Duke Ihenacho wanted to get a little taste of game speed again, while Preston Smith wanted to see what it was like going against professional football players other than his teammates.
On Thursday, they both got those opportunities and much more during the first of three joint practices at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va.
While the Redskins’ offense vs. a J.J. Watt and Vince Wilfork defense drew a majority of fan attention during drills on the field closest to the fans, the Redskins’ defense was working just as hard against a Texans offense featuring a talented wide receivers corps of their own.