Washington Redskins Training Camp, July 31, 2017
By: Jacob Sexton

Day four of the Washington Redskins Training Camp started out with fans still waiting in line hours prior to admittance at 9:30 in the morning. From new fans to season ticket holders, the line was as long as it was at the first day of the training camp. The morning walkthrough started promptly at 10:30 a.m.

During what seemed like an average morning walkthrough, the Washington Redskins caught the eyes of fans when the team was doing boxing workouts near the field. Multiple players were bobbing and weaving from punches, as well as throwing punches into the punching mitts that another player would hold up. Head Coach Jay Gruden was asked about this training method before the afternoon practice.

“Yeah, Chad [Englehart] and Coach [Jim] Tomsula really brought that to us… and said it would be good for them- good for their stamina, good for using their legs and coming out with their hips,” Coach Gruden stated at the podium.

After the walkthrough, Terrelle Pryor Sr. would go to the podium in which he was asked about his focus and personal expectations for the upcoming season.

“I really want to keep on getting better at staying closer to the defender and not leaving space, because then leaving space kind of gives the corner an opportunity to guess and judge what your route is going to be and also gives them a chance to push you to the sideline.”

Pryor Sr. also addressed that he strives to be the best all-round person that he can be, whether it is being a player, father or teammate. He would also state that his transition from quarterback to receiver was not easy to achieve. That he had to invest countless hours with his trainer, Tim Cortazzo on running routes and learn how to control his body when running his routes.

When Pryor Sr. was asked on what attracted him to Head Coach Jay Gruden and quarterback Kirk Cousins, he stated that Coach Gruden was “funny as hell” and that he heard that Coach Gruden was one of the best coaches to play for. On the other hand with Cousins, Pryor Sr. thinks that he’s an “exceptional quarterback” and that he was always a fan of him.

Plenty of fans are looking forward to seeing Pryor Sr. benefit the Washington Redskins receiving corps this year. Season ticket holder and lifetime fan, Mike Ritt believes that Pryor will flourish with the Redskins offense.

“I look for Terrelle Pryor to have a breakout season,” Ritt said.
While this is Ritt’s first year being a season ticket holder, he has been going to Redskins games since he was around the age of nine or ten.
“My great uncle was an usher at RFK [Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium] ). I used to go up with him and that was back in the day when the players didn’t have a gate where they parked, they parked in the parking lot. To get in with them is probably my best memories as far as growing up going to these games and that’s what I’m trying to instill in my kids. Just to come out here and have fun. These players are just as human as we are.”

With the same enthusiasm fans have over seeing their team within walking distance, Washington fans are very hopeful for their team’s record heading into this season.

“No more than five losses. Probably about three losses,” says a season ticket holder that goes by B. Boi Jettson.

Jettson has been to all the training camp events since they have started. He was out early in the VIP section of the training camp with his Redskins roundtable along with some merchandise with signatures on them.

Jettson mentioned that he has a NFL Elite jersey collection which is currently at nine.

“It kind of makes me mad when I see these people with fake jerseys on. I got them all signed except for Jordan Reed, waiting on him.”
Jettson’s favorite memory of attending training camp was when asked for Junior Galette’s signature while wearing the linebacker’s NFL Elite jersey.

“He was real appreciative that I got his Elite jersey… so he signed it for me and he asked me if I wanted a picture. I wasn’t even thinking about a picture, I was just happy that he signed it and he gave the picture and said that I was showing mad love.”

Though the attention up to this point in the Washington offseason has primarily been on the offensive side of the ball, the defense was stout against the offense for most of the afternoon practice.
The defensive line, led by first round draft pick, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen pressured Cousins to the point in which he sometimes overthrew his receivers and even threw an interception to cornerback Josh Norman. The offense had its signs of hope against the stout defense as when Kirk Cousins was able to find tight end Niles Paul in the End Zone.

The defensive fever even passed on to the second team in which cornerback Kendall Fuller managed to intercept the ball from quarterback Colt McCoy.

“Camp today was very competitive. Defensively, as linebacker we have to clean a few things up, but overall, we’re running pretty well,” linebacker Zach Virgil said.

Though the second defensive team was playing as well as the first defensive team, the backup offensive also had their moments as well.

Rookie wide receiver from Old Dominion, Zach Pascel was able to speed his way through two defenders after catching the ball. Pascel believes that training camp has been going great for him as he wants to make an impact on the football team any way he can. Pascel is from Prince George, Maryland.
“I’m a local kid, so I’m playing at home and feels great to have this local support here.”

As it’s still early in the training camp activities for the Washington Redskins, one thing is for certain: training camp will be an event to look out for if you’re in the City of Richmond.