Laron Landry = Lavar?

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

I do not think Landry and Arrington are similar at all.

Both are excellent natural athletes and both play defense. I think the similarity ends there.

Arrington was a guy who could play the defense called - - but often would not play the defense called. He chose to "free-lance" and that sometimes got him in the wrong place giving up a big play. The coaches - - most specifically Gregg Williams - - disliked that refusal on Arrington's part to be part of a team defense and that caused the rift that sent Arrington out of town.

Landry is different. Landry does not "free-lance". Landry simply has only one tool in his tool box. Remember the old saying:

When holding a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

Landry can only deliver a huge bone-rattling hit to an offensive player - - if in fact he can get to that player before the whistle or before that player crosses the goal line with the ball in hand. He cannot cover any NFL caliber WR or TE; it is not that he chooses to do something else; he cannot do that. We have seen his inability to do that on the field for almost five years and it is not getting any better.

Landry ought not be compared to Arrington. And most certainly, his name should never be in the same discussion with Troy Polamalu's. Polamalu can deliver big hits but Polamalu can also cover, defend passes and intercept passes.

Landry is going to expect a payday at the end of this season that is commensurate with what the Redskins pay for players who are recognized in the NFL. Translation:

He is gonna want guaranteed money and not just a little of it.

The personnel decision(s) surrounding the retention or the jettisoning of Laron Landry in the next offseason by Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan will be very important in terms of the things they need to do to revamp the team for next year and the year after that.

Your assumption is that LL is not "free-lancing." I don't know whether he is or not, but in creating the thread I was at least posing that question, so thanks for a thoughtful reply.

It may be a fine line between "free-lancing" and simply consistently misreading plays. Lavar would bite hard on every play fake it seemed, was that free lancing or simply a consistent failure to see the ball & read the play? That may be what Fletch was upset about.

Another similarity; Lavar couldn't shed blocks. LL takes on blockers like they have the ball sometimes, puts his body into them w/a hit, basically takes himself out of the play.