Albert Haynesworth has formally asked to be traded away from the Washington Redskins in protest of their switch of defensive formation.
Redskins defensive tackle demands move away from Washington
Albert Haynesworth has formally asked to be traded away from the Washington Redskins in protest of their switch of defensive formation.
The former Tennessee Titans stalwart only signed a whopping $100 million seven-year deal as a free agent last summer, but has already had enough of life in the American capital.
After a disappointing first season where both his fitness and attitude came into question, a change in defensive formation by new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has now angered Haynesworth.
Haynesworth will sit out Washington's mandatory training camp and has formally asked for a move to another NFL team, preferably before training camps begin in earnest next month.
A dominant defensive tackle with the Titans, Haynesworth does not want to play in the 3-4 scheme Washington will employ next year, saying it was not what he signed up for when he agreed on his seven-year deal that handed him $41 million in guaranteed earnings.
Role
"When I signed here after meeting all day with the staff and top executives, and talked about the defense that we would run and what my role would be, I was assured I would have the freedom to play to my strengths and I was excited about the future," Haynesworth's statement said.
"After many years in the NFL, I know what it takes for me to perform at my highest level. My number one goal has always been to help my team win - period.
"It's also important at my position to help free my team-mates to make plays, which I've done throughout my career when I've been allowed to play to my strengths. I will continue to work individually to prepare for training camp and the start of the 2010 season."
Shanahan admitted that the team had agreed to let Haynesworth leave as a free agent if he found a suitable move before picking up a whopping $21 million bonus at the start of April.
If that deadline passed, and Haynesworth pocketed his money, then the team would expect him to be back in the fold and ready to play the season in Washington, but after taking the cash Haynesworth now says he wants to leave.
Decisions
"We'll make some decisions here shortly," Shanahan said. "I am very disappointed because he did have the ability to go somewhere else, and we asked for nothing in return other than us not having to pay the remainder of his contract.
"He made $12 million his first year and we felt that if he didn't want to be a part of us, that's fine. If you wanted to go someplace else that would be better for you and you want to play in a 4-3 scheme then don't take our cheque and then say you don't want to be part of our organisation.
"Obviously, he took the cheque, so I was surprised that he wasn't here today. I thought he did make the commitment once he took the cheque that he wanted to be a Washington Redskin. Obviously, it didn't go in that direction. I'm quite disappointed."
Haynesworth had no shortage of interest when he left Tennessee as a free agent, but such a huge contract and now several doubts over his temperament may well put them off this time around.
