NFC East Outlook: The Eagles still look like champions but the Giants, the Cowboys have problems, questions



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Here's what you need to know on Thursday, September 6th, three days before the Washington Redskins open their 2018 season against the Cardinals.

Discussion points

The Redskins will begin the first week in very good health, a change from the situation that sometimes seemed to occur at training camp.

The best news of Wednesday has no news. TE Jordan Reed and third player Chris Thompson did not appear on the injury report. This means that not only have they been able to fully practice, but their injuries are not considered unusual.

Thompson suffered a fibula fracture during week 11 last year. He has rehabilitated the injury since. The fifth-year player was faced with very limited contact during training camp and did not participate in the pre-season. He said that he is still waiting for his leg to be tested by a hostile defender. But it's more of a mental obstacle than a physical obstacle.

The 2017 Reed season has never really started and ended early. He was on the PUP list to start training camp and played only six games while a hamstring injury put him in the injured list.

He was operated on to remove a bone in each of his big toes during the off season. At least up to now, the procedure seems to have healed what made him sick. Like Thompson, he had little contact in training camp and he did not participate in the pre-season.

Reed and Thompson are key elements of the offense. Last year, Thompson was on track to rack up 500 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards before getting injured. When Reed is in good health, he can be a 1,000-yard receiver and score two-digit touchdowns.

If new quarterback Alex Smith needs time to sync with his wide receivers, these two can help move the chains in the meantime.

The injury news on the defensive side of the ball was almost as good. DE Matt Ioannidis and LB Zach Brown were on the injury report but as full participants in the practice. Ioannidis suffered knee and ankle injuries during the pre-season opening game in New England and he has not played any of the last three games. Brown suffered an oblique injury and he has not practiced much in recent weeks.

Last year, Brown led the league in tackles before a variety of injuries forced him to leave the last three games. Ioannidis showed abilities on both the pass (4.5 sacks) and the race in his second season last year.

This means that despite some injury alerts here and there, the only player who should be a starter when the OTAs started and who will not be in the Cardinals formation is RB Derrius Guice. Of course, he came out for the season with a torn ACL.

Good prospects could now change. This is what we saw last season as a promising start to the season collapsed under an avalanche of injuries. But the best you can ask is to start in good health and that's the way it's going now.

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L & # 39; s calendar

Today & # 39; hui: Practice 1:00; Jay Gruden and Greg Manusky press conferences and locker rooms after practice approx. 3:00 p.m.

Next: Opening of the season @ Cardinals (9th of September) 3 days; Opening match against Colts (16 September) 10 days; Packers @ Redskins (September 23) 17

In case you missed it

Stay updated on the Redskins. Rich Tandler is locked in the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page, Facebook.com/TandlerNBCS and follow him on Twitter @TandlerNBCS and on Instagram @RichTandler.

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