After a rather surprising absence from the Washington Redskins OTAs on Monday, Safety Montae Nicholson made his return to the Washington facilities on Thursday for Day 3 of practice.
The Redskins posted a video that showed TE Vernon Davis catching a ball, with Nicholson in the vicinity.
It wasn’t just that Nicholson was absent on the first two days of OTA’s, its that in some people’s minds, he hasn’t earned the right to skip out yet, especially when his job security is in question.
It has long been thought that veteran players have the green light to skip out on the voluntary practice sessions if they so choose. Many are assumed to be working out on their own time, and they often don’t need the 100-level coursework that is designed for rookies and younger players.
For Nicholson, though, there is playing time that is up for grabs, and a strong performance in the spring can help buoy a player in the fall depth chart. The young safety has 22 games under his belt, all with a wide array of results and performances. These reps are crucial in the long run.
Whatever his reasoning may be, it is good to see Nicholson out getting time with the team now. Come game-time in the fall, he will need as much practice as he can get.
