Category: Washington Training Camp

Commanders RB Antonio Gibson frustrated, but is moving forward

Antonio Gibson is determined to move forward after fumbling in the first preseason game.

Antonio Gibson was of course frustrated Saturday, but is moving forward.

It was not anywhere close to the type of preseason opener Antonio Gibson was expecting from himself. The third-year running back out of Memphis having experienced 1,037 rushing yards in 2021 no doubt expected at least some success against the Carolina Panthers at FedEx Field.

Yet Gibson found himself only gaining two yards in his four rushing attempts. He also only gained two yards on his only pass reception. Even more, however, Gibson fumbled in the opening quarter, giving the ball to the Panthers at the Commanders’ 19-yard line.

“(I) just got to hold the ball all the way down,” Gibson said. “Had ball security and was low to the ground and I let up. I just got to have it all the way up until the ground.”

Several on Twitter took the opportunity to already write off Gibson, jumping on the Brian Robinson bandwagon. But it is much too early to make such a determination. Gibson himself knows there is time and much work to be done. When asked by the media where he goes on from here, he replied, “Just keep critiquing at the craft and trying to get better. That’s it for me.”

The 2020 third-round draft pick (66 overall) actually only fumbled once in 170 carries his 2020 rookie season. However, he did fumble six times in the 2021 season’s 258 carries. Saturday he was also asked what went through his head when he fumbled. “Very frustrating. Can’t have that though. It’s a big-time, big-game league, can’t have that happen. I can’t do nothing but move on to the next play. Correct what I need to correct and keep it moving.”

Like a cornerback who is burned deep for a touchdown, Gibson is correct. He must get moving to his next work day, his next carry, etc. He must stay positive, and stay determined to work on his craft, and his ball handling. It is one fumble this preseason. It need not define him.

Tackle Charles Leno is certainly supportive of Gibson.

“He worked so hard I don’t think he’s dropped a ball at all anytime in camp, been working really hard for that,” Leno said. “Then he comes out, and this happens; you have to understand, recognize the situation, release, and refocus to get right back to it. Understand that that’s one play; it doesn’t have to happen again. Work on technique and understand the way he runs; we really appreciate how he runs; when he runs hard that ball doesn’t come out. Just making sure we keep attacking, don’t be passive.”

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Commanders kicker Joey Slye’s confidence is growing

Joey Slye is ready to be Washington’s long-term kicker.

Joey Slye kicked for three NFL teams in 2021, but he feels much more confident.

Slye appeared before the media after practice Thursday and provided some insights into NFL kicking.

Being cut twice last season (Houston, San Francisco) was tough on Slye, but he stuck with his procedure and finished strongly last season with Washington. “So going into this year, I have that same mentality, the same process that I put forth last year. I’m in that same mindset. And obviously it’s good to end on a good note last year, but this is a brand new year. This is a brand new start of my process again and helping to just make sure that everything goes as planned.”

The former Virginia Tech kicker feels much more certain than he did his rookie year. “Yeah, so kind of the best way to put it into an analogy is when you walk in as a rookie or as a freshman in college, and you got chemistry and general calculus and all this stuff, and you got to take all these classes. For me, I was still kind of in that mindset as a rookie, there’s a lot to learn about kicking. There’s a lot of learn about my craft and what I wanted to do when I was kicking.”

Kicking at this level is much more complicated than we realize. “To break down kicking, I could talk to you for this for like eight, nine hours about every single little situation that happens on a kick. And so, I know exactly what happens if I miss left, I know exactly what happens if miss right. I know exactly what happens when I put it down the middle.”

A sophomore in high school is when Slye was encouraged by senior kicker Austin Greedy to think about going the route of kicker. He had also played linebacker and still today loves it, but knows his body is certainly better suited for being an NFL kicker.

He mentioned the winds at FedEx Field can sometimes be “crazy cross winds”. But then he surprisingly declared he liked kicking in a stadium that the winds can make it difficult, and then he added that he and punter Tress Way have both discussed it and like the challenge. “This is where I have to kick all the time and I’m gonna be the most consistent in my own stadium.”

Speaking of Way, Slye offered, “Tress has like one of the coolest personalities to be around. People talk about it all the time. He’s gonna probably have a career outside of football. I think he should be a great game show host. Like if Steve Harvey wants to give up Family Feud and Tress wants to go on. I think that’d be awesome.”

Slye connected on all 12 of his field goal attempts for Washington in 2021, including a 56-yarder. No wonder he is feeling more confident going into the 2022 season.

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Commanders DE James Smith-Williams believes in DL coach Zgonina

Commanders DE James Smith-Williams endorses new DL coach Jeff Zgonina.

Naturally, James-Smith Williams was asked questions about his old and new defensive line coaches on Wednesday when he met with the media.

One day after his defensive line coach Sam Mills III was fired, the Commanders defensive end appeared before the media following Wednesday’s practice.

Asked to respond on how the team took it when they learned Mills was fired: “Like Jon (Allen) said, ‘Football is a great sport, tough business.’ We respect what Coach Ron (Rivera) does for the best interest of the team.” It appears Smith-Williams endorses Rivera’s coaching decision.

The third-year Washington defensive end is confident in defensive line Coach Jeff Zgonina: “Z’s (Zgonina) been here the entire time I’ve been here, so there’s a lot of continuity. It feels very familiar, very much the same.”

The former NC State Wolfpack defender also likes Zgonina’s energy, “Z’s (Zgonina) always been the same guy, super intense, always getting out there, and always trying to push us. So having that around it’s really a lot of fun.”

Smith-Williams believes Zgonina’s NFL playing experience is a real plus.
“Yeah, definitely. He played for 17 years. He knows what we need to hear. So he’s always really good about that.”

In the NFL world of coaches being hired to be fired, he knows the players must stay focused despite sudden changes. “We still have to go out and play. The NFL is more of a self-start league anyway. You aren’t going to need someone to drag you along. You are going to have to push the pace regardless.”

Having started six games last season, he feels he is progressing compared to last year. “Yeah, a lot better. I’m not coming off major surgery. I have the year starting experience under my belt. So you kind of know what to expect, and I know what the system’s like. So, year three I’m really excited for.”

The former seventh-round 2020 draft choice (229 overall) understands his role last year was to be ready to contribute when Chase Young tore his ACL. Now in 2022, Smith-Williams again prepares to provide as much as he can while Young returns from his ACL rehab and recovery.

Starting six games in 2021, JSW contributed 11 solo tackles, 19 assisted tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 5 QB hits and 2.5 QB sacks.

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Ron Rivera ‘very pleased’ with player turnout for COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday

The team held a vaccination event on Sunday for players and Ron Rivera was pleased with the turnout.

Washington head coach Ron Rivera met with the media after Monday’s practice in Ashburn. It was the team’s first practice back at team headquarters after spending the first week of training camp in Richmond.

After a day off, Rivera had plenty to go over on Monday. One of the top items was COVID-19. Washington had its seventh player go on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday when Daron Payne was placed on the list.

Rivera told reporters over the weekend that multiple players had signed up to be vaccinated on Sunday. The head coach was happy with the turnout.

Another important question was how Rivera would be view unvaccinated players when it came time for roster decisions. If two players were battling for one spot, would a player’s vaccine status be held against them? The head coach said absolutely not.

It will be interesting to see the team’s latest vaccination rate when the new numbers are released. The percentage had already climbed as of Friday before the latest round of vaccinations.