Good news for Redskins fans: DT Albert Haynesworth and TB Clinton Portis are both attending today's "voluntary" conditioning program at Redskins Park. There was concern that Haynesworth might not show up out of confusion over his role in the new 3-4 defense [he doesn't want to play nose tackle], but he's there. Also on campus is Portis, who has frequently blown off the team's offseason workout programs in the past. He's there today, though, in no small part, I'm sure, due to Head Coach Mike Shanahan's pointed remarks about how Portis needs to work hard and get in shape if he wants to continue drawing a paycheck from the Redskins.

Redskins CB Carlos Rogers, who has been openly disgruntled about his role with the team, has told the team he will be present for offseason workouts that begin Monday. Rogers has asked for a trade and wasn't happy about having a 1st round tender put on him at the start of free agency, thus spooking away a fair number of teams. However, Rogers apparently met with Head Coach Mike Shanahan about the situation and left Redskins Park pleased, convinced that if he's a hard worker during the offseason he will be offered a new contract by Washington.

In a way I'd like to see Rogers out of town. He admitted he tuned out after he was pulled from the Denver game even though injuries could have forced him back into the game. That sort of lack of respect for his job is hard to forgive or forget -- whether he's annoyed at being benched or not. If some team offered Rogers a contract I think the Redskins would [and would be wise to] let Rogers walk and take the first round pick. I doubt that will happen, though, because he's never played as if he's worth a first round pick. If a team offers Washington a second round pick I'd take it and be thrilled.

The reality is, though, that the free agent market at cornerback is dismal this season. It wasn't good at the start of free agency and it is horrible now. When the best available free agent CB is Rod Hood, you know the crop is failing. [Please don't mention Dre Bly to me -- he's horrible.] If the Redskins let Rogers leave, they need to be sure 2009 3rd round pick Kevin Barnes or 2008 4th round pick Justin Tryon are ready to step into the starting role.

I think almost any other offseason the Redskins would be happy to see the back of Carlos Rogers, but this is not a good time to replace a cornerback with a free agent veteran. If Washington can't get at least a 2nd round pick for him, they'd be wise to see if they can patch things up with the moody and volatile Rogers and try to get him motivated to play hard in 2010.

Jason LaCanfora writes that TB Larry Johnson is at Redskins Park today and the Redskins very much want to sign him to a contract. I was hoping Johnson was a ploy to get TB Willie Parker to sign a contract [and that could still be the case] because I think Johnson has proven repeatedly that he's a bad guy who can't be trusted to behave himself or think of his team before he does something stupid off the field. Parker and Johnson seem roughly equal to me in on-field talent right now so I'd rather have the guy, Parker, who didn't constantly embarrass his team.

The Redskins definitely need another solid running back to spell [compete with?] Clinton Portis, who missed more than half of last season with a concussion injury and has a lot of wear and tear on his wheels. I would just rather it be Parker. Johnson has scheduled a Monday meeting with the Oakland Raiders so if he leaves Redskins Park without a contract [as many players do these days] then he might be gone for good. Raiders owner Al Davis has never been put off by a rap sheet.

The Washington Redskins continue to pursue an avenue of fiscal conservatism, smart signings, a free agency not many of us can remember, but appreciate.

According to PFT, the Washington Redskins signed TE Sean Ryan, formerly of  the Kansas City Chiefs, to a one year deal.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Washington has signed former Chiefs tight end Sean Ryan to a one-year contract.

As Schefter points out, in the first week of free agency the Redskins have now signed two players, Ryan and offensive lineman Artis Hicks. So much for Dan Snyder going hog wild in an uncapped year.

Ryan played last season with Kansas City.  He caught 14 passes for 135 yards.  2 of his receptions were for TDs, seven were for first downs.  Ryan is more of a blocking tight end.  Could this spell the end to Todd Yoder in DC?  Is Ryan just training camp competition for Yoder?

UPDATE: Here is what Scouts, Inc. think of Ryan:

Ryan is an average athlete with good size and is primarily used in blocking situations. He has adequate strength as a run-blocker with good effort to sustain and finish at the point of attack. He has the ability to create movement when he keeps his pads down. He can work double teams effectively and is agile enough to make small adjustments in space. As a receiver, he has limited speed and quickness downfield, but he can adjust to the ball outside his frame. He has trouble separating from linebackers coming out of his breaks. He is alert to settle quickly in the soft spots of zone coverage, but is limited athletically to make plays after the catch.

