Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Betts redid his contract

According to Redskins cap guru Robert Large, aka PC in OZ, Ladell Betts recently adjusted his contract in order to give the team a bit of breathing room in the wake of the acquisition of Miami defensive end Jason Taylor and his $8 million salary.

Here's the skinny from PC himself:

Ladell Betts has agreed to adjust his contract adding one more year to the current tenure (now to 2013) and also agreed to have his 2008 roster bonus of $2.0m guaranteed (hence spreading the hit over the now 6 years remaining on his contract), to fit in Jason Taylor's contract under the cap

The fiscal effect was that Betts' cap hit was reduced by some $1.7 million. The football effect was that it will make it that much harder for him to be displaced by, say, a second-year running back out of Georgetown Prep via Youngstown State.

Schweigert released

I saw that Stuart Schweigert didn't look to good last night, but I thought he'd get some time to work out the kinks.

I was wrong.

Schweigert and Danny Verdun-Wheeler just were released.

Pete Schmitt, who could be the fullback to be named later, and safety Patrick Ghee were signed.

Malcolm Kelly out 2 weeks

Malcolm Kelly's stiff knees were bothering him to the point where he and the team decided that something needed to be done. That something will be arthroscopic surgery on both knees to clean them out and he'll be out for two weeks.

When it was learned that he went to see Dr. James Andrews, the famed Birmingham, Alabama surgeon, a 'scope seemed to be in the cards. You go to a restaurant when you want to eat. When you talk to a painter, you generally want something painted. You go to a surgeon when you need surgery.

It's difficult for rookie wide receivers to have an impact in the NFL when they have a full training camp to learn the nuances of the pro offense. With this setback for Kelly and the hamstring injury that has prevented Devin Thomas from practicing since the early going, the Redskins probably aren't expecting much from two of their three second-round draft selections.

Fortunately, however, the two aren't being counted on to start. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El have the first-team jobs well in hand. Kelly and Thomas will contribute in spots and Jim Zorn will be able to pick and choose those spots and set them up in roles in which they will be comfortable.

Assuming, of course, that they can stay on the field long enough to get comfortable.

 

 

Rookie Tryon may have to step up at CB

I promised a blurb about the Skins' cornerback situation after the release of John Eubanks, who was the fourth corner last year after Carlos Rogers was put on injured reserve in October.

Eubanks was released, it seems to me, and players like Byron Westbrook and Cedric Holt stayed because Eubanks had used up his practice squad eligibility. If players are close in ability and are long shots to make the 53-man roster, you want to keep around the guys you'll be able to keep around on the PS.

Eubanks may even have been a little bit better than Westbrook and Holt but he would be taking up resources in the form of a roster spot and coaching time and the Redskins don't want to do that if it's likely that he'll be cut loose at the end of August anyway.

Westbrook and Holt and fourth-round draftee Just Tryon may be good players but, for all three of them, their next NFL snap will their first NFL snap.

Rogers is the key to how much all of this matters. If he's ready for Week 1, he, Shawn Springs, and Fred Smoot are the top three corners. Leigh Torrence, the nickel back after Rogers went out in '07, comes in against four wides and in third and very long. Tryon is the fifth CB on the roster, playing special teams when he's on the active list. Westbrook and Holt likely are on the practice squad.

It seems unlikely, though, that Rogers will be ready to play in the Meadowlands on September 4. If he's on the PUP list, which would open a spot on the 53-man roster, Holt or Westbrook will have a shot at making it. In either case, Torrence and Tryon both move up a notch to the nickel and dime spots respectively.

No chance of J. Williams pickup

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons released safety Jimmy Williams, a 2006 second-round draft pick out of Virginia Tech.

As usually happens when a player who was a high pick in a recent draft is cut loose, folks are asking if the Washington Redskins might have any interest in picking him up.

I can generally hazard an educated guess as to whether or not there will be any interest on the part of the Redskins. Often I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong.

In the case of Williams, however, I can give a definitive no. That's because he gave the organization one of the worst first impressions ever.

Be advised that the details of this story are somewhat hazy as I received them two computers ago and I can't dredge up the original document. But the essence of the story is what's important.

Williams did a pre-draft visit to Redskins Park when he came out of Tech. He didn't make a very good first impression as he showed up with a small posse and seemed distracted as he was sending and receiving text messages while he was being greeted.

It got worse from there. During a meeting with Gregg Williams and some other defensive coaches, J. Williams' cell phone rang. He answered it and started chatting it up with one of his buddies. G. Williams was not amused.

It didn't have a chance to get worse from there. Within minutes the player and his posse were back in the car on their way back to the airport after one of the shortest draft visits in history.

Williams won't get second chance to make a first impression with the Skins.

That probably wasn't the only such visit that Williams had in '06. He originally was projected to be a top-15 selection. As the interview process went on, he slid down the board until he wound up being the 37^th pick.

NOTN: Kirwin ' s take on Schweigert vs. Doughty

Notes on the News

Pat Kirwin of NFL.com had the following take on Stu Schweigert fighting Reed Doughty for playing time:

2. Washington Redskins--Schweigert was just signed as the Redskins continue to beef up the back end of their roster. He had 10 starts for the Raiders last year with 69 tackles, four passes defended and two interceptions. Doughty came off the bench after the death of Sean Taylor and started six games with 53 tackles and two passes defended. Both are close in age, setting up a battle which may be won by the guy who flashes big-play ability in preseason games.

