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Marine Corps Marathon is runner’s chance to honor cousin killed in helicopter crash - The Washington Post

Stanford Shaw always was good at communicating when something happened at the military base where he was stationed. Even if it was just a text or a quick email, Shaw was diligent about letting his family know he was okay. So when his family didn’t hear anything back on March 10, 2015, after the news reported a helicopter crash during a training mission in Florida, a feeling of uneasiness emerged.

Ashley Papadopoulos, then a teacher at Parmenter Elementary School in Franklin, Mass.
, prayed at work when she heard her cousin, known as “Ford” to family, was reported missing in the wake of the accident. Living just 30 minutes away growing up in Bridgewater, N.J., Papadopoulos and her three brothers often would head down to Baskings Ridge to spend time with Shaw and his side of the family. They were raised like siblings.

<a href="http://www.capitalgazette.com/ph-ac-cn-crash-0314-20150313-story.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">The news 
</a>
of Shaw's death came around 1 a.m. While the rest of her family mourned in Shaw's home, Papadopoulos remained home with her husband and children, nearly 250 miles away. She needed an outlet, for therapy's sake. And that's when she returned to running.

“It’s how I start most of my mornings,” said Papadopoulos, 37
. “It’s the time I think about Ford. I say hello to him.”

That time she spent thinking about Ford while running soon became time spent running for him. Papadopoulos will participate in the <a href="http://www.marinemarathon.com/" shape="rect" target="_blank">Marine Corps Marathon</a> on Sunday while raising money for the <a href="https://www.marsocfoundation.org/" shape="rect" target="_blank">MARSOC Foundation
</a>, which supports the families of active duty, medically retired and deceased soldiers.

“When my cousin was killed in that helicopter accident, that foundation reached out to all of the family members of the people that were lost and really helped them through the finances of all of that,” Papadopoulos said. “I felt like that was the right avenue to take.”

[Dr. Gridlock: Metro isn’t opening early for the marathon this year]

Shaw was not much of a runner himself. Any time he needed to pass a conditioning test for the Marines, he would “barely make” the time, according to his mother, Mona.

“He liked to lift weights and work out that way,” Mona said. “He did not have a runner’s body. He was a moose, a big guy. Not fat, by any means, but big.”

When Shaw attended the Naval Academy, his company
 was named after the jackalope, a mythical cross between a jack rabbit and an antelope. In many ways, he embraced his company’s nickname.

“Ford used to make the most ridiculous face, with his thumb in his ear and fingers all sticking up to look like antlers, and make what he called a jackalope face,” Mona said. “When everything got scary or difficult, they were in trouble or there was any kind of trouble going on around them, he would just say, ‘Make the jackalope face and run.’ ”

[Graphic: How much distance all 25,480 runners cover]

Papadopoulos reached her goal of raising $7,000 for MARSOC on Thursday.

As she trained to run the 26.2-mile race that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/marine-corps-marathon/" shape="rect" target="_blank">begins and ends</a> near Arlington National Cemetery, Papadopoulos would leave the house daily as early as 5 a.m.

“My quiet, on-my-own runs early in the morning, it’s my favorite time,” Papadopoulos said. “People call me crazy for getting up as early as I do, but it really helps me stay positive throughout the day.”

[Going Out Guide: Best places to watch the race and other things to do in D.C.]

Papadopoulos will run the marathon with Shaw’s fiancee, Marine Corps Capt. Lindsay Pirek. Papadopoulos said she has used running to “keep me sane.”

“Having that time to myself and to take care of myself and to work towards a goal, it keeps me focused on my goal of running a marathon and the importance in life,” Papadopoulos said. “When you’re running out there by yourself in the early morning, you think about what are the important things in life.”

That her niece is running not just for her son but for the MARSOC Foundation chokes up Mona Shaw.

“I had no idea that she was even thinking about doing it, and it’s such an honor to continue Ford’s legacy and his memory and for her to put herself out like that,” Mona said during an interview in August. “It really does keep his memory alive.”

Papadopoulos expects the moment she starts the marathon to be an emotional one. She said she will be thinking about a lot of things, their times growing up together in New Jersey and “cousins’ night out” around the holidays among them. But one motto sticks out among the bunch.

