[skinsfan_nn]

This could be a big season or a break through season for #30 if played correctly, and he is smart. I like him being able to play close to the line of scrimmage, with ears pinned back. Him being out in center field always seemed to be a bad fit for LL IMO.


Landry looking to be big hit in '10

If you ignore the Virginia backdrop, the smattering of fans at Redskins Park and the fact that players aren't in full uniform - if you ignore all of that and just focus on safety LaRon Landry, you might not realize at times that this is just training camp.

Players aren't supposed to tackle out here, but that doesn't mean Landry is going to hold back a hard hit or two.

"It's kind of what you would call a thud tempo," says tight end Chris Cooley. "Most guys just bump up against you when you have the ball. LaRon likes to go into the full tackling mode. He's in scrimmage mode at all times. We talked about it in the locker room and he said, 'Why are you giving me a hard time?' I said, 'You are the only one that tackles. So if
you're going to tackle me I am going to give you a hard time about it. You're going to have to deal with that.'"

And what does Coach Mike Shanahan think?

"I don't mind those hard hits," he said. "I mean, we're going to get those in the game. I love those hard hits."

For Landry, it's the same aggressive mentality that he's always brought to the field, but this year he thinks he'll be placed in position to better channel that energy. Not that he's eager to describe his former role under Coach Jim Zorn.

"This is going to be a whole new year for me. I don't want to talk about it," he says of 2009. "I don't want to talk about it."

But his role before, as described by former defensive coordinator Greg Blache was as an "angel in the backfield." He was often positioned 25-plus yards off the ball. "Don't let anything get behind you," Landry says of his former role. "This year, it's not. It's more aggressive, go and get it. Be smart about it, but go get it, be aggressive."
In camp, he's often been lined up near the line of scrimmage and has blitzed on multiple occasions, a rarity under Blache. He's also looked good in coverage. He had an interception on Sunday that he returned for a touchdown.

He says the new defense will position him to be a play-maker rather than a play-stopper.

"Brand new start, new defense. Involved a little bit more," he said. "Really, it's got a lot of emphasis on me this year. In this defense, strong safety is really a focal point of this defense. A lot more opportunities to make plays."

And though Shanahan is clear that he wants his defenders to wrap guys, Landry won't be shy to bring a big hit.

"You know what you're getting out of No. 30," Cooley says. "He's not making us worse; he's making everyone better. He loves playing the game, he is an extreme competitor and you can't ask for more out of a guy. It's never fun to get tackled the second day of training camp, but it's football."