At one point, Albert Haynesworth was a prized free agent acquisition. He was coming off a couple of seasons in Tennessee where he was an absolute monster for the Titans. So, the Washington Redskins – as they often do – made a huge mistake and gave him some $41 million in guaranteed money. They were done with him and the Patriots decided to take a flyer on him. That didn’t work out either and he was cut.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the latest team to kick his tires and try to get something – anything – out of him. He played down there for seven games and was part of one of the most embarrassing defenses in recent memory.

And now the Bucs will go the way of everyone else whose dealt with Albert lately: They cut him. Not surprising since he’d have been owed some $7.2 million next year.

So, Albert is homeless again and he’s running out of chances. He’ll be 31-years old and he just doesn’t produce for whatever reason (turdish effort?). He’s most likely looking at a one-year “prove it” deal.

After watching Monday night’s ground gashing by the Chicago Bears, one would think that the Philadelphia Eagles would jump at the chance to add one of the best defensive tackles in the last decade. Sure enough, one came loose yesterday when the New England Patriots released Albert Haynesworth.

But, Haynesworth was cut for a reason, he’s dogging it on just about every play. And according to Eagles beat writer Geoff Mosher, the team isn’t interested.

“BTW-Told also that #Eagles won’t try to sign Haynesworth if he passes through waivers, per team source,” Mosher tweets.

The Eagles could desperately use a force in the middle of their defense. Cullen Jenkins has not been the force that he was to open the season. He’s still a very nice player, but if you could plug in Haynesworth from 2007 into the mix, that would change things dramatically.

Problem is, that guy is most likely long gone and the Eagles know it. Hell, Stevie Wonder knows it. Haynesworth has enough money and doesn’t care to try anymore.

File this under “somewhat shocking.” The New England Patriots win a lot of games because of their offense. Their defensive is just horrific, so one would assume that they can’t afford to be losing players. But, after cutting Leigh Bodden a week ago, they have let go of another veteran player.

Albert Haynesworth.

“BREAKING: The Patriots have released DT Albert Haynesworth, I’m reporting. Wow,” Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald tweets.

Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe said Monday night that Haynesworth turned in three of the worst plays every by a defensive tackle. He got “ragdolled easy,” got pancaked and then fell to the ground on an easy shove against the New York Giants Sunday. This led to a sideline confrontation with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson.

Could the Eagles be interested? Would he play hard for Jim Washburn, his old coach from Tennessee? It’s possible.

Albert clearly has enough money at this point. He’s playing…why? He has a ton of talent but he’s clearly just gutless at this point. Oh and throw in the fact that he’s a royal pain off the field too.

“It’s a good, aggressive plan,” Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “When they say go, we’re ready to go.”

That was what Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said on May 18th. He, along with other front office peeps, told the fans and the media that the Eagles had this aggressive plan for the offseason. That got people’s minds going. ‘Nnamdi Asomugha? Yeah, we’ll sign him, then trade for Haynesworth! Think of that defense then! And we’ll trade Kolb and get…..blah blah.’

The reality is that the imagination of the Philly fan so rarely dovetails with the actual machinations of the Eagles.

Photo Caption: “Any time I go to McDonald’s, Burger King…(*cough*)…I have an aggressive plan in place.”

Nnamdi Asoumgha is linked heavily to the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers. Notice what team’s name isn’t listed there? Bengals CB Johnathan Joseph is expected to make a decision soon, but he’s supposed to pick the Bengals, Browns, Lions or Texans. Notice what team’s name isn’t listed there?

Now, the Eagles are still rumored to be sending Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick. DRC is not one of the two aforementioned corners. He had a down year last year and there are rumors that the Cardinals coaches are tired of his lousy work ethic.

The Eagles did sign Jason Babin to a five-year deal that guarantees him $7 million, which is about $6.5 million too much. Some people are excited to add a guy who had 12.5 sacks last season. Don’t count me among them. The Eagles already had this guy two years ago, what weren’t they seeing then? He didn’t play a ton and was just a guy. Yeah, I know, Jim Washburn. Go ahead with the Jim Washburn stuff. Washburn is the new defensive line coach in Philly and he was the d-line coach in Tennessee that got 12.5 sacks out of Babin. If you want to make that connection and assume greatness for Babin here too…go ahead.

Look, Babin was a first-round pick in 2004. Other than one year, he’s been a complete bust whose previous high sack total for a season was five. He’s been bounced around the league for a reason. He’s not that good.

And what does this signing say about second-year DE Brandon Graham? The guy you traded halfway up into round one to snag in the draft in 2010? If Babin really is this big, great signing….what about the first-round pick? There is a mistake somewhere. Either Graham isn’t your guy (he’s still recovering from microfracture surgery after all), he’s really hurt, or your doubling down with the draft and free agency at one position. None of those things are good. Not to mention it’s a position that, other than getting lucking with a fifth-round pick in 2005 in Trent Cole, they’ve done a lousy job filling.

Let’s look at that last point for a second. This coaching regime inherited a stud in Hugh Douglas. Then what? Jevon Kearse was an overpaid player for the Eagles who showed flashes here and there, but was not worth the money they gave him. At all. How is former second-round pick Victor Abiamiri working out? Still waiting on 2008 third-round pick Bryan Smith from McNeese St. to pan out. I don’t even think he ever got onto the field. Woefully undersized and from an irrelevant school? Third-round pick it is! Darryl Tapp is just okay and a role player at best. This front office group led by Andy Reid (we think. We have no idea what the real deal is right now, but let’s hope Howie Roseman has minimal input, but I don’t think that’s the case), has not been able to bring in a legit DE who can rush the passer. And Derrick Burgess doesn’t count because he did squat here until the end of the 2004 season, and then left for a huge deal in Oakland.

