London was nearly perfect when targeted, often catching passes on deep, well-covered routes. Amna Subhan
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — If Kirk Cousins had a favorite during Wednesday’s practice, it was obvious that Drake London was the man.
That it was London is no big surprise; and it is also no surprise that London had one of its best practices of the 2024 training camp so far.
Cousins was able to tackle London six times on seven attempts, often on a deep route down the right sideline. Of the six catches, the most impressive came when the wide receiver made a one-handed catch and used his 6-foot-4 size to virtually dwarf the 6-foot-4 Natrone Brooks in coverage.
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“He’s been great at catching,” Cousins said of London after practice. “(He) takes pride in and expects to catch difficult balls. He expects to catch the ball and he does well.”
Cousins went on to talk about London as a target in general, saying that sometimes you might wonder how a big-bodied receiver moves or sets off on a route. But London’s sets off? Cousins likes what he sees.
“When you consider his size, both visually and otherwise, he’s a good target where you feel like he’s covered, but he’s open because he gives you a bigger area to throw the football,” Cousins explained, adding that London has a lot of potential to exploit.
You can certainly see the quarterback’s potential as one of his strongest receivers. Cousins threw to six different receivers in the final 11-on-11 session, but London was the most targeted and accurate on the day.
London was also more fired up than I’ve ever seen him during training on Wednesday, and that’s saying something because the kid from California usually lets his cool down a little bit – or a little – on the field.
Take Monday’s meeting, for example: London was a hive of activity, but for a different reason.
By my count, the wide receiver completed 0 of 3 passes despite having defenders in his way, including impressive pass defenses by Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III and cornerback Anthony Johnson. Afterward, London was visibly frustrated.
Toward the end of Monday’s practice, Cousins and London had a lively conversation about the running routes and their results from their different angles. The quarterback said they discussed a look he saw during joint practices against the Miami Dolphins that he hadn’t yet been able to discuss with London. Cousins said he didn’t count Monday’s incomplete passes as drops because of the tight coverage, but said London was hard on himself nonetheless.
Maybe that helped with London’s comeback training, or maybe it was just because Drake London was Drake London.
“Maybe he had a grudge when he came to practice today,” Cousins said. “I think the challenge is – if that’s the case – I would talk to him and say, ‘We all have to carry that grudge every day.’
“I would think he would have just come out, been Drake London and had a nice day.”
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