LaRon Landry Can't Play Safety, So How About Linebacker?

Contrary to popular sentiment, LaRon Landry’s biggest problem as an NFL safety isn’t going for big hits or misjudging routes. It’s that he has too much space in which to operate and too much time to think about what to do with it.

So maybe the Redskins should put this characteristic to good use and put Landry at weak side linebacker. They’re better off with a corner at the position than Landry, and if they coach him up right, he could actually be great as an interior defensive force.

How many Landry-blown games does someone else have to take the blame for until the Redskins wise up and use his talents in a way that doesn’t cost them? This week, Sean Suisham gets to hold Landry’s crap for a missed field goal; which, its true, he should’ve made.

But if Landry doesn’t get outright beat on several routes by Robert Meachem, it’s not that close. The Redskins win going away.

Now I know that’s a lot to say given that a lot of DBs get fooled on deep routes out of the Saints’ offense. But at least once a week, Landry is beat on a deep play. And when he actually judges correctly about where the ball and receiver will be, you can count on him to whiff on the tackle or to create a penalty out of good coverage.

So why not match the guy up with backs and tight ends in pass coverage, and turn him into a blitzing machine off the edge? He has the speed, he has the athleticism, and he has the desire to hurt someone.

If that isn’t a Pro Bowl dog backer, I don’t know what is.

Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but it seems like one of the Redskins’ biggest problems is putting capable personnel out of the range their own talent range. We saw it last year with Jason Taylor, and saw it slightly with Brian Orakpo a the beginning of the year before Greg Blache and Co. turned him loose.

LaRon Landry can be great, and he can be great at safety. He wants to hit, has good size, and only needs controlled space and responsibility to be a productive member of the Washington defense.

Besides, at 3-9, what do they have to lose with a little experimentation?