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Competition brewing for Redskins’ free safety spot

By Brian Hunsicker

Published: July 28, 2008

ASHBURN — Even for an average NFL franchise, the Washington Redskins were quiet in this past offsea-son’s free-agent market. That it was the Redskins, an organization with eight projected starters acquired via free agency that likes to make such offseason splashes, was even more surprising.
Their lone impact signing: safety Stuart Schweigert, who will compete with incumbent Reed Doughty for the starting job at free safety. Besides punter, free safety is the only position where there is true competition; each of the other spots have strong incumbents or no-brainer newbies, like Jason Taylor.
Doughty played well in the final weeks of 2007, stepping into the spot of the late Sean Taylor. He had 29 tack-les and two pass break-ups in the final four games of the season, all starts. He has also overcome hardship: His son, Micah, underwent a kidney transplant earlier this year. He talked about his hearing loss in media reports on Saturday. And, in a football sense, no player was more directly affected by Taylor’s death.
Schwiegert was a starter for much of his time in Oakland, and had two interceptions and 56 tackles in 15 games a season ago. But other statistics were well off his career bests, like his 100 tackles in 2006 and his nine pass break-ups in 2005 (he had four in 2006 and 2007). Veteran Vernon Fox is also in the mix.
“I don’t really feel [it’s] a position battle,” Doughty said. “Stuart’s competing for a starting spot, I’m compet-ing for a starting spot, Vernon’s competing for a starting spot, the rookies are trying to take my spot. I feel every camp is a position battle, so I don’t necessarily think it’s between any two people.”
But it seems likely that one of the two will emerge as the starter when the Redskins open the season against the New York Giants.
“They’re kind of like a shooting guard and a small forward. There’s subtle differences, but distinct differ-ences nonetheless,” safeties coach Steve Jackson said. “One is a little more physical than the other one, one is a little more rangy than the other. They’ve both got experience, they’re both tough guys.”
On the practice field, Schwiegert is easy to pick out: He’s the only member of the Redskins wearing a dark visor over the top part of his face mask, giving him a greater element of mystery. Schwiegert said while in Oakland, the sun was so bright he began having eye trouble; even watching television for as little as 90 min-utes was troublesome.
He went to see the league’s doctor in New York — the final authority on who can wear visors — and, accord-ing to Schweigert, the doctor said his eyes weren’t bad enough to necessitate wearing a shield full-time. So on the practice field, he wears a dark visor but will have to switch to a clear one for games.
“His name kind of fits him — he kind of has a little swagger of his own," linebacker Marcus Washington said. “You look back there, you see him and he’s got his shield on, his tinted visor. He’s kind of cool and kind of loose, and I think he fits in well back there.”
Schwiegert made his name as an interceptor in college; he broke Rod Woodson’s mark for career picks. He was taken by the Raiders in the third round of the 2004 draft (67th overall). In late May, he was released by Oakland; the Raiders had signed former Giants safety Gibril Wilson in late February.
Coming to Washington meant a change of scenery as well as a drastic change in philosophy. Jackson said that the Raiders’ system was more regimented, while the Redskins’ system often requires safeties to play cen-terfield.
“It’s been tough, because [in Oakland] you’re in between the hashes, you’re here on this play, you’re here, we don’t want you doing this,” Schweigert said. “Here, it’s hey, if you have the opportunity to make a play and you feel you can make a play ... go out there and make a play. And that’s something that I’ve had to kind of unteach myself, just to go out there and not be a robot, but go out there and be a football player.”
The competition is still underway, and no winner is yet on the horizon. With five preseason games and many more practices in between, there is much for the defensive coaches to see. Though Schweigert was in full dress for Monday’s morning practice, he didn’t participate and said he suffered a calf injury in Saturday’s scrimmage. He said it wasn’t severe, however, and said he expects to be on the field for the team’s first pre-season game on Sunday.

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