CB Shawn Springs (All B1G, All-American, B1G DPOY, OSU HOF, Pro Bowl, All Pro)

[Buckskin86]

Shawn Springs Meets the Caps

The ending of this Caps regular season was quite a bit different from the same ending a year ago; the pent-up tension of a manic climb into the playoffs was gone, replaced by scoreboard watching and various neuroses about the next few weeks/months. Still, the aftermath was the same: standing ovations, jersey hand-outs, torrents of red, booze.

Also, over the past year, as we've written 135 times, Caps games have become a legit place to be seen--Jason Campbell was there the day before he was almost traded--and hence, former Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs was out and about at yesterday's game. Why the Caps?

"I hang with the Caps 'cause they're winners," Springs, now with the Patriots, joked with a smile. "I hang out with all winners."

Shawn Springs Meets the Caps - D.C. Sports Bog

 

[Buckskin86]

CB Springs into action
By Dan Duggan
Saturday, May 30, 2009

FOXBORO - When the Patriots [team stats] acquired Shawn Springs in March, it was expected he would compete with fellow free agent Leigh Bodden for the starting spot opposite established cornerback Ellis Hobbs [stats].

But the draft-day trade of Hobbs to the Eagles thrust Springs into a leadership role in an inexperienced Patriots secondary. It?s a familiar role for the 12-year veteran.

?If I can play like I?ve played before, and work hard and do my job, hopefully the guys will feed off that,? Springs said after Thursday?s organized team activities at Gillette Stadium. ?My plan is pretty much to come in and work hard.?

The knowledge sharing has been a two-way street between Springs and second-year corners Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, who each have a year of experience with the Pats.

?We?re helping each other,? Springs said. ?I?m showing them a few things that I know, that I?ve picked up, and they?re showing me a few things from learning the defense. We kind of go back and forth. Until I get it all down, we?ll be going back and forth.?

The Seahawks drafted Springs third overall in 1997 and he spent his first seven seasons in Seattle. Springs then played with the Redskins for five years until he was released a week before the Pats signed him to a three-year deal with a base worth of $9.75 million.

Springs has played in 143 career games and intercepted 32 passes. With that much experience under his belt, it shouldn?t take long for him to adjust to the Patriots system.

?Just the terminology can throw you off,? the 34-year-old said. ?You have to be able to get your mind focused on new terminology. A lot of it?s the same, some of it?s different in how it?s played, but you just have to learn the terminology. I?ve been playing so long I?ve seen a lot of different things. It?s just how it?s worded.?

Springs expects the learning curve to be accelerated by going against the Pats talented offense in practice every day.

?It?s always a competition,? Springs said. ?You?re always working. When you cover that type of speed you won?t be shocked when you get in the game.?

CB Springs into action - BostonHerald.com

 

[Buckskin86]

On positive note, he's ready
Patriots' Springs does homework
By Mike Reiss
Globe Staff / June 12, 2009

FOXBOROUGH - One of the many things first-year Patriots cornerback Shawn Springs learned from his father was the value of good note taking.

Ron Springs played running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 1979-84, and once told his son how teammates such as defensive back Everson Walls recorded copious notes on opposing receivers. The thinking was that the next time Walls faced those receivers, he could read his notes and gain an advantage.

So when Shawn Springs broke into the NFL in 1997 as a first-round draft choice with the Seattle Seahawks, he arrived with shutdown cornerback skills and a sharpened pencil.

He's still jotting things down today.

NFL players and note taking aren't a groundbreaking combination - it's gone on for decades - but an interesting twist with Springs is that one of the largest sections of his notebook is titled "Terrell Owens."

The topic came up after the Patriots' mandatory minicamp practice yesterday at Gillette Stadium, when Springs was asked if it's too early to start watching Owens on film, given that the Patriots face him and the Buffalo Bills in the season opener Sept. 14. Springs responded that because he's faced Owens so often - most recently in Redskins-Cowboys games - the importance of watching "cut-ups" of Owens at this time is diminished.

"I could bring a notebook this thick on him," he said, creating a wide space between his thumb and index finger.

