Nov 27, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (7) scrambles with the ball as Washington Redskins strong safety LaRon Landry (30) chases during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

As a lifelong Redskins fan I believe I can speak for most when I say that I’m almost excited to not have this guy on the roster anymore. If there were ever a more definitive definition of “dead weight”, you’d be hard pressed to find. I’m not speaking to the character of the man because I know for a fact that he is a good person; I’m talking strictly from a player personnel point of view.

The Redskins drafted Landry sixth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Landry was then paired with third-year free safety Sean Taylor that had been chosen 5th overall in 2004. As one faithful Redskins fan said via twitter:

The potential that was area 51 was matched only by failure it ended up being… It’s sad. #Redskins – @SonofWashington via twitter.

“Area 51″ of course referring to the combination of both Landry’s and Taylor’s current jersey numbers (21+30) at the time. The two seemed destined for greatness in the NFL, but much like the Redskins history the last 20 years- things ended terribly. Sean Taylor’s life came to an abrupt end in 2007 when he was shot in his home in Florida while rehabbing an injury. Most from this area know this story, that’s not the focus here. After Taylor passed, the gap left by him was never truly filled. The Redskins did try though.

LaRon had played in 17 games since the end of the 2009 season recording 133 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception, nice stats for one complete season. His health has been the issue as of late. LaRon decided previously to forego surgery on his Achilles and decided against it again this offseason. Like I’ve said before, he is a top-tier safety when he’s health and on the field. The issue has been keeping him on the field. The Redskins are looking to get younger and faster on both sides of the ball. LaRon could probably out-bench anybody on the active roster, but unfortunately all of that muscle doesn’t translate into healthy tendons. Hopefully he will have a rebirth with the New York Jets and have success in the Rex Ryan defensive system.

With Landry gone the team can move on and the transformation of the Redskins roster from B.S. (before Shanahan) to W.S. (with Shanahan) will almost be complete. Of the notable Redskins from the previous Zorn-Gibbs-Spurrier-ish era, only Chris Cooley and Santana Moss are left. These aren’t your slightly older brother’s Redskins.

Follow Riggo’s Rag (@RiggosRag) and me (@KMawyer2) on twitter for more Redskins news and opinions.

November 20, 2011; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins inside linebacker London Fletcher (59) gestures on the field against the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Free agency began yesterday at 4pm as Redskins linebacker and captain, London Fletcher, hit the market. It has officially been 32 hours and the team hasn’t reached a deal with the Pro Bowler. If you take a second to reflect on Fletcher’s stats as a Redskin and his role in their defense, you find yourself wondering why this guy hasn’t been re-upped while the team is signing every wide out from San Fran to Indianapolis and re-signing guys like Adam Carriker? London Fletcher is not only the leading tackler in the NFL, he’s an irreplaceable part of this defense that the Redskins can ill-afford to lose.

Here are Fletcher’s numbers as a Redskin courtesy of NFL.com

Not a single game missed, or tackle for that matter. Fletcher is as solid as they come and should be re-signed. Speaking of re-singing 59, there has been a mass movement on our beloved twitter. #ReSign59 is the hashtag/trending topic all over the twitterverse from the average fan to Mr. Anthony Armstrong himself. Take a look.

Nobody can be sure that the Redskins or Fletcher himself are even aware of what’s going on, but if you have a twitter account do your part and send out a post with the trending topic/hashtag #ReSign59 so the fans and team can get their captain back!

For more Redskins free agency info and updates you can follow Riggo’s Rag (@RiggosRag) and me (@KMawyer2) on twitter.

When news broke yesterday that the Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys were both being penalized by the league for front-loading contracts in an uncapped year, most of us just shrugged and went on with our day.

What’s a couple million, right? Well, not much in the grand scheme of things. But $36 million? That’s a different story altogether.

That’s a game changer.

That’s also the amount that the league is now docking the Redskins over the next two years for what is now being considered an ill-advised spending spree in 2010.

I’m not well versed in the annals of Labor law and I certainly don’t spend my days leafing through the by-laws pertaining to the NFL’s aggreement with the NFLPA. Still, I think that I understand the crux of the issue and it’s absolutely absurd.

Basically, 30 out of 32 owners decided that they just didn’t like how much the Redskins and the Cowboys spent in free agency and so now, more than a year after the fact, the league is turning around and saying-

“You really didn’t do anything wrong – not technically – but, fair is fair, and… well… give us $36 million”

WHAAAAT?

If trading up for the rights to the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft was like Christmas day for Redskins nation, then this latest news is akin to the stock market bottoming out on Sept. 15th, 2008.

That $31.1 million dollars that the Redskins had in reserve for free agency was the proverbial cushion that was going to help balance out what we gave up in the draft to go after RG3. It was part of a well-oiled, equally weighted plan that would help pump some much needed life back into the burgundy and gold.

Unfortunately for us, the boredom of the off-season was hitting the NFL hard. What better way to relieve tedium than garnishing a team’s account for $36 million dollars!?!

It’s amazing that something like this is even possible. Did the league not greenlight any of these supposed “front-loaded” contracts before the players involved reported to their new teams?

There’s nothing wrong with parity as it leads to healthy competition but when you start penalizing franchises for spending more than the next guy in free agency then there’s an error at a fundamental level that needs to be addressed.

We all knew that the Albert Haynesworth fiasco would come back to bite the Redskins. What we didn’t realize is that it would swallow Redskins Park, Ashburn and the outlying areas whole. So, if this is the league’s way of saving the Redskins from themselves then thanks, I guess, for the lesson in temperance.

It’s nothing short of reprehensible. Two days ago, I was jubilant that the front office moved to collect the No. 2 pick from the Rams. Two days ago, my joy was incorruptible. Today I feel like we’ve just been tossed back into the middle of another 5-11 season with Beck under center.

Yikes.

The league will have some answering to do here, shortly. There’s no way it can pull the trigger on something like this with such shameless impunity.

Who do we end up getting now, with half of our expected free agency capital?

Since it’s 5:05 EST, we should know the answer to that soon and by the time I’m done writing this, the Skins will have already grabbed someone hot off the free agent express.

I guess the only option now is to go out and win the NFC in 2012. How much would the league hate that?

A lot, probably.