51| DCSU N DAY, M A RCH 1, 2009
Derrick Dockery's first three
seasons in Washington left the
Redskins uncertain about his
future. So they held off on a big
offer, content to see how his fourth
season unfolded. He reported
in better shape, got off
to a strong start and
priced himself out of the
Redskins' budget.
Two years later they
signed him to the offer
he should have gotten all
along. A good one, but not
one that pays him at an
elite level. Dockery is not
an elite guard. And the
reason Buffalo cut him is simple,
according to a Bills source who
said, "He was awful."
But part of that likely is viewed
through the prism of his Bills con-
tract, a seven-year, $49-million
deal that made it hard for a mod-
est player to justify.
Now he has a deal more in line
with his ability. He's not a Pro Bowl
guard; even in his fourth season
here he was prone to mental
gaffes, though they were fewer. He
had improved his "punching" tech-
nique, getting his hands
quickly under the pads of
the defender. Prior to this,
Dockery had a penchant
for lunging and getting
off-balance.
This helps Washington
get younger on the line as
he's only 28, seven years
younger than previous
starter Pete Kendall. He's
also nearly 40 pounds heavier.
Kendall could return and per-
haps serve as a backup to both
guard spots.
The Redskins also want to
upgrade right tackle, though
Jon Jansen will return. They
might opt, coach Jim Zorn said,
for Seattle free agent
Ray Willis, who has only
started 10 games in his first
four years.
Of course, with the 13th pick,
they could draft Mississippi's
talented but inconsistent
Michael Oher. Or they could
land Alabama's talented but
immature Andre Smith.
They still have holes at line-
backer and punter. The draft
is deep at linebacker. Punter
could prove trickier. The best
free agent punter is Hunter
Smith, but the funds might not
be available. Would they draft
a punter again? All they have
now is inexperienced Zac
Atterbury.
-- John Keim
Dockery's signing shores up O-line, but other holes remain
Demetric Evans
It's hard to imagine him getting
the money he
wants from
Washington
after what
the Redskins
already have
spent. He
could still fill
a role and help
the Redskins,
but he wants to do more than
that.Ifsomeoneelsecangivehim
a starting job, he'll move on.
Phillip Daniels
It probably doesn't impact him
that much.
D a n i e l s
remains con-
fident he'll
return, say-
ing that all the
coaches and
owner Dan
Snyder have
told him they
want him back. He's content
to be an inexpensive backup.
It's likely he could re-sign in a
couple weeks.
Carlos Rogers
The Redskins at one point
considered
trading him.
But they must
keep him now
that they've
cut Shawn
Springs. Rog-
ers played at
a high level
until getting
demoted to the No. 3 corner.
Some hard feelings might lin-
ger and he's in the final year of
his contract.
Kedric Golston
The starting tackles have to be
CorneliusGrif-
fin and Albert
H a y n e s -
worth, leaving
Golston as a
backup. But
the Redskins
use their third
tackle often so
this isn't that
big a change. But what will this
meanforbackupsAnthonyMont-
gomeryandLorenzoAlexander?
Can they keep five tackles, plus
have Daniels to work inside?
Jason Campbell
It always goes back to the QB,
right? Well, if
the defense
becomes even
better, then
the pressure
will increase
on Campbell
to show more
p r o g r e s s .
Having an improved line would
help, but Campbell will need to
improve inside the 35-yard line
for the Redskins to flourish.
-- John Keim
REDSKINS TODAY FOR BREAKING REDSKINS NEWS, VISIT DCEXAMINER.COM
THE EFFECT ON...
Opposing offenses won't be the only ones that will need
to change their game to account for Albert Haynesworth --
his own teammates will be affected, except for the better
By John Keim
Examiner Staff Writer
The ends close their eyes and see nothing but space, created by the beefy
guy next to them, occupying multiple blockers. And they see quarterbacks
crumbling to the ground. Finally. The coaches see less exotic schemes, replaced
by one mantra: beat the guy in front of you. And they can actually see it hap-
pening.
The signing of Albert Haynesworth in the first hours of free agency has
enabled the Redskins to dream of the possibilities. Most of those dreams end
in the same manner: with a turnover or a sack or a stuffed running game.
Yes, signing Haynesworth entails risk. He has enough baggage to fill a few
overhead bins. The Redskins, for now, see the rewards.
"It makes us all dangerous," Redskins defensive end Andre Carter
said.
"We'll make it work and make it fit," defensive coordinator Greg
Blache said. "When you get a guy with this talent, it affects what
you're capable of doing."
From a pure talent standpoint, it's hard to argue over Haynes-
worth's impact. In Tennessee he lined up at end or tackle; he could
start at right tackle and loop all the way outside the left end.
And he provided headaches for offenses no matter what he
did. Pockets collapse under his pressure, but his best
asset is stopping the run.
"You have to locate him," said former Baltimore
Ravens head coach Brian Billick. "More importantly,
you get to the point where you don't try to run inside.
You just give up. You try to say that you'll stick with
it, but you don't."
Impact player
The theory is this: offenses will double team Haynes-
worth, freeing others up. Free-agent end Phillip Daniels
played with perennial Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cortez
Kennedy in Seattle and understands the impact of an
elite interior defender.
"You're more one on one," said Daniels, a free agent
who expects to return to Washington. "You don't have
to worry about the guard coming out to help too much.
A lot of times in past years you make an inside move
and the guard is always waiting on you. With a big guy
in the middle like Albert, it allows the ends to be one on
one with the tackles. It helps everyone out."
Cartersaid,"Youwanttodoinsidemoves,butyouknow
thisguardorrunningbackisprotectingthatsidesotaking
chances is limited. [This] makes things more open."
Blache does not like to blitz as much as previous coor-
dinator Gregg Williams. However, this past year he had
no choice as the front four could not generate pressure
on its own.
Blache can return, he hopes, to less
blitzing, which allows him to be more
creative in the secondary. With two
cover corners and an interior push,
Blache can have fun.
"An anchor like that is a huge
asset," Billick said. "You have that
anchor inside you don't have to
blitz a lot. You don't have to build
an exotic defense because you're so
stout inside it gives you more lati-
tude in the run game to do what you
want in the back [seven]. A player like
Haynesworth is a game changer."
The Redskins, pun intended, are
banking on it.
MARK HUMPHREY/AP
Albert Haynesworth
Dockery

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