Ryan was a 5th round draft pick in 2004 by the Dallas Cowboys and was an early favorite of then-Head Coach Bill Parcells, who admired his toughness. Ryan has been a real NFL nomad, though, now set to play with his 6th NFL team in 6 seasons.

If the Redskins are going to be using a lot of 2-TE sets this year [and they should be with Chris Cooley and Fred Davis on the roster] then an extra backup to go with Yoder makes sense. Considering the weakness of the wide receiver position and offensive line, using two tight end sets as the basic formation seems like a good idea. On the other hand, Yoder is an unrestricted free agent and this signing could very signal that Mike Shanahan would like Yoder to continue his NFL career elsewhere.

Follow along with every Redskins free agent rumor, visit, and signing with this DC Pro Sports Report free agency tracker.

Former Chiefs and Bengals running back Larry Johnson will visit Redskins Park Thursday. Johnson is a troubled free agent who rushed for 581 yards on 178 carries [3.26] last year for both Kansas City and Cincinnati. The Chiefs cut Johnson after another of his many transgressions and the Bengals, who are not put off by punks and  needed another running back due to injury, picked him up. Now he's available again.

Is this a case of Mike Shanahan thinking he can work with a guy who he coached against many times in the AFC West? Perhaps, but I think it more likely the Johnson visit is intended to provide leverage over and incentive for free agent TB Willie Parker, who visited Redskins Park earlier this week, but left without a contract. Johnson was suspended twice in a calendar year by the Chiefs for his chronic misconduct and I doubt Shanahan is keen to add that sort of person to the roster.

Follow along with every Redskins move with this Free Agency Tracker post.

ESPN's Adam Shefter is reporting that the Redskins have signed former Carolina Panthers nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu to a 2-year contract worth $7 million. It was assumed by many that Kemoeatu would not sign with the Redskins or anyone else quickly because he missed the entire 2009 season with a torn achilles tendon and required a second surgical procedure to fix what the first surgical procedure did not. He's not even running yet so it seems unclear how he could pass an NFL physical, but the Redskins have signed him anyway. UPDATE: Kemoeatu apparently did pass a physical. Again, I'm not sure how that happened, unless they replaced the 40-yard dash with a hot dog eating contest. Early word is that most of the money Kemoeatu is getting is salary, rather than signing bonus. That makes it much easier to cut him if his injury proves to be career-threatening.

Kemoeatu made a $2 million base salary last year with the Panthers, who spent the first 4 seasons of his career with the Ravens before spending the last 4 with Carolina. At 6'5" and 345 pounds, Kemoeatu [Kemo eat u?] has the size teams look for in a nose tackle, something no one else on the roster -- including Albert Haynesworth -- quite has. At 31 Kemoeatu is experienced without being too old for the pounding the nose tackle position inflicts on a human body. Here is a Scouts, Inc. description of Kemoeatu:

Kemoeatu has excellent size and strength inside and he is a physical force in stopping the run. He has good recognition skills and hand use. He understands how to play with leverage and he can shed and make plays quickly in a short area. He lacks speed and range down the line of scrimmage but for his size he is surprisingly athletic. He can absorb double teams and hold his ground inside, allowing LBs to remain free in their path to the ball from behind. He is limited as a pass-rusher because of his lack of speed. He can be very powerful as an in-line rusher. Provides a good push up the middle as a bull-rusher but doesn't have a wide variety of moves to defeat blocks and get to the QB. Overall, he's a better run player than pass-rusher. Strong and powerful within a short area.

This is precisely the sort of player the Redskins need at nose tackle in their new 3-4 defense. His lack of speed isn't important because that can be provided by Haynesworth, Brian Orakpo, Andre Carter, Chris Wilson, Lorenzo Alexander and Jeremy Jarmon. The signing of Kemoeatu, provided he stays healthy, fills a gigantic hole [literally and otherwise] in the 3-4 defense. This means Haynesworth can be used at defensive end, a position he is far more suited to play in the 3-4 defense. Not only would Haynesworth's "forward-playing" aggression be wasted at nose tackle, so would his speed and quickness.

A 3-4 defense with Kemoeatu clogging up the middle of the field and some combination of Haynesworth, Orakpo, Carter, Wilson, Alexander and Jarmon attacking from the edge could be formidable indeed. If Kemoeatu can stay healthy, Washington's front seven just became 345 pounds better.

