ASHBURN, Va. — Dwayne Haskins was asked whether it was hard to go over the video of his rough, three-interception debut as an NFL quarterback with Washington.
“It’s not really tough, because you already know what you messed up on. So it’s kind of like you watch film like this,” he joked Wednesday in the locker room, taking two fingers and closing them together in front of his right eye. “You’re like, ‘I messed up on that play.’ You already know it’s coming.”
Here’s the thing when it comes to Washington (0-4): No one knows – or at least no one will say – what’s coming from them when it comes to the QB position Sunday against the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (4-0).
Staying mum Wednesday was Coach Jay Gruden, who everyone is already assuming will not hold his job much longer.
“I have to see some things for me to make the decision, and that’ll come out here at practice tomorrow. Hopefully, after tomorrow’s practice I’ll have a good indication of who I want to play,” Gruden said. “So, yeah, in my mind, I have a pretty good plan – contrary to belief.”
Gruden can choose between the rookie Haskins, Case Keenum – the journeyman who opened the season as the starter – and Colt McCoy, who is in his fifth season in Washington and, therefore, is the most familiar with Gruden’s offense, but is still working his way back from breaking his right leg in December.
GIANTS: Saquon Barkley, the running back who many believed could be lost to the team for up to eight weeks because of a high ankle sprain, was running and cutting with trainers and members of the medical staff at practice Wednesday, just 10 days after suffering his injury.
His recovery seems to be full speed ahead, even if Barkley himself isn’t quite running at that velocity just yet.
It’s so promising that Coach Pat Shurmur left open the possibility that Barkley could play on Sunday, although that remains highly improbable. The game after that is next Thursday against the Patriots. That would seem unlikely, but less so after Wednesday’s showing.
“I don’t know how,” tight end Evan Engram said of Barkley’s remarkable rehab. “That’s just crazy. I think his body is just made in a lab, I don’t know. I’m happy, though, it was good to see.”
BEARS: Coach Matt Nagy announced Chase Daniel will start at quarterback in place of injured Mitchell Trubisky in London against the Oakland Raiders, and the Bears also expect to have linebacker Roquan Smith, who missed the Bears’ 16-6 victory over Minnesota for what Nagy had termed a “personal issue,” and whose status had been uncertain.
The eighth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Smith had 24 tackles in the first three games but then was watching from the sideline against Minnesota with no explanation other than “personal issue” from Nagy or the Bears organization.
BENGALS: Cincinnati put receiver John Ross III on injured reserve, the latest blow to a winless team that’s already missing star receiver A.J. Green.
Ross landed hard on his right shoulder during a 27-3 loss in Pittsburgh on Monday night that left Cincinnati 0-4 for the first time since 2008. The former first-round pick is eligible to return after eight games if the shoulder heals.
The third-year receiver was finally having a breakout season. After missing most of training camp because of a hamstring injury, Ross led the Bengals with 328 yards receiving and three touchdown catches. He was Cincinnati’s only deep threat with Green recovering from an ankle injury suffered during training camp.
CARDINALS: William V. “Bill” Bidwill would much rather tell stories about growing up in Chicago, his days in the Navy or the great restaurants in St. Louis than about the current state of his Arizona Cardinals, a franchise that struggled for decades before making a stunning run to the Super Bowl after the 2008 season.
Bidwill, who died Wednesday at age 88, was reviled by fans at times for what they perceived to be his penny-pinching ways. But privately he was an extremely charitable man, distributing money to many local causes, usually done quietly with no publicity. Charitable contributions also were made through the Cardinals Foundation, formed shortly after the franchise moved to Arizona in 1988.
“Our dad passed away today the same way he lived his life: peacefully, with grace, dignity and surrounded by family and loved ones,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said in a statement released by the franchise. “We are overwhelmed by the support our family has received, not only now but throughout the latest chapter of his life.”
Bill Bidwill ignored critics as the team went a half-century without a playoff victory before making it as a wild-card team in 1998 and upsetting the Cowboys in Dallas.
JETS: Quarterback Sam Darnold was back on the field, breaking down the pre-practice huddle and tossing passes while looking as though he hadn’t missed a beat, but he still need to wait before he can play in a game.
Darnold practiced Wednesday for the first time since being diagnosed with mononucleosis three weeks ago. He still hasn’t been cleared for physical contact or lifting weights, leaving his availability uncertain for New York’s game at Philadelphia on Sunday.
CHIEFS: Defensive back Morris Claiborne returned to the practice field after serving his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
He wasn’t alone. The Chiefs also welcomed back wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who has been sidelined since Week 1 because of a collarbone injury, and running back Damien Williams, who has been nursing an ankle injury.
It’s unclear how much they’ll play when the Colts visit Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
JAGUARS: Disgruntled defender Jalen Ramsey missed his fifth consecutive practice. He was listed on the injury report with a back injury, the same issue that caused him to miss the first game of his four-year NFL career.
“We’re going to look at it, talking to Jalen today,” Coach Doug Marrone said. “Basically it’s a day-to-day type thing.”
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