1. If receiver Santana Moss was tempted to leave via free agency, he remembered a story from his high school days. Back then, he said he wasn’t getting a lot of passes. So entering his junior year he told his dad he wanted to change schools. His reply: “Maybe you’ll learn something else.” Moss stayed and in his senior year he caught more passes and his team won a state championship. And a lesson was learned.
“Sometimes it’s not always best to go anywhere,” said Moss. “I feel we can get it done with the people and the players that we have here. With them bringing in coach Shanahan and his staff, we’re just a couple of pieces away.
“I love the offense and I love the guys who run the offense. All I have to do for my part is go to work.”
2. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett isn’t worried about LaRon Landry’s Achilles not yet being 100 percent. “LaRon would do anything to play football,” he said. “He’ll be out here pretty soon.”
3. OK, more Barry Cofield. The guy has some personality and I couldn’t squeeze everything into a story I wrote on him for Sunday. So here goes:
On playing nose tackle at 6-foot-4: “I built a lot of my game on technique. I feel I’m a great technician, I play with great pad level and great leverage and the low man usually wins. It’s not all about size. I feel I’m strong enough. I have the mentality and I feel I play with proper technique and follow coach Burney and coach Haslett’s guidance I feel I’ll be successful.”
On playing in this defense: “I’m really looking forward to it. When you have talented speed rushers like we have, with our outside backers and guys like [Brian] Orakpo. They draw a lot of attention. They can make my life easier. Playing on the nose sometimes you get freed up on a center. As a defensive lineman you should feel like no center should block you one on one. That’s something you should relish. I think I can do a great job collapsing the pocket here.”
On if he’s checked out other guys his size who play nose: “Not in particular. Coach Haslett, when I spoke to him leading up to me signing here, Coach Burney, they had a vision of me and I bought into it. It was really about playing with great technique and pad level and doing things right. If you can emphasize those things you can be successful as a nose tackle. People overestimate the importance of size. A lot of times it’s about leverage and the low man will win in those fights. I’m eager to prove a lot of people wrong.”
On if his Taser sack dance is coming to D.C. : “Absolutely it’s gonna come with me. There’s been a great demand for it. People love it. It’s got its own persona almost, like its own entity. It’s very special and I can’t wait to share it with the fans of the Redskins.”
And if there are any rules for it: “It can evolve. It depends on the demand of the fans. If the fans love it I’ll break it out on every third down stop, it doesn’t matter, on the sidelines, coming out of the tunnel. Whatever the fans want that’s what they’ll see, but something that energizes your teammates, energizes the fans so I think it’s good for the team.”
On if he minds seeing others get sacks: “Being in New York and being with those defensive ends I didn’t get a lot of accolades and attention as it was. But the Redskins saw something in me. They watched the tape and I played here quite a bit and I’ve had some of my best games on this field. Guys know Vince Wolfork and Casey Hampton, people know those names and if you play nose tackle well you do get recognition, you do end up in Hawaii and that’s my goal.”
4. The Redskins signed former Michigan linebacker Obi Ezah, according to the Detroit Free Press. Here’s a quick scouting report on him. He projects to an inside linebacker in a 3-4. The Redskins will continue to sign players throughout the week as they can have as many as 90 players on the roster.
5. With Rocky McIntosh likely done in Washington, Robert Henson (knee) still sidelined and Lorenzo Alexander learning the position, Perry Riley is the lone player with experience at the inside linebacker spot opposite London Fletcher. “He’s very athletic,” Haslett said. “He needs time on the grass. He needs work. The more time he gets the better he’s going to get. … I feel good about Perry.”
6. Riley or whoever else plays this position will be helped if Cofield and the rest of the line does its job. Too often London Fletcher had to avoid a guard as double teams weren’t always needed up front. If Cofield can occupy the center and guard for an extra second, then Fletcher and the other inside ‘backer have a chance to make good stops, not tackles five yards downfield. And whoever does play opposite Fletcher needs to do a much better job on run fits than McIntosh did a year ago (his first at that spot in a 3-4).
6. Now there’s a rumor by Pro Football Talk about the Redskins being interested in Ahmad Bradshaw. Haven’t confirmed it — I will say, an NFL source says the Giants were telling people Saturday that this was the case — but the Redskins are always linked to many players; sometimes it’s an agent (his is Drew Rosenhaus) driving up a price. I know you’ll be shocked to learn that happens. And know that the Giants are sticking firm to their offer to him (not sure what it was), according to a Giants insider.
Before we get started: Yes, the Redskins still need to fix the offensive line. But aside from landing a right tackle, the starting group could be set. I know, I know; that’s an issue as well. This is not an imposing line and they need depth as well.
That said, Bradshaw has some value. I’m not going to ignore the seven fumbles he lost last year; that’s an issue. But Bradshaw did a good job picking up blitzes in New York and he has good hands out of the backfield. The Redskins don’t have anyone like him now. Maybe Roy Helu or Evan Royster develops into that guy, but nobody knows. Certainly not the coaches who haven’t seen them in pads — and won’t for at least several more days.
It’s hard to entrust rookies with picking up the blitz; Keiland Williams did an OK job in this area last year because he did it a lot in college. Still, it’s not easy. And with the pressure I’d anticipate teams sending at John Beck – knock on him in some quarters is poise under pressure – it’s imperative that the Redskins excel in this area. This would not be like bringing in Willie Parker or Larry Johnson last year; both had clearly declined. Bradshaw, entering his fifth season, rushed for 1,235 yards last year, his first as a starter (again, seven fumbles). He’s only 25. He’s considered a tough runner, but undisciplined. Like Ryan Torain, he can make guys miss at the line. Those sort of guys can make a subpar line look better.
Here’s what Pro Football Focus said about Bradshaw: “Somewhat overshadowed by his own fumbling problems, Bradshaw emerged as one of the better, well-rounded running backs in the league, and a fearsome pass blocker. He may never be a feature back, but he excelled with the Giants as one punch in a running back by committee approach. Could prove an excellent value pick up for someone.”
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