If he can stay healthy...

The first weekend of the NFL free agency season is over and the Redskins...didn't do all that much. LT Chad Clifton visited and then returned to the Green Bay Packers for a contract of 3 years and $21 million. RT Tony Pashos dropped by and there was speculation that Pashos, who played for OL Coach Tony Foerster last  year when Foerster coached the same position for the San Francisco 49ers, would parlay that association into a contract. Instead he went to the Cleveland Browns for 3 years and $10.3 million. According to Pashos' agent, his client and the Redskins were "nowhere near close" on a deal. Instead, the Redskins focused on re-signing their own free agents, like C Casey Rabach, OG Mike Williams, DE Phillip Daniels and OLB Lorenzo Alexander, to team-friendly contracts and ridding themselves of some unwelcome contracts.

The Redskins dropped $63 million of dead salary cap pro-ration with the retirement of Chris Samuel and the releases of veterans Rock Cartwright, Todd Collins, Randy Thomas, Ladell Betts, Cornelius Griffin, Antwaan Randle-El and cornerback Fred Smoot. If there were a $123 million salary cap, the Redskins would have been $39 million over the cap after those transactions. For cash, the Redskins cut their payroll to $70.6 million, fourth-lowest in the league.

Imagine that -- the Redskins with the fourth-lowest payroll in the NFL. Times have indeed changed at Redskins Park. Instead of a free-spending, know-nothing owner and his half-wit  homonculus playing fantasy football with a professional team, seasoned professionals like GM Bruce Allen and Head Coach Mike Shanahan are running the show. Throwing good money after bad on free agents who will never live up to their contracts isn't part of the plan.

On Sunday afternoon, Washington GM Bruce Allen put free agency in perspective quite well, saying, "Free agency isn't a day, and it's not a weekend. We think free agency runs 'til the first day of training camp. Let's see who you have a couple of months from now, not just who you have after a couple of days. What difference does it make when you sign them, if they help you?'

When the Redskins did get into the free agent market it was more like dipping a toe rather than plunging in head first. Washington signed OL Artis Hicks, an 8-year veteran and 335-pound mountain of a human being who can play both tackle and guard spots. In keeping with their newfound prudence, Hicks received a 3-year deal with only $3 million guaranteed -- and the possibility of earning another $9 million only if he performs at a high level. Paying someone for future performance rather than past performance is a sound idea -- and a new one at Redskins Park.

Why  Hicks instead of guys like Clifton or Pashos? Well, Hicks is hardly an all star, but he is a solid performer with plenty of experience, but not too much [at 31 he's not that old] and with far more tread left on his tires than Clifton. This year Pashos will play for his 4th team in 5 years, confirming what my eyes already told me -- he's a mediocre player and not worth the contract the Browns gave him. Clifton, meanwhile, is 34 and hasn't always been healthy. What's more, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was sacked more often than any other QB in the NFL last year. Now, I'm not suggesting Clifton was to blame for all that, but as the left tackle on that offensive line he surely must take some of the responsibility. If the Packers want to give Clifton $21 million, let them. The Redskins were wise to decline.

How is Dan Snyder taking all this? Determined to win the offseason championship even if his teams couldn't win a divisional championship during the actual season, Snyder has repeatedly spent enormous sums of money in the first hours of free agency. Just last year Albert Haynesworth got a contract with $41 million in guaranteed money minutes after free agency began. One would think it is quite an adjustment for Snyder and if it is, he seems to be resigned to it. This is what Snyder said when Allen and Shanahan presented him with this plan for free agency in late January:

"He said, 'Good. Do what you guys think is best,' '' Allen said Sunday.

And the plan really included keeping the checkbook in the pocket on the first weekend of free agency? Really? Was Snyder apoplectic?

"No,'' Allen said. "He didn't throw anything at me. And he didn't throw a tantrum. He's fine with it.''

When DE Julius Peppers hit the open market many assumed the Redskins, per several media reports, would be all over him. It turns out the Redskins probably made a generous but reasonable offer to Peppers, but it was the Bears who promised him the bloated contract he can never earn. In fact, it is the Bears who have become the 2010 version of the Redskins, spending enormous sums in the early hours of free agency after trading away valuable draft picks for a player [in this case, Jay Cutler] who hasn't proven to be worth the price.

