Redskins release Jason Taylor

ASHBURN -- Three-and-a-half sacks later, Jason Taylor is no longer a member of the Washington Redskins.

The three-time, first-team All-Pro defensive end arrived last year in a trade with Miami, in part for the Redskins' second-round pick in this year's draft. Today, the Redskins announced Taylor's release. The draft pick remains with the Dolphins.

Taylor was scheduled to make $8.5 million this season, and rumor of his departure began to circulate after the Skins went on a $181 million spending spree Friday. But the final factor was not money -- the team thought he would be more productive in 2009 alongside Albert Haynesworth -- but rather workout time.

Taylor, who is 34, reportedly refused the Redskins' request that he attend 75 percent of the team's offseason workouts. He wanted to spend that time in Miami with his family.

Taylor will take his chances in the free agent market. He is the NFL's active leader in sacks, and shouldn't have trouble finding a new team, though it is unlikely he'll receive anywhere near the $8.5 million the Redskins were on the hook for.

Taylor was used as a run defender, a different look than the quarterback-attacker role he preferred. He finished 2008 with just 3½ sacks, playing through calf and knee injuries that at one point early in the season sent him to the emergency room.

"Jason Taylor was a real professional during his time with the Redskins," coach Jim Zorn said in a statement. "He played hurt but still gave his best effort to be prepared and play hard every week."

Without Taylor, the Redskins are thin at defensive end. Andre Carter will hold down one side of the line, but Taylor's backup from last season, Demetric Evans, is a free agent who reportedly is flying to San Francisco today.

The team also finds itself with question marks at linebacker. They released Marcus Washington, another often-injured veteran, to clear cap space for signing Haynesworth and re-signing cornerback DeAngelo Hall (Virginia Tech). London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh remain in two of the linebacker spots.

Taylor's departure should free up enough cap space for the Redskins to sign any number of players to fill those spots, including Evans if they so desire.

It's all been part of an active free agency period for the Redskins. After signing Haynesworth in the opening minutes and introducing him, the team will have a news conference tomorrow afternoon for Hall and guard Derrick Dockery, signed late Friday.

Taylor had no immediate comment on his release and was not seen at Redskins Park yesterday. In the waning weeks of the 2008 season, he indicated to reporters that he didn't feel he was being used to his full potential, but was willing to perform in whatever role the team asked him to play.

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