Springs, now in his 13th NFL season, added that he hasn't taken notes on just Owens. He joked that he's so old (34), he still has notes on former Raiders receiver Tim Brown that go back to his time with the Seahawks (1997-2003).

"I've developed notes on all the receivers. These guys are too good to go out there and not know them," said Springs, who most recently suited up for the Redskins from 2004-08. "When I played Randy [Moss], I had a game plan against him, or whether it was Marvin Harrison, or going way back to Jimmy Smith, or Chad Johnson. That's one of the things - I'm a big note taker."

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...ve_note_patriots_cornerback_springs_is_ready/

Being bookish pays off for Shawn Springs
By Karen Guregian
Friday, June 12, 2009

FOXBORO - Retired Red Sox [team stats] pitcher Curt Schilling [stats] was a well-known note taker. Between innings during his starts, he was often seen scribbling hitters? tendencies in a notebook.

?Anybody that is any good in any profession - I?m not talking about good, I?m talking about the best in the world - they pay attention to detail at some level or some facet of the job that no one else does,? Schilling once said.

It should come as no surprise, then, that former Pro Bowl cornerback Shawn Springs also keeps a journal. And during his 12 seasons in the NFL, the Patriots [team stats]? newly acquired defensive back has pieced together quite a log on receivers he?s covered.

?I keep notes on all receivers over the years. These guys are too good not to know them,? Springs said yesterday after the second day of minicamp. ?When I played Randy (Moss), I had a game plan against him. Whether it was Marvin Harrison, or going way back to Jimmy Smith or Chad Johnson. That?s one of the things, I?m a big note taker.?

Springs says he was encouraged by his father, Ron, a former Dallas Cowboys running back, as well as his coaches at Ohio State, to keep a notebook.

?My dad, and guys like Everson Walls, guys he played with back in Dallas, they would say, ?Hey, man, when you play against a guy, just take notes so you can remember it. You might play them again,? ? Springs said. ?In the NFL, you play people more than once. So I?ve always had notes.?

But trying to get Springs to open up that notebook and allow a stranger to take a peek is far tougher than covering Moss man-to-man.

As he told one reporter who asked, ?No, you may eBay my notes, and give it to some of these guys.?

Even his own teammates are having a tough time getting a look.

?I?m a little bit disappointed that I haven?t seen it yet. I?m going to have to talk to him about that to see if I can find some stuff out,? fellow cornerback Terrence Wheatley said. ?But that?s definitely smart on his part. You want to take notes on the receivers that you face, and find some tendencies you can use on the field. So hopefully, he?ll let me see it.?

Being bookish pays off for Shawn Springs - BostonHerald.com

Patriots: Springs is a noted student
By Andy Vogt/Daily News staff
MetroWest Daily News
Jun 12, 2009

FOXBORO ? Shawn Springs has covered dozens of NFL wide receivers throughout his 13 years in the league. And almost all of them have found their way into a notebook that he keeps tucked away, sometimes even from his teammates.

So of course, a reporter's request yesterday to see the contents of the notebook was politely denied.

"No, you'll eBay my notes," Springs said with a laugh, although he did give a brief glimpse into how some of the notations may read.

"Joey Galloway, he's fast. Randy Moss, don't turn your back or he'll dunk on you," Springs said.

After signing Springs as a free agent on March 11 - the same day they announced the signing of fellow corner Leigh Bodden - the Patriots hope the 34-year-old defensive back still has a few extra springs in his step, so to speak. He made a nice interception of a Kevin O'Connell pass during the team's minicamp practice yesterday, although Springs said that he's not entirely pleased with what he's shown so far.

"I'm disappointed in myself - that's probably the first one I've gotten my hands on the ball," he said. "It's going to come, I'll make more plays, but I've got to keep working."

Patriots: Springs is a noted student - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News

Patriots journal: Springs plan to play it by the book
Thursday, June 11, 2009
BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO ? Patriots cornerback Shawn Springs has the book on Terrell Owens. And Randy Moss. And even Tim Brown.

