Training camp is a time for teams to knock the offseason rust off while young players try to prove why they belong on the team.
Arguably no two players have done that more so than rookie linebacker Cole Holcomb and third-year running back Samaje Perine. The two have continually been a topic of conversation for head coach Jay Gruden, who has said that both are putting in the extra work and showing what exactly they can bring to the offense.
Holcomb, a linebacker out of North Carolina who the Redskins drafted in the fifth round this year, was a highlight coming in spring camp, showing that he possesses the speed and agility to make a difference in both stopping the run-game and staying with receivers in coverage.
Beyond his physical intangibles, it is his drive to get better that has impressed Gruden the most.
On the other side of the ball, it is apparent that Perine is making one last-ditch effort to carve out a role on the Redskins, and it seems to be working. Entering his third year in the NFL, Perine is yet to establish himself, and a loaded backfield in Washington isn’t making it any easier.
Nonetheless, Gruden has consistently raved about Perine and how impressive he’s been this offseason.
Perine has often struggled in his first two seasons, failing to be a reliable pass-catcher out of the backfield and routinely missing on blitz pickups. If Gruden believes that the young back is improving and can stake his claim as part of the offensive scheme, great. But like Craig Hoffman, we will believe it when we see it.
