ASHBURN, Va. - After wrapping up their Richmond portion of training camp on Saturday and taking Sunday off, the Washington Football Team picks up training camp workouts at their Ashburn facility Monday morning.
The team will be without seven players who were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list during the first week of camp: defensive tackle Daron Payne, wide receiver Curtis Samuel, right guard Brandon Scherff, defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis, offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, offensive tackle David Sharpe and cornerback Chris Miller.
"To be very honest, that's going to make things difficult and that's the thing we have to be aware of," Washington head coach Ron Rivera said about the competitive disadvantages caused by COVID-19. "It makes it difficult in terms of everybody working together. Difficult on us as coaches with our evaluations and the scouts. It will be difficult on the player because having time off, not really getting an opportunity to work, develop, grow and learn, that’s the downfall, and the downside.
"I mentioned it to our guys. I said, ‘you know, here is the what if scenario: what if this had been game day Sunday for the opener?’ Even though it's only contact tracing for some of them, that's five days. So, if this is the opener, imagine this, opening against Los Angeles, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, playing Thursday night against the Giants. Those guys would not be eligible. So, to me, it brings the reality of what the rules are and I hope it helps. But again, these young men have to make their decisions."
Washington takes the field for day five of 2021 training camp with a 9 a.m. practice.
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