Redskins' news/notes

[Ego74]

NFL Investigates Redskins' Practice Policies

By JOSEPH WHITE
The Associated Press
Thursday, June 2, 2005; 5:16 PM

ASHBURN, Va. -- The NFL wants to know if the Washington Redskins have been playing too rough in the offseason.

The league and the players' union said Thursday they are investigating the Redskins offseason practices. At issue are the team's one-on-one drills between offensive and defensive linemen, which the union says are forbidden, and whether those drills violate a prohibition against "live contact."

The players' union was first alerted of the possible infractions after the team posted video from the drills on the Internet. The practices are closed to reporters.

"Do you know how we caught them?" NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw said. "We saw it on their Web site."

Coach Joe Gibbs said the team has turned over tapes of its practices to the league for review. If the team is found in violation, it could lose part of its allotted number of offseason practice days.

"We think we're doing what we need to be doing, trying to get everybody ready," Gibbs said. "And if it fits within the rules, we'll just have to see."

The practices _ called OTAs or "organized team activities" _ are essentially practices without pads. The collective bargaining agreement forbids "live contact drills between offensive and defensive linemen" during the practices.

Of course, "live contact" can be open to interpretation. Asked to describe the one-on-one drills, tackle Chris Samuels said: "We're locking up, just working our hand placement and technique, but we're not, like, finishing guys or driving guys to the ground."

NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis said the team shouldn't be doing one-on-one drills in the first place.

"The only thing that is allowed at OTAs is 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11," Francis said.

Gibbs said he thinks the Redskins are "well within the rules." He said his interpretation is that one-on-one drills are allowed for teaching pass rushing techniques and that the drills are not too physical.

"What they don't want is one-on-one physical stuff, competitive, where you wind up with players on the ground getting injured," Gibbs said.

Assistant coach Joe Bugel defended the drills by saying that their "physical contact bears no resemblance to that experienced in a regular-season practice or game."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed that the league is looking into the matter. Neither Francis nor Aiello offered a timetable for a decision.

This is the second time since his return from retirement that Gibbs has drawn the attention of league officials for possible transgressions during practice. Last year, during the regular season, the coach tried to flaunt the rules by using an extra practice squad player until the league told him to stop.

 

[Ego74]

Jun. 1 - According to The Washington Times, Barrow likely won't be released until the team gets a better gauge on his rehabilitation from acute tendinitis in his knee that caused him to miss the entire 2004 season. It was once widely expected around the league that the team would release the linebacker, who signed a six-year, $11.6 million deal last offseason, creating an additional $1.7 million of cap space. For now Redskins officials seem willing to take a closer look if and when he gets healthy, but a cut could some later.

 

[Ego74]

Jun. 1 - Chad Morton could be on his way out when the post-June 1 period of free agency opens late today, The Washington Times reports. With the Redskins in need of cap space to sign first-round draft picks Carlos Rogers and Jason Campbell, Morton, who is still rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in October, seems likely to exit in coming days. The Redskins remain in the hunt for cornerback R.W. McQuarters, who could be Morton's replacement in the return game.

 

[Ego74]

Redskins release returner Morton


By Jody Foldesy
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The Washington Redskins yesterday released return man Chad Morton, ending a disappointing two-year stay that began with an arbitrator controversially awarding him to the Redskins and coaches forecasting a wide-ranging role for him.
Morton, 28, became the Redskins' first post-June 1 cut of 2005. More are expected as the club seeks to gain enough salary cap space to sign its draft picks. The departure of Morton wasn't surprising: In two years, he scored just four touchdowns, touched the ball 63 times on offense and never made the adjustment to punt returner.
A torn ACL last season and the solid production of other return men made Morton expendable. Washington now expects to rely on Antonio Brown, James Thrash and Ladell Betts on kickoff and punt returns. The team also remains in the hunt for free agent cornerback R.W. McQuarters.
In March 2003, Morton signed a five-year, $8 million offer sheet with Washington as a restricted free agent. The New York Jets matched that offer sheet a week later, but on the recommendation of the NFL Management Council, they declined to match the clauses that voided out the deal's final two seasons (2006 and 2007).
Arbitrator Richard Bloch eventually ruled that the Jets not only should have matched the void clauses, but they also should have put in writing that they would match the clauses if they eventually were deemed "principle terms." Morton was awarded outright to the Redskins.
That year, he ranked among the NFL's top 10 kickoff returners and saw a decent amount of action on coach Steve Spurrier's offense. But Morton wasn't performing well last season when he tore his ACL in late October. The new staff had nothing invested in him and found other options on the roster more intriguing.
By making the move after June 1, the Redskins saved $540,000 against the salary cap, which will come in handy in July when the club signs its draft picks. Morton will count $1 million in "dead money" against next year's cap.

