The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Redskins CB Shawn Springs is in the best shape of his life after nearly walking away from the game earlier this spring.

With his father in a coma, his stepmom fighting cancer, and his wife separating from him, Springs understandably considered retirement. Instead, he began working out feverishly five days a week, first on core strength, then on a boxing and sprinting program. As his trainer said, "he's a bad man right now." Don't underestimate the 33-year-old vet this season.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802931_3.html

Emotionally, this guy has been to hell and back. We need to welcome him back with open arms and help him clean up his wounds.

I felt so bad for him when I read this. All that he had to deal with is a lot for a person to handle in a lifetime, let alone an offseason.

His personal trauma aside, Springs got picked on in our loss to Seattle, it was painfully obvious that part of the hawks startegy was to go at Springs early and often. I just think he has lost a step...and a half. I think in his prime he was one of the premier corners but he's about 5 years out of his prime, and because of his salary cap status we are kind of married to him that and the fact that Carlos has been hurt for a awhile, it leaves us in the position of needing his best effort. Now this article actually encourages me when it says he may be in the best shape of his life, however Shawn is just not a shut down corner in the NFL anymore, during the NFL Replay of our playoff loss you could hear the seattle sideline after a completion on springs saying "all day at you shawn all day" I think we need a #1 CB to emerge and work with Smoot, whether its Carlos, or Tryon, CB is one of our top 3 needs.

i guess if you get beat pretty bad during one game, you are not a shutdown corner anymore? well deangelo hall, guess that's it for you (Cincinatti) or Champ Bailey (Green Bay). Everyone gets beat, EVERYONE. No one was asking Shawn Springs to be a shutdown corner, that breed is extinct in today's NFL with all the rules prohibiting physical play on defense. Shawn had one of his best seasons last year, and really picked it up at the end of the year. if you check his stats (which are not all that telling because it does not give you passes thrown his way and passes completed, etc), Shawn had 4 picks, and 14 passes defended, not to mention 62 tackles. he didn't take away a side of the field, no one can do that, but he certainly made most opponents think twice before throwing towards him...at 32 years of age.

the fact that our secondary was marred by injury and worse last year just proves even more that everyone had to step it up and fill in the gaping hole left by carlos and sean, and shawn definitely did that.

Gibbs4Life wrote:His personal trauma aside, Springs got picked on in our loss to Seattle, it was painfully obvious that part of the hawks startegy was to go at Springs early and often. I just think he has lost a step...and a half. I think in his prime he was one of the premier corners but he's about 5 years out of his prime, and because of his salary cap status we are kind of married to him that and the fact that Carlos has been hurt for a awhile, it leaves us in the position of needing his best effort. Now this article actually encourages me when it says he may be in the best shape of his life, however Shawn is just not a shut down corner in the NFL anymore, during the NFL Replay of our playoff loss you could hear the seattle sideline after a completion on springs saying "all day at you shawn all day" I think we need a #1 CB to emerge and work with Smoot, whether its Carlos, or Tryon, CB is one of our top 3 needs.

It's tough when you plan your defense around two premier safeties and then lose one. I lke Doughty, but he did NOT fill the shoes of either Taylor or Landry. Couple that with the injuries we sustained, our secondary was quite depleted by the time we hit the playoffs. Do I think Springs is in his prime? no. Do I think he is a valid srater with what talent we have? yes. Smoot can play #2, Carlos is inconsistant, everyone else is unproven. I think if Springs stays healthy, he will surprise you.