The Albert Haynesworth Project

The New England Patriots waived former Pro Bowl DT Albert Haynesworth on Tuesday after registering only 3 tackles as a member of the team.  He was claimed by the Tampa Bay Bucs on Wednesday to step in for Gerald McCoy, who was lost for the season with a torn biceps. 

Haynesworth was not able to make it work with the Pats.

A mere two years ago, Haynesworth was awarded with a 7-year $100 million contract by the Washington Redskins, and was widely considered the best defensive tackle in the NFL.  It seemed as though he was on top of the world.

However, his tenure in Washington was short-lived and included a variety of public spats with his coaching staff about their transition to a 3-4 defense.  The Redskins later went on to trade the disgruntled Haynesworth to the New England Patriots for a late-round draft pick after only two seasons with the team.

His early departure from Washington only added to the troublemaker image he had established as a member of the Tennessee Titans.  As a Titan, Haynesworth stepped on then-Cowboys’ center Andre Gurode’s head after his helmet had been knocked off.  When news of his disruptions in Washington broke, it was hardly a surprise, and they continued throughout his two seasons as a Redskin.

As a Patriot, many thought that Haynesworth’s career could be revived under coach Bill Belichick, but the experiment only lasted 8 games and a paltry 134 snaps.   He did not fit in with their primarily 3-4 defense and was said to have had a heated dispute with his defensive line coach.  Now the Bucs hope that they can get the most out of what Haynesworth has left in their 4-3 system.

The question is though, is he really worth it?  The former Pro Bowler has been nothing but trouble everywhere he’s gone.  Sure, he plays better in a 4-3 scheme, but is he worth the headache?  He certainly cannot be good for the locker room and midway through the season, he’s already in position to be an outsider amongst the team.  If he cannot get his attitude in check, as we saw with Randy Moss last season, no team will want to retain him for the marginal production he puts forth. 

Haynesworth has been a disruption on every team he’s played for and is already clearly in the decline of his career.  To put it simply, the man is a cancer.  He is a guy who cannot be counted on to be a leader for his teammates and never seems to have remorse for his actions. 

For a team poised to be in a playoff race, to me this move makes little sense, even despite the need on the line.  A playoff team needs cohesion in the locker room and for that to transfer to the field, and with Albert Haynesworth, that can only create a divide.  Coach Morris and GM Dominic, you are hurting your team.

-TA