|
HOT TOPIC
Having been told by New England that he was no longer starter material, it would've been understandable for Christian Fauria to retire. He had two Super Bowl rings and 11 seasons in the books, his 35th birthday was approaching and uprooting his wife and four children from Massachusetts didn't seen palatable.
But any thoughts of retirement vanished when the Redskins called as soon as the free agent signing period began.
"I wasn't really looking to go somewhere else, but when the Redskins called me on the first say of free agency I knew they were serious," Fauria said. "I was like, 'Well, Geez. Let me go check it out.' "
Less than 48 hours later, Fauria had signed a two-year, $2 million contract with Washington, for whom he's slated to replace the underwhelming Robert Royal, now with Buffalo, as the Redskins' top blocking tight end.
"We signed Christian for his experience," tight ends coach Rennie Simmons said. "Christian was a very dominant blocker when he came out of Colorado (in 1995) and he still does a very consistent job. He's a little more physical than Robert."
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Fauria is just starting to show the Redskins how physical he can be. He missed the first two weeks of May's organized team activities after undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee, a longstanding condition that worsened when he began the offseason workouts at Redskin Park on Mar. 27.
Not that Fauria, who picked up first downs on 16 of his 24 catches the past two seasons, is concerned about his aging body.
"I can't run the way I did when I was 24, but I've missed one game the last nine years," Fauria said. "There's no way that I shouldn't be as good as I was the past four years in New England. Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, but he's always working on his swing because he believes it can get better. That's how I feel. This can't be as good as it gets. I like to think that my best years are in front of me."
With starter Chris Cooley already a top target and fullback Mike Sellers having been a touchdown machine last year, it's hard to see Fauria reaching the 29 catches he averaged from 1998-2003 with Seattle and New England. That's fine with Fauria as long as the Redskins win the way the Patriots did during his tenure.
"I don't think things were stale in New England, but coming to a new team definitely recharges your batteries," Fauria said. "Signing with the Redskins was definitely a good decision. I told my wife that coming to the nation's capital is like a mini-adventure."
PLAYER NOTES
--No player who has been a Redskin as long is in as much danger of not making the team as receiver Taylor Jacobs. However, Jacobs is typically unruffled by being the sixth player at a position where Washington will keep just five bodies.
"(Training camp) is going to be really big," said Jacobs, who has caught just 30 passes since being chosen in the second round in 2003. "They've told me that I have to go out and play hard and sometimes, good people don't make the team, so I'm out there working to be a Washington Redskin first and whatever happens, happens. I'm going to play my butt off regardless of the odds."
Those odds are long with Moss, Lloyd, Randle El and 2005 starter David Patten all proven regulars and James Thrash, a special teams standout and a former starter. Jacobs had a golden opportunity to prove himself when Patten and Thrash went down last November, but he managed just eight catches for 60 yards while starting the next three games and was sent back to the bench. Jacobs could have been released on June 1, but he said that the Redskins told his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, that they wanted to keep him.
"They told him they want to see me reach my potential and hopefully this year, I'll do that," Jacobs said.
--Offensive coordinator Al Saunders raved about backup running back Ladell Betts, who's due to be a free agent in March. Betts ran for 338 yards on 89 carries last season, caught 10 passes for 78 yards and scored once on the ground, once through the air and on a 94-yard kickoff return. He averaged 25.9 yards on kickoff returns.
"I don't know if people realize what a quality player Ladell is," Saunders said. "He's a three-dimensional player -- he runs the ball, he can catch it and he can block well enough to be successful. Clinton is Clinton, one of the dominant backs in the NFL. Having somebody like Ladell has been a surprise because I knew he was good, but not this good. We'll have situations where Ladell and Clinton will be in the game at the same time. Ladell deserves to play and we've got to find a way to get him on the field and not just as a back-up player to Clinton."
--Gibbs said that he plans to continue dressing the Redskins in the all-white uniforms that proved lucky last year. Washington was just 5-6 before reeling off six straight victories, including the playoff opener at Tampa Bay, in the ice cream man look. The Redskins' only loss in those previously rarely-worn uniforms came in the divisional round game at Seattle.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery, Washington's fifth-rounder, signed a deal that includes a bonus of $123,500. Defensive tackle Kedric Golston, the second of two sixth-rounders, signed a contract with $66,575 up front. Linebacker Kevin Simon, Washington's seventh-rounder, signed a deal with about $25,000 up front. All three moves happened on June 19. Guard Kili Lefotu, the third of the sixth-rounders, received $34,333 in bonus money on June 21. All four contracts are for three years. Only linebacker Rocky McIntosh, Washington's lone first-day choice (second round) remains unsigned.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None
TRANSITION PLAYER: None
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--TE Brian Kozlowski (not tendered June 1).
--DE Melvin Williams (not tendered as RFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--DT Anthony Montgomery (5th): 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--DT Kedric Golston (6th): 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--S Reed Doughty (6th): 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--OG Kili Lefotu (7th): 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Kevin Simon (7th): 3 yrs, terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--LB Khary Campbell: UFA; 3 yrs; 2006 cap: $690,000, other terms unknown.
--RB Rock Cartwright: Potential UFA; 4 yrs; 2006 cap: $660,000, other terms unknown.
--LB Chris Clemons: RFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $721,600.
--OG Derrick Dockery: RFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $1.573M.
--DL Demetric Evans: UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Warrick Holdman: UFA; terms unknown.
--CB Ade Jimoh: RFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $721,600.
--DT Cedric Killings: UFA; 3 yrs; 2006 cap: $465,000, other terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--S Adam Archuleta: UFA Rams; $31.8M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--DE Andre Carter: UFA 49ers; $30M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--QB Todd Collins: UFA Chiefs; $2.5M/2 yrs, $450,000 SB; 2006 cap: $1.035M.
--TE Christian Fauria: UFA Patriots; $2M/2 yrs, $190,000 SB; 2005 cap: $905,000.
--WR Brandon Lloyd: Trade 49ers.
--OL Mike Pucillo: UFA Browns; $465,000/1 yr.
--WR Antwaan Randle El: UFA Steelers; $31M/7 yrs, $5M SB.
--C Tyson Walter: UFA Texans; $465,000/1 yr.
--CB Kenny Wright: UFA Jaguars; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--LB LaVar Arrington (released).
--S Matt Bowen (released).
--OG Ray Brown (retired).
--S Ryan Clark: UFA Steelers; $7M/4 yrs, $1.7M SB.
--CB Walt Harris (released).
--DT Brandon Noble (released; failed physical/knee).
--QB Patrick Ramsey: Traded Jets.
--C Cory Raymer (released; failed physical).
--TE Robert Royal: UFA Bills; $10M/5 yrs, $2.5M SB.
--S Omar Stoutmire: UFA Saints; terms unknown.
--P Tom Tupa (released; failed physical/back).
|
