Associated Press
ASHBURN, Va. ó Jason Taylor wanted out of Miami, and Bill Parcells seemed only too happy to trade the “Dancing with the Stars” defensive end.
So when the Washington Redskins lost a starting lineman to a season-ending injury Sunday, a significant swap quickly got done.
The Redskins gave the Dolphins a second-round pick in 2009 and a sixth-round choice in 2010 for Taylor, who is leaving the only NFL team he’s known.
The six-time Pro Bowl defensive end ó who was the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year ó fell out of favor in Miami after spending his offseason on a TV show rather than working out with teammates.
The deal came about nine hours after starting defensive end Phillip Daniels was carted away from the practice field at Redskins Park with a season-ending left knee injury on Day 1 of training camp.
It also came only about 11/2 hours after Washington executive vice president Vinny Cerrato told reporters: “We haven’t talked to anybody about anything.”
When he later announced the deal with the Dolphins, Cerrato said Taylor was expected to report to the Redskins on Monday ó something the player’s agent confirmed.
“We’re fortunate there was a guy that caliber on the market when somebody got hurt,” Cerrato said. “Normally, in most years, there’s not a guy of that caliber on the market.”
The 33-year-old Taylor has played 11 NFL seasons and he’s started every game each of the past eight years.
He had 11 sacks during the 2007 season, giving him 117 over his career.
Taylor’s agent, Gary Wichard, said it’s possible Taylor will play beyond the coming season.
“The Dolphins got real good value for Jason,” Wichard said. “And he’s excited about going to Washington ó he wanted an opportunity to compete in the playoffs in 2008. At the same time, this is the end of his years with the Dolphins, so it’s kind of bittersweet.”
– There are tangible reminders of Sean Taylor at Redskins Park.The wooden plaque near new head coach Jim Zorn’s office, for example. Or the Pro Bowl safety’s locker room stall, still arranged precisely as it was the day he died.
“You know how it is when you lose somebody ó it’s just personal experiences,” said safety Reed Doughty, who moved into Taylor’s spot in the starting lineup last season. “It might be a drill that we’re doing that Sean used to do so perfectly and I can’t quite get right. Or … he might get that extra rep in when everybody’s tired.”
Taylor, 24, died of massive blood loss after he was shot at his Miami-area home during a botched robbery in November. ankle.
– What a way to open training camp: Redskins defensive end Phillip Daniels tore a left knee ligament Sunday during the very first practice and will miss the season.
– The Redskins signed the last of their draft picks Saturday, agreeing to a four-year deal with tight end Fred Davis. Davis, a second-round pick out of Southern Cal, will earn a maximum of $3.5 million over the contract, with $1.8 million in signing bonus.
LONG SIGNS
ST. LOUIS ó The St. Louis Rams and defensive end Chris Long, the second overall pick in the draft, reached an agreement on a contract Saturday night, according to a published report.
Long, the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, is expected to sign a deal that covers at least five years early next week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on its web site. The Rams report to training camp at Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., on Thursday.
Phone messages left by the Associated Press with Long’s agent, Marvin Demoff, and the team weren’t immediately returned. But coach Scott Linehan told the newspaper he was relieved.
“I was kind of anxious to get moving on this,” Linehan said. “There’s nothing guaranteed about when a guy’s going to sign and be in camp.
“He was obviously a high-profile pick for us and I’m really excited about it.”