Unlike most players, Washington Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan remains close by Redskins Park rather than heading elsewhere for his offseason training.
It can get lonely at times, which is why Kerrigan was looking forward to the start of the Redskins’ offseason workout program on Monday.
“I’ve been here all offseason, so the weight room’s been pretty barren,” Kerrigan said. “We only have eight or nine guys here that stay throughout the offseason. Having all 90 here — well, having mostly everybody back — it makes it a lot more fun, especially to see some of the guys that were injured all of last season and to have them back in the mix, back with the group. Just getting to spend time with them was good.”
Outside linebacker Junior Galette, who also remained in Ashburn, was one of the injured players who did not play a single snap last season. After the Redskins signed Galette in July, he tore his left Achilles’ tendon in an August practice. The Redskins re-signed him to a one-year deal last month and Galette has been working furiously to get back to full strength.
Galette has often posted pictures of his progress on social media and the Redskins are eager to get him back. When he signed, the coaching staff had high hopes of pairing him opposite Kerrigan, but that plan never reached fruition.
“I’ve been seeing him all offseason because we’ve both been here training at Redskins Park and he looks good,” Kerrigan said. “I mean, he looks as explosive as ever. He looks strong. He’s kept his weight on, which is good because that’s always a struggle when you have surgery and you can’t train like you normally can. So, he’s looked good and, I mean, he’s still got four months until the season and I imagine by the time the season rolls around he’s going to look great.
“You could tell early in training camp last year that this guy would have been a difference-maker for us on the defensive side of the ball, and it stunk when he got hurt because any time you have an injury like that to a player like that, it’s really hard on your team. But, having him out there, it should make us better upfront, better all over the field defensively.”
Kerrigan also said that inside linebacker and special teams ace Adam Hayward, who tore the ACL in his right knee in last year’s preseason opener, looked good.
“He was doing basically everything we were doing in the weight room, so he didn’t seem to have many — if any — restrictions on him,” Kerrigan said.
During this first phase of the voluntary offseason program, which lasts for two weeks, the physical activities are limited to strength and conditioning. However, players are also permitted to meet with positional coaches, which allowed Kerrigan and the other outside linebackers that participated to meet coach Greg Manusky, who was hired in the offseason.
The Redskins did not have an outside linebackers coach last season and Brian Baker last held the position in 2014.
“It helps with all the finer aspects of being an outside linebacker,” Kerrigan said about having a specific position coach. “We had that a couple years back with Brian Baker. I thought that was very effective to have a specific coach for that. I’m really excited to work with Coach Manusky. Got to spend a little time with him in the meeting room today. He really is on top of his stuff. He really knows football and wants us to know football, not just know what we have to do but understand why we have to do it and what others around us are doing as a result.”
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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