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News & Notes: Zorn Discusses Vick

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The Redskins are not expected to pursue free agent quarterback Michael Vick.

During a training camp press conference on Wednesday, head coach Jim Zorn was asked to address Vick and if the Redskins were interested in signing him.

"I think Michael is on his journey," Zorn said. "I want to wish the best for him. There's a way that he and [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell have created to allow him back into the league.

"I would just say it won't be with us--at least at this juncture it won't be with us."

Asked if the team would ever considering signing Vick, Zorn replied: "I don't know that. It depends on how many years he's going to be in the league."

Vick was conditionally reinstated to the NFL by Goodell this week.


Vick is free to sign with any NFL team and participate in practice and in a team's last two preseason games.

However, he won't be permitted to play in a regular season game through Week 6 or until Goodell fully reinstates him.

Vick played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2001-06. He served the last 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring.


-- FOR REDSKINS, GOOD HEALTH

Jim Zorn said that he expects "everybody will be on the field and ready to go" when the Redskins open training camp on Thursday morning.

Some veterans may practice just once per day as they return from various injuries.

"There are a few guys who we're just going to practice eonce a day," Zorn said. "We want to maintain their health. There'll be some afternoon practices we ask some guys to sit out.

"Part of that depends on their level of soreness. I'm thinking of Randy Thomas and his knee and his neck. I'm thinking of Chris Samuels and his knee. They might be able to go two [practices per day], but do we really need to have them go two?

Defensive linemen Phillip Daniels and Cornelius Griffin could also be candidates to practice once per day so that they don't overwork themselves in camp.

Malcolm Kelly could be limited to one practice per day depending on how his knee responds after practice, Zorn added.

What about Clinton Portis, who admits that he is not a fan of 2-a-days?

"It depends on how he feels," Zorn said. "If he gets sore, absolutely we will cut him back, too."


-- UPDATE ON MIKE WILLIAMS

Mike Williams reported to training camp on Wednesday weighing 342 pounds, according to Jim Zorn.

He has lost nearly 75 pounds since he signed with the team in mid-April.

Laughed Zorn: "Mike was talking about what a pound of bacon looks like, and that he's lost a lot of bacon."

Williams called his weight loss a "life-changing deal, because I had to do it for my health and my career."


"I changed diets, weights, cardio, and I stepped up the workouts," he said. "They weren't long workouts. It was a strategy to keep your body moving and keep burning calories. It was pretty easy to do."

Williams is expected to participate in 2-a-day practices, although given his size he may be given a practice off here and there.

"He is in a real competitive situation to where he is going to want to be out there every day," Zorn said. "That's part of his return to the NFL and that is his quest to be a full-time starter [at right tackle].

"He has done the preliminary work to get that done."


-- HOME FOR TRAINING CAMP

During training camp, the Redskins are allowing veterans with four or more years of experience to stay at home instead of at the team hotel.

Players with less than four years of experience are required to stay at the team hotel, though.

This is a departure from how the team has handled lodging for training camp in years past--and it's one that is welcomed by veterans.

"I think it's a good thing," Casey Rabach told Redskins blogger Matt Terl this week. "I think it's nice to break up camp and have some normalcy to your life other than, you know, 24-7 football.

Could it impact camaraderie that builds up during training camp?

Replied Rabach: "The only time that we're not going to be together is when we sleep, so when we're sleeping at the hotel, there isn't a whole lot of time that we're seeing each other anyway."


-- QUARTERBACK ROTATION

Backup quarterbacks Todd Collins, Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel are expected to get the bulk of playing time during the Redskins' four-game preseason schedule.

Jim Zorn said there would be a "competitive battle" between Collins and Brennan to be the primary backup to starter Jason Campbell.

For now, Collins is "definitely our No. 2 quarterback, no question," Zorn said.

"When you look at what Todd has done this offseason, you definitely can say that he has improved," Zorn said. "He has really done a great job of working out and getting himself ready. He is not going to allow Colt to take his position."

Regarding Brennan, Zorn added: "I really want to see Colt. I think he has worked hard this offseason so that he can try to get that No. 2 spot."

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