This front office continues to draft undersized, “fastballs” that get mauled at the point of attack and get no pass rush. Or they trade for some bum on someone else’s roster and try to convince us that they are smarter than us, and that this dude is going to be great in Philly.

So, what the hell are the Eagles doing?

I don’t believe the Washington Redskins would have played ball with the Eagles for Albert Haynesworth. And it’s a moot point now anyway because he was traded to the New England Patriots. But, boy, the Eagles could have used him. The Eagles defensive tackles have gotten a free pass for years and simply aren’t that good. When was the last time Mike Patterson was in the backfield being disruptive? I can’t remember either. Brodrick Bunkley has fallen off so badly that he’s becoming a joke. Antonio Dixon is their best tackle. What are they doing to address this?

Let’s not even talk about linebackers. Casey Matthews is the far-less talented brother that Philly teams love to get and try to sell the fans that he’ll be just as good. After all…they’re related! Maybe they’ll bring in another Ernie Sims and tell us how he’s their shark in the water. Except that he sucks at football. He’s a shark in the water alright, but it’s floating upside down in the Schuylkill River.

And let’s get back to Jim Washburn for a second. By all accounts, he’s an excellent coach, but let’s look at the Albert Haynesworth situation. Everyone talks about how the Eagles need to get Haynesworth reunited with Washburn because he got so much out of Fat Albert in Tennessee. Did he? Haynesworth was an absolutel monster in 2007 and 2008. Washburn was with him the entire time since his rookie year in 2002. So why didn’t he do anything with him until then? Oh! Because it had nothing to do with Washburn! They were contract years for Albert. He’s motivated by money, not coaches. So let’s find some other reasons to praise Washburn, which I will absolutely do when I see his work with this mess of a defensive line that the Eagles have cobbled together.

I should say that free agency isn’t over. There are still moves to be made (Kevin Kolb) and deals to be struck. So, I should mitigate my anger by that very fact. But still, I can’t help but see a very disturbing pattern here. And it’s not about the Eagles being cheap, because I don’t believe they are. However, they do like to get bums and undersized guys, move them around to all different positions, and then tell me they have a championship-caliber team. Unless you’re counting on some of these rookies to come in and dominate (which I’m not), then I haven’t seen any major upgrades to this roster…yet again.

Oh, and last year’s offensive line coach is this year’s defensive coordinator. So yeah….what the hell are the Eagles doing?

We’re all familiar with the Albert Haynesworth saga in Washington now, aren’t we? He signed a huge, $100 million contract (actually $41 million was guaranteed) two years ago with the Redskins. By the time Mike Shanahan came in the following year, they were running the 3-4 defense and Albert hated it. So then went the back and forth between him and Shanahan, which was a huge pissing contest that ended with him being suspended for the final four games of the 2010 season.

“Despite the club’s numerous attempts to persuade Albert Haynesworth to abide by the terms of his contract, he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time,” Shanahan said in a statement. “Among other things, he has consistently indicated to our defensive coaches that he refuses to play in our base defense or on first-down or second-down nickel situations. He has also refused to follow the instructions of our coaches both during weekly practices and during actual games as well.”

So the general consensus has been that the Redskins would cut him loose as soon as the lockout has been lifted. But a source with knowledge of the situation tells Philly Sports Daily that that simply isn’t going to happen.

“They are not going to cut him,” said the source. “If the Eagles or anyone else wants him it is going to have to be by trade. Because if they cut him, that’s giving him his way.”

Okay maybe so, but they certainly don’t want to hang onto him into the season. As much as Shanahan wants to get his own way, at a certain point the two sides simply can’t co-exist and it’s best for everyone to part ways.

It was about a year ago that I sat in OTR’s very own, Micah Warren’s German luxury car (Volkswagen Jetta). We were headed to the range to hit some golf balls when I suggested an interesting, yet unlikely scenario. “The Eagles should make a move for Albert Haynesworth.”

It was evident that this guy was unhappy in Washington and first year head coach, Mike Shanahan, was switching to a 3-4 scheme. Among other things, pride slashed with an undoubtedly poor attitude left the Redskins with a very unhappy, very unmotivated and VERY expensive player for the year. That said, it wasn’t hard to assume Washington would look to move this guy either by trade or simply cutting him after the season.

Despite all this, I repeated my interest in acquiring his services. He is a big, dominant force in the middle who, when motivated, is one of, if not, the best DL in the league. I thought it made complete sense to give him a 2 year, incentive laden deal and an opportunity to rejuvenate his reputation and career. This was a specific position of need for the Eagles that could be filled and possibly exceeded with the addition. Still, I was called a fool and others wanted no part of my scenario.

Just curious: Who is one of Fat Albert’s main potential suitors once a CBA is reached? Who brought in his former tutor to coach the defensive line? More importantly, why is it accepted as a possibility now…when it was rejected vehemently when proposed in your German engineered sedan? Is it only worth considering when SportsCenter runs a VO on it or if Adam Schefter says its possible?

