The name on the back of the jersey sometimes earns a player a bit more credit than they really deserve.
That has helped both former Patriots and current Buccaneers defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and Jets linebacker Bart Scott land on Yahoo!’s “Halfway Point All-Overrated Team” on defense.
Maggie Hendricks of the Shutdown Corner blog says of Haynesworth, “Remember how Haynesworth signed with the Patriots, and that Bill Belichick was going to change him? How the Pats got a great deal on this one-time great player, and how he was going to return to his All-Pro form? The Pats cut him Tuesday.”
Haynesworth joined the Patriots in July to hopes that he could return to the form of his back-to-back All-Pro seasons in 2007-08, but with the knowledge that he hadn’t reached that level at any point before or since signing a big contract with the Redskins. Haynesworth has pushed the pocket at times this season, but totaled just three tackles in six games in 2011 — and one of those tackles was an assist.
He will have yet another shot at redemption in Tampa Bay, having been claimed by the Buccaneers on Wednesday. As pointed out by NESN.com’s Jeff Howe, though, Haynesworth turned down more money from the Buccaneers back in ’09 to accept a smaller contract from the Redskins because Tampa Bay was too small of a market.
Now, Haynesworth will get the same small market with a new, smaller contract.