The Redskins still have enormous needs along the offensive line, at running back, wide receiver, cornerback and inside linebacker. They have the roster holes one would expect of a team that has lost 18 of its last 24 games. They will be able to fill some of these holes in the NFL Draft next month, though not as many as they could have if they had been smart enough to hold on to their draft picks in recent years. Unfortunately, the draft won't be able to fill all the roster holes, even if the Redskins draft perfectly in every situation. Years of neglect and incompetence have just left too many problems to be fixed in one offseason.

The Redskins have scheduled ILB Larry Foote, NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu and TB Willie Parker. Kemoeatu and Parker are coming off injuries and will have to accept lesser salaries. Foote is coming off a bad season in which he played out of position in a 4-3 defense instead of the 3-4 he played in at Pittsburgh. He will also sign somewhere for less money than he would have liked. They can all help the Redskins and fill a position of need and none of them will force Dan Snyder to take an extra mortgage on one of his homes. We'll see what happens with them.

DC Pro Sports Report will be watching the free agency period closely to see if the Redskins continue to play it smart or panic at being out of the headlines and regress to their old ways. The latter seems pretty unlikely. For now, Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan seem to have a plan and that plan is to improve the roster steadily, but surely with a series of useful, if unspectacular roster moves before the draft. We should probably expect the Redskins to be very active in free agency after the draft, when a number of bargains are usually available.

Discuss it and all Redskins free agency here.

Per John Keim is this snippet of an interview former Cowboys TB Emmitt Smith gave to

"I loved defeating the Redskins. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it with a passion. And I loved it more when Daniel Snyder got the team, for a number of reasons. I did. Because here is a guy who thought he could build a football team just because he has the money to buy players. There's more to it than that. And he's not a compassionate person, not a compassionate person at all from what I understand. And that makes me just want to pummel somebody. You know, you hate to see pride, wearing itself on his forehead and his chest. And to me, arrogance sticks out like a sore thumb when you talk about him. And the lack of compassion for others is a problem. Because it's not that hard to be compassionate; you just choose to."

Well, readers of this website will know I sympathize with this view of Dan Snyder even if I didn't appreciate the way Smith destroyed the Redskins as a player. As Keim points out, Snyder is often very generous with his players. It's the way he treats average Redskins fans [and the occasional head coach] that is detestable.

UPDATE: It's confirmed. The Redskins have re-signed OL Mike Williams. No terms disclosed yet. Considering what we saw last year, I'd say [hope!] that Williams is thought of as a guard, not a right tackle. Williams looked awful at the tackle position, but I thought he did some nice blocking at guard.

Said Head Coach Mike Shanahan: "We believe that he's only scratched the surface of his abilities so far."

So who gets the job of watching this guy's waistline during the offseason? I suppose we could outsource it to NASA. They've got some satellites in geosynchronous orbit that can easily photograph Williams' gigantic can.

We're hearing reports that OL Mike Williams has re-signed with the Washington Redskins, inking a multi-year deal to stay with the team. No terms yet and we haven't confirmed this report, but we'll keep on it. No word on whether or not Williams ate half a buffalo in celebration.

Rumors are floating that the Redskins are interested in signing LT Chad Clifton from the Green Bay Packers, RT Tony Pashos from the San Francisco 49ers and QB Rex Grossman from the 9th plane of Hell Houston Texans.

Let's address these. Clifton will be 34 before the season begin and isn't the healthiest left tackle in the NFL. Packers fans will not be sorry to see him go. Pashos played for Washington's offensive line coach in San Francisco. He's also played for 3 teams in 4 years and nobody seems to miss him when he's gone. Rex Grossman backed up Pro Bowler Matt Schaub last year, playing for new Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and it's a good thing for Texans fans that Schaub finally stayed healthy. The awful Grossman threw only 9 passes, completing 3 of them to his own team and 1 of them to the other team. Grossman has a career passer rating under 70 and the only year he was healthy, 2006, the Bears won the NFC in spite of his constant screw-ups.

I'm pleased the Redskins have finally decided not to spend $120 million outbidding themselves for several under-achievers on the first day of free agency. Seriously, it makes for a very nice change. What doesn't make for a nice change is adding Clifton, Pashos and Grossman to the roster. Pashos is just a guy, Clifton is old and will have to be replaced in a year or two [if he stays healthy in the meantime] and Grossman only looks good standing on the sidelines.

I hope we can do better than this.