For the second time in as many weeks, a Washington Commander abruptly retired. Coach Ron Rivera stated Friday that Tre Walker, an undrafted rookie linebacker from the College of Idaho, informed him retirement was “one thing [he’d] been excited about. There have been some issues he wished to get again to, so he determined it was time to maneuver on.”
Washington
Commanders rookie linebacker retires; Carson Wentz struggles
Rivera stated two retirements in a single coaching camp just isn’t uncommon.
“It occurs,” he added. “It actually does occur.”
Although the departure of an undrafted rookie may appear minor, this one is notable. Walker had an actual probability to make the roster. For the reason that draft, Rivera has maintained the staff was not pursuing a veteran linebacker as a result of it wished extra snaps for 3 promising rookies (Walker, Drew White of Notre Dame and Bryce Notree of Southern Illinois College).
However now — following Walker’s retirement and White’s ACL tear — solely Notree stays. Washington has six different linebackers on the roster, with a transparent hierarchy between the primary tier (Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis), second (David Mayo and Khaleke Hudson) and third (De’Jon Harris and Milo Eifler). Washington ran a goal-line bundle Friday with Holcomb and Mayo, not Davis, on the sector, nevertheless it didn’t proceed in 11-on-11.
“Nicely, [this is] going to immediate us to clearly take a look at [linebackers],” Rivera stated. “[Walker’s] a younger man that we did like, that we thought had some skill. Actually good tape popping out of Idaho. It is unlucky, but when the younger man has one thing else he desires to do, then he will go on and do it.”
Now, Washington doesn’t have many choices to improve one in every of its weakest positions. Dallas scooped up the most effective linebackers left in the marketplace Thursday by signing Anthony Barr to a one-year deal reportedly value as much as $3 million. If the Commanders goal veterans, candidates might embrace Joe Schobert, A.J. Klein and Reggie Ragland.
Receiver Curtis Samuel (conditioning), cornerback William Jackson III (hamstring), proper guard Trai Turner (quad), defensive finish James Smith-Williams (hip), tight finish John Bates (calf), tight finish Sammis Reyes (hamstring) and receiver Dyami Brown had been amongst these to overlook half or all of observe Friday.
Rivera stated swing deal with Cornelius Lucas, who stays on the non-football sickness checklist, is “coming alongside properly.”
Throughout particular person drills, tight finish Cole Turner ran a route on the moist grass and winced in ache after one reduce, seeming to favor his left leg. In 11-on-11, security Percy Butler hit Turner exhausting on a brief route, and Turner limped off, holding his left hamstring. Turner sat within the medical tent, and Bates, who hasn’t but practiced throughout camp, came visiting and sat subsequent to him. Turner ultimately returned to the sector.
Offense sloppy throughout bodily goal-line drills
In Washington’s first padded goal-line drill of camp, the offense appeared sloppy, with a number of drops and turnovers. On one fourth-and-goal state of affairs, operating again Antonio Gibson and quarterback Carson Wentz flubbed the alternate, and Gibson fumbled. On one other, a move glanced off the fingers of reserve operating again Reggie Bonnafon and landed within the fingers of reserve nook Channing Stribling.
In different durations, Gibson fumbled once more, operating again Jonathan Williams fumbled, and nook Kendall Fuller dropped a would-be interception that Wentz had thrown straight to him. A part of the imprecision might have been as a result of personnel. One instance: As a result of so many tight ends had been harm, undrafted rookies Curtis Hodges and Armani Rogers took the vast majority of the first-team reps.
Wentz has appeared up and down all camp, and he noticeably struggled Friday. It was most obvious throughout seven-on-seven. In previous practices, Wentz has often shined in seven-on-seven, even when he has later struggled throughout drills with a move rush (nine-on-nine or 11-on-11). However on Friday, Wentz missed a number of simple throws in seven-on-seven, together with a brief in path to Terry McLaurin that Wentz skipped behind the receiver.
Even when offensive coordinator Scott Turner tried to scheme simpler seems to be for Wentz, like on play motion or a bootleg, he couldn’t discover a rhythm. As soon as, as defensive finish Montez Sweat chased down Wentz on a bootleg, Sweat yelled one thing that might be interpreted as a taunt or real recommendation: “Eliminate it! Eliminate it!”
Scherff performs down Washington reunion
On Thursday, reporters in Jacksonville requested proper guard Brandon Scherff if he felt additional motivation to face his former staff within the season opener. Washington drafted Scherff fifth in 2015 and franchise-tagged him twice earlier than letting him stroll in March.
“Truly, probably not,” Scherff stated. “I had a good time and an excellent expertise in Washington, and I wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for all of the coaches that I performed with … there. For me, Week 1 is one other sport that I’ve to get myself prepared for, and, you recognize, we simply bought to point out up and prepare to play, as a result of they’re a heck of a staff.”