WEBVTT - OTA Observations | Episode 13

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. This

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<v Speaker 1>week marked at the start of Organized Team Activities here

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<v Speaker 1>in Ashbourne, as we got our first look at Washington's

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<v Speaker 1>newest editions alongside the veterans. Yesterday, Brand Weinstein and Zach

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<v Speaker 1>Selby headed out to the first session of OTAs and

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<v Speaker 1>we caught up with them to hear their observations. So

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<v Speaker 1>we're here with Brand Weinstein here after OTA the first

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<v Speaker 1>open media availability for OTAs, and we're haven't talking to

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<v Speaker 1>some of the players and us a couple of things.

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<v Speaker 1>The other really stuck out to me. One was that

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<v Speaker 1>Carson Wentz. Obviously you have to talk about him, right,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, how do you think he looked so far?

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<v Speaker 1>You know that its first first, really couple of days.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you think about him? I'm waiting for all

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<v Speaker 1>the tweets of we haven't seen somebody throw the ball

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<v Speaker 1>like that in a few years. They've already come. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the first impressions of here is this particular level of

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<v Speaker 1>athlete that kind of hasn't been here in a few years.

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<v Speaker 1>So first impressions are good. I honestly, I was sitting

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<v Speaker 1>there talking to Logan Paulson during practice, and he was

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<v Speaker 1>actually quite surprised at how organized they were for day one.

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<v Speaker 1>And I felt the same way, like you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>think it's they've made it very important that everyone get here,

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<v Speaker 1>be here. You know, I think jump on board with

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<v Speaker 1>this is a year we're supposed to start winning. We

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<v Speaker 1>invested in a quarterback. He's got a lot of experience,

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<v Speaker 1>and he looks the part. I mean, he looks every

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<v Speaker 1>bit the part. So I really want to hear from him.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to see how he feels about it, right, No,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, and you notice how precise he is with

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<v Speaker 1>the ball, you know, Johan Dason even mentioned that earlier today,

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<v Speaker 1>he mentioned how precise and accurate he is with his passing.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, you were right, you do feel it kind

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<v Speaker 1>of around Procie how important it is for them to

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<v Speaker 1>feel like this is the moment where we're all going

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<v Speaker 1>to take this step forward. Here. You know, another player

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<v Speaker 1>in offense that I really saw kind of be out

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<v Speaker 1>there a lot more as Cold Turner, you know, with

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<v Speaker 1>with Logan Thomas out, you know, he's kind of stepped

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<v Speaker 1>in there in those first team reps. How do you

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<v Speaker 1>think he looked in that New York Because that's a

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<v Speaker 1>lot for rookie right, it's a big athlete. They clearly

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<v Speaker 1>have likes at that position. You can see what the

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<v Speaker 1>type of players that they brought in and Clue Hodges

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<v Speaker 1>as well, the undrafted free agent. This is an interesting

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<v Speaker 1>position group to watch. It's a lot of inexperienced players.

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<v Speaker 1>Logan Thomas may or may not be ready for the

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<v Speaker 1>start of the season. They're gonna have to bridge that gap.

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<v Speaker 1>They don't have another veteran here unless you count John

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<v Speaker 1>Bates as a veteran. So I do think it's gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be very interesting. And Turner is clearly an interesting prospect

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<v Speaker 1>at his size, his speed, He's a little stiff a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit when he runs, but as they talk about

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<v Speaker 1>this catch radius is obvious he's going to be a

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<v Speaker 1>weapon for them. How this plays out through the summer

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<v Speaker 1>probably depends on how healthy Logan Thomas is, but how

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<v Speaker 1>this plays out through the summer is going to be

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<v Speaker 1>probably one of the most interesting position groups for the team. Well, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think you know, they like John bass where, they

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<v Speaker 1>like his hands, But there's just some things that Cole

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<v Speaker 1>has been able to show so far as you really

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<v Speaker 1>just can't find a lot of other players let's go

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<v Speaker 1>to the other side of the ball here, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>as allay, they're running a lot of three safety looks

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<v Speaker 1>here and Derek Forres really kind of stepped up into

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of really good things today. I mean, do

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<v Speaker 1>you do you think he's starting to take another step,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, so far in the second year of his career,

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<v Speaker 1>I think they're going to ask him to I mean, like, so,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, they I think it's clear that there are

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of position that they're probably going to look

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<v Speaker 1>at in this third wave of free agency. A veteran

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<v Speaker 1>safety might be one of them. A veteran linebacker clearly

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<v Speaker 1>is going to be one of them. But Derek Forst

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<v Speaker 1>getting opportunities right now to play kind of in that

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<v Speaker 1>role at like seeing Cam Curl moved back up towards

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<v Speaker 1>the line of scrimmage. You know, I think he's a

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<v Speaker 1>playmaker specifically in the box. So who becomes this buffalo

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<v Speaker 1>nickel person or whatever this kind of position flexes. I

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<v Speaker 1>think it'll be something to be interesting to watch. But

