McNabb, Portis, Haynesworth: plenty of subplots in Shanahan’s 1st minicamp as Redskins coach

Many subplots in Shanahan’s 1st Redskins minicamp

ASHBURN, Va. — Donovan McNabb looks strange in a Washington Redskins uniform. Clinton Portis has yet another chip on his shoulder. Albert Haynesworth isn’t on the trading block — perhaps.

The offensive line isn’t as bad as everyone thinks. The new coach is keeping a list of discipline miscues, which is somehow supposed to build trust. And he also got too much sun.

Those were just some of the revelations Sunday as the Redskins wrapped up their first minicamp under new coach Mike Shanahan, who spent much of practice patrolling the field with arms folded and a scowl on his sun-baked red face as he embarks on the task of changing the culture of a team coming off back-to-back last-place seasons.

“It’s a difference when you say ‘commitment’ and you want somebody to buy into a system that you really don’t believe in,” Portis said. “Having coach Shanahan here, you just believe in whatever he says. If he says I think we can jump off the roof and we going to land safe, it’s like ‘All right, let’s jump.’ You buy into it.”

There were whoops from the players as McNabb completed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Armstrong on the first play of team drills. McNabb later had an interception run back for a touchdown, but the consensus is that the longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has brought an emotional lift.

“You can see his savvy, recognizing defenses,” linebacker London Fletcher said. “He’s not going to make a whole lot of mistakes.”

McNabb said he’s already moved past the trade that brought him from the Eagles. He focused more on learning his new offense than expressing any peculiar emotions about wearing a burgundy and gold No. 5 jersey instead of a green and white one.

“I feel like a freshman just getting to college,” McNabb said. “I spend a lot of time at night studying.”

The absences of Haynesworth, quarterback Jason Campbell and linebacker Rocky McIntosh commanded as much attention as anything that happened on the field. Haynesworth is unhappy about the prospect of playing nose tackle in the Redskins’ new 3-4 defense, while Shanahan is displeased that Haynesworth prefers to do offseason conditioning on his own.

“He’s made a decision to do what he wants to do,” Shanahan said. “I’m just hoping that he can come in here in great shape, come in here and prove me wrong.”

Haynesworth’s name comes up frequently in trade talks, but Shanahan sought to dampen the speculation with a denial that leaves quite a bit of wiggle room: “I’m not looking to trade anybody on our team.”

Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett even made a public recruiting pitch of sorts, saying of Haynesworth: “When he does show, he’s going to have to play all three positions” on the defensive line — instead of just nose tackle.

Campbell, demoted by the acquisition of McNabb, would like to be traded and is hoping it happens before this week’s draft. McIntosh is unhappy about his contract, having lost his chance to become an unrestricted free agent because the league and union haven’t completed a new labor deal.

“I understand and I can sympathize,” Shanahan said. “But at the same time we’re dealing with the situation at hand, and I’d like Rocky to come in as quick as possible.”

Portis expressed not a hint of discontent over his place on the team, even though Shanahan has acquired a pair of veteran running backs — Larry Johnson and Willie Parker — in free agency. Portis called them “great pickups” and that somehow it’ll work out that all three can contribute.

Portis, however, did have a message for any outsiders who thinks he’s washed up.

“I say for all the naysayers and the haters, it finally opened my eyes this offseason,” Portis said. “I think that’s the motivation I needed just to feel like it’s me against the world again. For all the media outlets who wanted me out of here and who felt like I couldn’t do it, I’ve got something for y’all: The time will come. … I’m going to let my work speak for itself.”

Shanahan has his own set of in-house rules that he expects players to follow and keeps close tabs on violations. He said the rules are there to build “a very strong trust” — and he didn’t seem to think it contradictory to use the words “rules” and “trust” in the same vein.

“My job is to make sure that everybody’s accountable to each other,” Shanahan said. “The reason why you do have rules is to make everybody beat to the same drum. And if you don’t, usually you’re not very good.”

The day’s most surprising comments might have come from Shanahan’s son, Kyle Shanahan, the new offensive coordinator. Even though the offensive line is considered the glaring weakness of the team — it’ll be a major upset if the Redskins don’t address it heavily in the draft — the younger Shanahan gave it an unwavering vote of confidence.

“They talk about that’s been a weakness, but I don’t see it on tape and I don’t see it out on the field,” Kyle Shanahan said. “I think we can compete definitely with what we have.”