Homer: Looking back at what could have been with Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry

[themurf]

(photos by Brian Murphy)

When the Washington Redskins made LSU safety LaRon Landry the sixth overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, they did so at the expense of landing such standouts as Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis and Dwayne Bowe.

And yet, the move was universally praised by ‘Skins fans because it meant the burgundy and gold would now feature one of the most gifted and physically imposing safety tandems imaginable — with Pro Bowler Sean Taylor already on board.

Pairing a ballhawk like Taylor with a hard hitter like Landry meant offenses would have to think long and hard about sending receivers over the middle. Should a quarterback mistakenly hang a pass just a second too long and leave his wideout out to dry, it was a safe bet one of the two Washington safeties was ready and willing to make them pay.

Taylor might have been a bit of an introvert and a loner away from the game, but he was absolutely the ideal player for Landry to learn from as he transitioned from college to the pros.

As fate would have it, the dynamic duo played just nine games together before Taylor suffered a knee injury against Philadelphia in Week 10. As you all know by now, Taylor never stepped onto the playing field again because of a senseless tragedy that affected each and every person associated with the Washington Redskins.

While it was heartwarming to see the entire organization rally together at the end of the ‘07 season to make the playoffs, the players were clearly emotionally spent by the time they got to Seattle and fell to the Seahawks 35-14 in head coach Joe Gibbs’ final game of his second stint.

Landry, to his credit, stepped up his game when his teammates needed him most and even intercepted a pair of Matt Hasselbeck passes in the playoff loss. But there’s no denying the untimely loss of Taylor changed his career trajectory.

Think back to Taylor’s early days when he was, at times, reckless and seemed to relish delivering the kill shot more than making the safe (or even the smart) football play. Now think about the player Landry went on to become.

While Taylor continued to play with a mean streak throughout his career, he also evolved into more than just a one-trick pony. He did the little things to position himself to make plays without hitting anyone.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe that had Landry had more time to learn from Taylor, he would have become a more well rounded player who was capable of so much more than just trying to demolish an opposing player.

Taylor was absolutely a game changer who could tilt the balance of a game without delivering a single hit, and that transformation is what made him such a fan favorite.

Unfortunately, Landry went from “apprentice learning from an elite player” to the guy attempting to fill the void left by Taylor’s death. Rather than playing near the line of scrimmage while Taylor played centerfield, the second-year player was suddenly asked to expand his game on the fly and fill a role that was clearly out of his comfort zone.

And, without question, his game suffered.

When you’re a defense’s last man, it’s typically unwise to go for the kill shot unless you know without a shadow of a doubt that you’re going to make the play. And even then, the smarter play is to try and break up the play by knocking down the ball or making a routine tackle because if you don’t get a clean shot on the ball carrier, there’s nothing stopping him from taking it to the house.

But as anyone who ever executed a double move in the general vicinity of Landry can tell you, he was too dead set on delivering a highlight-worthy blow to an opponent to care about making the safe play. As talented as he was, too often Landry was his own worst enemy.

Whenever I talked to him in the locker room or saw him interacting with fans, it was evident that Landry was a good dude who didn’t believing in spouting cliches or regurgitating the company line. I respected that, even after a particularly humbling game — like the time he

by Giants running back Brandon Jacobs — Landry always held himself accountable and made himself available to the media.

But once he stepped onto the field, Landry became a different person entirely. A switch flipped in his head and the only thing that seemingly mattered to him was imposing his will on whoever lined up against him.

Blowing up a receiver and stopping to flex for the masses became too intoxicating for Landry to pass up and quietly, some folks began to wonder (myself included) if he’d ever be willing or able to make the same transformation that Taylor did to round out his game while still playing a physical game.

During the first half of the 2010 season, Landry appeared to be taking his game to the next level.

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[wilco_holland]

Well writen.

I don´t know about LaRon, he has all the tools...but so has JaVal McGee. Only they keep making plays that make you say wtf?

To become a better player I believe he needs to start working out to become a better football player instead of a bigger human. That 'hulk' looks doesn't make him a more durable football player.

[tshile]

agreed. i wish he would have done more to correct the mental mistakes; the shoulder tackling, the taking a bad angle, getting beat on a double move, the attitude that had him flexing and shaking his head after a tackle that allowed a 10 yard run and first down, etc. not sure how much of it is his fault and how much blame goes to an organization that couldn't keep the same coaches here for more than a few years. some of it is definitely his fault though.

oh well. i'm so numb to being disappointed by individuals drafted high by this team that it almost doesn't even matter anymore.

[skinsmarydu]

Great work once again, murf. Hail to #21...still miss him.

[Dick Edds]

great piece murf ... it is unfortunate the way everything unfolded. They could have been one of the best safety tandem's ever. HAIL.

