Haynesworth standoff continues

Former Redskins beat reporter and current NFL Network reporter Jason LaCanfora tweets thusly:

Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth will not attend this weekend’s voluntary mini-camp. Trade is still possible before the draft.

No surprises there, this pretty much confirms what we have suspected all along. Haynesworth isn’t budging from his unhappiness with possibly playing the nose tackle position and won’t be attending non-mandatory meetings this offseason as his protest. He’s clearly trying to force a climb-down by Head Coach Mike Shanahan or a trade to a team using a 4-3 defense. Shanny, meanwhile, is trying to change the culture of a team where high-profile and well-paid players were accustomed to ignoring the coaching staff when convenient. He cannot afford to appear to bend to Haynesworth’s will. It looks to me as if the Redskins will try to trade Haynesworth during or just before the NFL Draft. If they cannot, things get very interesting.

Let me restate my view on trading Haynesworth: I don’t think it is necessary, but if it is done, the Redskins must get at least 1 good first round pick for him. He’s one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL and the rest of his contract is extremely affordable. Getting less than a good first round pick would be a terribly lopsided trade against the Redskins.