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Signing frees up Landry?

Safety adds some depth to defense

By David Elfin (Contact) | Tuesday, June 3, 2008

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LaRon Landry might be able to move back to strong safety after all.

The Washington Redskins signed former Oakland Raiders free safety Stuart Schweigert to a one-year deal yesterday. The 26-year-old Schweigert, who will receive a bonus if he makes the team according to a team source, started 42 games for the Raiders over four seasons.

His arrival could allow Landry to return to his original position. Landry, the Redskins' first-round pick last season, moved from strong to free safety after Sean Taylor's injury and remained at the position following Taylor's death in November.

"He's a pure free safety," defensive coordinator Greg Blache said of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Schweigert. "He's a guy that had a reputation coming out of [Purdue] as a ballhawk. He's got a chance to come in and compete."

Schweigert said he is thrilled to land with a team that made the playoffs two of the past three seasons. He chose Washington over Atlanta, Denver, St. Louis and Tennessee.

"It feels like a 1,000-pound bear has been lifted off my chest," said Schweigert, who was replaced in Oakland by free agent signee Gibril Wilson. "I'm very excited. At the very least what I want is in December to have something to play for because the last four seasons our season has pretty much been over in November."

The Redskins made room by cutting linebacker Rian Wallace.

The signing of Schweigert is the Redskins' second defensive move in the past week. They acquired defensive end Erasmus James from the Minnesota Vikings on May 27 for a conditional seventh-round pick in next year's draft.

With left end Phillip Daniels having turned 35, James has a chance to play a big role, too. Blache called the pickup of James "icing on the cake."

"His senior year, he was as good a player as I've been around in all my years of coaching," said new line coach John Palermo, James' position coach at Wisconsin. "I'm looking forward to Erasmus getting healthy and coaching that same guy."