The 2010 MLB season came and went. The Phillies ran into the heavy arms of the S.F. Giants and were eliminated in the N.L. Championship Series. Despite trading for Roy Halladay and adding Roy Oswalt at the break, the Phightin’s came up short and were out classed on the mound. Is it any surprise that pitching wins championships? No. So even though they had a great rotation already, why is it so farfetched to think they would make a play for Cliff Lee?

I repeated myself over and over again that the Phillies could bring back Lee if they wanted to. Despite moving him to clear space for Halladay, the minute the trade went through to Seattle both Lee, the fans AND the Phillies knew something didn’t feel right. A fan favorite, who was at the top of his game, was moved across the country despite his relationship with the fans and outward desire to play in this city. So why wouldn’t the Phillies take a peek at the guy once he hit the open market?

If a few things happened, the Phillies would have just as good of, if not a better shot at signing the lefty. First, we all knew they would have to let Jayson Werth walk. Done. Second, they would have to find a suitor for Raul Ibanez’ contract. Third, they would need to rely on Lee taking a little less money. Plain and simple. Okay, so the Phillies decided to go over budget rather than find a new home for Ibanez, but all the right things happened prior to signing him. Very similar to how the Eagles are positioning themselves for Haynesworth (although not nearly at the same level).

So when news struck in the middle of the night that Cliff Lee signed a deal with the Phils, were you one of the ones completely caught off guard… or simply excited that your team took advantage of an opportunity in front of them? 

So why can’t Steven Stamkos become a Flyer? Ah, finally we’ve arrived at my point (EDITOR’S NOTE: Finally). I’m hearing nothing be negativity and doubt regarding the Flyers ability to sign Stamkos. He is 21 and arguably the 3rd best player in the game (behind Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby). So let’s address some of the facts.

Fact: Flyers would have to clear cap space
Fact: Whoever signs Stamkos to an offer sheet would have to give up four first-round draft picks
Fact: Tampa Bay owns his rights as a RFA so he would have to refuse the initial offers prior to July 1

To clear the cap space, the Flyers cleared up nearly $108 million in long-term contracts by dealing home grown studs Jeff Carter and captain Mike Richards. Cap space achieved.
In both of those trades the Flyers got young and talented. Highlighted the Richards deal was Braydon Schenn, the 5th-overall selection in 2009 and a guy nearly every team coveted. Thanks to the Carter trade, the Flyers scooped up Jakub Vorecek (6th overall in 2008) and also landed the 8th-overall pick this year.

With that selection, these guys got Sean Corturier. This guy was once ranked the #1 North American born skater and debated as the top overall pick. He slipped down to 8th where the Flyers bag an absolute steal. And let us not forget the 2007 No.2-overall selection in JVR.

So to recap, the Flyers now own the rights to the 2007 No. 2-overall pick, 2008 No. 6-overall pick, the 2009 No. 5-overall pick and the 2011 No. 8-overall pick. Signing Stamkos to an offer sheet at the expense of four future first-round draft picks doesn’t seem so extreme now…does it? They would be putting themselves in a great position to WIN now while securing youth for the future. Plus, if things go as expected, the picks would be at the bottom of the first round.

Finally, none of this is possible if Stamkos simply signs with TB prior to July 1st. How has that gone so far? In order for any of this to be possible, Stamkos and the Lightning have to come to an impasse on a new deal and allow him to test the waters. So far, the on again, off again talks have proven to provide just that.

Of course, if/when a team signs him to an offer sheet, TB has the right to match the deal. It is being reported that TB is offering around $7-7.5 million per season. Really? Crosby is getting upwards of $9 million/per and Ovechkin is just over $9 million/per. Do we really think this guy is going to sign for $7 million without at least letting other teams drive up that price tag? In addition, who says the Lighting can pay him top dollar even if they wanted to? Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Ryan Malone are all on the books for long-term, high-cap contracts. I didn’t see any of those guys get moved yet… did you?

So if a team, like the Flyers, would come in and offer part of the $108 million saved by moving Carter and Richards to Stamkos… do we really think TB can match it? In a curious move, the Flyers moved Darroll Powe earlier this week. Why? He wasn’t going to cost too much and was critical to the PK. Why make that move if you were trying to save every penny you could for a much larger plan?

Do we really think Snider isn’t eying up a big move? After all, he has given up control of the Sixers and has full attention on his prized baby. I’m not saying this is definitely happening, but what I am saying is… look at the facts. Teams, like the Flyers, can pull off a move like this if certain things fall in line. In fact, it’s really the only way moves like this get done. The Phillies took those moves, the Eagles are trying to make some moves and it appears the Flyers are doing the exact same thing.

THINK BIG!

The Philadelphia Eagles have become famous in town for getting oh-so close to winning it all, but failing every time. It’s tough to fault that logic, because it’s grounded in truth. It’s not to say that the Eagles haven’t tried, but for whatever reason it just hasn’t happened.

During the lockout, the rhetoric coming from the Eagles brass has been that they have an aggressive free agency plan in place. It seems that they can’t wait for the bell to ring so that they can come out swinging with deep pockets of cash.

“We need to get this [labor dispute] settled,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman told Yahoo Sports’ Michael Silver. “I’m ready for some action – right now.”

And while the lockout prevents Roseman from talking about specific players, an Eagles source told Silver names like Albert Haynesworth, Plaxico Burress and even Reggie Bush.

