Patriots release Albert Haynesworth

Share

The Patriots' experiment with Albert Haynesworth came to a not-surprising conclusion Tuesday, as the Pats placed the talented but troubled defensive tackle in waivers.

Curran: Haynesworth another personnel whiffGallery: Other Pats' misses
New England shocked the football world soon after training camp opened by sending a 2013 fifth-round draft choice to the no-doubt-delighted Redskins for Haynesworth, who had been an underperforming headache in Washington since his 2009 arrival as a free agent. Haynesworth even agreed to a team-friendly contract with the Pats, saving them the burden of having to pay off the remainder of his seven-year, 100 million Redskin deal.

Had he been able to perform at anything close to the monster level of play he demonstrated during the early part of his career in Tennessee, Haynesworth would have been another New England bargain. But he could barely get on the field with the Patriots.

A back injury sidelined him for most of the preseason, limiting him to a sliver of action in the exhibition finale. When the regular season began, he played a bit in the opener against Miami -- 30 snaps, according to various reports -- and then it went downhill. He was inactive for games 3 and 4 (Buffalo and Oakland, respectively) because of injuries, and played hardly at all in the next four. He was on the field for only seven plays against the Giants last Sunday, and was manhandled by New York guards Chris Snee and David Diehl when he did get to play.

In addition, the dark side of Haynesworth allegedly reared its ugly head Sunday when he reportedly was involved in a shouting match with defensive-line coach Pepper Johnson after he was leveled by Diehl on Brandon Jacobs' 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Coincidentally or not, Haynesworth never got back on the field after that play.

The recent returns of defensive linemen Brandon Deaderick, Kyle Love and Ron Brace also may have made Haynesworth expendable.

Contact Us