The veteran said after Wednesday's mini-camp session that he keeps notes on every receiver he's faced, and pulled his forefinger and thumb apart a couple of inches to show how thick the notebook is that he has on T.O.

"I keep notes on all receivers over the years. These guys are too good not to know them. T.O., Moss, I still have notes around from Tim Brown. I have a lot of it up here too," Springs said, pointing to his head.

It makes sense that Springs' dossier on Owens would be the thickest ? the two have played in the same division for much of their careers: first the NFC West, when Springs was drafted by Seattle and Owens by San Francisco; then the NFC East, as Springs moved to Washington and Owens played for Philadelphia and Dallas. Now, Springs is with New England and Owens the Bills.

Patriots journal: Springs plan to play it by the book | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Easy To Take Note Of Springs' Success
Thu, 06/11/2009
By Christopher Price

FOXBOROUGH -- In a high-tech world, Shawn Springs is a low-tech cornerback.

While other players rely solely on film work or some other sort of game video to try and gain an edge on an opponent, the veteran cornerback, who signed with the Patriots on March 11, is decidedly retro when it comes to his preparation. When he needs to get an edge, he goes to his notebook.

Not Macintosh. More like Trapper Keeper.

?I keep notes on all receivers over the years. I?ve developed notes on all receivers,? the 34-year-old Springs said after Thursday?s minicamp session on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium. ?So when I?ve played Randy [Moss], I?ve had a game plan against him. Whether it was Marvin Harrison or going way back to Jimmy Smith or Chad Johnson. That?s one of the things -- I?m a big note taker.?

That?s not to say there?s not a place in his world for game film or other prep material. The Ohio State product says his notebook offers a perspective that no other type of study material can provide.

?Tape is amazing. You need your tape,? he acknowledged. ?But you still have to have your notes when you play guys.?

Christopher Price | Easy To Take Note Of Springs' Success

 

[Buckskin86]

New England Patriots Player Profile: Shawn Springs
June 16

Patriots CB Shawn Springs
(AP Photo)In the first installment of New England Patriots Player Profiles, we?ll take a look at one of the Patriots' new starting cornerbacks.

Shawn Springs

G Tackles Sacks P-Def Int TD
157 372 8.5 66 32 2

The Patriots signed Shawn Springs to a 3-year contract worth $10.5 million dollars earlier this offseason. If he hits all of his incentives, the contract could be worth as much as $13 million.

Springs played his college ball at THE Ohio State University. While there, he earned All Big Ten honors twice, and was widely regarded as one of, if not the best defensive back in the country.

He was drafted third overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1997 NFL draft.

Other cornerbacks taken in the first round of the 1997 draft:

Bryant Westbrook (fifth overall to Detroit)
Tommy Knight (ninth overall to Arizona)
Michael Booker (eleventh overall to Atlanta)
Chad Scott (twenty-fourth overall to Pittsburgh)
Chris Canty (twenty-ninth overall to New England)

Springs? best season was 1998. He finished with 76 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns. He was elected to his only Pro Bowl that season.

He?s struggled to stay healthy most of his career. He played (and started) in all 48 regular season games for the Seahawks from 1998 to 2000. Since 2000, he?s only played in 16 games once (2007).

New England Patriots Player Profile: Shawn Springs

 

[Buckskin86]

Springs discusses his key to success
by Jeff Howe, June 23, 2009

Shawn Springs would be hard pressed to make the same mistake against a wide receiver twice in his career.
The 12-year veteran has earned a reputation as one of the smartest cornerbacks in the league, and he?ll put that knowledge to work in his first season with the New England Patriots in 2009.

Already blessed with a tremendous skill set, Springs makes sure he doesn?t let his talent go to waste by diving into his homework away from the field. He keeps a detailed notebook outlining every wide receiver he has ever lined up against, complete with the moves they like to employ and the routes they run best. It was a tactic he learned from his father, Ron, a running back in the NFL from 1979-86.

?My dad and guys like [defensive back] Everson Walls, guys he played with back in Dallas, they would say, ?Hey, man, when you play against a guy, just take notes so you can remember. You might play him again,?? Springs recalled. ?In the NFL, you play people more than once, so always have notes.?

