COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

39

Days until the Redskins host the Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 9

at FedEx Field.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

Practices are closed to the public.

SUMMER STORY LINES {vbar}NOT SECURE AT SAFETY

Logic says Vernon Fox sits in the fourth safety spot on the depth chart behind Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry and Pierson Prioleau after signing a three-year deal in March. But Fox knows the position is by no means a lock with Reed Doughty and Omar Stoutmire looking to stake their own claims, as all three are getting considerable time on the field in training camp drills.

Fox appeared in all 16 games in 2006, starting six and serving as a consistent presence on special teams in his first season with the Redskins, but he'd like to spend more time with the regular defense in addition to his special teams contributions. "I've always been a guy who's solid, who's in position, but at this level you've got to be able to produce and make some plays," Fox said. "Plays are what's going to get you on the field and that's the bottom line. The more plays I can make during this preseason and during training camp, the more chance I have to be playing when the season starts."

Fox joined the Redskins late in training camp last season and said it put him at a disadvantage not being able to develop camaraderie with his teammates, adding that he's glad to be around for the full summer this time. "I think that being for a full year now I have a little more comfort level with the defense and am just able to go out and have a little more confidence."

FRESH FACE

The transition from playing Division III college football at Salisbury to the Redskins has been a little easier for cornerback Byron Westbrook than many might have expected. But Westbrook is the first to admit that the advice he received from his brother, Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, helped tremendously. The older Westbrook told his younger brother what kind of speed to expect out of NFL offenses and that keeping up will be crucial to his chances of staying with the team.

Everyone might not know who Byron Westbrook is now, but if the speedy and exuberant 5-foot-10 rookie has anything to say about it, they will soon enough. And, if he's lucky, he'll get a chance to face his brother this fall. "I haven't played against him because he's five years older than me," Byron Westbrook said. "It'd be the first-in-a-lifetime thing, so I'd take advantage of it and make sure I get one good hit on him as well."

INJURY REPORT

T Chris Samuels has a grade two sprain of his right medial collateral ligament and will be out at least four weeks. . . . G Randy Thomas, who has been nursing a sore right knee, was in full pads yesterday and participated in parts of practice. . . . RB Clinton Portis's tendinitis in his right knee has flared up again and kept him out of practice yesterday. He is day-to-day. . . . LB Dallas Sartz was out with a strained hamstring. . . . TE Tyler Ecker missed another practice with a pulled groin. . . . WR Mike Espy sat out with a knee bruise.

QUOTABLE

"It just feels like part of my skin. I might as well go to sleep with these pads on."

-- DT Renaldo Wynn, on practicing in full pads

NEXT UP

Scrimmage at Baltimore Ravens

Noon Saturday.

TV: MASN