 

[HellonWheels]

Redskins' Safety Charged With Assault



MIAMI (AP) - Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a firearm Saturday night after turning himself in to Miami-Dade County police. According to a police statement, Taylor pointed a gun at an unidentified person Wednesday during a dispute over two all-terrain vehicles he claimed were stolen. Taylor left the scene but returned about 10 minutes later and punched one person.

Police had been looking for Taylor since Friday.

Taylor, 22, was accompanied by his attorney, Fred Moldovan, when he turned himself in. He was also charged with simple battery.

Police said the Redskins organization cooperated with them during the investigation.


``We have just been made aware of a potential situation in Miami regarding Sean Taylor,'' Redskins spokesman Karl Swanson said in a statement. ``The representatives for Taylor are keeping us informed as to the developments. There is nothing we can add to the process at this time.''


Taylor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not return a phone message left by The Associated Press late Saturday.


Another man, Charles Elwood Caughman, threatened and chased another victim with a baseball bat, police said. Caughman, 19, was arrested later that day and charged with aggravated assault.


Taylor, who wants a new contract, has been working out in Miami despite pleas from Redskins coach Joe Gibbs to join the team in voluntary workouts at their home base in suburban Washington. He signed a seven-year, $18 million deal as the No. 5 overall draft pick in the 2004 draft.


The former Miami Hurricanes standout has had a tempestuous start to his NFL career.


He has fired two agents, was fined for skipping one day of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium and was accused of spitting on a player during a game at Cincinnati, although he was not punished because the league said there was no video evidence.


He was also charged with drunken driving in October, when he was pulled over at 2:45 a.m. after attending a birthday party for receiver Rod Gardner. Those charges were dismissed in January.

 

[Ego74]

Taylor may face 3 years


By Jody Foldesy
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor could face a mandatory minimum sentence of at least three years if he is convicted on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a firearm after Miami police said he pointed a gun at two people and physically assaulted one Wednesday.
Taylor was arrested late Saturday night after he turned himself in to the Miami-Dade County Police Department. He was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, a third-degree felony, and simple assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The Associated Press reported Taylor was released yesterday on a $16,500 bond, though a police official wouldn't confirm that when reached later in the day. Taylor reportedly will be arraigned at a later date.
The mandatory minimum sentence is part of a 1999 makeover of Florida's gun laws, called "10-20-Life," by Gov. Jeb Bush. To get tough on gun crime, Florida instituted mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years if a person possesses a gun while committing certain crimes, 20 years if the gun is fired and 25 years to life if someone is shot.
According to the Florida state code chapter 775.087, aggravated assault is one of 18 crimes to which the mandatory minimum sentences apply but also one of three in which the sentence is just three years at the "10" level. However, the loophole closes at the "20" level, when a gun is fired.
That could be a crucial distinction in Taylor's case. Police said Friday that they were seeking Taylor in connection with a "shooting" in southern Dade County. They said shots were fired during a dispute in a residential area but that no one was hurt.
However, a press release yesterday from the police department made no mention of whether Taylor fired any shots or whether any shots even were fired. It specifically said Taylor pointed a firearm at two victims and that no shots were fired at that time.
There was a second phase of the incident, and it is possible shots were fired at that time without being noted in the press release. An official at the police department declined to answer questions about the press release.
If Taylor indeed fired the gun during the incident, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years -- 17 more than if he did not fire the gun.
A message wasn't immediately returned from the state attorney's office to confirm the application of the "10-20-Life" law. The applicability of the law was first reported by profootballtalk.com, a Web log that focuses on NFL news.
The second charge, simple battery, carries a sentence not exceeding one year.
According to the press release, the incident began Wednesday evening when Taylor drove his blue 2005 Yukon Denali to an area in southern Dade County. He was accompanied by Charles Elwood Caughman of Baltimore and several other unidentified individuals. Some members of the group were in a second vehicle.
Taylor accused the two victims of stealing a pair of all-terrain vehicles, according to the press release. He pointed a gun at them and demanded his property be returned. No shots were fired. Taylor's group left the scene and returned about 10 minutes later. Taylor got out of the car and "physically assaulted one victim with his fists," the press release said. Caughman wielded a baseball bat as he chased the second victim. The second victim was not struck. Taylor's group then fled the scene again.
The press release noted that police hadn't determined whether the victims were involved in any theft and that Caughman was arrested and charged with aggravated assault Wednesday night.
The Redskins commented briefly Saturday night to say that they were aware of Taylor's situation and were monitoring it through Taylor's representatives. Agent Drew Rosenhaus declined comment last night. Coral Gables attorney Fred Moldovan, who reportedly accompanied Taylor to the police station, did not return a call seeking comment.
Taylor has made repeated missteps off the field since Washington drafted him fifth overall in 2004. Last October he was arrested for DUI on the Capital Beltway, though he eventually was acquitted on both charges related to the incident. He also showed up late for the NFL's rookie symposium and was accused of spitting on an opponent, among other dubious moves.