“Run like a jackalope,” Papadopoulos said.

Start: Sunday, 7:40 a.m. start for wheelchair and handcycle, 7:55 to 8:55 for runners

Cutoff: Runners <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/marine-corps-marathon/" shape="rect" target="_blank">must reach 14th Street Bridg</a>e by 1:15

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/trevor-lafontaine-jenny-mendez-suanca-win-the-40th-marine-corps-marathon/2015/10/25/021353c4-7b57-11e5-afce-2afd1d3eb896_story.html" shape="rect" target="_blank">Defending champions</a>
: Men, Trevor Lafontaine, 2:24:24. Women, Jenny Mendez Suanca, 2:45:55.

Website: <a href="http://www.marinemarathon.com/" title="www.marinemarathon.com">http://www.marinemarathon.com/</a>

Joon Lee was a sports intern for The Washington Post. He left The Post in August 2016.

Joon Lee

The Washington Post

Sports

The Washington Post Sports section provides sports news, video, scores, analysis and updates about high school, college, and pro sports teams, including the Capitals, Nationals, Washington Football Team, United and Wizards. Post Sports also offers blogs and discussions about the latest sports news.

The Washington Post Sports section provides sports news, video, scores, analysis and updates about high school, college, and pro sports teams, including the Capitals, Nationals, Redskins, United and Wizards. Post Sports also offers blogs and discussions about the latest sports news.

Josh Norman has another new job, this one on television - The Washington Post

Josh Norman was described the video-game makers as a "lock down corner." (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Josh Norman is a fascinating quote. He talks about football in metaphors, unique expressions and with a personality that has made him a spark plug and a target for rival Odell Beckham Jr. over the course of his breakout 2015 season. It was only a matter of time until television executives were going to notice.

Norman has signed a one-year deal with Fox to be a regular contributor to the network’s NFL coverage this season, according to a report from Emily Kaplan of The MMQB. The Redskins cornerback will make at least 10 appearances on the show, debuting in Week 1 on Fox NFL Sunday.

“I haven’t told Coach [Jay] Gruden or [defensive coordinator Joe] Barry yet, but I’ll give them a nice shout out on TV,” Norman says. “It’s not at all going to be a distraction. If you keep your focus on you and not anybody else, you’re going to be fine. I’m going to be me on Sunday.”

Norman expanded on his role with Fox after practice in Richmond on Monday.

“It worked out to where I can do that and play at the same time,” Norman said. “It won’t be too much of a burden on me, how would I say, to take away from my number one job. It’s just communicating and spinning back out sports to people who love to watch it. I think that’s pretty easy.”

[Josh Norman isn’t too big for the small S.C. city where he was raised]

According to The MMQB, Norman was inspired by seeing Jets wideout Brandon Marshall’s nomination for two sports Emmys for his role on Showtime. While Marshall’s gig as an analyst while being an active player was unprecedented, Norman’s gig on a major network figures to be significant as well. The 28-year-old will appear in taped live segments in addition to live hits from FedEx Field and his home in Virginia with an in-studio role during the Redskins’ bye week.

While he still has not talked to Gruden about his new side gig, Norman said his coaches are aware of the situation and that he doesn’t believe it will present any issues.

“He already knows about it so it’s obviously something that’s going to benefit us as a whole,” Norman said. “Just being here, we can bring more light on the squad and what we do, understanding we’re here to win and continue to win and grow in every aspect that you can, even in your personal life. This is one of those things where I’m trying to grow in my personal and trying to expand and expansion after football obviously. This is a stepping tool for that to happen.”

D.C. Sports Bog

Bryan Brothers make their debut for the Washington Kastles - The Washington Post

Mike Bryan looked at Mark Ein’s right hand and gasped.

On each of Ein’s five fingers was a championship ring, one from the past five seasons when the Kastles have won the World Team Tennis championships. Since the founding of the Kastles in 2008, the Bryan Brothers have been unable to beat the Kastles while playing for the Kansas City Explorers, Texas Wild, San Diego Aviators and, most recently, the California Dream. And given that they’ve been unable to defeat the five-time defending WTT champions, the Bryans decided decided to join the party.

