Post by The President on Aug 17, 2007 7:14:26 GMT -5
www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=28082
When Sean Taylor first arrived in the NFL in 2004, he didn't take the game of football so seriously, especially in terms of nutrition, training and film study.
He does now. And he is poised to have his best season, even after a 2006 season that earned him Pro Bowl recognition despite occasional struggles in pass coverage.
"I take this [game] very seriously," Taylor told reporters on Thursday, in a rare media session at Redskins Park. "This is something we do. It's almost like you play a kid's game for a king's ransom.
"If you don't take it seriously enough, one day you're going to say, 'I could have done this' or 'I could have done that.' So I just say that I'm healthy right now and I'm going into my fourth year, so why not do the best that I can?
"Whether it's eating right, whether it's training myself right, or whether it's studying harder--it's whatever I can do to better myself."
During training camp, it has been evident that Taylor is leaner. He dropped to 212 pounds last offseason, from 232 last year, as coaches emphasized speed. He now says he weighs about 225 pounds.
Playing in his first Pro Bowl changed the 24-year-old Taylor, the Redskins' first-round pick (fifth overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft.
"Hawaii was definitely an experience I will never forget," he said. "It was a good experience. You can't explain it. You would have to go there to figure it out as a player. I'm just glad I got to meet players from different teams and just know that it was something different football.
"When we had our time off, we hung out and talked about totally different things other than football."
Even Taylor's coach, Gregg Williams, has noticed a change in him.
"He got a chance to be at the Pro Bowl," Williams said. "And the impact that some of those guys had on him over there has kind of lit a fire underneath him. He's come back with personal goals and personal improvement things."
Taylor had his best NFL season in 2006, finishing with a team-high 129 tackles (89 solo). He started 16 games and logged one interception, three forced fumbles and 17 special teams tackles.
This year, Taylor will play free safety in Williams' defense, opposite rookie LaRon Landry.
Coaches say that giving Taylor singular responsibility as a free safety will help simplify the game.
He responds that he'll play with the same purpose, whether it's as a free safety, strong safety or linebacker. He's a football player, after all.
"We've had some acquisitions like Fred Smoot," he said. "Our corners are back healthy as far as Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers. We're just trying to get a unit out there that's going to play.
"I think we're very deep as far as linebackers go, as far as defensive linemen go, and as far as safeties go. Everybody looks crisp. We're just taking off with that."
-- CAMP ENDS...OR DOES IT?
Thursday's practice was the final one listed on the Redskins' training camp schedule.
So that means the Redskins broke camp on Thursday, wrapping up with an early afternoon session.
Not so fast, says Joe Gibbs.
"I never announce when the end of camp is," he said. "The last time I did, I got a dorm all torn up."
Even though there was no announcement, coaches and players had long figured that Thursday was the close of camp.
After practice, coaches and players hosted a "Rookie Show" in the auditorium at Redskins Park. Rookies had to imitate the mannerisms of coaches, all in good fun.
"Nobody will see this but the Redskins," Fred Smoot said. "If you don't have a uniform on, or you're not a referee, you can't get in."
-- CARTWRIGHT: HAMSTRING INJURY
Running back Rock Cartwright suffered a minor hamstring injury and was held out of Thursday's practice.
If Cartwright is held out of Saturday's preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, then backups Derrick Blaylock, Marcus Mason and Dee Brown could see significant action.
Said Joe Gibbs, referring to Blaylock, Mason and Brown: "Every time somebody gets in there, that is their chance. They know that it is on film and that we will see how they play. So that is their time to shine."
Ladell Betts is still expected to start in place of Clinton Portis, who is unlikely to play due to knee tendonitis.
When Sean Taylor first arrived in the NFL in 2004, he didn't take the game of football so seriously, especially in terms of nutrition, training and film study.
He does now. And he is poised to have his best season, even after a 2006 season that earned him Pro Bowl recognition despite occasional struggles in pass coverage.
"I take this [game] very seriously," Taylor told reporters on Thursday, in a rare media session at Redskins Park. "This is something we do. It's almost like you play a kid's game for a king's ransom.
"If you don't take it seriously enough, one day you're going to say, 'I could have done this' or 'I could have done that.' So I just say that I'm healthy right now and I'm going into my fourth year, so why not do the best that I can?
"Whether it's eating right, whether it's training myself right, or whether it's studying harder--it's whatever I can do to better myself."
During training camp, it has been evident that Taylor is leaner. He dropped to 212 pounds last offseason, from 232 last year, as coaches emphasized speed. He now says he weighs about 225 pounds.
Playing in his first Pro Bowl changed the 24-year-old Taylor, the Redskins' first-round pick (fifth overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft.
"Hawaii was definitely an experience I will never forget," he said. "It was a good experience. You can't explain it. You would have to go there to figure it out as a player. I'm just glad I got to meet players from different teams and just know that it was something different football.
"When we had our time off, we hung out and talked about totally different things other than football."
Even Taylor's coach, Gregg Williams, has noticed a change in him.
"He got a chance to be at the Pro Bowl," Williams said. "And the impact that some of those guys had on him over there has kind of lit a fire underneath him. He's come back with personal goals and personal improvement things."
Taylor had his best NFL season in 2006, finishing with a team-high 129 tackles (89 solo). He started 16 games and logged one interception, three forced fumbles and 17 special teams tackles.
This year, Taylor will play free safety in Williams' defense, opposite rookie LaRon Landry.
Coaches say that giving Taylor singular responsibility as a free safety will help simplify the game.
He responds that he'll play with the same purpose, whether it's as a free safety, strong safety or linebacker. He's a football player, after all.
"We've had some acquisitions like Fred Smoot," he said. "Our corners are back healthy as far as Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers. We're just trying to get a unit out there that's going to play.
"I think we're very deep as far as linebackers go, as far as defensive linemen go, and as far as safeties go. Everybody looks crisp. We're just taking off with that."
-- CAMP ENDS...OR DOES IT?
Thursday's practice was the final one listed on the Redskins' training camp schedule.
So that means the Redskins broke camp on Thursday, wrapping up with an early afternoon session.
Not so fast, says Joe Gibbs.
"I never announce when the end of camp is," he said. "The last time I did, I got a dorm all torn up."
Even though there was no announcement, coaches and players had long figured that Thursday was the close of camp.
After practice, coaches and players hosted a "Rookie Show" in the auditorium at Redskins Park. Rookies had to imitate the mannerisms of coaches, all in good fun.
"Nobody will see this but the Redskins," Fred Smoot said. "If you don't have a uniform on, or you're not a referee, you can't get in."
-- CARTWRIGHT: HAMSTRING INJURY
Running back Rock Cartwright suffered a minor hamstring injury and was held out of Thursday's practice.
If Cartwright is held out of Saturday's preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, then backups Derrick Blaylock, Marcus Mason and Dee Brown could see significant action.
Said Joe Gibbs, referring to Blaylock, Mason and Brown: "Every time somebody gets in there, that is their chance. They know that it is on film and that we will see how they play. So that is their time to shine."
Ladell Betts is still expected to start in place of Clinton Portis, who is unlikely to play due to knee tendonitis.