RICHMOND, Va. -- The highlight grab certainly jumps out -- not many could make a one-handed grab the way Terrelle Pryor did in practice on Tuesday. Then again, that’s a catch Pryor has worked on all offseason. During training sessions he’d make one-handed grabs, both with no one in front of him and then with a defender.
It shows why Pryor should help Washington in the red zone -- and all over the field, really -- with his rare combination of size, speed and athleticism.
Pryor can hurt teams on deep crossing patterns because of his speed. But don’t discount that he can fake a cross, break down and pivot back outside. He’s shown that ability, too. The key there is selling the initial route, and you can’t do that if you don’t have confidence you can pivot back out in time. Pryor can.
He can hurt teams deep; because of that, corners must honor his speed -- and that leaves the comeback route open.
Because he’s almost 6-foot-5, Pryor does not have the shiftiness of a smaller wideout. But he did show again Tuesday what he can do: After catching a deep inside route in front of corner Josh Norman, he was able to stop and cut back outside -- in part because he had a couple of yards of cushion -- to get past Norman.
Pryor can run enough routes to be effective. It’s hard to say how productive he’ll be this season; the passing game still centers on tight end Jordan Reed, and receiver Jamison Crowder will get increased targets. Their consistency, and their familiarity with quarterback Kirk Cousins, matters. But even if Pryor is the third-leading receiver, he’ll get a lot of work.
“I mean, he’s still one of the top guys in the league, and he just started playing,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. “He’s a physical freak. So we’re excited to have him, and we’re going to continue to work with him. We just have to keep working. Kirk and Terrelle just have to get together so they get on the same page -- get to know each other not only on the field but off the field.”
That chemistry will matter for throws such as a back-shoulder one in the end zone (on which they connected Tuesday). Time will help with consistency.
There’s been a lot of attention on Pryor in camp, but it’s warranted because of how he can contribute. Tuesday provided another reminder.
Other thoughts:
1. Another thought on the receivers. The Redskins lost one receiver with elite deep speed (DeSean Jackson) and another with extreme toughness (Pierre Garcon). Those qualities are tough to replace. Garcon could make those tough catches on third-and-4 surrounded by multiple defenders. It’s tough to say the Redskins will have a better passing game until we actually see players such as Pryor and Josh Doctson in games in this offense. But there’s no reason they can’t be very good in this area. They should be able to build an effective attack around Pryor, Crowder and Reed. Others can fill in gaps. Cousins needs to make it work. There’s change, but that doesn’t mean there should be issues.
2. Receiver blocking will be one area that’s greatly improved without Jackson. He wasn’t an effective blocker -- hardly a surprise to note that -- and it led to an imbalance. The Redskins had to compensate either by using Garcon more on the side the ball was going to or by inserting a wideout who was in games mostly to block (Ryan Grant). Defenses knew this, so they typically knew the Redskins would not run to Jackson’s side. Or if the Redskins did run his way, it might not be as effective. The Redskins like that all their receivers are willing blockers. It matters. Jackson’s playmaking ability will be missed, but in this area, the Redskins will improve.
3. I wrote about this on Monday, but it bears repeating about rookie running back Samaje Perine. There’s a lot to like, but he’s also a work in progress in certain areas. During a blitz pickup drill, he struggled against linebacker Zach Brown, who powered through him and eventually knocked him to the ground. That’s clearly not a strength issue; it’s all about leverage and timing. It also says quite a bit about Brown. Perine catches the ball well, showing soft hands and good feet after the reception. But pass protection is a difficult task for rookie running backs, and until he gets that down, he’ll stay behind Rob Kelley.
4. Quarterback Colt McCoy led a crisp two-minute drill that served to remind of his value. McCoy clearly knows the offense well, which is why on this drive he was able to hit his plant step and release the ball. Yes, it came versus the No. 2 defensive unit, but McCoy was nonetheless effective. He’s a good insurance policy for Washington.
5. Rookie linebacker Ryan Anderson is another guy I harp on quite a bit. But it’s deserved. Anderson had several good rushes, one time getting around tight end Niles Paul, for a pressure. Anderson has plenty to learn (I mentioned Monday how he was more hesitant in some coverages; when he moves forward, he's more intuitive at this point), but the Redskins should feel good about his early work.