“We’ve been playing for 18 years in WTT, but this is the biggest team we’ve played for,” Mike said. “It feels like a professional franchise like the Lakers or the Yankees.”

[Kastles will start several Olympians on the road to Rio]

While the brothers, Bob and Mike, are only scheduled to make one appearance with the team this season, the excitement between Ein and the legendary doubles pairing was palpable as the pair spoke to the media.

“It’s just an unbelievable thrill to have Bob and Mike on the team not just now, but for years to come. I think what we’ve tried to do is not just bring some of the best tennis players in the world, but some of the best people who happen to be professional athletes in our community and let them be role models for kids and so many people,” Ein said. “It’s a community mission and I could not think of two guys better than Bob and Mike to join an unbelievable group of tennis players and human beings.”

The brothers announced over the weekend that they would not be participating in the Olympics due to “health concerns” and would not specify whether or not Zika was the primary motivator to withdraw, citing that it was a “family decision.”

[Bryan Brothers withdraw from Olympics, citing health concerns]

But as a sold-out Smith Center stood on their feet for the appearances of the 16-time doubles Grand Slam champions, the Bryan Brothers looked over at their bench, where head coach Murphy Jensen, captain Leander Pais and former world No. 1 Martina Hingis sat cheering them on. The company of the tennis legends drew the brothers to the nation’s capital.

“We’ve only been on the grounds for 24 hours, but we feel like Kastles. We know all about the history. That motivational video that documented all of it was inspiring,” Mike said. “Just walking out here, you can feel that there is magic in the air. There is a passion on this team that you don’t see anywhere else.”

And while their appearance for the team will be brief, Jensen is excited to coach the legendary pairing moving forward.

“Those guys were born to be Washington Kastles,” Jensen said. “The players that come to play here, people ask, ‘How do you get guys like the Bryan brothers?’ They choose to be here. Martina Hingis chooses to be here. Leander Paes, I mean, we’ve got a Hall-of-Fame bench out there. It’s unbelievable. I’m truly humbled to be in the presence of not just these great fans that have now sacrificed and invested in our team.”

[Kastles will start several Olympians on the road to Rio]

[Bryan Brothers withdraw from Olympics, citing health concerns]

Vernon Davis still wants to be a pass catcher, but he’s willing to do anything - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — Vernon Davis still wants to catch passes. It’s what he’s done best in his stellar 11-year career.

Davis, who signed an offseason contract for one season at $4.5 million, was widely regarded as one of the more dynamic tight ends in the NFL early in his career, catching 13 touchdown passes in 2009 and 2013, but his production declined over the years.

With the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers last season, the 32-year-old caught 38 passes for 395 yards and no touchdowns, the first time in his career he had not caught a pass in the end zone. Head coach Jay Gruden praised Davis, but mentioned how his role in the offense could evolve beyond the passing game.

“He’s still got a lot of juice left,” Gruden said. “He can really run and he’s really showing a lot in shorts — obviously pads are a different story. Knowing Vernon, the way he plays, one of his strengths is in-line blocking. He’s done that throughout his career and he’s gotten better and better.”

Davis, a Washington native and Maryland alum, seems less interested in making blocking the primary focus of his arsenal.

“You know what, I’d rather catch passes,” Davis said. “… But at the end of the day, I’ll do whatever I’ve got to do to win games. It doesn’t really matter. Like any tight end, you’d rather catch balls. That’s what you want.”

Minicamp and training camp represent the time for Davis to really dig into the playbook, especially as a newcomer. Learning the terminology of Gruden’s system while integrating into the offense is the biggest challenge.

“I’m very familiar with it, but it’s getting the little things, the little details,” Davis said. “OTAs, training camp, that’s a big help to you. If you can get in and learn the offense at that time, it makes sense and it works really well.”

As a veteran, Davis views himself as a potential leader in the locker room and mentor for standout tight end Jordan Reed.

“[Reed]’s young, but he still has things that he’s learning. He’s asking questions. He’s always inquiring about something. That’s what I love about him,” Davis said. “We’re always talking. We’re right beside each other, whether we’re talking about nutrition, helping him with the amount of protein he’s getting in his body. Just taking care of yourself. At the end of the day, you can come out here practicing as hard as you possibly can, but you still have to take care of your body.”

