Speaking with reporters at the open of camp in Richmond on Thursday, head coach Jay Gruden said he thought cornerback could be a position of improvement for his club this summer, particularly since DeAngelo Hall rejoined the team after being sidelined most of last season with injury.
"DeAngelo makes it strong," he said of his contribution to the unit.
"He's a great leader back there. We lost a lot when we lost DeAngelo last year. You know, a veteran cornerback of his stature and experience is a very valuable asset to have. He's voted captain right away [in 2014], and we lose him very early. It was a big loss for us."
Hall, entering his 12th professional season, had his best year in 2013 with the Redskins, who he joined in 2008.
But a Week 3 meeting at the Eagles last season would be precede his early exit. He complained of pain in his left heel in that game, and an MRI later revealed a torn Achilles tendon.
It didn't help matters five weeks later when he accidently tore it again while recovering at home.
Hall opened practice with the rest of the team on Thursday, lining up against first-teamers from the beginning of camp.
"To have him back, we just gotta make we sure we to monitor where he's at and don't push him too hard," Gruden said. "But he's the type of guy that's gonna wanna take every rep; we just want to make sure we get him full-go, Week 1."
Gruden said the supporting cast behind Hall was something that could help the team overall going forward.
"We've got [David] Amerson with some experience, [Bashaud] Breeland, who came out strong last year," he said. "Obviously we have [Chris] Culliver, from San Francisco, a known commodity in this league. And DeAngelo adds to the mix. We have some good players back there."
Amerson has only missed one game since joining the Redskins in 2013, compiling 109 total tackles in an often inconsistent campaign and Breeland, who Gruden called a leader of the unit, collected 67 in his rookie season.
Culliver was one of Scot McCloughan's first projects when he embarked on his crusading free agency period. McCloughan helped the 49ers draft Culliver, who last season forced a fumble while intercepting four passes.
He rarely gets beat on long plays and last season played alongside now-Redskins safety Dashon Goldson in 2014. That's valuable chemistry both can bring to the position in Washington. Culliver brings some needed toughness to the defensive backfield.
The most help corners and safeties will get is in the improvement around the front seven that took place this spring. If Scot McCloughan's new defensive line can create the pressures they need to, the players behind that front will have more freedom to make plays closer to the line of scrimmage.
The man to lead that charge as of Thursday is DeAngelo Hall.
"He's going to be our starting cornerback until somebody knocks him off," Gruden said.
The man to lead that charge as of Thursday is DeAngelo Hall.
"He's going to be our starting cornerback until somebody knocks him off," Gruden said.
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