Jay Gruden was hired by the Redskins to flip the switch on Robert Griffin III. The coach's early focus, though, has centered more heavily on the Redskins becoming a nastier team up front.
NFL Media's Jeff Darlington is embedded at 'Skins camp and noted Sunday that early practices have showcased a "physicality" unlike anything employed by former coach Mike Shanahan. Washington's players are backing that claim up.
"We're feeding off (Gruden), we're trying to be physical," nose tackle Barry Cofield told Darlington. "At the same time, we feel like we have a lot of talent on this team. So, if we can do our job in the trenches, all the talented the guys, all the speed guys, all the athletes we have will shine."
Gruden has dressed the team in pads consistently after Shanahan often opted for shells during last year's summertime sessions.
"It is maybe a little bit different, but every coach has a different mindset," Cofield said. "But at the same time, coach takes care of us. He wants it physical when you're out there, but he's not going to keep you out there for three hours, he's not going to have you out there for 20 periods."
Said Cofield: "He's a coach whose presence is felt and he doesn't need to micromanage ... First four days, I give him an A-plus."
The latest "Around The League Podcast" offers up team-by-team training camp previews of the NFC East and NFC West.