Less offensive production from Davis is expected, that does not mean he can’t have an impact on his team.

“He’s a big, strong man, and we also know he can run,” Gruden said. “He has shown that speed still. He can fly.”

Washington Commanders

Washington Post coverage of the Washington Commanders NFL team.

The daily matchups between DeSean Jackson, Josh Norman are benefiting both - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — The excitement among the fans at Redskins training camp is palpable every time Josh Norman lines up to defend DeSean Jackson. It’s the matchup many fans drove to see; watching the team’s flashy top receiver line up against the team’s prized free agent signing. The give and take between the two is competitive but cordial. Trash talk is frequent, but a good play will be acknowledged.

On Thursday, the first time the pair really began to go at each other, some battles were won by Jackson, some by Norman. When the 29-year-old wide receiver beat Norman on a short pass by faking a run downfield, one spectator yelled “Better step it up, Josh!” Promptly, on the final play of the day, Norman, covering Jackson tight over the middle, stripped the ball right as the pass was coming in.

The battle between the two stars settled down a bit Friday with neither player establishing the upper hand over the other.

“[Jackson]’s elite. His speed is elite. He’s like Flash out there, his elusiveness is just off the charts,” Norman said. “So being able to match up with a guy like that each and every time posted one-on-one is only going to make me better because if he beats me, he beats me. I’m going to try and figure that thing out until it like draws in my head because for me, it’s like finding that edge, finding that way to where I win.”

The respect is mutual on Jackson’s end.

“It’s always a great addition to have, a guy like him over there that’s had the success he’s had in this league,” Jackson said. “I’m ready to be on the opposite side, but the same team as us other receivers. It helps me prepare for shutdown corners on the other side and helps us through the season.”

Norman’s breakout year in 2015 caused a lot of waves. Pro Football Focus listed the 28-year-0ld corner as the 11th-best player and the second-best cornerback, behind the Cardinals’ Tyrann Mathieu, in the NFL. And after he was unable to come to an agreement on a long-term deal with the Carolina Panthers, Norman signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Redskins, making him the highest paid cornerback in NFL history at the time.

As the two players go at it on a daily basis at training camp, the raw talent from both ends, Norman said, will help them improve.

“That’s just the competition that drives us to both be elite at our level and what we do,” Norman said. “Because he’s a special talent. He has rare blazing speed and his routes he’s getting better at when he’s coming back to the ball —his slants and stuff. So for me seeing a wide receiver in this division tlike that is going to be, you know, exceptional for me to be better.”

The competitive partnership goes both ways.

“It’s just work. We’re here to get better, make each other better. That’s what’s taking part,” Jackson said. “That’s what both guys are out there doing. Just trying to help each other get better and strive for greatness. We had a little bit of fun, doing some talking. Just communicating. Just going b—ack and forth a little bit.”

And as camp continues to roll on, all eyes will be on Jackson and Norman, as the two superstars battle it out under the sweltering sun.

“I can’t wait for that challenge,” Norman said. “It’s going to be exciting as you already can tell, but looking forward to more of it. It’s only going to make me better.”

Redskins offensive line unifying behind singular goal as Hogs 2.0 - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — Two weeks ago in Houston, Trent Williams and many Redskins offensive linemen worked. Running under the hot sun, working on footwork through “scorching” sand and using yoga rolls, the group gathered at O Athletik, a facility owned by Williams and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, wearing shirts that read Hogs 2.0.

The shirts represented an homage to the Redskins offensive line during the 1980s that’s widely considered one of the best in NFL history. Hoping to replicate that group’s camaraderie, Williams organized and paid for every lineman who could make their way down to Texas. Once there, the entire group — minus Brandon Scherff and Kory Lichtensteiger, who had different commitments — worked out together, getting in shape for the season.

For the linemen, the seventh-year veteran’s offer was to be taken seriously.

“I know when Trent, when he sets something up, it’s not going to be a waste of time,” lineman Spencer Long said. “That’s why I wanted to go down there and get the group together. It’s always good. We went and got some really good work in with each other for three days. It’s definitely well worth it.”

