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Which Washington Commanders have stood out in early practices?
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00:00I have a bunch of notes from yesterday at minicamp.
00:03I want to start with, we should get Ricky Irvins on sometime soon.
00:08Because Ricky told me a story.
00:11We got to, Mark Klaus is the commander's team president.
00:14And he was standing there on the sideline with us for a while.
00:17So it was me, Ricky, I'm trying to remember who all was standing there.
00:23I think this young man, Mark Tenzi, that has recently started covering the commanders for notice.
00:30There's a lot of new outlets with the demise of the Washington Post.
00:34And then new outlets are popping up to cover things.
00:37So I'm trying to keep track of everything.
00:39I had a great conversation with this dude, Mark Tenzi.
00:43And I look forward to hanging out with him further.
00:45But so, Klaus, we were talking about the new stadium.
00:49And it was cool because Ricky had a lot of questions.
00:51And I enjoyed it.
00:54Oh, Rick will ask questions.
00:55Yeah, dude.
00:56And Ricky asked.
00:57So we were having a really good conversation.
00:59And then Ricky asked him, he's like, look, I don't know how possible it is.
01:04But one of the coolest things was playing at RFK was those stands used to bounce.
01:09And Klaus is like, well, I want to point a couple things out.
01:13You know, those stands weren't intended to bounce.
01:17And that was probably a safety issue that they were bouncing.
01:20But then he said, but we are building bounceable seats.
01:26Yeah.
01:27Now, they're going to have the bounce area.
01:29I think it's in what they call it the wall of fans.
01:32My guess is it's going to be an end zone if it's a wall going up kind of.
01:36And within that wall of fans, they're going to have some seats that bounce.
01:40That are designed to bounce.
01:42Right?
01:42How cool is that?
01:43The attention to detail.
01:44Listen, I mentioned that to actually Josh and Mitch.
01:49And I was like, hey, what kind of seat you can build?
01:52I mean, you got to get that section in there.
01:55And listen, architects can do it.
01:58They can do it.
01:59Because those big springs, you put those in there, they'll move a little bit.
02:04And there won't be no hazard.
02:07So, just got to get the right architect to go out there and figure it out.
02:10Yeah, dude.
02:10Like, in the modern world where we're sending rockets to Mars, we could get some seats to bounce.
02:16Yeah, yeah.
02:16I think it's going to be so cool to watch the stadium get built.
02:20And just going back downtown is going to change everything.
02:25The one thing I'm still worried, Jay, that water that goes back there,
02:29they've got to figure out a way to get that water flowing through there
02:32and get some food on that.
02:35I mean, get some food places on the water back there.
02:39I'm serious.
02:40Like the way the wharf is built up and everything?
02:42That can take up some of the tailgating or whatever.
02:45That's got to help out with tailgating.
02:47I do think they're going to get – I think they're going to release a plan
02:50with explaining how people can do tailgating.
02:54That's going to be really interesting.
02:55I'm just – there's so much excitement with the stadium.
02:57And every time I get to chat with Klaus, he kind of gives a little update.
03:04But what's cool is you see his excitement about it.
03:06Yeah, yeah.
03:07You know what I mean?
03:07And these dudes – I think especially with Harris and Rails driving this thing.
03:13I mean, Harris owns the most.
03:15I think Rails owns the next most.
03:16Those are D.C. dudes that grew up going to that stadium.
03:20Yeah.
03:21And they know what it means.
03:23And I think it's going to be – they're not – what DQ always says about we're not
03:30going to miss a marker, I don't think Harris and Rails are going to let any marker
03:35get missed for this new RFC stadium.
03:37When you grew up as a fan of this team and you lived in the glory days and now you
03:42are
03:42the owners of that team, your vision is way different than anybody else's.
03:49Totally.
03:50You saw what it took for this team to be good.
03:53Now you're coming in and you're trying to extend that.
03:56Oh, man, come on.
03:57It's going to be amazing.
03:59I'm looking forward to it.
04:00What I saw on the field yesterday.