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<v Speaker 1>Forrest is going to get opportunities because there is not

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of depth at the position's draft pick a

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<v Speaker 1>year ago. Second year, hopefully he can step up. We

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<v Speaker 1>know Corne Elder made the first interception to OTAs, but

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<v Speaker 1>you know Derek was not too far behind and making

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<v Speaker 1>a cup for himself. You know. Also Cole Holkum, you

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<v Speaker 1>know another Cole. He's been talked about a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>taking another step being that mic linebacker. Do you think

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<v Speaker 1>he had that press? Do you think he handled that

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<v Speaker 1>down pat? You know during team droves and it looks

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<v Speaker 1>like it. I mean, and everything we know about him

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<v Speaker 1>is he's film junkie. He's going to be in and

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<v Speaker 1>out of the building. He accepts any responsibility that's put

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<v Speaker 1>in front of him. And again, this is another situation,

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<v Speaker 1>not unlike Derek Forrest in a lot all of depth

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<v Speaker 1>at that position. He's trying to have to step up

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<v Speaker 1>and do it. It does feel like in the case

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<v Speaker 1>of Holcombe, they're behind him, you know, taking this position

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<v Speaker 1>by the reins and let's see how please out well

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<v Speaker 1>if it leadships ain't been like it's hearing. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>he's got it pretty down. Patch about that. You guys

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<v Speaker 1>can check out all of our code for OTAs on

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<v Speaker 1>Commanders dot Com. Head coach Ron Rivera spoke with the

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<v Speaker 1>media following yesterday's session. Here is what the head coach

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<v Speaker 1>had to note from the opening day of OTAs. Probably

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<v Speaker 1>the biggest thing is an opportunity for our players to

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<v Speaker 1>work their techniques, develop some rapport with each other. Part

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<v Speaker 1>of it also will be the learning aspect in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of retention. What will happen is, you know, the stuff

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<v Speaker 1>that we did today will be included tomorrow. We'll do

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<v Speaker 1>some installation this afternoon. They'll have to carry over from

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<v Speaker 1>yesterday today and we'll see what we have as far

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<v Speaker 1>as that's concerned. And again, it's just a matter of

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<v Speaker 1>seeing how guys are adapting to the things that we're doing.

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<v Speaker 1>And would you make a Carson today? I thought Carson

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<v Speaker 1>did some good things. You know, uh, he did throw

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<v Speaker 1>the pick today, but man, that was a pretty dog

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<v Speaker 1>on good play by Corn Elder. I mean, it's very

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<v Speaker 1>veteran moved by Corn. But I thought he did some

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<v Speaker 1>really good things. Got some pretty good report with these guys.

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<v Speaker 1>The thing I like is, again it's about making good decisions.

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<v Speaker 1>You're seeing a lot of good decisions out there right now.

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<v Speaker 1>I thought Taylor had a pretty good day. He had

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<v Speaker 1>a couple opportunities and missed a couple of them, but

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<v Speaker 1>he threw the ball. Well, I thought again, Sam came

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<v Speaker 1>in holland did a nice job. Hey, Coach, one more

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<v Speaker 1>with Landon Collins now gone and Bobby McCain having signed

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<v Speaker 1>a new contract, do you have any buddy who's struck

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<v Speaker 1>out to you as a leader in the secondary? Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think, Um, Bobby is stepped up. He stepped up

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<v Speaker 1>last year as well and helped out. I like what

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<v Speaker 1>Kendall Fuller brings to the table as well, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>And the guy that's kind of starting to find his

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<v Speaker 1>voice is Cam curl Um, you know, and he's played

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<v Speaker 1>very well for us. So I think it's a It's

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<v Speaker 1>a good group, very skilled group, and I think they're

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<v Speaker 1>coming together and they got to continue to work together

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<v Speaker 1>and communicate. Coach, he signed Andrew Norwell and the Austin

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<v Speaker 1>and Brian Trey Turner. Are you comfortable with where this

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<v Speaker 1>offensive line is right now? Very much? So? Um, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we have we have Chase Ruler who's still healing up up,

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<v Speaker 1>you know. But um, I like what West does as

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<v Speaker 1>far as his position, flex and be quietness. West as

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<v Speaker 1>a heck of a football player as well. So I

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<v Speaker 1>like the group. I like the depth that we had UM.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, one thing we wanted to do consciously was

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<v Speaker 1>we wanted to be at least UM, you know, wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to have at least ten guys that were veteran, savvy

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<v Speaker 1>guys that have played on the field for us UM.

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<v Speaker 1>And we like that minimum of ten men depth. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>try and keep as many of those guys as we can.

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<v Speaker 1>For all your Commanders news and analysis, be sure to

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<v Speaker 1>tune into Command Center weeknightst T, NBC Sports Washington, and

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<v Speaker 1>while you're at it, follow at Commanders on all social

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<v Speaker 1>media platforms for the latest on the team. Hail to

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<v Speaker 1>the Commanders.