The Redskins re-signed two more players Friday, adding defensive end/linebacker Lorenzo Alexander and offensive lineman Mike Williams, both to multi-year contracts. They signed Phillip Daniels on Thursday.
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So far, they have not signed any players from other teams in free agency, though they have been linked to left tackle Chad Clifton, right tackle Tony Pashos and reportedly quarterback Rex Grossman (who played for Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan when both were in Houston).
Alexander is switching positions in the defense, now having to learn to play outside linebacker in a 3-4. He hasn’t played linebacker since high school and the transition won’t be easy. Fortunately for him, teammate Chris Wilson went through the same process last year (as did rookie Brian Orakpo) and Andre Carter is also doing it this year.
“Chris’ thing is beign patient because as a defensive lineman, as soon as the ball is snapped you’re a wild man,” Alexander said. “At linebacker you have to be more patient as far as dropping back into coverage and reading things and not getting too antsy. Changing my mindset will be my toughest thing.”
The good thing for Alexander is his play on special teams, where he and Wilson have developed into standouts. Having big guys who can run helps tremendously on those units.
As for Williams, he joined the Redskins last spring after not having played the previous three seasons. The former first-round pick at tackle struggled to stay on the field in the summer and was eventually switched to guard, where he played better than he had at tackle. His big issue was more with his hands than his feet as he often got into trouble with sloppy punches at defensive linemen. He did struggle reacting to stunts at times as well. Was it rust or an indication of where he’s at as a player? But the Redskins’ new staff is clearly intrigued.
“Mike showed a tremendous work ethic and willingness to do whatever the team asked of him,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said in a statement. “We believe that he’s only scratched the surface of his abilities so far, and look forward to seeing what he can do after a full offseason in our program.”
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