“This is the year,” the source said. “We think we have a great shot to win it, and we’re loading up and going for it.”

We shall see.

We mentioned back in February that a waitress at the W Hotel in Washington D.C. had accused Washington Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth of sexual assault. It sounded a lot worse at first and then we found out he essentially fondled her boob while paying his tab. Still not appropriate at all, but you hear “sexual assault” and you assume he went all Big Ben on her.

Now, Albert has been indicted on the misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse.

The complaint alleges that he was up in the rooftop lounge when the waitress had her hands full with glasses. He wanted to pay his bill and asked if he could put his credit card in her shirt. She nodded yes (that’s a little odd) and he put the card in her shirt and then rubbed and caressed her breast. Yeah, that’s creepy.

If convicted, Haynesworth could face up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. The Redskins are still thrilled that they gave this guy $41 million guaranteed.

Oh boy. Either there are some opportunistic folks down in the Washington D.C. area trying to make a few bucks, or Albert Haynesworth’s behavior has taken a significant turn for the worse. About a week and a half ago, a man accused the Washington Redskins defensive tackle of getting out of his car and assaulting him.

And now? A waitress claims that Haynesworth sexually assaulted her at a W Hotel in D.C. OTR has heard that when Ben Roethlisberger first heard about this, he called Kevin Colbert immediately to see if Albert was available this offseason and if the Steelers were interested in adding him.

Photo Caption: Haynesworth has been known to cop feels on NFL fields as well, frequently massaging opponents’ ear lobes.

Haynesworth’s agent Chad Speck, who seems to be awfully busy making comments to the media these days, gave NBC Washington a statement.

“There seems to be no truth to these allegations,” agent Speck said. “We are currently evaluating facts and considering our own legal action against those involved.”

This is what is in the police report according to NBC Washington:

According to a police report obtained by NBC Washington, the waitress stated that her hands were full carrying glasses as she was clearing the table at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

She said that “Subject 1″ tried to pay his bill by giving her his credit card, but he asked if it was OK to stick the card in her blouse near her breast area. She nodded her head yes and, according to the report, she said he then placed the card into her blouse gently, sliding the card further into her left side of the blouse and then started to caress her breast.

Well….okay. We don’t approve of this kind of behavior, but it hardly fits into what we were thinking when we first heard “sexual assault.” If this is true, he definitely shouldn’t be playing games of “Grab Ass” with women’s breasts, but we should probably ease up in the reporting of this (us included). He hardly gave her the Big Ben.

As of now, pol

Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has had his share of incidents since entering the NFL in 2002. Chalk this one up to being the latest. According to the Washington Post, the 29-year old has been charged with simple assault regarding a road rage incident on the Fairfax County Parkway.

A Redskins executive was surprised by the news.

“This is the first I’m hearing about this,” Tony Wyllie, Redskins senior vice president, told Jason Reid. “At this time, we need to gather information.”

What he could have said was: “Albeeerrrrt…..I’m not sure who you are talking about. Oh, Haynesworth? Oh the dickhead, yeah I know him. He can do whatever he wants as far as we’re concerned. He sure as shit won’t be back with us. And you can run and tell that, homeboy!”

Photo Caption: If he wasn’t such an a-hole, you’d almost feel bad for him.

So, according to officer Shelley Broderick, Haynesworth’s pickup truck was traveling south behind a 1994 Civic. Apparently, the Civic dude thought Haynesworth was tailgaiting, so he made a non-verbal gesture to make him back off. When the two vehicles came up to the stoplight, Haynesworth apparently did something that Doug Llewelyn would not approve of.

Apparently, he got out of his car, approached the Civic and started shouting, and then he struck the 38-year old driver of the Civic. The driver was able to identify Haynesworth as the troubled Redskins player.

How did he identify him? The police showed up and asked Haynesworth to mime a football player dogging it out on the field. The Civic driver instantly screamed out, “That’s him! That’s him! I’ve seen that circus before! That’s him!”

Haynesworth is apparently out of town right now, but the Post indicates that he’s planning on turning himself in next week on simple assault charges. The charges come with a maximum 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine.

Is it really that far fetched to consider?  According to Mark J. Miller of Yahoo Sports… the answer is yes.

After the Tennessee Titans relieved Jeff Fisher of his head coaching duties last night, the NFL’s formerly most tenured coach is on the market.  Would he have any interest in returning to Philadelphia to fill the void at defensive coordinator?  Before you go getting all crazy on me, just consider a few things.

Fisher was the secondary coach followed by defensive coordinator for Philadelphia under Buddy Ryan.  He was in line to step up as the lead guy in Philadelphia prior to the Birds making a great call on Rich Kotite.  Who isn’t fond of THAT guy?  Nobody rocked the flat brim, coke goggle, Jew-fro, starter jacket ensemble quite like Kotite.  But I digress…

During their time together in Tennessee, Fisher and newly hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn had become pretty close friends.  Some have said they are BFF’s.  I don’t know them personally, but rumor is that they would often take turns trying to trip up Vince Young with random Wonderlic questions.

In all seriousness, they have worked together for years and are quite accustomed to each other.  Speculation has already run rampant about what the addition of Washburn means for Albert Haynesworth.  Would it be more then speculation if they added Fisher as well? 

