According to sources, Titans inquire about possible trade for DT
ASHBURN – The Redskins have their issues with Albert Haynesworth. But they also have their asking price for teams inquiring about him.
And the former does not mean the latter will go down. It appears that Tennessee, once again, has learned that lesson.
The Redskins, according to multiple reports and sources, did indeed talk with Tennessee regarding a potential trade for Haynesworth, a former Titan. However, the Redskins have remained firm in their asking price in any deal for Haynesworth — and teams have deemed that too high.
Seattle inquired about him before training camp, but lost interest because the asking price was too high, a league source said.
At this point, it’s likely that teams are trying to get Haynesworth for below-market cost. However, those who have either worked with Redskins coach/executive vice president Mike Shanahan or dealt with him know one thing: He holds firm to his costs.
And league sources say the Redskins likely want two draft picks for him, a high one in the 2011 draft and a conditional one in 2012. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of bargaining room. So if the Titans thought they could get Haynesworth, who made two All-Pro teams with Tennessee before leaving for Washington in 2009, on the cheap, they were wrong. Tennessee inquired about Haynesworth before the April draft, too.
“Mike won’t give him up for nothing,” one NFL source said. “He’ll just keep him.”
And if Shanahan sticks to that price?
“I don’t think Tennessee would do it,” another league source said.
Haynesworth and Shanahan have butted heads since their first meeting. The Redskins gave him a harsh assessment of his 2009 performance, a league source said. And the troubles followed through the offseason when Haynesworth skipped workouts and later failed the conditioning test.
Not that teammates want him gone.
“We can’t win without Albert,” quarterback Donovan McNabb said on his weekly radio show on ESPN 980. He did not clarify to say whether he just meant they needed Haynesworth to be “right” in order to win; or if he was saying they shouldn’t trade him.
“He plays a major part on our defense,” McNabb said. “Everyone knows it. It’s unfortunate what’s going on and how it’s transpired.”
This past week, The Washington Post cited unnamed sources in a story criticizing Haynesworth’s final preseason performance in which he played 49 of 55 snaps. But, on Monday, Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said Haynesworth’s effort was fine; but his technique in adjusting to the 3-4 defense still needed work.
Now there’s question as to how much Haynesworth will even play vs. Dallas.
“If he doesn’t play, Dallas will be happy,” the NFL source said.
Regardless, the experiment of Haynesworth playing a 3-4 could be doomed.
“Square peg in a round hole,” the league source said. “He’s miscast in this defense. When I saw him [this preseason] I thought at end he was more disruptive. You see what the guy can do, especially in the pass rush. At nose tackle, I don’t think he dominates. He has problems playing the defense.”
Teammates have numbed to the constant questions about Haynesworth.
“It’s always old, man,” end Andre Carter said. “What it boils down to is us. We have to be professional and go out there and win the game.”