[The vision of Trent Williams: Bringing Hogs 2.0 to Washington]

For second-year starter Morgan Moses, the week meant time for the position group to bond together.

“Just to see everybody out there, willing to give up a week and it was good, man,” Moses said. “It was worth the while. We got here, and we all had goals. We talked about goals while we were out there and we were able to get here and hit the ground running.”

For younger players such as Arie Kouandijo, a fourth-round pick out of Alabama last year, Williams represents a professional example.

“It just helps show me someone who is a pro baller and been in the league and played at a high level for many years and [Williams] showed me how he works,” Kouandijo said.

The moniker of Hogs 2.0 sets expectations high and gives an indication of the group’s aspirations.

“We’re learning all together, man,” Moses said. “I’ve been able to sit down with [Redskins legend and Hall-of-Famer] Joe Jacoby and pick his brain a little bit. Just to restart this thing up, man, with the 2.0, it’s a great deal.”

As for the season-long goals that the group set for themselves in Houston, mum’s the word.

“That’s top secret, man,” Moses said. “You’ve got to pay me for that.”

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/29/without-junior-galette-and-trent-murphy-outside-linebackers-see-opportunities/">Without Junior Galette and Trent Murphy, outside linebackers see opportunities</a>

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/29/josh-norman-on-odell-beckham-jr-hes-talking-about-me-but-im-not-talking-about-him/">Josh Norman: ‘I’m not talking about’ Odell Beckham Jr.</a>

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/29/stephen-paea-dedicates-season-to-his-grandmother-and-father-during-a-difficult-year/">Stephen Paea dedicates season to grandmother and father during difficult year</a>

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/28/perry-riley-jr-in-high-spirits-despite-opening-camp-on-pup-list/">Riley in ‘high spirits’ depsite opening camp on PUP list</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/28/redskins-place-josh-doctson-shawn-lauavo-on-the-pup-list/">Doctson, Lauvao also on PUP list</a>

Bog: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2016/07/28/espns-first-take-to-broadcast-live-from-redskins-training-camp/" target="_blank">ESPN’s ‘First Take’ to broadcast from training camp Thursday</a>

More: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/?tid=a_inl" target="_blank">Redskins</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/" target="_blank">NFL news</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/27/redskins-training-camp-2016-the-schedule-and-key-details/" target="_blank">Camp schedule</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/fantasy-sports/" target="_blank">Fantasy football</a>

Follow: <a href="http://twitter.com/mikejoneswapo" target="_blank">@MikeJonesWaPo</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/lizclarketweet" target="_blank">@lizclarketweet</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MasterTes/" target="_blank">@MasterTes</a>

Laura Graves

Can’t nobody hold them down: Laura Graves and her horse Diddy head to Rio - The Washington Post

Laura Graves laughs when asked to describe her relationship with Diddy. No, not the rap mogul. The horse — her horse — Verdades, who goes by Diddy. Like many long relationships, theirs has had its ups and downs.

Graves, 29, has owned Diddy since he was just six months old. But creating a bond with Diddy, now 14, has been a much more strenuous process.

When Graves was looking to buy a horse in 2002, she watched videos of Diddy online and eventually decided he was the one for her. But the first impression Diddy made certainly was not encouraging for someone hoping to ride horses in competition.

“They called our names and he was this small thing, so [wild] that there were four or five men trying to shuffle this thing out the door,” Graves said. “All I could think was, ‘Oh my god, what have we gotten ourselves into.’

“I remember being excited, but also being a little petrified.”

Diddy was also scared, and he often had an explosive reaction to fear. And because of his size, he could do some damage.

“Everything had to be done slowly, so just when you think you finally taught him how to saddle, he won’t even let you near him with the saddle,” Graves said. “It was just time and repetition.”

Despite all the time it took to train Diddy, Graves felt a special connection with him in competition. Even at a young age, she felt different while on his back.

“He always gave me this incredible feeling, this feeling that everything is so easy,” Graves said, adding, “He had this switch. If he got panicked, he would buck and launch me.”

Building a relationship with a horse can take years of work, according to Beezie Madden, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in show jumping. The communication required for a pair to be successful is essential in building trust between a horse and its rider.

