Forums » News and Announcements
Ibraheim Campbell Jersey
-
Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden doesn't expect to go looking for another running back after losing promising rookie Derrius Guice to a torn ACL in his left knee in the preseason opener."We have guys that are here and in play Mika Zibanejad Jersey ," Gruden said, noting that the Redskins drafted Guice because he was the best player available in the 59th spot, "not because we weren't satisfied with the backs we have."
The contenders as the No. 1 back now start with Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine.
Kelley, with 16 starts in two seasons, missed most of last season with a variety of injuries but ran for 704 yards and six touchdowns in 2016. Perine made eight starts last season and became the first Redskins running back with consecutive 100-yard performances since Alfred Morris in 2013. He had 603 yards and one TD last season.
Nonetheless, the Redskins' 90.5-yard rushing average was fifth-worst in the NFL, and Guice was looked at as a great find in the second round. Projected as a first-round pick, his stock fell amid reports of character concerns.
Gruden said none of those ever surfaced and he looks forward to Guice being 100 percent next season.
"We're obviously very upset for Derrius. He's put a lot of work in and (had) a very promising rookie season ahead of him, but unfortunately these injuries happen," Gruden said. "... We had high hopes for him and what he could do for this football team and what he would accomplish his rookie year as a person and all that good stuff."
Instead, he's hoping Kelley, Perine or veteran third-down specialist Chris Thompson, who is recovering from a broken fibula last season, can create as much excitement.
"I've been impressed with both of those guys," Gruden said about Kelley and Perine. "A lot of talk has been on Derrius and deservedly so. He's had a great camp and OTAs, but Rob Kelley has lost a little bit of weight. He looks quicker in the hole to me and Samaje just looks more comfortable to me. He had a couple nice licks in the game the other night."
An increased opportunity was secondary in Kelley's mind after practice Saturday.
"It's real tough Womens Cameron Jordan Jersey ," Kelly said about Guice's injury. "He brought an energy I can't even explain to the room. I feel like everybody in the room feels a certain type of way about that. Just want to go out there and compete for him."
Kelley, based on his own experience with injuries, also offered Guice some advice.
"I just told him to come back stronger than ever, show people what they're missing out on," he said.
Star linebacker Ryan Kerrigan said he learned about Guice's status Friday when he came to the team's practice facility, and "it kind of took me a couple of minutes to get going with my workout and whatnot. ... He was the focal point of 'Skins camp, I would say, so far. I mean, people were wondering how many yards this guy's going to rush for and if they should pick him for their fantasy team. Things like that. People were really excited for him."
In the interim, the season goes on, and the Redskins running backs and everyone else will get to show their stuff against a different team in the next three days as the New York Jets come to Richmond for joint workouts.
"The Jets have a great run defense. They always have," Gruden said. "... So, just to get a different look, different perspective on how they do things, different speed at linebacker, safeties are very Authentic David Perron Jersey , very good over there so, we have to account for them. I mean there's a lot of things that they do differently that we'll have to account for and it'll be interesting to see how we adjust. So, running backs, offensive linemen, tight ends in the running game, receivers in the running game. So, I think everybody will get a good-great challenge against these guys."
Notes: The Redskins signed tight end J.P. Holtz, linebacker Jeff Knox and defensive lineman Jalen Wilkerson, waived fullback Elijah Wellman and placed Guice and tight end Manasseh Garner on their reserve-injured list. ... Gruden said defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis has a slight sprained ankle and a slight knee strain and is listed as week-to-week, but added: "Matt's a tough guy and he'll probably get back here tomorrow. He's a nutjob." ... The Jets' arrival means Terrelle Pryor will be back in Richmond. Pryor caught 20 passes last season for the Redskins, but was hobbled by injuries.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers insisted all along that they weren't overly concerned about having to open the season without suspended quarterback Jameis Winston.That's because Ryan Fitzpatrick not only is an experienced backup who's one of just four players in NFL history to throw touchdown passes for seven different teams, but he has proven he can win games, too.
No one, however, could have anticipated him launching his 14th season quite the way he did, throwing for a career-best 417 yards and four TDs without an interception on the road to key a 48-40 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Fitzpatrick also ran for a touchdown http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/johnthan-banks-jersey ;, improving to 3-1 as a starter since joining the Bucs before last season.
With Winston suspended for three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, the 35-year-old with 120 starts will also lead Tampa Bay (1-0) the next two weeks against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
"He's a down-to-earth guy. He's got a great sense of humor. He's witty, he's intelligent, he's well-spoken. He backs up what he says with how he plays. The players respect him. He doesn't try to come on too strong, but at the same time he's a good leader," coach Dirk Koetter said Monday.
"When we talked, I think earlier in the year, about the difference between Jameis' leadership style and Fitz's leadership style, there's different ways to do it, and there's two good examples of it," Koetter added. "Both (are) good leaders, and we've had other good leaders step up so far."
Fitzpatrick entered the NFL in 2005 as a seventh-round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams. He's also played 鈥?and thrown TD passes 鈥?for the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and New York Jets.
He signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in May 2017, willingly accepting a role as backup to Winston Authentic Joe Pavelski Jersey , the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft. He started three games a year ago, winning two, while Winston was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
"Fitz is comfortable being in there, he's not going to get rattled," Koetter said.
"After a guy (has) played a certain amount 鈥?I don't know what the cutoff is, but Fitz has played a lot. I think that experience of, 'OK, I know how fast the game is going to be. I know when I'm going to have to throw the ball away. I know when I'm going to have to eat it and take a hit. I know when it's time to scramble.'" Koetter added.
"I just think that best thing overall that Fitz is doing right now is when the play does break down, he's making good decisions with the football whether it be throwing it to a safe spot or becoming a runner."
Against the Saints, Fitzpatrick joined Mark Rypien as the only quarterbacks to throw for at least 400 yards with zero interceptions while also rushing for a touchdown in the same game. In addition to being 21 of 28 passing, including a pair of TDs of 50-plus yards, he targeted Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson 12 times, completing all of those throws.
"To hit them all 12 of those times is pretty unusual," Koetter said.
Evans finished with seven receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown. Jackson had five catches for 146 yards and two TDs.
Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys