ASHBURN — From rookie minicamp to organized team activities to veteran minicamp, most of the offseason work where hitting is forbidden is pretty much the same, even if the names change. Next week, when the Redskins are done with OTA’s and move on to veteran minicamp, there’s really only one change of substance.
“Not much [changes], other than Trent [Williams] and Jordan [Reed] will be here,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Wednesday.
Next week’s minicamp is mandatory so, presumably, those two players will return after skipping optional workouts over the past three weeks to train on their own, Williams in Oklahoma and Reed in Florida. It was pointed out to Gruden that he did not mention running back Matt Jones, the third player who has been conspicuously absent.
“Oh, Matt Jones too, yeah,” Gruden said. “I didn’t do that on purpose.”
Jones is in a different category from Williams and Reed because he is not expected to rejoin the team due to displeasure with his roster status. Jones lost his starting gig last season and watched Washington draft Samaje Perine in the fourth round. The Redskins would have liked him to fight for his spot, but Jones has stayed away.
Linebacker Martrell Spaight did not participate Wednesday. Gruden said that the same shoulder injury Spaight dealt with last year was holding him out.
• Nora Princiotti can be reached at nprinciotti@washingtontimes.com.
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