Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins
Forum Rules and Guidelines

Yahoo Sports: Gibbs committed to Campbell, worried about secondary

Commander Adama

By Commander Adama
in The Stadium

Recommended Posts

Commander Adama

Commander Adama

Posted
Posted

Article can be found here.

Gibbs committed to Campbell, worried about secondary

May 11, 2007

By John Pezzullo SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

Coach Joe Gibbs has faith in Jason Campbell. The same can't be said for the state of his secondary.

The Washington Redskins passed on the chance to select Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in last month's draft. Gibbs is clearly committed to Campbell as his quarterback - and clearly concerned with safety Sean Taylor and cornerback Shawn Springs.

So it was no surprise when the Redskins took Louisiana State safety LaRon Landry - the top-rated defensive back - with the sixth overall pick in the April 28 draft.

That selection was justified in the first week of voluntary workouts when Campbell impressed the coaching staff while Taylor and Springs decided not to show up.

"Jason has worked extremely hard," Gibbs said. "He has been on the field working on things. The players noticed it and the coaches noticed it. He has really paid the price this offseason. He is quicker, much more confident and more comfortable."

Gibbs traded a 2006 first-round pick for the right to take Campbell 25th overall in 2005. Last year, Gibbs benched veteran Mark Brunell after the Redskins started 3-6 and named Campbell as starter.

Campbell went 2-5 the rest of the way, completing 53 percent of his passes (110-for-207) for 1,297 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Despite their 5-11 record, the Redskins took something from the season by giving Campbell valuable experience.

"Game experience is something you can't teach or learn from practice," Campbell said. "You have to get it by playing the games. In playing those last seven games, the more I continued to play, the more comfortable I got with the guys around me and getting that game-speed experience."

Running back Clinton Portis went so far as to call the 6-5 Campbell "the perfect weapon" for this offense.

Unfortunately, most of the attention during the voluntary workouts focused on the absence of Taylor and Springs.

A 2004 first-round pick, Taylor is one of the numerous Miami Hurricanes in the NFL who prefer to conduct offseason workouts at their alma mater. That does not please Gibbs.

"I have had no contact with Sean Taylor," Gibbs said. "I am not aware of anything there. That's about all I can say about it. I've had no contact."

The ideal scenario would be to pair Taylor with Landry, which would make for a hard-hitting safety tandem. But Gibbs has to be worried that Taylor will leave the team after his contract expires following the 2008 season.

Last year, the Redskins signed veteran safety Adam Archuleta to a six-year, $30 million contract. But Archuleta was a bust and was shipped to Chicago in March for a sixth-round pick. Drafting Landry helps to rectify that mistake.

Springs also caused Gibbs some agita by electing to work out with his personal trainer in Scottsdale, Arizona. A 10-year veteran who was hampered last season by a hip injury, Springs counts for $7.35 million against the salary cap.

"We had a sitdown with him in Phoenix two weeks ago, and then all of a sudden we lost contact," Gibbs said. "We will just have to work through it. My focus is now on everyone that has been here (for the voluntary workouts).

"Obviously it is disappointing. We want everyone here. As everyone knows, these things happen."

Well, at least Gibbs can sleep at nights knowing he has Landry instead of Quinn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
darrell1106

darrell1106

Posted
Posted
I am pretty sure both these guys will be at the mandatory camp. Gibbs is the one who let these guys work out on their own. The recent OTA's are volutary. The media, as we all know, love to blow things out of proportion.

I hope you are right. However Taylor has been upset about his contract since the very beginning. That may speed up the timetable for extending his contract.

People on this board seem to prefer forgetting the entire Archuletta deal. That may leave more of an impression than people would like to believe.:doh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mistertim

mistertim

Posted
Posted

This article seems to have an undertone saying that we drafted Landry because of doubts about Taylor, which I think is stupid considering how GW was talking about how he wants to use LL to free up ST when he was interviewed. And the whole "Taylor is one of the numerous Miami Hurricanes in the NFL who prefer to conduct offseason workouts at their alma mater. That does not please Gibbs." is completely asinine considering that HE was the one who told them they could do it in the first place. I think people are blowing this out of proportion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
McMetal

McMetal

Posted
Posted

I can't say I'm as concerned about Springs after reading that Post article. His head is just in a different place right now. I'm sure when it counts he will be ready to focus back on football. And if doing his own workout thing is going to help keep him healthy in any way, I'm all for it.

Hard to speculate much about Taylor until we actually hear something. It is a little more concerning with Shockey showing up for the Giants though. Seems like most of the other U guys are getting it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
#98QBKiller

#98QBKiller

Posted
Posted
I can't say I'm as concerned about Springs after reading that Post article. His head is just in a different place right now. I'm sure when it counts he will be ready to focus back on football. And if doing his own workout thing is going to help keep him healthy in any way, I'm all for it.

