August 14-- AM walk through in, Gregg touts CB depth

The Redskins held a light walk through for their first practice of what is believed to be their final two-a-day of the summer.. The second practice will take place this afternoon at 4PM..

T Chris Samuels was on the field for the first time since suffering a sprained knee but did not take part in any drills and is not expected to play this week.. Clinton Portis was also on the field continuing to rest a sore knee.. He interrupted Gregg Williams weekly press conference by asking Williams if he told Lorenzo Alexander to take his helmet off when he hit a guy (a play that resulted in some stitches), Portis then grabbed one reporter’s hat and threw it on the podium.. It was all in good fun..

I spoke with Alexander today who said he was well aware his helmet came off when a back hit him as he was making his way to the QB.. he said it was just instinct at that point to continue the play.. Williams said he was happy that the damage done to Alexander’s face was as limited as it was, “At first I thought he was going to need 40-50 stitches.” Alexander hasn’t missed any time, he certainly does have a nasty scar that will take some time to heal..
Williams said Alexander is such a good athlete that the team worked him as an offensive lineman in the off-season and now they have him back at DL.. He’s a long shot to make the team (he was a practice squader a year ago) but his play the other day plus the potential versatility makes him one to watch as first cuts come in a couple of weeks…

Rocky McIntosh was said to have graded out very well after the team’s first pre-season game.. McIntosh was here before the coaches on Sunday morning to watch film.. We landed around 3:15AM, he was here before 9AM.. His work ethic and preparation this off-season has been a theme of Williams who says you will see a major improvement in his play this year..
DT Cornelious Griffin played only a few snaps this past weekend and likely will play little as pre-season progresses, Williams said Griffin doesn’t need “all the exhibition car wrecks.” He is much healthier then he was a year ago when he played “injured all year.”
Williams continues to praise Sean Taylor for his help behind the scenes with Laron Landry.. Why Landry is starting quicker then rookies in the past, Williams said unlike McIntosh (who had a knee procedure in his first NFL off-season), Carlos Rogers (who had a knee problem his first NFL off-season) and Sean Taylor (voluntarily skipped voluntary workouts), Landry has worked through the entire off-season and is said to be way ahead of the typical rookie curve..

Williams would not commit to how he would use his CB’s saying Shawn Springs makes the team better when he is on the field no matter in what position.. Springs was used as a nickel corner the past couple of weeks, but figures to be part of the starters as well.. Gregg said that the D-line took too much of the heat for last season’s 31st overall defensive ranking saying the depth at corner should help the unit improve dramatically..

WR Antwaan Randle-El said a quad injury won’t hold him out of this weekend’s game with the Steelers saying he may be back on the field by this afternoon.. Asked about the Bill Cowher rumors about succeeding Joe Gibbs in DC, ARE said Gibbs will be here as long as he wants “until he wants to turn it in.” You’ll hear from him about facing the Steelers for the first time since coming here last off-season..

OK men..