“They have to trust what we’re telling them and that we’re going to do everything in our best interest to make their job as easy as possible,” said Madden, 52, who will compete in her fourth Olympics in Rio. “And knowing the moves, it’s a little like a basketball team getting together — you need to know what everybody’s gonna do. And just learning to react without thinking about it can take a couple of years.”

For a while, Graves and Diddy weren’t building that trust. The nadir of their relationship came in 2006, when Graves tried to sell Diddy. She had just graduated from cosmetology school, and riding was not as satisfying as she had hoped.

“I was a teenager, and it was a difficult being a teenager anyways and then to have this big dream of riding for a U.S. team, I was thinking, ‘This is never going to happen with this horse. This is not what a team horse is like,’ ” Graves said.

But Diddy’s irrascibility made him a hard sell. A potential buyer couldn’t mount him, much less ride him. The trainer charged with selling him couldn’t even get his foot into the stirrup before Diddy took off.

“He was broke for me, but he was just not trusting of another stranger and it took [the trainer] quite some time to even be able to sit on him,” Graves said.

Staff

Getty

USOC Portraits for Rio2016

So Graves took Diddy back. In 2009, Graves decided to move to Florida to train full time with Debbie McDonald, who was part of the United States’ bronze medal dressage team at the 2004 Olympics. Slowly, horse and rider built a relationship. In 2014, Graves and Diddy finished fifth at the World Equestrian Games — the U.S. team was fourth — and she won silver at the 2015 Pan American Games and was part of the gold medal-winning team. She has fulfilled her dream to make the U.S. Olympic team, and much of her success is due to her unique relationship with her horse.

“To be honest, even though that was a dream I had when I was a kid, when Diddy was young, it seemed completely impossible,” Graves said. “There were just so many weird things I didn’t know he would be able to overcome, and now, 14 years later, I look back and I just have to laugh, the things I do with this horse.”

Olympics

Olympics news including photos, videos, medal counts, highlights, schedules and more from The Washington Post.

Kirk Cousins is settling into his role as full-time starter just fine at Redskins training camp - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — A lot has changed for Kirk Cousins in a year. He earned the starting quarterback position, beating out former face of the franchise Robert Griffin III. He put together one of the best seasons ever for a Redskins quarterback. And he’s getting paid, earning nearly $20 million for the upcoming season under the franchise tag.

Barring injury, he will be the starter when the Redskins begin the regular season on Sept. 12, a Monday night prime-time date at home against Pittsburgh. But as camp opens, Cousins is still getting handle on being “the guy” from day one.

[It’s time for Kirk Cousins to prove his play is as steady as his character]

“We’ll find out as we go. Right now it’s all just talk, but there’s no doubt you have more comfort when you’ve played and been the starter and been out there and had experiences,” said Cousins, who completed 69.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,166 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions .”What we went through last year, I think has helped me now having confidence going forward. You know, hopefully it translates into a great offense and a lot of production, but it’s just talk right now until you go out there and prove it.”

Coming into training camp assured of the starting job has allowed Cousins to take on a new role with his teammates, who so far have been impressed.

“He’s the franchise quarterback. He’s getting paid,” wide receiver DeSean Jackson said. “He doesn’t really have to worry about nobody on his heels and he’s doing everything that you ask from a franchise quarterback. We’re all behind him. We all support him and vice versa. He’s bouncing things off of us as we do off of him. It’s a great intangible to have as a quarterback.”

[Jay Gruden says consistency is key to Kirk Cousins earning a big contract from Redskins]

“You can tell [he’s the starter]. He’s very confident,” tight end Jordan Reed said. “In meetings, he’s been speaking up and leading us and it’s great to see him step up.”

And while the expectations for Cousins have evolved, his standards for himself have not changed.

“Inside the building, I have always been expected to play at a high level and if I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be in this league or on this team,” Cousins said. “So I think within the team and the organization, the expectations have always been and always will be the same. On the outside, I can’t really comment on what is being said or not said because I’m in ignorance.”

Jackson speaks highly of Cousins’s ability to lead, both on and off the field. And while Cousins certainly proved that he can perform at a high level, Jackson said that the desire for an athlete to prove himself should never change.

