The Redskins felt they made progress; but clearly not enough. Coach Mike Shanahan fired two assistants, including one of their longest tenured ones, and added another former head coach to the staff.
The Redskins fired safeties coach Steve Jackson and receivers coach Keenan McCardell, according to a league source, and have hired Raheem Morris to be their secondary coach. The St. Petersburg Times first reported the news about Morris. He had been offered the job after meeting with the Redskins last week. But he also had interviewed for Minnesota’s defensive coordinator position. According to 106.7 The Fan, Morris can still get out of his deal if he’s offered a defensive coordinator’s position.
Redskins spokesman Tony Wyllie declined comment on any changes.
Morris was highly respected by Tampa’s defensive backs before taking over as the Bucs head coach in 2009.
Jackson had been with the Redskins since 2004, coming on board when Joe Gibbs returned. One knock against the Redskins’ defense this season was the lack of sound coverage in the secondary, a problem for a team that liked to blitz. It didn’t help that LaRon Landry was either hurt or out for much of the season. And free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe also played hurt.The Redskins were unable to develop young safeties in recent years.
McCardell joined the Redskins when Shanahan was hired. One issue Shanahan had with the receivers was the lack of yardage after the catch. Also, the bulk of the production came from older veterans such as Jabar Gaffney, Santana Moss and Donte Stallworth. The first- and second-year receivers combined for 35 catches this season, though it would have been more had rookie Leonard Hankerson stayed healthy.
One receivers coach with ties to Shanahan: Karl Dorrell. He just ended his fourth season as Miami’s receivers coach, but much will depend on what the new Dolphins coach wants. Dorrell served as a receivers coach for three years under Shanahan in Denver (from 2000-02) before becoming the head coach at UCLA.
