[SFREDSKIN]

Fat Albert should be hanging out Lorenzo and learning how to be a professional!!


Lorenzo Alexander learning yet another position

Is there any limit to Lorenzo Alexander's versatility?

It seems the Redskins are determined to find out after recently requesting that the outside linebacker learn to play the inside backer positions just in case he is needed in an emergency situation.

Of course, Alexander complied. He is studying the playbook to learn the assignments of starting inside linebackers London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh, and backup H.B. Blades.

"Everything starts out as an emergency-type thing," Alexander said. "I'm learning the middle linebacker, and hopefully I'll be able to fill in for guys just in case, God forbid, if Rocky or London or H.B. went down with an injury. If they needed somebody to play there in the game, I'd be able to step in and just fill another role on the team."

If you're scoring at home, Alexander has lined up at outside linebacker, defensive tackle, defensive end, guard, tight end and fullback. He also fills roles on special teams.

He has made a smooth transition to outside linebacker from his former primary position along the defensive line. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett raves about Alexander, who will back up Andre Carter, a converted defensive end, against the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener Sunday night. Alexander is expected to play primarily on third downs.

With this being Dallas Week and Alexander only starting to learn the inside positions, "I'm not going to get [practice] reps at it at all," he said. "I mean, London, Rocky ... they're going to give the reps to guys who are preparing to play. They're not going to prepare for an emergency.


"I try to take my reps when we do practice-squad things. I don't know it quite all the way but I know certain defenses. I can't tell you I know the whole playbook yet - but I plan to learn the whole playbook. I want to be versatile. That's been my M.O. since I've been here."

So, are all those positions a little overwhelming at times? "You know where I went to school, so it's never too much," said Alexander, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. "I'm a smart guy. I can handle it."

"It's not a big thing. You learn how to make things simple, so you can group things together. You hear one call, it might be the same thing for three, four, five different calls. You just group 'em together and it's all the same. That's how I kind of learn and keep it all together."