Redskins Training Camp Day One - Drama on the Defensive Line

This is a bummer

Sunday 20 July 2008

WaPo training camp tracker, just getting started.

Things got off to a rough start Sunday on the first day of training camp. An hour into drills, 12 year veteran and four year Redskin defensive end Phillip Daniels injured his left knee, the Washington Post's two Jasons were so all over the story the timestamp on Redskins Insider is actually before the injury. Makes you wonder how long Dan Snyder will be able to hold out before buying the Post and renaming it The Koons Ford Papa Johns Redskins Post brought to you by the People of the Oil and Gas Industry, when Congress taxes oil companies we all pay.

Phillip's injury at first looked like a hyperextended knee but sadly turned out to be torn left ACL, Phillip is done for the season, a bummer big guy, we'll miss you this year. Hope to see you back ready to go next season.

This injury very quickly exposed how thin the Redskins are at the end positions, the team has not stewarded the position well since Dan Snyder took over. The Redskins did draft a defensive end, in the seventh round, it looks like Rob Jackson just made the team.

But then it got worse, in the afternoon practice Georgetown's own Alex Buzbee went down, at first it looked like an ankle, not that simple, he ruptured his right Achilles tendon and is out for the season.

Within six hours the Redskins had addressed this sudden lack of defensive ends by trading away two draft picks for disgruntled Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Miami had made peace with losing Jason and he had vowed not to attend camps or report. Miami gets Washington's second rounder next year and Washington's sixth rounder in 2010. Washington gets 34 year old Jason Taylor, with two years and 16 million dollars left on his contract. The Redskins are assuming the contract as is. This is a pretty big story and merits greater consideration. Mike Wise just has to bring up Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders.


In quarterback ville, Jim Zorn tried to lurk with the reporters and threw out a question to Jason Campbell. I think these two guys are going to get along just fine Brett Favre.


Over in cornerback land, Fred Smoot turned his ankle (also op. cit.), an injury not expected to keep him off the field long. Fred calls the period between the Super Bowl and NFL training camp the Dead Season, I call it the Desert but the meaning is the same: football is better than baseball and it's like not even close.

Carlos Rogers, coming back from torn ACL and MCL in the right knee did a little work but not much. I say let him rest.

Shawn Springs was on time and on the field, there was a story about what a shit bummer his offseason was, I have great sympathy for his situation. That said, return the fucking phone call when coach calls. Shawn and Jim Zorn had not spoken before the start of camp.

On the defensive side, Lorenzo Alexander aka Scarface found out he will be playing defense only, no more reps on the offensive line (ibid.). That of course assumes there is not a string of injuries on the line as there was offseason with right tackle Jon Jansen and right guard Randy Thomas both missing most of the season.


Online chat with WaPo reporter Jason La Canfora.

Washington Post training camp photo gallery, some of these photos have changed since Sunday, perhaps they will rotate through this gallery throughout camp.



Phillip Daniels sacking Eli Manning in 2004: Joe Giza / Washington Post from here.