Redskins freelance photographer and former beat writer Ed Sheahin (@NFLSkins) hooked me up with some sweet pics from yesterday’s open OTA session.

RGIII appears to have put on 15 pounds of rock.

Pat White was spraying it. Won’t make the roster if he’s not accurate.

Logan Paulsen looks homeless.

Ryan Kerrigan looks glamorous.

Rak looks happy and healthy but his beard is getting gray!

Jordan Reed is a pimp.

Reed’s athleticism has already impressed many observers.

BTW, RGIII appears to have put on 15 pounds of lean beef so basically he is going to destroy everything.

— BurgundyBlog.com (@BurgundyBlog) May 23, 2013

The fascinating thing about the Redskins’ 2013 draft class is that—even more so than usual, in my view—every pick has a high ceiling and a low floor. Now I suppose you could intelligently argue that every draft pick for every team in every round has a “low floor,” since there is really no such thing in the NFL draft as a “sure thing.” But what I’m trying to convey is that each of the seven drafted rookies has a special trait that could make him exceptional and a key flaw that could make him irrelevant.

• Amerson has rare ball skills. His interception total over the past two years (17) is ridiculous. But his discipline as a junior was awful and he got destroyed by the double-move.
• Reed is uncommonly agile for a tight end but undersized and undeveloped as a blocker.
• Thomas has excellent ball skills but lacks consistency as a hitter and tackler.
• Thompson is incredibly fast with jaw-dropping lateral quicks, but he’s tiny and (so far) fragile.
• Jenkins can clearly get after the quarterback. His 21.5 sacks over his last two full seasons is outstanding. But he’s a tweener and often got exposed in college against the run.
• Rambo: see Thomas.
• Jamison has uncommon toughness and elusiveness but, simply put…he’s slow.

Drafting guys with clear-cut strengths and weaknesses makes application and scheme-fit crucial. The coaches are betting on themselves.

This class is exciting because Shanny swung for the fences in every at-bat. History could end up judging it very favorably, very harshly, or anywhere in between. But if three or four of them can max-out their lofty potential, we’ll look back with high regard for what the Redskins accomplished despite not participating on Day 1.

@burgundyblog what would happen to you if you tried to spend a day in, say, may not thinking about the redskins? spontaneous combustion?

— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) May 15, 2013

Good work today in the film and weight room..picking up on things pretty quick…feels good to b back in football mode…#working #Httr

— David Amerson (@DavidAmerson1) May 13, 2013

Big thanks to FanDuel.com for this custom guest post on key Redskins returning from absence: 

Could The Redskins Even Be Better In 2013?

With so many injuries to go along with inexperience, many figured that the Washington Redskins would not be in playoff contention in 2012. Thanks in large part to a pair of rookie fantasy football points machines—Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris—the Redskins won their first division title since 1999. Even as Griffin goes through off-season surgery and rehab, could the Redskins be healthier and better in 2013?

Most of Washington’s casualties in 2012 befell the defense, which allowed 24.3 points per game last season—the highest of any playoff team. In total yardage, they were among the five worst teams in the league. Their dynamic offense helped them overcome those struggles, but if they want to take a step towards a Super Bowl, they must get (and stay) healthy on defense.

The pass defense struggled the most, due initially to Brandon Meriweather’s early injury and then a season-long suspension for Tanard Jackson. The former could reclaim a starting strong safety spot as early as Week 1, while the latter may still be in the mix at free, pending progress of rookies Phillip Thomas and Bacarri Rambo. To further bolster the secondary in 2013, the Redskins brought back DeAngelo Hall and added rangy 25-year-old E.J. Biggers. They also hope to welcome back a healthy Chase Minnifield—an undrafted revelation in last year’s camp—as he returns from an ACL tear.

Washington will be healthier and stronger in the defensive front seven, too, as Adam Carriker bounces back from an early quad tear and stalwart Brian Orakpo gets over his second significant pectoral injury. The effective return of these two foundational contributors to the Redskins’ pass rush will be critical for a defensive unit built to function, as it is, around pressure and opportunism.

Of course, the biggest wildcard for the Redskins right now is the healthy return of Robert Griffin III. If he is forced to miss a substantial portion of the season, the team will have a tough time getting back to the playoffs. However, thanks to the defensive reinforcements described above, there should be less pressure on him to score in binges.

Washington made the playoffs despite long odds in 2012. If they have better fortune health-wise, it could be an even better season in 2013.

I know so many people who had “potential”. I’m not real big on talking about could’ve, should’ve. You either did, doing, or didn’t.

— Chris Thompson (@ChrisThompson_4) May 7, 2013