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick might have a little extra appreciation for Walls? lasting impression on Springs, since Belichick coached Walls for two years in Cleveland in the 1990s.

The notebook has helped Springs against some of the league?s elite wideouts whom he has faced most often, such as new Patriots teammate Randy Moss and Buffalo?s Terrell Owens, who has famously struggled against Springs.

?I?m a little bit disappointed that I haven?t seen it yet,? Patriots cornerback Terrence Wheatley said of Springs? notebook. ?I?m going to have to talk to him about that after this and see if I can find some stuff out. That?s smart on his part. You definitely want to take notes on all of the receivers that you face and try to find some tendencies that you can use on the field.?

Springs said he?ll share his notes with his fellow defensive backs, and he even helps out some friends around the league like Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald if they?re looking for any tips. When Springs was asked if he would share his scouting report on Moss now that the two are teammates, he laughed and quickly replied, ?Nope.? Springs did defer to his strategy against Moss on the basketball court, though.

?Don?t turn your back,? Springs said. ?He will dunk on you.?

Springs discusses his key to success – New England Patriots - NESN.com

 

[billmac91]

any truth to the rumor that Shawn Springs likes to take notes??

 

[Jaxbuck]

any truth to the rumor that Shawn Springs likes to take notes??

Hold on, I've got a notebook I keep on every former Buckeye player. Let me check it and get back to you.

 

[Buckskin86]

Training camp battles to determine the Super Bowl
by Peter Schrager
Updated: July 24, 2009

Super Bowl contender: New England Patriots
Position: Starting cornerbacks. The Patriots, again? Well, anyone who is penciling the Pats in for an automatic Super Bowl berth is crazy. There are question marks on this defense, and the cornerback situation is a complete open book. The defensive backfield got an extreme makeover this offseason and features more new faces than a freshman high school English class on the first day of school. Leigh Bodden, Shawn Springs and rookies Darius Butler and Jamar Love join a young unit with very little NFL experience.

Front runners: Jonathan Wilhite and Leigh Bodden. Wilhite, a second-year man out of Auburn, made some real impact plays last year. Though he started the season off on special teams, he was starting by Week 15 vs. Arizona, and finished the year entrenched in that role for the Patriots during their successful finish to the regular season. Bodden is a Lions and Browns retread who still has some juice left in the tank. He's been on too many bad teams for too long. With the right supporting cast, he could end up being quite the NFL corner.

Contenders: Shawn Springs and Darius Butler. The veteran and the rook. Though there may be question marks at corner in New England, there's certainly not a lack of depth. Springs, a former top-5 pick who's had a more than productive NFL career, brings 13 years of NFL experience and a hunger (shared by veterans Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway) to play for a winner. Butler, meanwhile, was the top-rated cornerback on several draft pundits' boards. The Patriots were thrilled to see the former UConn star slip all the way to the second round. There's no doubt Butler will make a difference right away in his rookie year. Both men could very well be starting in Week 1.

Long shots: Terrence Wheatley, Mike Richardson. Wheatley is a second-year veteran who should see plenty of time in 2009. Richardson, a Notre Dame grad, has been on and off of the practice squad and active roster throughout his career. With strong camps, both players have outside shots of getting legitimate playing time ? if not starting roles ? at corner in New England this season.

NFL - - FOX Sports on MSN

 

[Buckskin86]

Shawn Springs back in step
Takes 1st practice
By Ian R. Rapoport / Patriots Notebook
Saturday, August 1, 2009 -

FOXBORO - Soon after the Patriots [team stats] began their preseason camp, it was announced that free agent signee Shawn Springs would be placed on the active non-football injury list. The move raised questions about the veteran cornerback?s shot at a starting spot.

But yesterday, Springs was back on the practice field.

?Shawn did do a lot this morning,? coach Bill Belichick said. ?I think he will build up and do more going forward.?

With both starting cornerbacks from 2008 gone from the team, Springs arrived with one Pro Bowl selection to his name and some expectations.

