Redskins have no safety concerns (Nola.com)

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Redskins have no safety concerns
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Mike Triplett
The Washington Redskins are hoping rookie safety LaRon Landry can make the same kind of instant impact in the NFL that he made at LSU.

Landry, who led the Tigers in tackles as a freshman during their national championship run in 2003, is being projected as the Redskins' starting strong safety after an impressive showing at the team's minicamp last weekend.

"We're going to classify our safeties this year, free and strong, with Sean (Taylor) being the free and (LaRon) being the strong as he works his way into the lineup," defensive coordinator Gregg Williams told the Washington-area media. "I don't think it will be very long from what I've seen. It looks like No. 30 can play. He has moved around very well.

"You watch the Sugar Bowl, and he wasn't just trying to win his matchup, he was trying to hunt you down. Those are the kinds of things you like from an attitude standpoint."

In the past, the Redskins characterized their safeties as interchangeable. But they had a more specific role in mind for Landry when they selected him with the sixth overall pick in last month's draft.

Williams said Landry's presence will free up Taylor, a Pro Bow player, to play center field and go after the ball. The Redskins forced a league-low 12 turnovers last year.

"He gives us more flexibility because he can do so many things," Williams said of Landry.

"LaRon is showing why he was picked at No. 6," safeties coach Steve Jackson told the Washington Times. "The biggest thing right now is his intensity. We don't have pads on, and he improves every rep. He takes every play seriously. LaRon plays every play full speed. He plays the game with a passion. He's a hard worker with talent.

"The biggest challenge for LaRon will be the speed of the game and the knowledge of the game, not making the same mistakes over and over and over.

"You learn from your mistakes and get better."

Landry said he did just that after his first day on the field.

"The first day was kind of a shock," Landry said. "Practice was a little faster and more intense (than in college). Today, I came out with a little more intensity and a lot more focus. I knew the playbook a little bit more, and I was able to play fast."

Despite the praise from coaches, Landry said nothing is guaranteed.

"I'm just like everyone else competing and trying to earn a job," he said. "I'm like the rest of the guys trying to get noticed. I'm grinding in the playbook like everyone is."


EXPANDED SCHEDULE?

The NFL is exploring the idea of adding a 17th regular-season game to be played outside of the United States. Every team would play one game outside of the country, with the extra game replacing a preseason game.

"It is preliminary, but we certainly are putting resources into pulling that together," NFL Senior Vice President Mark Waller told The Associated Press. "For now, we have the one game per season or two per season outside of the U.S. But we know it can be tough on home fans since we're taking a (home) game away."

Waller said the overseas games would not be played in 16 different locations. More likely, there would be a "mini-season ticket" of perhaps four games in one city or country.

Likely locations would include London, Germany, Mexico and Canada.


HILTON'S NEXT STOP

Also participating in the Redskins' camp was former Saints tight end Zach Hilton. Hilton had a breakout year for the Saints in 2005, catching 35 passes for 396 yards and a touchdown. But he didn't fit into new coach Sean Payton's plans and was released in training camp.

Hilton caught on with the New York Jets, but he never appeared in a game. Now, he is a tryout hopeful with his hometown team. Hilton is from nearby Silver Spring, Md.

"Last year was very shocking because I was coming off a really productive season and expecting to build on that," Hilton told the Times. "I've always wanted to be a Redskin, but right now, I want a job more than anything."


AROUND THE LEAGUE

Former Falcons coach Jim Mora wants to be a head coach again, but for now he is content as the secondary coach in Seattle, which is the closest place he has to a hometown. Mora, who bounced around as the son of former Saints coach Jim Mora, attended high school and college in the Seattle area.

"I loved being a head coach. I hope at some point I get that chance again," Mora told the Seattle-area media. "But one of the things about being a head coach is you do miss the dirty work, the hands-on, having a group of 10 guys you work with intimately all the time. And to get that chance again, it's kind of refreshed me, revived me. It brings that passion back out."

-- Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes has not ruled out a comeback, though he has not played since suffering a spinal injury during the 2005 season.

"I still have a lot left in the tank. How do you walk away when you've got a lot left in the tank?" Holmes said while being inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas. He said his friends and family are split at 50-50 as to whether he should try and come back -- and so is he.

"I'll tell you what," he said. "I'd really like at least one more game."

-- Titans rookie running back Chris Henry flashed a great sense of humor during the team's minicamp. When he was told that incumbent tailback LenDale White said he never had heard of Henry before the Titans drafted him, Henry said, "Who?"

After a big laugh from the crowd of reporters, Henry went on to compliment White and said he'll be honored to work with him.

-- After being analyzed and dissected for months leading up to the draft, former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn had to deal with it again when he was criticized by fellow Irish alum Joe Theismann for his "unprofessional" appearance at Radio City Music Hall on draft day. Theismann criticized Quinn on ESPN Radio for chewing gum and for having unkempt hair and wrinkled clothes.

Quinn took it all in stride, though. He showed up at Browns minicamp with a fresh haircut and told reporters that Theismann's comments make you "look at yourself in the mirror and say, 'Maybe you need to think about those things.' " Quinn apologized to any Notre Dame alums or fans who thought he wasn't being businesslike and said he respected Theismann for helping the Notre Dame program.

"I'm a big fan of his," Quinn said. "He must not be a big fan of me."