[moondog]

It's good to hear someone actually have the right mindset on Landry. I wish him all the luck with the Jets and I absolutely agree that he could have been even more special with Sean. That being said, it took until about year 3-4 for Sean to really come full circle and put his whole game together and that's just about what Laron was doing in that timetable (I'm not comparing them, at their heights, both were still entirely different players, one an ideal FS the other an ideal SS) before injuries derailed him. I hope he can get back on track and although I don't see him ever getting over that the FO doubted him, I would love to see him put together a monster year with the Jets and then come back here.

Unfortunately the odds of him staying healthy or coming back here are very low.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I still think Taylor would've gone down as the greatest safety to ever play. And that teamed with Landry, no doubt in my mind it would've been the best safety tandem ever. Such a shame. What couldve been.

[issapunk]

Thinking about Sean Taylor depresses me and enraged me at the same time. I guess same goes for Landry. Enough of the 'what if's' or 'coulda beens' in DC. I don't care if Landry goes to the Jets and becomes an all pro. I am sick of waiting to hear his status for every game and when he is 'healthy' he plays half the snaps and whiffs on big plays. Would have loved if he made it here, but he didn't. That's all there is to it.

[Hitman21ST]

Great writeup murf, I was thinking the exact same thing. Landry had an on-field mentor to follow in 21. After his passing, he just had shoes to fill.

Great and unfortunate things.

EDIT: Video removed for NSFW language. It's still a good video though

[joeknows]

Great read thanks....

The whole damned situation is a tragedy

[SKINS'n'Spurs]

Great work again Murf. It really is a shame Area 51 couldn't come to fruition of full potential. The best way to look at Landry leaving is to be hopeful for this new exciting chapter in our franchises great history. We are on the verge of naming one of our few franchise QBs and whether it's Luck or RGIII it's going to be a total game changer from the locker room all the way out to every fan. Get ready to change your mind set; Skins about to flip da scrip!

[scruffylookin]

Not "universally praised". I hated the pick from the second it was made. Not even knowing how limited a player LaRoid was, I bashed the pick. To use yet another top 10 pick on the secondary in a span of 4 years was an ass backwards way of building a defense.

Poor choice. Both in philosophy of building a defense and in terms of quality of the player selected.

[Farbod21]

Landry and Taylor should never again be put in the same sentence. Lets end this madness today. One was taken from us before his prime by a horrific criminal act, the other was a bum...

[Fergasun]

Sean Taylor + ham sandwich would be one of the greatest safety tandems in the NFL. I'm not sure I remember a player who played with such a joy as Taylor did when he started to mature (although him and Portis were pure energy out there)... he was the best safety in the league when he was taken from the game.

[NoCalMike]

The truth is, Sean Taylor and just about anyone at safety would be a good tandem because that is how good Taylor was. Lets not forget how Ryan Clark shined as a safety and ended up catching the eye of the Steelers playing with Taylor on the defense.

Sean Taylor and Laron Landry don't belong in the same breath. Sean Taylor was well on his way to redefining the position. He was a combination of Ed Reed and Troy P. He had the ball hawk skills of Reed, combined with the "always in the right place at the right time" tendencies of a Troy P. Taylor excelled at either safety position and was pretty much a star from the second he started. Sure he had a few slips as a rookie with busted coverage but that was to be expected.

On the flipside, Landry's best days thus far were very early in his career and his aura become super over inflated due to his tendency to lay out his body to make big hits. His play was very inconsistent and he was often caught out of position whenever the deep ball was thrown, yet some people treated him like he was an elite safety.

The fact that he got a pretty pedestrian 1 year contract from the Jets should show what other GMs around the league think of him as a player, albeit I know his recent injury woes contribute somewhat to it.

[Hootman]

Taylor was a fantastic player and would have ended his career a Redskins great. What we'd give to have him roaming the field today. Niece piece.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I always have a problem responding to your player pieces Mr M as over the last however many season's it's now been you've gotten a far better perspective on these guys both as human beings and the character/ ethics they bring into the locker room FAR more than anyone of us mere laymen on here looking from the outside in.

Anyone with half a brain would agree that Sean's tragic passing hit LaRon's career far harder than most and would naturally lament what could of been the greatest safety duo this league has ever seen. But on the flip side of that, my natural response would be to say it has to start with the individual above all else. And, sadly, Landry's attitude has appeared to of been far from one to allow him to take his natural God given talent and turn it into the HoF career it should of been. Recent injury's and being played out of position in the aftermath of the loss of #21 aside; there's been many a report coming out of the Park of his lackadaisical attitude to practice and doing what the coaches told him. That just seems to of manifested itself in the pre-season nonsense we went through with him culminating in his self centered arrogance at thinking he knows better than the best medical experts out there on how to fix his injury problems.