?It?s good to have Shawn,? Belichick said. ?He has a lot of versatility. He?s played corner, he?s played safety, he?s played inside and played outside, and he?s played against a lot of different players in the league and a lot of schemes."

Shawn Springs back in step - BostonHerald.com

Following his pattern
Cornerback Shawn Springs, who opened camp on the active/non-football injury list after being sick last week, according to league sources, participated in both practices yesterday and assisted rookie corner Darius Butler. The two were seen working on technique after the morning session.

“Shawn’s helped me out a lot,’’ Butler said. “He’s helped me out after practice with some things; I’m kind of having an issue with some bad habits I need to break, and he’s helping me break those. There’s certain things I can’t get away with on this level.’’

Springs can be more than just a mentor for the Patriots, one of the reasons Belichick said it was good to have him on the field

“He has a lot of versatility,’’ said Belichick. “He has played corner. He has played safety. He has played inside and played outside and he has played against a lot of different players in the league and a lot of schemes, so he brings a lot of experience and versatility.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...09/08/01/vick_option_remains_on_table/?page=2

 

[Buckskin86]

Shawn Springs enjoying new workplace
By Karen Guregian
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Boston Herald General Sports Reporter and Columnist

FOXBORO - Veteran cornerback Shawn Springs says he?s having a lot of fun covering Randy Moss in Patriots [team stats] training camp practices thus far.

?It?s cool. I like it. We?re both about two years from getting our AARP card,? Springs said, prompting laughter from the media yesterday. ?Joey (Galloway) officially got his this year. I?m about a year away, Randy about two years off. We?re talking about Social Security.?

Maybe that?s code for the 32-year-old Moss and 37-year-old Galloway taking it easy on the 34-year-old Springs, who just came off the PUP list due to being sick when camp began Thursday.

So if the old guys aren?t running Springs ragged, what about the younger wideouts who might want to test the old man?s legs?

?At that position, they?re trying to keep up with the other guys over there - with Moss and Wes Welker, they compete so hard,? Springs said. ?You don?t want to feel like you?re missing the train. So I think those guys want to keep up that standard.?

Springs, who signed a three-year deal worth a reported $9.75 million, with a $2.7 million signing bonus, is one of three new cornerbacks (along with Leigh Bodden and Darius Butler) who were brought in to compete with second-year corners Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite and third-year defensive back Mike Richardson.

?I think since we have so many young guys, and new guys, I think it?s a competition, but everybody?s just trying to learn and not necessarily worry about it,? Springs said. ?I think I would tell the young guys, and what I try to do, is learn as much as I possibly can to play the best I possibly can, and let the chips fall.?

The one-time Pro Bowl corner may have a ton of experience, but Wheatley, Wilhite and Richardson have the edge when it comes to knowing the system.

?I feel like a rookie and I usually pick up things fast,? Springs said. ?But I still have to get the little nuances of the defense, techniques I have to constantly study and work, just like everyone else.?

Shawn Springs enjoying new workplace - BostonHerald.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Veteran Shawn Springs feels like a rookie again
Sunday, August 2, 2009
BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO ? The way Shawn Springs looks at it, he, Randy Moss and Joey Galloway are among the Patriots' graybeards.

For Springs and Moss, "graybeard" is more of an honorific, but for Galloway, that's actually true.

At any rate, the 13-year veteran is enjoying a sort of rebirth with New England, which signed him to a three-year contract in March after the former first-round draft pick had been released by the Redskins.

"I feel blessed," Springs said about having to start over so late in his career. "I never thought I'd have this opportunity; I always thought I'd be in Washington, (that) I probably would have retired there. I'm blessed."

Springs has more than 150 career games under his belt, which means he brings a wealth of experience as well as his famous notebooks charting the tendencies of every receiver he's faced to his new team. But in a sense, he has as much to learn as rookie Darius Butler when it comes to the subtleties of the Pats' defensive playbook.

"Some of the concepts I'm familiar with, just different terminology, and some things they just do totally different that what I've ever done. You've got to adjust and keep learning," he said.

"I'm still new. I feel like a rookie. I usually pick up things fast, but I still have to get the defense, and the techniques are different. I've got to constantly study and work like everybody else."