According to ESPN‘s John Clayton,  Eagles head coach Andy Reid mentioned earlier today that he has “closed the defensive coordinator job.”  Oh really?  Because I didn’t see anything come through the wires.  Hey big guy, when you hire a DC, then it will be closed.

Just sayin’… don’t rule it out.

I’ve been saying this for months and getting considerable amounts of opposition. The Philadelphia Eagles need to take a serious look at Albert Haynesworth.

Photo Caption:  “Not according to my bank account, sukka!”

We all know that Fat Albert aka ”Hey, Hey,  Haynesworth” would come with some baggage and a few character concerns. C’mon… lets be honest with ourselves. We would all put up with a little extra aggravation and attitude from our girlfriend/wife if her name was Eva Longoria.

My point is that the upside in Haynesworth exceeds the downside. He is an absolute playmaking beast in a 4-3 scheme. Imagine a 6’6″, 335 lb. defensive tackle disrupting the backfield and drawing constant double teams. Think it might free up others on the line? Everyone in Philadelphia constantly bitches about lack of pressure from the front four. Well, there is an opportunity staring you right in the face in Haynesworth.

There is no doubt that he was unmotivated in Washington. Playing for a “my way or the highway” coach who implements a 3-4 scheme, despite having 4-3 personnel, certainly created friction. Haynesworth was an All-Pro 4-3 tackle who was not only forced out of position, but convinced that running 100 yard dashes was important. I don’t know about you, but if my defensive tackle has to make a play 30 yards downfield… I’ve got some bigger issues on my hands.

If Washington cuts ties (and he doesn’t return to Tennessee), offer him a two-year incentive laden contract with some money upfront. If you don’t think he has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, you’re missing the boat. Not only will he look to prove to the NFL that he is still a force inside, but he gets to face Washington twice a year. You don’t want him on your side?

Say what you want, but if the Skins let him go…I want him in Philadelphia. Remember everyone who said they didn’t want Michael Vick? A motivated Haynesworth can impact a defense in the same fashion.

We all know the situation with Albert Haynesworth in Washington. The Redskins gave him a ton of money despite numerous indications in the past that he was a turd. Then, when Albert acted turdish, the Redskins seemed shocked.

He was sent home for the final four games of the season and it’s clear that his time in Washington is over. However, NFL sources tell the Washington Post that it’s highly unlikely that the team will simply cut him.

But, what would they really get for him? He’s due a base salary next year of $5.4 million, but it isn’t guaranteed. They supposedly tried trading him to the team that knows him best (the Titans), and they wouldn’t cough up a fourth rounder. So, why would someone else give up even more? They are probably staring down the barrel of a fifth-round pick this offseason, and they should probably be happy to get that.

“Moving forward, I don’t know what happens,” said defensive end Vonnie Holliday when asked about his friend Haynesworth’s status. “But I hope that he uses this as some type of motivation – if he’s here, or wherever he is – to take it to that next level and to play, and he learns and grows from this.”

“I think there has to be some closure to the situation. . . . They [have to] have an opportunity to talk things out,” Holliday said. “. . . With the suspension, they didn’t get a chance to talk or communicate exactly what they were both feeling, and the reasons why, and hopefully they’ll come to some conclusion after this meeting.”

Regardless, he’s gone.

This is crazy. Kelli Johnson of Comcast SportsNet is reporting that the Washingon Redskins will start Rex Grossman this week against the Dallas Cowboys. Yes, Donovan McNabb has been benched and apparently it’s not a popular decision.

“Just learned that Rex Grossman is starting over McNabb Sun in Dallas; I’m told Redskins Lockeroom is divided and guys are extremely upset.” she tweets.

This is just the latest piece of evidence that Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan either doesn’t know what he’s doing, or that he’s covering for his son Kyle’s shortcomings as an offensive coordinator.

The Redskins have a terrible offensive line. Their running game is poor because they thought going into training camp with Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker was a good idea. How did that work out? Now, you are dealing with Keiland Williams and Ryan Torain (who isn’t terrible, but isn’t Chris Johnson either).

And how about weapons on the outside? Well, you have an aging Santana Moss, who is still a decent player. Anthony Armstrong? Joey Galloway was finally cut because he’s a speed guy who is almost 40-years old. Roydell Williams was out of football for two years.

How are the Redskins problems Donovan McNabb’s fault? He hasn’t played his best football, but he’s hardly been bad. He has absolutely not help, and that includes having an offensive coordinator with one year of experience.

It’s clear: Mike Shanahan has to go. From his decision to go into the year with three old running backs, to his handling of Albert Haynesworth, to his lying about benching McNabb, to his ultimate benching of McNabb…this guy is clearly overrated. His Super Bowls were a long time ago and Terrell Davis is nowhere to be found.

Things are ugly in Washington.

As if things couldn’t get uglier for Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins. Now, the ‘Skins have suspended the big defensive tackle without pay for the final four games of the season for conduct detrimental to the team.

“#Redskins have suspended DL Albert Haynesworth without pay for the team’s next four games for conduct detrimental to the club,” tweets Matt Terl from the Redskins Blog, essentially repeating what I just said.

Haynesworth can appeal, so this isn’t exactly over. We knew that there were problems in D.C., but we didn’t know the Redskins had grounds for this. He allegedly showed up hung over to practice on Friday and was inactive for Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants. He also reportedly told GM Bruce Allen that he’d no longer speak to head coach Mike Shanahan. Yeah, it’s bad.

