ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -During Saturday morning’s practice drills, the Washington Redskins coaching staff meticulously reviewed the sizable array of mistakes from a 23-0 loss in the preseason opener.
Some were subtle errors only a coach would spot.
At the other extreme was Fred Davis.
“There’s two things that people noticed,” Davis said, “that I need to fix.”
The second-year tight end fumbled not once, but twice – in the same drive, no less – in the Thursday night defeat to the Baltimore Ravens. That’s hardly the type of start needed from a player expected to contribute more this year after catching only three passes in his rookie season.
the thing that I think he was excited about was that we continued to do that in the game.
“Now I think he realizes full-speed NFL game is different than full-speed practice. And putting the ball away, making sure he secures that is something that was a learning lesson for him.”
So Davis spent Saturday reminding himself to hold the ball “high and tight,” especially when defenders are converging. It’s been a long time since he’s needed such a reminder – Davis wasn’t a fumbler at Southern California, where he won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end, and he didn’t fumble during his limited playing time with the Redskins last season.
“I was trying to make a play, extra on a play, probably should have just kept it high and tight,” Davis said. “It won’t happen again.”
Nor is the two-fumble drive likely to derail Davis’ progress. He’s had a good training camp, earning praise from coaches for an improved work ethic. He knew playing time would be hard to come by last year with Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley on the team, but Davis was stunned when he wasn’t even on the active list for the first regular-season game. He met with Zorn the next day and was given the message: “Make us put you on the field.”
“I would say he has matured. I wouldn’t say he’s a seasoned vet. One of the things that we talked about last year was to make us put you on the field,” Zorn said. “You have to work so that we have to put you on the field. That’s what he’s done this offseason. He started working at it last year at some point during the season. This offseason he has seen a lot of improvement, a lot more confidence.”
Because of Cooley, Davis seemed like a superfluous pick when the Redskins chose him in the second round a year ago. To get Davis on the field, the Redskins plan to run more two-tight-end formations, giving Zorn an extra set of options for his West Coast attack.
Davis has learned another key lesson from last year: Keep two alarm clocks by the bedside. He made a poor first impression when, on what was supposed to be his third day of minicamp practice as a rookie, he overslept and didn’t show up.
“I always make sure I bring two,” he said. “I like that extra sleep in the morning. I’m not a morning guy.”
NOTES: Jessica Simpson and Colt Brennan? Tantalizing as it seems, the report of a budding romance between the Redskins third-string QB and the singer who recently broke up with Dallas QB Tony Romo has no merit, according to Brennan. Brennan did enjoy the attention the story was getting and was tempted to milk it for all it was worth. “My life coach, Chris Cooley, said that I should neither confirm nor deny it,” Brennan said. “But me being an honest guy, I have no idea what that’s about.” … Saturday’s practice was in shorts, so nearly all of the injured players were able to participate. … Rookie LB Robert Henson missed the workout to attend the birth of his daughter.
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