This is kind of an apples vs. oranges comparison here as Schweigert plays the free safety spot and Doughty is more of a strong safety. As we've discussed here on a few occasions, though, there is no clear, hard line between the two positions in the Redskins' defense (and on many NFL defenses, for that matter) as they evolve into hybrid spots.

Still, barring one of them really shining or falling flat on his face in camp and the preseason, I don't see there being much of a battle. LaRon Landry's versatility is the key. In some situations, Landry will be up in the box in the traditional strong safety role and Schweigert will be manning the free safety spot. At other times, Landry will roam center field and Doughty will be in at strong safety.

Tryon inks for four years

Justin Tryon signed a four-year deal with the Washington Redskins, according to Jason LaCanfora at the Post.

Update: Dave Elfin on Redskins 360 said that Tryon's signing bonus was $426,000.

He may need to get up to NFL speed in a hurry. The general feeling around Redskins Park is that it's looking more and more like Carlos Rogers will open the season on the PUP list. Should that happen, Tryon, Leigh Torrence, and John Eubanks will be the nickel and dime package depth being starters.

Following is the Redskins' press release on the Tryon signing.

WASHINGTON SIGNS FOURTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK JUSTIN TRYON

Ashburn, VA - The Washington Redskins announced today they have signed rookie cornerback Justin Tryon. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. In addition, the Redskins released safety Patrick Ghee.

Tryon (5-9, 190), a fourth round pick (124^th overall) out of Arizona State, totaled 103 career tackles (80 solo), four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 26 games (all starts). He also had 12 kickoff returns for 372 yards (31.0 avg.).

As a senior, he totaled 56 tackles (43 solo), one forced fumble, three interceptions, one interception returned for a touchdown and a team-high 16 passes defended (11^th in the Nation). Tryon earned third-team All-America honors by The NFL Draft Report, second-team All-Pac 10 and Arizona State's Most Improved Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2007. He had his first career interception return for a touchdown (69 yards) at Washington State (10/6/07).

Tryon prepped at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California, where he earned second-team all-city honors as a running back.

Ghee originally signed with the Redskins on May 6, 2008.

Fourth-rounder Tryon in the fold

Fourth-round pick Justin Tryon signed on the line with the Washington Redskins today. Terms are not available as of now, but it's likely that he signed for three years with a small signing bonus.

The other shoe dropped more quickly than anticipated here for safety Patrick Ghee. The fist-year safety was cut in order to make room on the 80-man roster for Tryon.

Horton signed, Hamilton out

Justin Hamilton didn't even get a chance to be camp fodder.

The Washington Redskins signed Chris Horton, their seventh-round draft pick out of UCLA. The safety, a seventh-round draft pick out of UCLA, signed a three-year deal with a signing bonus of around $36,000.

To make room for Horton, who upon signing the deal counted against the 80-man roster, the Redskins cut Hamilton. The Redskins had signed the former sixth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns on June 2. It was opined here that Hamilton had a chance to survive training camp and make the team.

Later in the week, however, the safety position got a bit more crowded when the Redskins inked veteran Stu Schweigert.

It's apparent that Greg Blache and company were more impressed with Patrick Ghee, a 6-1 first-year player who spent time with the Seahawks and Panthers last year, than they were with Hamilton.

Ghee probably is waiting for the other shoe to drop. He is likely to be waived when the Redskins agree to terms with sixth-round pick Kareem Moore.

That would leave the Redskins with six players competing for four or five safety spots. LaRon Landry, Reed Doughty are safe and Schweigert probably is, too. That leaves Horton, Moore, and veteran Vernon Fox batting for one or two roster spots.

Landry will play both safety spots

Will LaRon Landry be the Washington Redskins' free safety this year, the position where he played his best ball after moving in after the loss of Sean Taylor?

Or will he play strong safety, the position he was drafted to play?

During this week's OTA's, we got the answer.

Both.

According to Steve Jackson, Landry will line up in the deep center of the field on passing downs. When the situation has the defense looking for the run, Landry will assume the traditional strong safety position, lining up in the box and coming on a blitz.

Playing such a swing role is something that not too many players can do. "Some guys are better suited for strong. Some are better suited for free," Jackson said. "He's one of the few guys who can play both."

Dave Elfin's article does not address who would be in the game along with Landry in those various situations. But it's not hard to read the tea leaves and speculate.

When Landry is in the deep center field role, Reed Doughty, who became a starter when Landry moved over last year, would play the strong safety spot. When Landry is up close to the line, Stu Schweigert, a natural free safety, would go into the game.

Landry's skill set gives Jackson and Greg Blache some other options. Schweigert and Landry could split the field in a cover two scheme on third and long. Landry and Doughty both might line up close to the line of scrimmage on short-yardage and goal line situations.

So, the where-to-play-Landry dilemma turns out to be no problem at all. Just put him where the action is going to be and fit the other players around him.