Whether it was one specific incident, or the totality of Albert’s nonsense, we don’t know. But, you have to figure Shanahan was dying to do this since training camp.

UPDATE: Yep, it was Haynesworth not wanting to talk to Shanahan anymore.

“Despite the club’s numerous attempts to persuade Albert Haynesworth to abide by the terms of his contract, he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time,” coach Mike Shanahan said in a team-issued release. “Among other things, he has consistently indicated to our defensive coaches that he refuses to play in our base defense or on first-down or second-down nickel situations. He has also refused to follow the instructions of our coaches both during weekly practices and during actual games as well.

“Yesterday, when Albert was at Redskin Park, he told our General Manager Bruce Allen that he [Haynesworth] would no longer speak with me,” Shanahan said. “Although suspending any player is not a decision that a head coach enters into lightly, I believe the situation has reached the point where the club clearly has no alternative.”

The situation with Albert Haynesworth down in Washington DC continues to get better. Benched against the New York Giants, there was speculation from a local radio station that there was a good chance that Haynesworth gets cut this week.

Several other media outlets reported that that wasn’t the case.

But, it came out that Haynesworth was benched for being sick on Friday (and showing up late) and not having a great practice Thursday. Shanahan said he wasn’t ready to play because of those things, but we know that’s total bullshit because this is Haynesworth’s ninth year in the league, and what could he possible need to know about the game plan as a pass-rushing defensive tackle?

So now, sources tell Kelli Johnson of Comcast Sportsnet that Haynesworth was “sick” on Friday because he showed up hung over. Missing a team meeting because you went out late the night before is generally considered unacceptable.

“Several team sources tell me that Haynesworth went out Thurs and showed up late fri, missed a team meeting & appeared 2 be “hungover”…,” Johnson tweets.

But, her next tweet has a response from Albert in it. As you can guess, he’s says it’s a bunch of crap.

“Haynesworth calls story total bs. Told me he went out Thurs but didn’t feel well so he went home early; also said there wasnt a team meeting,” she tweeted.

This is just a classic case of two people that don’t need to be together. Haynesworth has always had attitude issues and Shanahan clearly wants to cut him no slack. We’ll all be better off when the Redskins just cut the cord and admit that they paid him wayyyy too much money.

We mentioned earlier that there were rumors of the Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans working a trade for disgruntled lineman Albert Haynesworth. While that’s still possible, the team’s quarterback doesn’t think that shipping Haynesworth out of town is a good idea.

In fact, Donovan McNabb says that the team can’t win without him.

“Albert is one of our brothers in the locker room,” McNabb said during his radio show on ESPN 980. “[H]e understands, ‘Hey, I got to put the time and effort in. We can’t win without him. I think he’ll be here. I hope he’ll be here.”

This is all well and good for him to support his teammate (none of the others have been willing to do that), but he’ll need to have an answer ready to the obvious question that will come up should the Redskins part with Albert. And that question of course is: “So you don’t think you have a chance now?”

You know the media will jump all over that one.

And speaking of Fantasy Football, don’t forget to Like our free Fantasy Football Advice page on Facebook!

The Washington Redskins are clearly not happy with their decision to sign Albert Haynesworth to a buttload of money in the 2009 offseason. Like many things the Redskins do, it was just stupid.

And we all know by now all the BS that has been going on between Haynesworth and Shanahan. Well, that could all be coming to an end, as ESPN‘s Chris Mortensen is reporting that the Redskins are engaged in trade talks with the Tennessee Titans.

“Filed to ESPN: Redskins talk trade with the Titans again about Albert Haynesworth. No deal yet,” Mort tweets.

The Titans would be the perfect trade partner. They already know Haynesworth and what he’s all about. No surprises. And the Redskins have already payed that massive $20+ million roster bonus this year, so they’ll foot the majority of the bill.

Regardless, the Redskins need to do something. Either stop breaking his balls and let him play, or get rid of him. This ongoing punishment crap is just stupid for everyone involved.

Despite the ongoing saga of Albert Haynesworth vs. Washington Redskins, it seems that Haynesworth will actually play on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, a source tells Jason Reid of the Washington Post. There were previous rumors that he would be inactive.

A separate source tells Reid that, while he doesn’t know if he will start, that Haynesworth will be moved back to nose tackle. We don’t know if it’s permanent or if it was done to piss Albert off, but it’s definitely a change from him playing end in the 3-4 as he had most of training camp (when he was allowed to participate). The source also says that he’ll be taken out during nickel situations.

We can’t keep up with all of this. We know that Shanahan doesn’t approve of Haynesworth’s complaining and holding out of voluntary activities. But, you paid a guy all this money to have him on the field for two downs? He’s one of the best interior rushers in the NFL (when he wants to be) and you are using him like this?

Shanahan better have a method to all of this. Otherwise this is – yet again – a huge waste of Redskins’ time and resources.

This would explain a lot. We mentioned before that Albert Haynesworth was having issues with the Washington Redskins and how they’ve been referring to his “headaches.”

Well now, a league source tells Jason La Canfora of NFL Network that Haynesworth is likely suffering from a condition known as rhabdomyolysis, where muscle fibers get broken down and can have a negative affect on the kidneys.

The source said that Haynesworth was experiencing the symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, which include dizziness, nausea, vomiting and muscle swelling.