Veteran Shawn Springs feels like a rookie again | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal

 

[Buckskin86]

HOPE SPRINGS: For the first time in nearly two weeks, veteran cornerback Shawn Springs returned to practice for the afternoon session. During stretching, Belichick walked over to Springs, shook his hand perhaps as a reintroduction, and laughed. Springs is working to be the first-team corner.

Patriots aren't standing pat | CapeCodOnline.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Shawn Springs into action
Veteran CB back after ailment
By Ian R. Rapoport
Saturday, August 22, 2009

FOXBORO - Shawn Springs knows the realities of training camp, a world with a hypersensitive magnifying glass shined directly on the practice field and a clock that seems to tick in slow motion.

Miss one day, it feels like two or three. Or maybe that’s not the proper calculation.

“No, you miss one day, it feels like a month,” Springs corrected. “But it’s really not that long.”

At some point, though, several absences leave reporters and fans wondering about a player’s status. The Patriots [team stats] cornerback experienced all of that while sitting out the first two days of camp because of an illness, then watching from the eighth practice until Monday.

“People are like, ‘Where the hell have you been?’ ” Springs joked.

The undisclosed ailment has healed, and Springs made his preseason debut in the 7-6 loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.

He assisted on one tackle, whiffed on another and called himself “rusty.” But the 34-year-old was just glad to be back.

“You always start slow when you don’t practice,” said Springs, who will earn a reported salary of $4.55 million this season, including a $2.7 million signing bonus. “It won’t take me long to come back around. I’ve been playing for so long, it won’t take me long to get used to everything. Once I do that, everything’ll be fine.”

The secondary was an issue last season, as starting corners Ellis Hobbs [stats] and Deltha O’Neal disappointed. Enter Springs and Leigh Bodden, two veterans likely expected to start until youngsters Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley and Darius Butler mature.

“There is a lot of competition there,” said Wheatley, after struggling mightily against the Bengals. His woes emphasized how necessary it was for Springs to return and help solidify a secondary that aches for veteran influence.

“It was good to have (Springs) out there on successive days and competing at a high level,” coach Bill Belichick said, “especially against our receivers in practice. That’s real good work for all of our defensive backs.”

Sitting out nearly two weeks, Springs used the time to study. He worked out, watched film and refocused. It appears that Belichick - who walked by Springs and jokingly shook his hand to introduce himself upon his return to practice - has noticed.

“He’s working hard at it mentally, he’s working hard on everything,” Belichick said. “Very few mistakes. He’s really on top of his game. We’ll see here in the next few days, couple weeks, coming practices, games, how quickly that all comes together.”

http://news.bostonherald.com/sports...cb_back_after_ailment/srvc=home&position=also

After spending time on the sidelines this summer with an undisclosed injury, 34-year-old cornerback Shawn Springs, an offseason pickup following his release from the Washington Redskins, made his preseason debut against the Bengals.

None too soon, given the woeful performance second-year man Terrence Wheatley turned in on the corner.

``I just need to get some consistent practicing in and things will come back around,'' said Springs, who assisted on one tackle in a reserve role - free-agent acquisition Leigh Bodden and second-round draft pick Darius Butler started.

``But you do have to practice and work on the little things to get the feel and get comfortable and once I do that, I'll be fine.''

``He's working hard at it mentally,'' said Belichick. ``He makes very few mistakes. He's really on top of his game and situations and all those kinds of things. I think we'll see here in the next few days, couple of weeks, in the coming practices and games how quickly all that comes together.''

Patriots Notebook: Galloway starting to catch on - Milford, MA - The Milford Daily News

 

[Buckskin86]

Seems Like Old Times with Springs in FedEx

We exchanged text messages over a couple of days and agreed on a time to rap on the phone, but Shawn Springs still had jokes.

"Why you want to talk to me, brother? It's just the preseason," Springs said today. "You know there ain't nothin' to talk to me about."

I paused for a few seconds until his laughter stopped, and then Springs, as usual, took the lead. With the Washington Redskins playing host to the New England Patriots on Friday, the veteran cornerback will return to FedEx Field for the first time since the team released him in February.

