The Curious Case of LaRon Landry

Skins safety still MIA from OTAs

Last week questions surfaced on if new Wizards assistant Don Zierden acted in an unprofessional manner when departing from his old job. The answer was no, not really. This week, questions about a Redskin acting unprofessionally in regard to his current job are mounting.

In the midst of continuing "voluntary" organized team activities, one specific area remains in disarray. As the defense tries to formulate cohesion, there is a 6'0", 200-pound glaring omission from the secondary. Free safety Laron Landry has gone MIA.

It's usually not a huge surprise when players are absent from optional OTAs, as several Redskins were unavailable at the onset of the June session. But just four days into the month, Landry was the only piece missing, not even bothering to return phone calls or text messages from Coach Jim Zorn.

Now more than eight days into June, mum is still the word from camp Landry. With a secondary desperate for development as a unit, Landry's non-responsiveness can only be seen as hanging his teammates, and his team, high and dry; an act of unprofessionalism.

Sure Landry has the right to look out for his best interests, to make sure his pockets are straight. If money is, in fact, the point of his self-imposed stay-away. But the scenario still doesn't make sense, and that opens up the Internet speculation floodgates.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has seemingly resorted to throwing rumor noodles of Landry wanting out of D.C. against the wall. But the gang at Redskins blog Hogs Haven isn't buying it, with reports from Skins PR people that they've heard nothing of a Landry holdout, along with citing the handsome 5-year extension Landry signed two years ago.

Maybe there's a good reason for Landry's absence, maybe there isn't. Regardless, in this age of e-mail, twitter, BlackBerries, and text messages, there is absolutely no excuse for the LSU product to cut the lines of communication.

Perhaps this occurrence will be long forgotten once mid-season comes and Landry is terrorizing opponents. Perhaps such little things add up to be detrimental to championship contending team building. Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of the Washington Redskins.

Kyle Weidie is a D.C. resident who writes Truth About It and contributes to Bullets Forever, both Washington Wizards blogs. Follow the latest Washington Wizards news on Tumblr.

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