Luckily for Haynesworth, his symptoms weren’t on the extreme end of the spectrum and he was able to recover enough to play in Saturday night’s game against the Ravens. But, because he didn’t practice this week, he wasn’t able to get out there with the ones, which he didn’t like at all.

Just when we thought all was fine in Redskinland, we have an incident. We all know about Albert Haynesworth skipping the offseason workouts for the Washington Redskins and him not wanting to play in the 3-4 and Shanahan failing him in conditioning tests and so on.

But, Haynesworth seemed to be ok with the new scheme and came out a while ago supporting the 3-4 defense. Now? He has other issues.

He couldn’t practice this earlier this week because of dehydration. Shanahan essentially called that nonsense. Then, he was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of headaches. Apparently, he feels like they are holding back injury information on him.

“I was told I had ‘headaches’ or whatever and that’s why I couldn’t go out and practice,” he said, clearly letting everyone know that the fact that they called them “headaches” was total crap. “I think it was a little bit more than that.”

Haynesworth then said, “[Headaches] was part of that but it wasn’t all of it. They left out a lot of stuff.”

What were the real reasons you were held out?

“You would have to ask them,” he said.

On Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens, Haynesworth was out there in the third quarter with the backups and he didn’t appreciate it.

“I’m a ninth year pro,” he said. “I don’t think I should have been out there in the third quarter, but having ‘headaches’ again, that’s what they wanted to do.”

Shanahan said Haynesworth did some work on the treadmill on Friday just so he’d be able to play in the Ravens game.

“He wasn’t going to be able to play with the first or second team for obvious reasons,” Shanahan said. “He’s going to have to earn his way into that group, and once we get him into football shape, then we’ll get him some playing time. We’ll see how he did and evaluate that.”

Haynesworth was asked why he thinks they’d do this to him.

“I guess to make me look bad for not going to their off-season conditioning program,” Haynesworth said. “Next year, I’m not coming either … I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

If you are in the Redskins organization, this is a disaster. If you are a league observer, it is downright hysterical. Stay tuned for Shanny’s next move.

It’s pretty well known that Washington Redskins defensive tackle/end Albert Haynesworth was not happy with the Redskins’ switch to the 3-4 defense. After a bunch of crying and whining from both sides, Albert finally showed up and decided to be a part of the team.

But, could it possibly be that Haynesworth now likes the very defense that kept him away from offseason workouts? Is it possible that he “Liked” the 3-4 defense on Facebook?

“It’s different, but I like it,” he said. “It’s something I’ve got to get used to. But other than that, it’s a good defense. They’re lining me up to pass rush, and that’s something really important to me. What I was told earlier is totally different from what we’re doing now. Getting with [defensive coordinator] Jim Haslett the last few weeks has really cleared up a lot of stuff, and I really enjoy it. It’s been great having him on my side, and really helped me get the defense.”

So maybe all is well now with the Redskins. Haynesworth was even asked about his wonderful relationship with head coach Mike Shanahan.

“Uh, he’s the head coach and I’m a player. It is what it is.”

We’re wondering if he truly loves the new defense or if he truly loves not having to pay any bonus money back.

We can’t really blame Albert Haynesworth for this miss in Washington. Sure, it sounds stupid to say that because he is the knucklehead that’s caused so many problems since getting that ginormous contract last year. But, the Redskins should have known what they were getting. They should have seen enough evidence in the past that this wasn’t a guy they should be giving big money too.

But, they didn’t. They screwed up. And now, they are paying the price.

According to Jason Reid of the Washington Post, the team is getting increasingly frustrated with Haynesworth and his inability pass a conditioning test. He was told by multiple sources that the team believes that there is some knee irritation, but not enough that he can’t do the two timed 300-yard shuttle runs. An MRI on his knee recently showed no structural damage.

We believe that his knee is bothering him, but we also believe that Mike Shanahan and his conditioning test are bothering him as well. If Haynesworth can come up with any excuse not to try the conditioning test, he then won’t be able to pass it. He will thus not be able to practice. Sounds like something Albert would do? Of course it does.

We’ll see what the Redskins next move is. It’s tough to tell just how hurt someone is.

Mel Kiper described Ndamukong Suh as “maybe the most dominating defensive tackle I’ve seen in 32 years.”  And now the Detroit Lions can celebrate.  They have agreed to a five-year deal with their second-overall pick worth $60 million, $40 million guaranteed, according to Jay Glazer.

Suh is expected to be a key part of the Lions defense right away, most likely opening the season as a starter over Sammie Lee Hill.  Quite frankly, Suh could probably start over any player at any position for Detroit, even soon-to-be-bust Matthew Stafford.

PHOTO CAPTION:  Before becoming a football player in his sophomore year, Suh got a full ride as a freshmen cheerleader

The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Suh was the first defensive player to win The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award since its inception in 1998.  He had 4½ sacks against Texas in the Big 12 title game and finished the season with 12.

Suh should report to camp in excellent shape.  He spent the whole offseason training with Redskin Albert Haynesworth; specifically, working on conditioning tests.

League sources tell ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Washington Redskins will go after some of the $21 million bonus that they recently paid to fat turd Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth didn’t report to a mandatory minicamp that started on Wednesday and pretty much the whole building in DC is pissed off.

One source tells Schefter that Haynesworth was “assured” by the NFLPA that the bonus money he received would be completely safe if he chose not to show up to an offseason minicamps. We think the Redskins are going to disagree with that one.

