They say that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
Not true. They'd both have to be dead.
The world's worst-kept secret may be the Redskins' plan to use the 3-4 defense. The coaching staff hasn't confirmed it, no one made an announcement and yet everyone knows.
London Fletcher certainly does. A middle linebacker for all of his 12 seasons in the NFL, through stretches with the St. Louis Rams, the Buffalo Bills and the Redskins since 2007, he will now adjust to being one of two inside linebackers when the Redskins play the 3-4 (if they do, which they've not declared).
No biggie, Fletcher said Thursday as the Redskins continued their workouts in week one of the off-season program.
"I think last year some of our stuff was actually 3-4 principles and concepts," he said.
Played as the base defense, though, it would change things for a player who has led his team in tackles for the last 11 years.
"Maybe alignment. That's probably the biggest thing. The 3-4 concepts, you will change your alignments, especially on the inside," he said.
Who plays where? And are those people even here yet? Ah, that's why there's an off-season.
Fletcher said he thought Joey Porter, reported to be on the Redskins' radar, would be an asset as an outside rusher but Porter has not been signed.
And though Porter has a reputation for being outspoken and occasionally a headache, he enjoyed productive years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His position coach then? Lou Spanos, who now coaches the Redskins linebackers. And Porter's defensive coordinator as a rookie was Jim Haslett, who now holds that job with the Redskins.
"I think he'd fit good. He's a play-making outside linebacker," Fletcher said, noting Porter's nine sacks last year with limited playing time in the latter portion of the season.
Porter has 92 sacks in 11 seasons, including 17.5 in 2008 that led the AFC. Porter has played the right outside position. Picture the Redskins in a 4-3 sub package to rush the passer with Orakpo (11 sacks last year) at the end and Porter flying in behind him. Nice.
In a 3-4 (should the Redskins accept that mission), they can line up some big bodies on the front. Albert Haynesworth and Maake Keamoeatu combined weigh nearly 700 pounds.
Keamoeatu is considered a pure nose tackle but Haynesworth often lined up head-on with centers last year. Phillip Daniels, who has played end and tackle, is a 311-pound power lifter.
Orakpo split time as a rookie at right end and strong linebacker. His role might not change much. Rocky McIntosh, the weakside linebacker, would probably move inside.
"That's not a big difference. He always played off the ball. It's not like he's going from the being on the line of scrimmage to all of a sudden he's off the ball," Fletcher said.
Where does that leave Andre Carter? The starting right end last year, he would flip to the left side when Orakpo moved up to rush the passer. Now he's looking at going back to an outside linebacker position, which he previously played with the San Francisco 49ers.
Fletcher disputed reports that Carter was unhappy with the 3-4 (shh, it's a secret).
"He hasn't expressed it to me," Fletcher said. "I've spoken to him on several occasions. Andre will do whatever the coaching staff asks him to do. He's not a complainer like that."
Go back to the earlier scenario on a pass-rush down. Orakpo and Porter steaming in from one side, Carter (11 sacks last year) charging from the left.
More talent, Fletcher continued, would only give the Redskins more options.
"We've got a lot of different principles and concepts we'll use from time to time," he said. "We'll have the flexibility to adjust week to week."
New look, new feel. New results?
"If you go 4-12, you have to be willing to do what it takes to win games," Fletcher said. "That was a miserable season last year. If you're not willing to do what's necessary to win, I don't know what's wrong with you."
Larry Weisman, an award-winning journalist during 25 years with USA TODAY, writes for Redskins.com and appears nightly on Redskins Nation on Comcast SportsNet. Read his Redskinsblitz blog at Redskinsrule.com and follow him on Twitter.com/LarryWeisman.
