We’ve talked about how Daniel Snyder has taken a less intrusive approach since Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen have taken over, but the Redskins owner made some pointed comments during an appearance at a club charity function Saturday. It turns out that Shanahan’s not the only one frustrated with Albert Haynesworth’s no-show to the team’s “voluntary” offseason workouts.



“Yeah, I’m disappointed he’s not here. Absolutely,” said Snyder. “We’re expecting our players to lead by example, and we’re expecting our players to understand that they’re Redskins and they need to be there.”



To borrow a line from T.O.’s former publicist, the unflappable Kim Etheredge, Haynesworth has $32 million reasons to be at Redskins Park this offseason. That’s how much guaranteed money he’s been paid by Snyder over the past 15 months. Haynesworth and Shanahan have basically engaged in a public standoff over the last couple months. And I think it’s important to Shanahan that his players see him prevail.



That’s why it still would not surprise me to see Haynesworth traded sometime before the season. Even if he shows up at next month’s mandatory minicamp as expected, it’s going to be a distraction. I’m sure defensive coordinator Jim Haslett hates the fact that he’ll have to spoonfeed the new defense to Haynesworth while the rest of his unit is weeks ahead in the transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what type of shape Haynesworth’s in after all the work he’s put in with that trainer in Nashville. Have we gotten the name of that trainer yet?



Haynesworth is either the most stubborn player in the league — or the most ungrateful. And judging by the words coming out of Redskins Park, he’s losing his battle with Shanahan. Everyone else in the organization has vowed allegiance to Shanahan. And if Haynesworth has any supporters, they’re wisely keeping it to themselves.



By the way, I’m on vacation for the next week. But we’ll have daily Beastlines and commentary from the excellent Matt Williamson to keep things rolling. Enjoy the time off — from me.

BETWEEN MEETINGS IN BRISTOL — We pointed out this Chicago Tribune story Friday morning, but the issue of Soldier Field’s turf deserves a bit more discussion.



As we’ve noted before, there has been an ongoing discussion about the stadium’s annual transition from grass at the beginning of the season to frozen dirt by the end. Causes include rough Chicago falls and multiple uses of the field. This was an issue long before 2010, but new offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s precision scheme would seem to add urgency to establishing some stable footing on the field.



The issue could be resolved by replacing the grass with artificial turf, but the Bears’ reluctance stems from the possibility of a safety drop-off.



I think most of us would choose to play football on grass rather than turf. But that’s not the question in Chicago. The real question is this: Do you prefer to play half of a season on grass and half on dirt, or an entire season on turf? In other words, what are the safety issues of playing on dirt?



We can’t rule out this issue being one of business as well. The Chicago Park District runs Soldier Field and pays for multiple re-soddings during the year. In the long run, it would be cheaper for them to install artificial turf once. The Bears don’t have an economic incentive to make the transition.



That’s what I have to say about this and I’m sticking to it.

Each Wednesday, the good folks from Scouts Inc. take a look at some of the most compelling stories of the offseason. This week, Jeremy Green analyzed the Washington Redskins’ transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme. Become an Insider today and you can read the entire story. But in case you’re not prepared to make that commitment, here’s an excerpt from Green’s story:

“Outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter both can play standing up. They are explosive players in their first few steps off the line and can get after the quarterback. This defense should give leading tackler London Fletcher a lot more room to roam. This defense is designed to create a lot of pressure off the edges and that will take pressure off the back end of the defense.”

I agree that Orakpo will flourish as an outside linebacker but I’m not convinced about Carter and Fletcher. Last week, I talked to Fletcher about making the transition. He’s not going to be covered up as much in a 3-4, so I’m not sure how he’ll have “a lot more room to roam.”

Brian Cushing talks about his four-game suspension.

Falling



Patrick Crayton, Cowboys wide receiver: He’s always had excellent hands, and just when you count him out, he’ll deliver with a punt return for a touchdown. Unfortunately for Crayton, though, he’s getting caught in a numbers game.



With the addition of Dez Bryant and the eyesore that is Roy Williams, there might not be a place for Crayton on this roster. The Cowboys love second-year wideout Kevin Ogletree and he comes at a better rate than Crayton. The DeSoto, Texas, native has been skipping voluntary workouts in recent weeks while he hoped the Cowboys could find a trading partner. But teams probably will wait until Crayton is released before acting.



He’ll head into training camp as a safety valve for the club. Tony Romo wants Crayton back, but there’s a decent chance it won’t happen. And if the Cowboys go ahead and release Crayton, I think they’ll eventually regret the move.



Crayton’s played in big games and he’s willing to fight for balls across the middle. He would make some team an excellent third receiver or possibly a No. 2. I’m a little surprised the Dolphins haven’t made a play for Crayton. Bill Parcells loves Crayton’s toughness.



Rising



Brian Orakpo, Redskins outside linebacker: I spoke with Orakpo two weeks ago and he was thrilled to be working with new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. He had 11 sacks while playing linebacker and defensive end in a 3-4 scheme.



Haslett told a local television station that Orakpo probably rushed the passer 200 times last season. He expects that number to be closer to 600 in 2010. I don’t think there’s a player on the team who will benefit more from the scheme change than Orakpo. The guy has no business dropping back in coverage. He needs to be hunting quarterbacks at all times.



Forget Albert Haynesworth’s whine festival. Orakpo’s the best player on this defense. And Haslett will build around him. I think 16 sacks would be a pretty reasonable goal. Doug Free better be watching film as we speak because Orakpo could be his worst nightmare.