Another NFL source reviewed Haynesworth’s contract and the CBA and tells Schefter that the agreement is “open to interpretation,” which would sound bad for Haynesworth. We say this because if it’s open to interpretation, he is the one that has clearly come across as the a-hole in this situation and probably won’t get any benefit of the doubt.

The bottom line is that Haynesworth doesn’t want to play in the new 3-4 defensive system despite getting the richest contract for a defensive player in NFL history. He’s being a little baby and is demanding a trade. How on Earth could the Redskins really move your fat ass at this point?

The Washington Redskins had to have a clue of what they were getting when they signed DT Albert Haynesworth. They gave him $41 million guaranteed last offseason while apparently not doing their homework on the type of person he was.

This year, the Redskins have switched to a 3-4 and Haynesworth doesn’t like it. Despite depositing a $20 million check a couple months ago, he’s been a no-who for offseason activities. Now, he’s apparently demanding at trade.

“The Redskins are trying to establish a new regime with new schemes at Redskins Park, and it is not an organization that Albert would have ever been attracted to just a short year ago — regardless of the money,” agent Chad Speck told the Washington Post. “He has made it clear to me that he does not want to play for the Washington Redskins.

“This situation will be a distraction to the Redskins and to Albert and his teammates,” added Speck. “I am certain Mike Shanahan and Bruce [Allen] want to get the most out of their first year and it’s probably in everyone’s best interests for the Redskins to make a deal and trade Albert.”

While it’s pretty clear that the coaches and front office have tired of Haynesworth’s act, they aren’t alone. Now, it seems like even his teammates want him gone.

“I want teammates who I can depend on, who I can count on,” Fletcher said to Rick Maese of the Washington Post. “[Haynesworth] has shown he can’t be depended on.”

Yeah, it’s that bad. The problem for the Redskins is…who would want him? You won’t get anything of value (just ask them, they’ve tried) and releasing him just means that you urinated some $30 million down the toilet.

The St. Louis Rams think so much of 2007 first-round pick Adam Carricker, that they decided to ship him to the Washington Redskins in exchange for a bag of footballs. Actually, they swapped fifth- and seventh-round picks.

Something tells us that the Rams don’t think they’ll ever get anything out of Carricker. But supposedly, Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has been wanting to get his hands on Carricker since he went to Washington (good god, why?). The Redskins obviously believe that he’ll be a better fit in their new 3-4 scheme.

This could be another sign (as if there weren’t enough) that obnoxious DT Albert Haynesworth could be dealt this week or at some point during the draft. Or both. There are already reports coming out of Tennessee that the Titans could be the team that takes him back. After all, they already know his deal and we would have to think the main sticking point in a deal like this will be how much of Albert’s salary the new team has to reimburse the Redskins for.

Each day that he’s on the team and annoying the crap out of everyone in the building, we think that number will decrease.

Appearing on NFL Network’s Around the League program, Jason La Canfora says that the Washington Redskins are “very likely” to trade disgruntled DT Albert Haynesworth before or during the draft. Haynesworth is ignoring the fact that he just got a $21 million check from the team and is complaining about the move to the 3-4 defense.

Hey Redskins, surprised no one was competing with you to sign this guy to a $40+ million contract last offseason?

The Redskins currently only have one pick (#4 overall) in the top 100 picks in this week’s NFL draft. We aren’t sure exactly what Haynesworth would fetch. Some think that the ‘Skins could get a third rounder in return, but we’d have to think that they’d like to get a second-round pick out of this colossal failure of a signing.

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan scoffed at the notion that the team is trying to move obnoxious DT Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth has been clear that he does not like the transition to the 3-4 defense. The Redskins have been clear as well. As in, with their checks. Their $21 million checks clear.

“There is nothing to clarify. It is just speculation,’ Shanahan said Friday. “He’s part of the organization. I am just looking for him to come in and work and be like everyone else. No, we’re not going to trade him at all, unless someone gives us something we would have to consider — that’s pretty standard with any player on your roster. He’s a pretty smart guy. He’s really talented. I think I can get that out of him.”

We think this is just posturing. If the Redskins could move Haynesworth for any kind of value, we think they would. And the more annoying he becomes, the less they’ll be willing to take.

The Washington Redskins seem to be revamping their clubhouse in a very positive way and it all started with bringing coach Mike Shanahan on board and then trading for Donovan McNabb last Sunday.

Now it’s time to get rid of the fat and what better place to start then defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth?  Per NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora, Haynesworth has a “strained relationship” with many teammates and has “not made a good first impression” on Shanahan.  Therefore, coach wants to deal him before the draft to improve the culture at Redskins Park.

In the 2009 offseason, Daniel Snyder opened his wallet, and then opened a bunch more of his wallets, and signed Haynesworth to a seven-year, $100 million contract, $41 million guaranteed.  The Redskins recently picked up his $21 million option bonus, but that doesn’t seem to be holding the Redskins back in attempting to ship their defensive tackle if they can find a buyer.

Having paid the $21 million bonus, Haynesworth’s contract is essentially reduced to a three-year, $16 million deal, with $9 million guaranteed (per profootballtalk.com).  That’s definitely a reasonable price for an NFL team to take on.  If traded, the Redskins would definitely ask for some money in return from the bonus being paid.

The first waive of interested parties for Haynesworth’s services are, Tennessee, St Louis, Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Jacksonville.