“I always thought that Kirk was a smart guy. He has a great intelligence to him,” Jackson said. “As far as the difference, I see that he’s focused and has a lot to prove still, as any athlete. We all come out to want to prove, to want to show what we’re capable of doing at a high level. That’s every year.”

[Kirk Cousins arrives at camp without the old van, and in a new situation]

Cousins enters the season with quite a bit on the line. After being unable to come to terms on a long-term deal, the team placed the franchise tag on Cousins, essentially telling him to back up last season’s performance before it made a longer commitment. If Cousins does that, he would vault himself into the upper echelon of quarterbacks, which would be good for the Redskins and Cousins’s wallet. His task now is to lead — both on the field and off. And it starts this week in Richmond.

Who’s that in RGIII’s old No. 10? It’s Valdez Showers, and he aims to keep it - The Washington Post

RICHMOND — The jerseys still litter the crowd at the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/" target="_blank">Washington Redskins</a>‘ training camp facility. Robert Griffin III no longer plays for the team, but one glance at the fans shows the artifacts of a closed chapter in the franchise’s history.

Rookie wide receiver Valdez Showers dons Griffin’s old number this year. A number that once attracted chants of “Robert! Robert!” among autograph seekers has turned into an entirely different interaction this year.

“Wow, you have Robert’s number now,” one fan said to Showers.

“Oh, who’s that guy’s that has RG3’s number,” another spectator said as Showers walked past.

Showers said he hasn’t paid attention to the unique reactions. After all, his path to the NFL has been a wildly circuitous one. Showers committed to play at Florida, then coached by Urban Meyer, as a four-star recruit and the No. 8 player out of Michigan. Once he got to Florida, Showers found himself without a position, as he first bounced between cornerback and safety, flipped to the other side of the ball as a tailback before landing at wide receiver.

[Redskins sign two wide receivers at the start of training camp]

The 23-year-old Detroit native comes into Redskins camp firmly planted at wide receiver, where he had six receptions for 64 yards as a senior. And coming into his first pro training camp, Showers, an undrafted free agent, said that the baggage that came with No. 10 didn’t even cross his mind when it was issued.

“I wore it in college. For me, it was like, ‘Okay, it’s cool. I got my college number,’ ” Showers said. “I didn’t really look at who had it before me or anything like that. I just took it and left.”

Showers hasn’t heard much of anything from his new teammates about his number. But should the attention come, Showers said that his time at Florida has fully prepared him for what to expect.

[Offseason question: What expectations should the Redskins set for Josh Doctson?]

“Coming from a program like Florida, I feel like I’m prepared,” Showers said. “But I’m just seeing how much the details really matter here. It’s really about the details. Everybody here is really fast, really strong. It’s the details that separate people and that’s one thing that I noticed once I got on the field. It’s so much further than college.”

Given the amount of turnover that happens in the NFL and the size of the rosters, especially at the beginning of training camp, the issue of Griffin’s old number seemed all but inevitable. But as he causes some fans to double-take, wondering who the new No. 10 is, Showers is focused on one thing: making the roster.

“Guys live and die football. They don’t have school no more. This is their job,” Showers said. “They’re in the film room all day, every day. You can’t just be athletic no more.”

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2016/07/28/redskins-place-josh-doctson-shawn-lauavo-on-the-pup-list/">Doctson and Lauvao begin camp on the PUP list</a>

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2016/07/27/redskins-could-look-for-running-back-depth-on-open-market/">Team may look for running back depth</a> | <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2016/07/27/the-redskins-are-feeling-the-heat-as-training-camp-begins/">Heat will be an issue at camp</a>

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2016/07/27/redskins-will-evaluate-olbs-on-roster-before-deciding-whether-to-replace-galette/" target="_blank">Team will evaluate OLBs before deciding whether to replace Galette</a>

More: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/" target="_blank">Redskins</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/" target="_blank">NFL news</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/football-insider/wp/2016/07/27/redskins-training-camp-2016-the-schedule-and-key-details/" target="_blank">Camp schedule</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/fantasy-sports/" target="_blank">Fantasy football</a>

Joon Lee

Washington, D.C.

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