04:02I wish I remembered the caller we had last week that called in about Robert Henry,
04:07the undrafted running back out of University of Texas, San Antonio.
04:11He got some shake.
04:12Dude, so he's wearing number 30, which I think you'd approve of.
04:18When I first glanced up and saw this kid, Henry, and just saw the number 30, I was like,
04:24that looks like Eckler.
04:26He looks like Eckler on the field.
04:29And now I don't know –
04:30He's a little bigger.
04:30He's a little taller for sure.
04:32Eckler was the most muscular human on earth.
04:33But he had a little of that glide and cut to him.
04:39I don't know that there's a roster spot for Robert Henry,
04:42but damn if I don't find it interesting.
04:44Yeah, yeah.
04:45And –
04:45You look at some of his film, bro.
04:48The A&M game.
04:48He was good, bro.
04:50A&M –
04:51Miami probably had the best defense in college football,
04:53but if it wasn't Miami, it was A&M.
04:56And maybe Texas Tech's in that conversation.
04:58He went for a buck 80 and two touchdowns against A&M at UTSA.
05:02Yeah.
05:02And I don't know.
05:05The caller – credit to that person.
05:07Does anybody remember his name?
05:09The dude that called in about Robert Henry?
05:10No, I don't.
05:11But I don't know.
05:12Robert Henry, something I'm going to pay attention to.
05:16The other thing that stood out to me,
05:20Bill was in practice for the first time here at minicamp, right?
05:23Yep.
05:23And Bill talked to the media yesterday, I believe,
05:29and talked at length about how he's trying to expand his game.
05:34And that got me thinking.
05:36Bill even looked a little thicker.
05:37He did.
05:38Yeah.
05:38And that's going to happen with his game.
05:40And I'm not saying out of shape.
05:42I'm talking about he's gained muscle.
05:44You know, because Ricky kept saying that yesterday too.
05:47Like, man, he wasn't that big last year.
05:50I'm like, Ricky, you weren't the same size your second year.
05:52You weren't your first year either.
05:53I love talking to Ricky Irvins, man.
05:55He's so funny.
05:56Yes, he is.
05:57But with Bill expanding his game, I heard to my ear, to my ears,
06:06which are large.
06:08Very.
06:09For Bill to expand his game, here's what I think he's saying.
06:13He talked about the pass game, being better in the pass game.
06:17Mm-hmm.
06:18I don't think that's necessarily about working the jugs machine for his hands.
06:23It's about understanding pass protection.
06:25That first.
06:26But he needs to still work on his hands because that could help it out even more.
06:30Totally.
06:31Like I always say, you have two jobs before you run the football.
06:34Protect the football and then protect the quarterback,
06:36then protect the football.
06:37Then you can run it.
06:38If you can't do those two, you can't run it.
06:40Well, I think Bill, I mean, I can pull the number,
06:42but he didn't get a ton of burn in the middle of the season there
06:47because the ball was hitting the ground too often.
06:49And the ball hit the ground, you're going to be on the sideline.
06:51Yeah, you're going to be sitting next to us.
06:53I just think looking at this running back room where you add Rashad White,
06:57Jerome Ford is a player of some accomplishment,
06:59although it was some time ago prior to some injuries.
07:01You draft Katron Allen, and you've got Bill,
07:05the presumed kind of leader in the clubhouse,
07:07who had a really solid rookie season.
07:10He fumbled four times last year on 184 touches.
07:17Bill needs to demonstrate, especially in an offense that is going to be
07:23more complicated for the running backs.
07:24This is not just line up in the pistol.
07:27There's going to be play action.
07:30There's going to be more.
07:32I think outside zone could really play to Bill's strengths,
07:40but he's got to learn the pass pro situation.
07:44The pass pro thing is the most important.
07:46And like for me, it wasn't necessarily the physicality of it.
07:50It was knowing because there were situations where you would be lined up
07:57on the weak side behind the tackle.
08:00And as you begin to scan, you know who your blocking assignment would be?
