ASHBURN — Trent Williams knows all too well the pressure of being a rookie lineman and getting thrown into the fire against the NFL’s premier pass rushers.
Sitting in his locker at Redskins Park, he rattled off the names of some of the rushers he was up against in his first six games in 2010.
DeMarcus Ware. Mario Williams. Dwight Freeney.
“I was on Murderer’s Row,” Williams said.
As the Washington Redskins prepare for Sunday’s opener against the Miami Dolphins, Williams understands the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead for rookie right guard Brandon Scherff, who will have the unenviable task of lining up against Ndamukong Suh.
Suh, the four-time first-team All-Pro, signed a $114 million contract with the Dolphins in the offseason, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle told reporters on Tuesday that Suh will play as many reps as possible Sunday — ensuring a challenging first matchup for Scherff.
“It sucks. There ain’t no good way to put that,” Williams said. “Suh is one of the most dominant D-tackles in the league that we’ve seen in a while. It’s going to be a difficult task, but we’re five people and we have to work together. Obviously, we can’t leave Brandon on an island too many times, as in any other guard, no guard wants to be left alone with Suh.”
It doesn’t get any easier along the Dolphins’ front, as second-year right tackle Morgan Moses will be up against Cameron Wake, who had 11.5 sacks last season.
The combination of Suh and Wake gives Miami one of the more formidable defensive lines in the league.
Williams said he doesn’t expect to see much of Wake on Sunday afternoon but throughout the week, the sixth-year veteran left tackle has acted as a sounding board for Scherff and Moses.
“I just try to share as much knowledge as I know, shed it on them as well, give them my insight of the game,” Williams said. “Whether it might help them, it might not. Coming from a teammate, as an older guy to a young guy, that’s all I can do. Definitely tell them the little nuances of the game.
As helpful as Williams has tried to be, he’s also been careful not to overload Scherff with too much information before his first NFL start.
“Brandon is an intense guy,” Williams said. “He knows the proposition at hand, knows he has a big challenge coming on Sunday. He’s extremely tough, worked extremely hard before and after practice. I can give him all the advice in the world, but the hard work he put in this week, in camp, during OTAs, that’s what he’s going to reach for this week.”
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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