Mike Shanahan, like everyone else at Redskins Park, was blindsided by Albert Haynesworth's decision to skip the minicamp. He said that the Redskins and Haynesworth had a deal, and Haynesworth didn't hold up his end of the bargain.
"He decided to take our check and we're very disappointed he wasn't here today," Shanahan said.
The coach said the team had an agreement with Haynesworth that if he took the money, he would willingly accede to the team's plans for him. Haynesworth signed a $100 million free-agent deal with the Redskins in March 2009.
Shanahan didn't rule out a trade, but said that, for it to happen, Haynesworth would have to give some of his salary back. However, he also said that the team hasn't talked trade with Haynesworth since April, according to Comcast SportsNet's Ryan O'Halloran.
Shanahan said Redskins gave Haynesworth until April 1 (and bonus payment) to find a trading partner. They haven't talked in months.
If the Redskins do look to trade Haynesworth again, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio speculates that they might find it easier to accomplish than it was before April 1.
With the Redskins paying defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth a $21 million bonus last week, we're told that the practical length and value of his contract is three years, $16 million, with $9 million guaranteed.
As a league source opined, "Every team in the NFL would have interest in that."
That seems hard to believe, but it might give the Redskins a nice resolution to this mess. Assuming Haynesworth is willing to give back his money, of course.