Falling



Ravens OT Jared Gaither: Whether it’s an injury or unhappiness with his contract, Gaither’s stock took a hit during Baltimore’s recent minicamp. First, he was replaced at left tackle (we will get to that later). Then, Gaither stayed away from practices last weekend with what is said to be a foot injury. Entering the final year of his deal, Gaither prefers to get a large contract extension before the start of the 2010 season. But it doesn’t appear the Ravens are interested in giving it to him. There are also plenty of trade rumors surrounding the young offensive tackle.



Rising



Ravens OT Michael Oher: The player who replaced Gaither at left tackle in minicamp was Oher, the team’s 2009 first-round draft pick. Although it’s not 100 percent certain this move is permanent, the Ravens seem comfortable with it in the early stages. Even if Gaither is not traded, it wouldn’t be surprising if Oher remained on the left side, improving his stock. This experiment has been in the making since last season, when Oher held his own in place of Gaither, who was injured. The bigger question is who would play right tackle if Gaither is traded?

Falling



Brian Cushing, LB, Texans: A four-game suspension made for an awful week for the Houston linebacker.



For the first four games of 2010 — vs. Indianapolis, at Washington, vs. Dallas and at Oakland — he won’t be with the team. His absence will put a big damper on the hopes for a hot start against the team that owns the AFC South and the team that has such a large following in Texas and well beyond.



Here are the likely candidates to fill in for Cushing while he is out: Xavier Adibi, Kevin Bentley and newly signed Danny Clark.



In a season when the Texans face what rates as the toughest schedule in the league based on last year’s records, they’ve got a giant challenge. And how will Cushing be when he gets back for a game against the Giants Oct. 10?



Rising



Titans helping Nashville recover: In the wake of the serious flooding in Nashville, the Titans proved themselves central characters in the drama. Waters in LP Field helped draw some national attention to an under-covered natural disaster.



At a Saturday blood drive hosted by Elise Reinfeldt, daughter of the Titans’ GM, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano stopped by with Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen and Nashville mayor Karl Dean.



Players, coaches and employees have been among the countless volunteers helping out those in need. And Wednesday, the team had an organized get-together working on four houses on a West Nashville street.

Falling



Adalius Thomas, free-agent outside linebacker: Almost three weeks after the Patriots released him, Thomas remains unemployed.



It seemed certain Thomas would reunite with Rex Ryan and join the New York Jets. The last time Thomas was effective was with Baltimore in 2006, when Ryan was defensive coordinator. But the Patriots held onto Thomas long enough that the Jets signed former Dolphins star Jason Taylor. As a result, there also was speculation the Dolphins would pursue Thomas to fortify the edge in their 3-4 defense.



“With him we’ll end up first in the league in defense, and without him we’ll end up first in the league in defense,” Ryan recently said. “If we get him, great. I’m not worried about him.”



Nobody seems to be. Thomas will turn 33 in training camp. He had 20 sacks in his final two seasons with Baltimore. He had 14.5 in his three seasons in New England and just three last year. Bill Belichick benched him for a pair of games.



Rising



Brandon Tate, Patriots receiver: Tate’s name hadn’t been mentioned much this offseason. The third-round pick from North Carolina appeared in two games and had zero receptions as a rookie last year and plays on a team that features Randy Moss, added Torry Holt and is more concerned with how Julian Edelman will fill in while Wes Welker recovers from knee and shoulder surgery.



But Patriots quarterback Tom Brady thrust Tate’s name into the conversation this week, making a point to rave about Tate’s offseason in a pair of interviews.



“I like Brandon Tate a lot,” Brady told Sports Illustrated. Brady later told Boston sports-radio station WEEI that Tate “has had a great offseason.”



That’s quite a blessing for a player otherwise known as a project. The Patriots were criticized for drafting Tate so early because he was rehabbing a knee injury that was expected to limit him for much of 2009. They activated him in Week 7, and he suffered another season-ending knee injury in Week 9.

Falling:



Ronald Fields, defensive lineman, Denver:



Fields was arrested in Houston last weekend for carrying a gun. He faces misdemeanor charges. It has not been a great offseason for Fields. First, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan (the man responsible for bringing Fields to Denver last year) surprisingly left Denver. Then, the Broncos brought in a new starting defensive line and now this. Fields is expected to be a rotational player this season. Still, this development doesn’t help his already falling star in Denver.



Rising:



Ryan Mathews, running back, San Diego:



The Chargers were very pleased what they saw of Mathews in their rookie minicamp. It reinforced the team’s decision to trade several picks to move from No. 28 to No. 12 to get Mathews last month. San Diego loves the way Mathews moved around the field. They think he will be an instant factor in both the running and receiving games.

Falling



Peria Jerry, defensive tackle, Falcons. Watching Jerry exercising on the sidelines and listening to people talk at Atlanta’s minicamp last weekend, I got the sense he still has a long road ahead as he tries to recover from his knee injury. The Falcons, like most teams, don’t reveal timetables for their injured guys and speak only in vague terms about their statuses. But my gut tells me Jerry still has a lengthy process ahead. Even if he’s ready for the start of training camp or the start of the regular season, I’m guessing the Falcons are going to proceed very cautiously with last year’s first-round pick. When Jerry does get on the field, I’d look for the Falcons to use a rotation at defensive tackle and limit his snaps significantly.



Rising



Jon Beason, linebacker, Panthers. This guy’s been a leader since the first day he stepped on the field in Carolina. But, after watching Beason in minicamp a couple weeks ago, I’m guessing we’re about to see his leadership skills become much more prominent – and that’s a good thing. Beason is a high-energy guy who totally buys into John Fox’s system. He’s already had the résumé and the personality to lead, but he might have been holding back just a little bit out of respect to veterans. Julius Peppers, who had the résumé, but didn’t want to lead, and Chris Harris, who wanted to lead, but didn’t really have the résumé, are gone now. No matter what happens at quarterback, the Panthers already have their leader. This is Beason’s team.