Haynesworth again doesn’t attempt Redskins conditioning test, has company watching practice

Knee still keeping Redskins’ Haynesworth from test

ASHBURN, Va. — On the seventh day, Albert Haynesworth rested again.

This time, he had some company, and he also got to chat with the commissioner.

The fitness of the Washington Redskins defensive lineman remains unresolved one week into training camp. Haynesworth did not attempt the team’s conditioning test Wednesday morning for the second straight day, and won’t be allowed to practice until he passes the test.

He’s been hampered in recent days by a sore left knee and isn’t expected to try the test again until the problem subsides.

“The knee’s still getting a lot of treatment,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “He’s in here early, getting treatment three times a day, he’s got a lot of work on that treadmill, so hopefully he passes it in the near future.”

Haynesworth’s last attempt came Monday, when he pulled up after 150 yards of sprints because of irritation in the knee.

For a change, Haynesworth wasn’t the only player standing around watching practice. Shanahan gave several older veterans — including Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, London Fletcher, Joey Galloway, Santana Moss and Phillip Daniels — a day off from contact.

“We try to give them a little bit of a break,” Shanahan said. “I’ve done that throughout my career with older players, and it seems to protect them a little bit.”

After practice, Haynesworth did some individual work hitting the block shed.

Haynesworth is the only Redskins player required to take the conditioning test because he stayed away from the team’s offseason conditioning program.

Haynesworth later spoke briefly with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who met with Redskins players during a tour of training camps.

“Albert wants to play football and he wants to get out there and he needs to be able to do that,” Goodell said. “But he needs to get himself in proper shape to be able to do that.”

Goodell said he had no immediate plans to intervene in the matter.

“I don’t look for things to do,” Goodell said. “If I can play a helpful role and there’s some way that I could help, of course I would evaluate it at the time. But I think these are issues that teams and players go through all the time and they need to get resolved in a way that works for everybody.”

Goodell was asked if he has ever run a conditioning test.

“Oh, yes,” he answered.

Did he pass it?

“Yes,” said Goodell, taking mock offense while reporters laughed. “What? Does that surprise you?”