"For me, hopefully, it'll be just like going out to practice," Springs said unprompted. "Like an intra-squad scrimmage, except I've got a different uniform."

For five seasons, Springs, 34, was the Redskins' top corner, and the Alpha Male in a close-knit secondary at one time comprised of four first-round draft picks. "You want a guy who says, 'Hey, this guy is their best guy. Put me on him,'" secondary coach Jerry Gray said. "For us, Shawn was that guy. You can't argue with players like that."

On the field and in the locker room, Springs, who is beginning his 13th season in the league, set the tone with his take-charge approach and buoyant personality, playing a major role in an overall defensive scheme that helped Washington produce four top-10 finishes in his time with the team. Injuries slowed Springs, who grew up in Silver Spring, in his final season, but he still has fond memories of his time with Washington and many strong ties to the team's coaches and players.

It should be like old times for him this week, Springs said, and that's a subject he definitely wanted to talk about.

"There are a lot of guys over there I have a lot of respect for. I mean, I love those guys," Springs said. "But it's not really like a homecoming, that's not the way I'm looking at it, because I still have a relationship with those guys.

"And it's a preseason game. It's not like it's a regular-season game. It's not like a Super Bowl or a playoff game. But it is my hometown. They [the Redskins] brought me in, it was fun and I had a good run. It was a great place for me."

Redskins Insider - Seems Like Old Times with Springs in FedEx

 

[Buckskin86]

Springs Holds Redskins in High Regard
Patriots Cornerback to Face His Old Team for the First Time Since His Release
By Jason Reid
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 26, 2009

For five seasons, he was the Washington Redskins' top cornerback, the alpha male in a close-knit secondary and the man who helped set the tone on game day.

There will be another game day for Shawn Springs on Friday, but this time the veteran cornerback will be playing at FedEx Field for the first time since the team released him in February.

"For me, hopefully, it'll be just like going out to practice," said Springs. He and the New England Patriots will play the Redskins at 8 p.m. "Like an intra-squad scrimmage, except I've got a different uniform."

There was a time when Springs, 34, was a leader on a secondary comprising four first-round draft picks and relished taking on the top wide receiver.

"You want a guy who says: 'Hey, this guy is their best guy. Put me on him,' " Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray said. "For us, Shawn was that guy. You can't argue with players like that."

washingtonpost.com

Teammates? talent, drive work for Shawn Springs
By Karen Guregian
Wednesday, August 26, 2009

FOXBORO - Shawn Springs didn?t practice yesterday and didn?t meet with the local media, but he did take time to catch up with an old acquaintance.

The veteran cornerback, who saw his first preseason action in last week?s 7-6 loss to Cincinnati, did a phone interview with the Washington Post, and had some interesting things to say about his new team and several of his new teammates.

The 37-year-old, who signed a three-year-contract, told the Post he has been reinvigorated since joining the Patriots [team stats]. He?s been inspired by watching many of the star players, namely Tom Brady [stats].

?(I?ve) never been on a team with so much talent. Obviously, playing with guys like Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Fred Taylor [stats], Joey Galloway . . . I just love the team. I love the environment,? Springs said. ?You?re so impressed with those guys? work ethic, and it?s kind of contagious. You work even harder because you don?t want to let anybody down.

?Not that those guys didn?t work in Washington. We did. And it?s the same kind of feel we had with the defensive side in Washington. But when you see Tom Brady is the first one in the building, and the way he works, it?s contagious. You know why this guy is probably the best player in the NFL, and that rubs off on you. I?ve got a couple more weeks in the preseason, and we?ll be ready to go.?

Springs, who received a $2.7 million signing bonus and will earn a base salary of $1.75 million, said while he missed the first two days of camp because of an undisclosed illness and also has been out recently, he is now OK. He wasn?t concerned about time spent off the field.

?I?ve been in the league 13 years, so I?m not worried about that,? Springs told the Post. ?Once the season starts, I?ll get into a groove.?

Teammates’ talent, drive work for Shawn Springs - BostonHerald.com