Hard to speculate much about Taylor until we actually hear something. It is a little more concerning with Shockey showing up for the Giants though. Seems like most of the other U guys are getting it...

I say let Taylor do his own thing. He's known for not showing up for non-mandatory sessions and I have a feeling we'll see him as soon as he's required to be there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Veretax

Veretax

Posted
Posted

Unfortunately, most of the attention during the voluntary workouts focused on the absence of Taylor and Springs.

You know this has me thinking. Could Gibbs be intentionally telling Taylor and Springs to take their time coming back, in a move to drum up more press about them then Campbell. Think about it, the more talk about Taylor and Springs the More Campbells progress will go under the radar and perhaps shock some of our division rivals early in the season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
red dot in a sea of blue

red dot in a sea of blue

Posted
Posted

We really need more people with nothing else to write about to cover the off season...

The media has a tough job finding stories with all the 24 hour news coverage and our need for constant drama in order to pay attention, so I guess I can't blame them for making up stories from things that aren't there, but we on this board should be smart enough by now to know that the media is trying to sell a story, and what are we more likely to read, "Everythings fine in Redskins Camp" or "DOOM!!! TAYLOR AND SPRINGS JOIN AL QUEDA AND VOW DEATH TO THE INFEDELS NAMED JOE GIBBS, WHO BY THE WAY, IS A TIRED OLD MAN WIHT NOTHING LEFT AND IS A JERK FOR HAVING MORALS AND PRINCIPLES!!!!!!"?

I'd say don't hate the player, but I hate the players and the game.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kramdizzle

kramdizzle

Posted
Posted

Gibbs is the one who let the players go off and work by themselves this offseason. however ST needs to give JG the respect HIS HEAD COACH deserves and return a call saying "im working out in Flordia, i'll be at mini camp".

all and all though if they both show up at mini camp this will all be forgotten and then the media can move on to how ST wont like LL b/c he makes more money than he does

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TdD12fox

TdD12fox

Posted
Posted

If you may be worried that Taylor will leave after 2008, when his contract is up, then you may want to re-sign him before his market value explodes. If we can pay for expensive free agents in past years, we better pay one of our own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RSimports

RSimports

Posted
Posted
This article seems to have an undertone saying that we drafted Landry because of doubts about Taylor, which I think is stupid considering how GW was talking about how he wants to use LL to free up ST when he was interviewed. And the whole "Taylor is one of the numerous Miami Hurricanes in the NFL who prefer to conduct offseason workouts at their alma mater. That does not please Gibbs." is completely asinine considering that HE was the one who told them they could do it in the first place. I think people are blowing this out of proportion.

i completely agree with this statement, I would much rather springs and taylor work out on there own till manditory camp have them come back healthier and feeling somewhat better then force them to come to something that they aren't required to be at.

Here's to a healthier Springs in the 07 season :cheers:

(there is no way GW is letting ST go either)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Charlie Murphaaay

Charlie Murphaaay

Posted
Posted
I can't say I'm as concerned about Springs after reading that Post article. His head is just in a different place right now. I'm sure when it counts he will be ready to focus back on football. And if doing his own workout thing is going to help keep him healthy in any way, I'm all for it.

Hard to speculate much about Taylor until we actually hear something. It is a little more concerning with Shockey showing up for the Giants though. Seems like most of the other U guys are getting it...

On the NFL Network months ago, Shockey said that he doesn't work out a the UM at all.

Frankly, I'd rather have him down their working with Ed Reed & Ray Lewis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
canethang 305

canethang 305

Posted
Posted
Hard to speculate much about Taylor until we actually hear something. It is a little more concerning with Shockey showing up for the Giants though. Seems like most of the other U guys are getting it...

Taylor is working out ON HIS OWN, he may have gotten a workout regimen from the 'Canes strength coach but he is not at the U of M facility in Coral Gables, no one is except current Miami Hurricanes, Randy Shannon has pretty much locked down the team, facility and anything else 'Canes related because it's all a distraction from his program. That's why Shockey and numerous other former 'Canes were participating in OTA's for their respective teams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dfbovey

dfbovey

Posted
Posted
I am pretty sure both these guys will be at the mandatory camp. Gibbs is the one who let these guys work out on their own. The recent OTA's are volutary. The media, as we all know, love to blow things out of proportion.

The media speculating is one thing, head coach saying something about a player to the media is another.

I don't really like how Gibbs is using the media to air things that might be better handled behind closed doors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...