ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins drafted Spencer Long and Morgan Moses for a reason: They want them to play and the sooner they can do so the better. It appears that Moses is closer to breaking into the lineup than Long, a player they initially felt would be the more competitive of the two early in the season.
Redskins coach Jay Gruden said both rookie linemen are "getting better." Long, who plays right guard, and Moses, who plays right tackle, had their issues during the summer. And Moses looked lost on one play in particular when he subbed in for Tyler Polumbus during the Seattle game -- allowing quarterback Kirk Cousins to be drilled. He struggled to play low early in camp, but had become more consistent in that area by the end of the preseason.
The key word, though, is trust. As in, when do the coaches trust them to play at a certain level. Though fans always want to see a guy so they know what he can do, the coaches see them every day already.
"When we feel they are going to do exactly what we want them to do and not blow protections or blow assignments, then they will be in there," Gruden said. "With Spencer, [Chris] Chester is playing very well. And Tyler [Polumbus] is holding down the fort. Obviously Morgan is pressing him, but Morgan is trying to flip over to the right side, and he just needs more time. He is still cooking in the oven a little bit. He is not ready to come out. When he is ready, he will be ready."