Offensive line coach Joe Bugel spoke with Redskins.com in a media session last week following the Redskins' re-signing of Derrick Dockery:
Q: What does Derrick give the Redskins on the field?
A: "You can't get enough good football players. What he gives us is 6-foot-6, 325 pounds inside. You need some beef inside right now because [defenses] are putting--well, take Albert Haynesworth. He is the kind of person that guards and centers are playing [against] now. The big guys are inside. The racers are outside, so your tackles have to be really quick and elusive and your guards better be pounders."
Q: Does a team need to have the bigger offensive linemen inside since more defenses are adopting the 3-4?
A: "You sure do. Your center and guards have to be tough guys because nose guards and defensive ends are real pounders, especially in the NFC East. You need some grinders in there. This kid, 'Dock,' he has been a grinder for six years."
Q: You developed a close bond with Derrick in 2004-06. What has impresssed you about him?
A: "'Dock' is a guy who has played six years and he has never missed a game and he has never missed a practice. That says something about the kid right there. In the three years I coached him [before he left for Buffalo], I treated him as tough as I have ever treated anybody in my life and he begged for more. He would come in early and leave late. I told him, 'I am going to get your scholarship. I am going to break you.' He never would let it. That fourth year here, he became a man. He said, 'Hey, the NFL is a pretty good lifestyle. If I just get myself in great condition, I can play.' He is truly a heck of a football player. He commands the respect of the whole team. He is good in the locker room. The offensive and the defensive guys really rally around him. They like him and he has a great demeanor around him. Off the field, he is a real gentleman and he has fun."
Q: After two years in Buffalo, is 'Dock' a different player now?
A: "He was going uphill the whole time. In 2006 when he was a free agent, he earned himself a lot of money. He went up there to Buffalo--I give the kid a lot of credit. He was in a great workout program out in Phoenix. He worked with cinderblocks, running with that strap harness on. You know those strong man contests? You know those big trailer truck tires? He was rolling those over. I asked, 'How did you work on those abs without doing those crunches.' He said he used a sledgehammer. Beat the tire. He tightened everything up. He tightened his whole core up. When I watch him on tape now, he walks with an arrogance. He knows he belongs in the National Football League."
Q: With Derrick 28 years old, does he give the line some needed youth?
A: "That is great. The longevity, when you get to your mid-30s or late-30s, [injuries] start creeping in. You know the old body doesn't feel good when you get up in the morning. Derrick fits our bill. When he became available, there was no doubt what we were going to do."
