The Washington Redskins are stocked full of former members of the New York Giants who simply couldn’t hack it in The Big Apple, but at least one of them has managed to revitalize his career in Washington.
After completing bombing out as a first-round pick of the Giants, Ereck Flowers was signed by the Redskins this offseason, converted to guard and away he went.
Flowers has a 63.2 Pro Football Focus grade, which may be the highest of his career, but has still allowed two inside sacks while committing five penalties (accepted) and dealing with some of the same technique issues he dealt with in New York.
However, when your stock is as low as it can go, that presents itself as some sort of improvement. Just ask Redskins interim head coach Bill Callahan.
“I love Flowers,” Callahan said on a conference call with the New York media. “I loved him coming out of the draft. I think the world of him. I think he’s one of our better offensive linemen, and to make the switch that he made, coming here from New York and playing tackle and then going inside to play guard—and honestly speaking, with Trent’s (Williams) situation being unresolved in the spring during OTAs, we played him at left tackle and then he really only had the opportunity in a short period of time in training camp to make the transition into guard, but he made it remarkably well, and it’s a really good position for him.
“He’s playing better in live tight-quarter situations. He’s physical, he’s been really good in pass protection, he’s a strong square force in that respect. I just love the kid. I just like the way he works, how he goes about his business. Sometimes, it’s just a breath of fresh air. I’ve had a lot of guys in my career, a couple of different places, that sometimes a different exposure to new techniques, a different system, it kind of revives them. I can point back to a lot of guys in my career that that’s happened to, and I’m just happy for him.
“He’s a great kid and he’s worked hard to get to where he’s at, and he’ll hit the free agency market and I think he’ll do pretty well.”
Boy, that is quite a mouthful, but it’s imperative people carefully absorb what Callahan actually said.
“He’ll hit the free agency market and I think he’ll do pretty well.”
In other words, “Flowers is going great for us and we’ll wish him well when he’s sent out the door this offseason.”
What a backhanded compliment. But hey, when it comes to Flowers, that is certainly better than what he is used to.
[lawrence-related id=635986,636003,635969]