Redskins’ practice habits are under investigation

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 10 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

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.

Henderson, who had coached Baltimore's secondary from 1999-2003, took over when Ted Cottrell was fired after the 2003 season.

In addition to ranking in the top 10 in yards allowed, the Jets allowed 16.3 points a game, third best in team history and had 33 takeaways, fourth best in the NFL. They also shut out their opponents in the second half of seven games, best in the league.

The team also released veteran cornerback Bobby Taylor, signed as a free agent last season after starring with Philadelphia. Taylor was hampered by injuries for much of last year.

Last season, Robinson served a four-game league suspension for substance abuse. In January, coach Mike Holmgren benched him for skipping practice one day before an important game against Atlanta.

Lewis, the NFL's offensive player of the year in 2003, next will serve two months at a halfway house in Atlanta. He's scheduled to meet with reporters before reporting Saturday, the Ravens said.

"He's doing well," Ravens spokesman Chad Steele said. "He flew back to Atlanta this morning to spend time with his family."

Steele said Lewis's attorneys would petition federal prison officials to allow Lewis to attend an off-season camp that's scheduled for June 13-16. The Ravens begin their training camp at the end of July.

The Chiefs wanted to cut Morton's $3 million annual salary, a move he was unwilling to make.

An ESPN.com story said Burress adjusted certain pass routes to fit the plays he and Roethlisberger came up with, regardless of the play called by the coaches. Roethlisberger laughed off the report, saying all quarterbacks and receivers adjust on the fly as plays develop.

"I think that's just called improvising," Roethlisberger said. "You make things happen. Sometimes things break down and your only option is to make something happen that's not necessarily in the playbook. I think that's something Plax and I had and I think it's something me and these other receivers also have."

Favre has been training his body's core, including the stomach and lower back, to increase his mobility and endurance going into his 15th NFL season.

"He definitely looks leaner than I've seen him in the past," agreed backup quarterback Craig Nall. "Obviously, he's getting some work done and maybe getting serious about it, as well."

But offensive coordinator Tom Rossley lifted Favre's shirt to discover the flab was not completely gone.

"I don't know, he may still have a little bit further to go before we call him lean and mean," a smiling Rossley said.

Disgruntled Pro Bowl wide receiver Javon Walker and defensive tackle Cletidus Hunt remained no-shows for the minicamp, which ends next Thursday. Defensive lineman Corey Williams remained out of action after injuring a hip in practice Wednesday.