuperation and relatives.

The regular season doesn’t afford players much time to spend with family, so opportunities like a long Presidents’ Day weekend allows players get away for family time.

Some Redskins players like cornerback Josh Wilson have just been enjoying everyday life with their spouses.  Wilson revealed on Twitter (@TheRealJoshWilson) that he accompanied his wife to her “no limits spin class,” and had some discomfort with the limitations:

Man I went to my wife's workout class today after talk about how trash it was and all I got to say is…some of these classes r da real deal—
Josh Wilson (@TheJoshWilson) February 17, 2012

Good thing Wilson isn’t training to be a cyclist.  Let’s see how the spin instructor handles man-to-man coverage in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, somewhere between Houston and New Orleans, rookie receiver Niles Paul is meeting the newest member of his family, “little nephew NP Jr.”  Paul also happens to be wearing an awesome Popeye the Sailor Man T-shirt: Read more »

Redskins Cheerleaders Hit The Airwaves

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Washington Redskins Cheerleaders Susan and Tena made the rounds at DC’s Radio One studios yesterday afternoon to promote the upcoming Cheerleader classes and tryouts.

The pair appeared on Magic 102.3, 93.9 WKYS, and Praise 104.1, and talked a little bit about what it’s like to be a part of the NFL experience.  For those interested in potentially joining the Redskins Cheerleaders next season, classes run every Tuesday and Thursday from Feb. 28 through March 29.

For more information on the auditions, consult the Redskins Cheerleaders page on Redskins.com.

Radio is supposed to be a medium where appearance doesn’t matter, but that rule doesn’t really apply to the First Ladies of Washington Football.  Susan and Tena were dressed in their winter finest, with white jackets, shorts and boots.

Trust me, their classy apparel really sounded good on air.

Here is Susan talking to Redskins.com about her experience as a rookie Redskins Cheerleader in 2011: Read more »

Darrell Green’s Son Prepares For NFL Draft

via @JaredGreenTheWR

The next generation of Greens are ready to take to the NFL gridiron, as Darrell’s son Jared is on his own path to the pros.

The 6-2, 200-pound receiver from Ashburn, Va. began his collegiate career at the University of Virginia, where he played for three years and earned his degree in anthropology.

He has ideal NFL size and speed (he told Aaron Wilson of Scout.com that he intends to run his 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds), but never got the opportunity to show what he can do for the Cavaliers.  So after his third season of eligibility, he transferred to Southern University last season, where he hoped to get noticed by NFL scouts.

In his only season with the Jaguars, he caught 17 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.  Now he’s ready for the next level, which started with his appearance in the Astroturf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Los Angeles (via Wilson of Scout.com):

“I think [the bowl game is] awesome…We’re staying at the Westin. We’re using great facilities and we get nice food. We got our own football cards to sign and others we got to keep.  That was pretty cool, to have your own football card.”

Just like his father before him, he sounds humble enough to focus on the little things.

Courtesy of DraftNasty357Sports, here’s footage of his bowl practices, with commentary: Read more »