08:04Your blocking assignment would be the guy on the right side of the field
08:09over the slot.
08:11So quarterback is dropping back.
08:13How do you get over there without affecting the quarterback?
08:15You go over the top of the slide under and try to get there.
08:18All those different things, and I think that's the main thing.
08:21Being able to identify who's playing linebacker,
08:24sometimes it'd be a safety, sometimes it's an extra corner that's playing
08:27that linebacker position per se as we count it.
08:30And you have to be able to get the vision on him to get over that turn.
08:33You know, I remember Mark Rippin hitting hard on a play where I came
08:38from the right side all the way over just to pick up the guy
08:41and was able to chip him enough for Mark to get the ball off.
08:44Coach, how did you know that was your blocking assignment?
08:46Coach, I told you that in the meeting.
08:51And Don told me when you were asleep, I didn't know if you were the guy.
08:54I said, I don't wait until I get to practice to learn my stuff.
08:57I think one name I didn't mention who was an absolute stud in pass pro,
09:03and it's probably why he's able to have a long NFL career, Jeremy McNichols.
09:08Yeah.
09:08I thought J-Mac.
09:09Is he a year 10 now?
09:10Probably eight or nine.
09:12J-Mac has been excellent.
09:16He was drafted fifth round 2017 draft out of Boise.
09:20Sounds like a nice round right there.
09:22Yeah, something about fifth round backs, huh?
09:24Yeah, fifth round backs.
09:24They know how to block.
09:25They know if they don't block, they're going to be going home real soon.
09:28Totally.
09:28And I think blocking is a lot of willingness
09:32and then understanding where guys are coming from.
09:35And I think Bill has the willingness.
09:36He's just got to build that understanding.
09:38So when he talked about expanding his game, that's what I heard.
09:41Yeah.
09:42And I thought that was pretty interesting.
09:44Specifically, kind of with the receivers, Dan Quinn went out of his way to highlight
09:51De'Ami Brown and Van Jefferson and kind of the offseason they're having.
09:55And then to conclude practice, generally practice is 11 on 11s,
10:00and they wait for like a kind of big play to wrap it.
10:06And Van Jefferson, I believe the team posted this clip,
10:09because when they're in 11s, like the media is not allowed to be filming anything.
10:13And the commander's PR and the commander's leadership are very strict about that.
10:19But the team posted the video of this catch that Van made in the corner of the end zone
10:24to conclude practice.
10:26And then the teams go crazy, and the defense yells that he's out of bounds,
10:29and the offense yells touchdown.
10:31And it's a lot of fun how it concludes that way.
10:34And I think Van has looked really good, dude.
10:38And Van Jefferson, I've said this before.
10:44Last year when the bottom of your receiving room was Chris Moore and Robbie Chosen,
10:51and then you get some injuries, and then all of a sudden those dudes have to play a bunch.
10:55That's where things really went sideways.
10:57Totally.
10:57If you look at Van Jefferson, he's only had the one big season.
11:01His second year with the Rams, he went for 800 yards and six touchdowns.
11:05In subsequent years, he's kind of fallen out of favor.
11:08And a lot of that, I'd say, in L.A. was the emergence of Puka Nakua, too.
11:13But this dude is a pro receiver that doesn't miss time, that is available,
11:18and can get out there, run the right routes, and is just capable.
11:23Yeah.
11:23So, we've talked about this.
11:25This receiver room, Traylon Burks has the opportunity to emerge.
11:32Like, everything is set up for Burks to emerge.
11:36Burks just has to stay healthy, and it's something he hasn't done in his career.
11:39True.
11:40But that's what's needed here, is for Burks to stay healthy.
11:44If he stays healthy, the opportunity is going to be there.
11:47Terry's had a great camp.
11:48Terry's mindset is in such a great place because I think he – oh, that's cool.
11:53Joey's showing the Van Jefferson catch on Monumental.
11:56That's inbounds.
11:57It's a hell of a catch.
11:57Two feet down, and he knocked down the pileup.
