<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gary Fitzgerald @ Redskins.com)</div><div class='quotemain'>It was perhaps the biggest surprise of the Redskins' 2007 draft.Why didn't the team draft a defensive lineman?The Redskins' defense slipped to 31st overall last season, and logged a league-low 19 sacks, so it was thought that defensive line was a need heading into the offseason. It was thought that, with defensive linemen Phillip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, Cornelius Griffin and Joe Salave'a each over 30, an influx of youth was needed.Instead, the Redskins have put the emphasis on upgrading the secondary instead of the defensive line this offseason. In free agency, the team signed veteran cornerbacks Fred Smoot and David Macklin and veteran safety Omar Stoutmire. In the NFL Draft, the Redskins selected safety LaRon Landry with the sixth overall pick.Head coach Joe Gibbs said the team felt no sense of urgency to add defensive linemen in the draft.By ramping up the talent in the secondary, it's hoped that the Redskins' sack totals will improve."We really didn't get close to taking anybody at defensive line [on the second day of the draft]," Gibbs said. "When you look at the overall structure of the defense, what we felt hurt us last year with the pass rush, a lot of it was the coverage. That was the problem for us."With the guys we added at corner [in free agency] and now what we added at safety, hopefully what we can do is play much tighter coverage and much better coverage. It's going to force [quarterbacks] to hold the ball."The Redskins put a focus on the defensive line in 2006, signing end Andre Carter in free agency and drafting a pair of young tackles in Anthony Montgomery and Kedric Golston.Gibbs also added linebacker Marcus Washington to the mix of defenders who can rush the passer. Washington has 32.5 career sacks, including 7.5 in 2005. He underwent hip surgery this offseason, but it's expected he will be ready for the start of training camp."In Marcus, Andre and Phillip, we have three guys there who we think can get after the [quarterback]," Gibbs said. "If Cornelius comes back healthy, he gives us a huge presence inside [at defensive tackle]. He went through last season [with a shoulder injury]. Right now, he's getting back to weight training and he's really strong."So the combination of getting everybody healthy, the guys we do have healthy coming back and being productive, playing Marcus more out there, and certainly adding some new players, we hope we'll play better defense."Before the draft, Gibbs praised the work ethic of Montgomery and Golston. Both of the 2006 draft picks are participating in the Redskins' off-season workout program for the first time."They have both been really working out hard," Gibbs said. "We're expecting them to take a big step up next season."</div>
We also had a lot of injuries last year... he's right though, pass rush is hard to exist if the quarterback's options are all open to begin with. I like what we're doing.
In 2005, most of our secondary was 100% healthy (the only guys injured at times was like Walt Harris and Carlos Rogers, but that was at the very end of the season). Daniels had 8 sacks when we played good coverage, and even guys like Griffin and Wynn got after the QB (and of course our pass-rush-speacialist Evans).
If anything the quotes you bolded imply that he is not at all comfterable with the D-line personell because they generate no pass rush, and that you added to the secondary to try and buy them more time.
