The NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora is reporting that the Washington Redskins will trade DT Albert Haynesworth sometime today. The Tennessee Titans is the likely trade partner for for the Skins, according to LaCanfora who says the Titans will give up their third round pick to the Redskins.
Washington does not have a third round pick.
LaCanfora was the sometimes nemesis of the Redskins front office largely because of hs skeptical view of how the team was managed.
Haynesworth was critical last season of the way the Redskins for the way the team used him to plug gaps along the defensive line. The Titans used him to disrupt passing plays. He emerged as the NFL’s premier defensive player in that system.
Haynesworth fell in disfavor with the Mike Shanahan regime for declining to join the team for voluntary workouts in March and for following his own training program this offseason. He was openly skeptical of his place in the 3-4 defensive alignment that defensive coordinator Jim Haslett will install this season.
Wow. Quite a development that this move is even under consideration at Redskins Park. It was distressing to watch Big Al gassed on the field in the Detroit Lions game, a loss, and frequently thereafter. But I agree with Haynesworth’s complaint.
One of the few reservations I had of defensive coordinator Greg Blache was the rigidity of his thinking. It helps to have average to pretty good players play strictly according to the scheme. However, Blache could never seem to bend the scheme to exploit players with extraordinary talent.
Blache took the same approach to Jason Taylor in 2008. Taylor refused to join the Redskins’ voluntary workouts before the 2009 season and the team released him.
That approach works more often than not. Gregg Williams is still successful with it. Yet for all the big buck the Redskins paid Haynesworth, the team used him as a bigger, better Anthony Montgomery. That was just as distressing as watching Haynesworth gasp for air after a play.
Haynesworth is guaranteed about $21 million of Danny Snyder’s money. You can bet he’d be happy to go.
UPDATE: Mike Shanahan said a few moment ago (5:37 PM ET) on the NFL Network that Albert Haynesworth would not be traded. You can always believe what a coach or GM says right before the Draft.
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