11:59Totally.
11:59He's 100% inbounds, and he's wide-ass open, too.
12:03Now, if that ball is –
12:04One, two.
12:05Now, you do want to high-point that ball, but if that ball is a little better,
12:08he doesn't have to jump like that because he's six yards clear of the DB.
12:12But, regardless.
12:14That just shows you what the capabilities are right there.
12:17Totally.
12:17And I think he's a pro receiver.
12:20Yeah.
12:20He belongs in the pros right now.
12:22We had veteran journeymen that were bouncing on and off rosters
12:26at the bottom of the receiver room prior.
12:28But, dude, Terry, Burks, Antonio Williams, who's looked good.
12:33Antonio Williams yesterday talked, and I thought it was really interesting.
12:36He says he tries to take something from Terry every day
12:39and that he appreciates so much that Terry's an open book with him
12:43because there are veterans in this league that when the new rookie comes in,
12:47they have no interest in helping because, ultimately,
12:51that dude's gunning for your job in some capacity.
12:54Yeah.
12:54You know, there are people who go out and watch practice,
12:58and they want to know who somebody is before they do something.
13:01Well, I talked to this guy yesterday who said, you know,
13:03I'd like to come out here.
13:04I don't want to know papers.
13:05I don't want to know who nobody is.
13:06I don't want to know their numbers.
13:07I just want to see who catches my attention.
13:10And so I said, who caught your attention?
13:12And the comment was, who the hell is number 14?
13:17I say, why?
13:19He say, that kid right there got something.
13:22He say he's routing up people.
13:24He knows how to use his body.
13:26And I'm like, that's the receiver they drafted this year.
13:29He said, my.
13:29And people say he can't play.
13:31He can't.
13:32He say, that dude right there, what I'm looking at today,
13:35and he's, I know it's early, that dude could be a receiver,
13:38a number one, number two receiver in this league.
13:40You know what I like?
13:41That says a lot.
13:41For sure.
13:42You know what I like with Williams is you see there's like an intrinsic
13:47knowledge to playing wide out that just is about getting open.
13:52Yeah.
13:52That is beyond the playbook.
13:54And what players, like, you can have all the playbooks in the world,
13:57the best schemes, whatever.
13:58Players have to make plays on the field.
14:00And sometimes that requires, for receivers,
14:05that can use their body to kind of disguise the route
14:08or if they're setting up a double move
14:10and you kind of use your shoulders
14:12and you kind of use your helmet
14:13but you're able to maintain your speed and your footwork,
14:16those guys generally can separate.
14:19And, dude, it's super early.
14:20Who knows?
14:20But I do think you see that with Williams.
14:22You do.
14:22And that's why every time someone says,
14:25I'm like, look, man, he gets separation.
14:28It's all you need as a receiver to be able to get the quarterback
14:31to throw it to you.
14:31And for me, like, I think anybody out there,
14:34you can probably Google it and you pull up Santana Moss route running.
14:38And if that thing pops up that this guy had posted on Instagram,
14:42I think it was, you see what it mean by having control of your body,
14:48knowing how to manipulate routes and make people think one thing or the other.
14:53Tanner was unbelievable at that and did a hell of a job doing it.
14:56So we're going to see.
14:58Right.
14:59Like, nobody is sitting here making a comparison to Santana Moss.
15:02I'm not.
15:02But the only thing I'm saying is there's some similarities.
15:04I played quarterback at one point,
15:06and I threw the ball to the guys that were open.
15:09If the guys, if the other color was too close to that guy,
15:12I kind of went away from that receiver and threw it to somebody else.
15:16That kid, when you look for him, he shows separation.
15:19He's open.
15:20You let the ball go to him.
15:21So if a guy can be open consistently,
15:24he's going to get a lot of damn targets.
15:26Coming up at 1 o'clock,
15:27we're going to open the phone lines up for Bleep U Thursday.
15:29It's Beamish and Finley live at Collars & Co.
15:32Bethesda Row.
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