On the face of it, if LaRon had say Ed Reeds attitude, or Polamalu's or even Sean's, he'd of taken that freakish natural talent and would now be on the way to one of the all time greats at the position; regardless of the tribulations he's had to overcome. Instead of being just A N Other starting safety in this league. But maybe I'm being harsh as I neither know nor have I got to spend the time around him like yourself to be in a better position to judge.

Shrugs, like I said it's tricky to respond to a piece from someone with a far better up close knowledge of these guys with a view you have from afar.

But regardless, good read as always man and I think I'm safe in saying there's not one of us out there that's not allowed our minds to wonder just what, and how great, it could all of been under different circumstances.

Hail.

[taylorsong]

I too, often imagine how this duo would've fared had Taylor was still with us. I think Landry would've improved immensely just by having ST around teaching him stuff like coverage techniques and tackling with more explosion. One thing I am sure of is that Landry wanted to model his tackling after Taylor's. The only difference is that Taylor really punished ballcarriers when he hit them.

[skinslove<3]

thanks murf <3

[themurf]

I always have a problem responding to your player pieces Mr M as over the last however many season's it's now been you've gotten a far better perspective on these guys both as human beings and the character/ ethics they bring into the locker room FAR more than anyone of us mere laymen on here looking from the outside in.

Anyone with half a brain would agree that Sean's tragic passing hit LaRon's career far harder than most and would naturally lament what could of been the greatest safety duo this league has ever seen. But on the flip side of that, my natural response would be to say it has to start with the individual above all else. And, sadly, Landry's attitude has appeared to of been far from one to allow him to take his natural God given talent and turn it into the HoF career it should of been. Recent injury's and being played out of position in the aftermath of the loss of #21 aside; there's been many a report coming out of the Park of his lackadaisical attitude to practice and doing what the coaches told him. That just seems to of manifested itself in the pre-season nonsense we went through with him culminating in his self centered arrogance at thinking he knows better than the best medical experts out there on how to fix his injury problems.

On the face of it, if LaRon had say Ed Reeds attitude, or Polamalu's or even Sean's, he'd of taken that freakish natural talent and would now be on the way to one of the all time greats at the position; regardless of the tribulations he's had to overcome. Instead of being just A N Other starting safety in this league. But maybe I'm being harsh as I neither know nor have I got to spend the time around him like yourself to be in a better position to judge.

Shrugs, like I said it's tricky to respond to a piece from someone with a far better up close knowledge of these guys with a view you have from afar.

But regardless, good read as always man and I think I'm safe in saying there's not one of us out there that's not allowed our minds to wonder just what, and how great, it could all of been under different circumstances.

Hail.

Just because I have access to these guys doesn't mean I know more than anyone else. When I write something like this, I'm just trying to share my perspective on the situation and open up a dialog with other 'Skins fans. I'm definitely not looking to tell people "if you don't agree with me, you're wrong" or anything like that. When Landry signed with the Jets there was more than a little bit of anger from a faction of Redskins fans who were glad he was gone, etc. and I just wanted to add my two cents as he headed out the door. Landry wasn't one of "my guy" and we certainly didn't talk on a weekly basis or anything, but I respected some of the overlooked aspects of him (like always being willing to stand up and be accountable after a tough loss).

As for the "should he or shouldn't he" between Landry and the team over having surgery, I'm torn. None of us knows all of the details, but I can understand why a player would prefer to avoid going under the knife if he can help it -- just as I can understand the front office's frustrations because they feel like if he would have had the surgery done, he would have been back a long time ago. But most of all, I can't help but be bummed about the entire Sean Taylor thing because so many Redskins fans believed those two could truly be great together. Sadly, neither story had a happy ending in D.C.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Shoot man, I wasn't trying to suggest you where arrogantly thinking your views any better than anyone else. Sorry if it came across as that. I was trying to say, on the face of it, with your far better access to these guys you get a different perspective on them from the one 'we' see. For example, our opinions on players are based on what we see and read from afar; whilst someone that get's to speak to them like yourself and be around them might well have a far more informed picture about them than the one the general media try's to portray.

Again, sorry if it came across as me suggesting your view was all that counted. My bad. That couldn't of been further from the truth.

Hail.

[monkeezgob]

I can't wait to see how the Jets fans react to watching him preen and pose when he bites on yet another double move and then finally tackles Gronkowski after a 50 yd completion. Good luck 'dirty 30', but I won't miss you.

[PlayAction]

I don't recall the mock drafts completely supporting the Landry pick. Devoting two top 10 picks on safeties was a very poor way of building the team.

[Tsoe]

I still firmly believe it was a mistake not giving him 4-5 M here to play here. Our safety situation went from at worst decent to shambles.

Blame game is strong when we are losing games.

[Commander -JB-]

What could have been with Ryan Clar & Sean Taylor. Never should have drafted Landry.