Zorn hopes DE Taylor will return to Redskins
Published: February 19th, 2009 | Tags: Jim Zorn, NFL Combine, Washington Redskins
Jim Zorn is unusually forthcoming for an NFL coach. He’ll tell you as much, likely in a very thorough and well-thought-out way. When asked about what he learned during his first season as a head coach, Zorn offered this:
“One thing I’ve learned is that I’ve probably said too much in interviews with you guys,” Zorn quipped. “But that’s the way I am. I need to speak in shorter snippets.”
On the free-agency front, Zorn said his Redskins hope to have DE Jason Taylor back for a second season in Washington after a 2008 season that was riddled with injuries. Zorn said he wasn’t disappointed in Taylor but disappointed in the way his season played out.
“I think we have a very good relationship,” Zorn told reporters. “I think he really liked playing Redskin football, and I think he would only like to play Redskin football at 100 percent. … I tip my hat to him, because he played injured, and every week, he came through and played as hard as he could.”
Zorn held a lengthy conversation with a smaller group of reporters after his news conference, focusing mainly on the team’s free-agency outlook and some offseason injuries.
- Zorn doesn’t expect the team to be able to re-sign CB DeAngelo Hall and G Pete Kendall before the start of free agency on Feb. 27. “It means a lot to DeAngelo, it means a lot to us, to have it done right,” Zorn said. He was hopeful both would return.
- Adding pieces to the receiving corps likely won’t be a priority for the Redskins this offseason. Zorn pointed to three rookies from last year – WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis — contributing more as second-year pros. Zorn said Kelly underwent an arthroscopic knee procedure — which was less extensive than the team believed would be required — at the end of the season in an effort to be completely healthy for training camp. Kelly is expected to return in time for a portion of organized team activities.
- Zorn said that G Randy Thomas underwent a neck procedure in early January, but his recovery is on track. Thomas is currently in the rest portion of his rehabilitation from a procedure that helped relieve a spine irritation that was causing numbness, according to Zorn, who didn’t know the exact details of the injury. Zorn said Thomas is expected to make a full recovery.
