--The Redskins signed veteran punter Dirk Johnson on March 5 to compete with the untested Zac Atterberry. The well-traveled Johnson, 33, averaged 41.8 yards gross and 35.2 net last season for Arizona, which cut him after 13 games. Johnson, who has career averages of 41.7 gross and 35.9 net, has also punted for New Orleans, Philadelphia and Chicago. None of his 320 punts has been blocked.
Johnson and Atterberry will compete to succeed Ryan Plackemeier, who was cut in February after finishing last in the league in 2008.
Washington will also hold a competition for the kicking job. Incumbent kicker Shaun Suisham, coming off an ugly 2008 season after a fabulous 2007 campaign, will duel with journeyman Dave Rayner. And 2007 Pro Bowl snapper Ethan Albright will face a rare challenge from former Bears snapper Jeremy Cain.
Johnson or Atterberry will follow Plackemeier, Durant Brooks and Derrick Frost as Washington's fourth punter in three seasons.
--Offensive tackle Ray Willis, the only unrestricted free agent to visit the Redskins, re-signed with Seattle on March 9. The Redskins saw Willis, who spent three years with the Seahawks with Washington coach Jim Zorn, as an heir apparent to 33-year-old right tackle Jon Jansen. For now, that role reverts to Stephon Heyer, a sometime starter during his first two seasons who beat out Jansen in preseason last summer.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We should go into the season thinking nothing else except that we should be the No. 1 defense in the league." -- DT Cornelius Griffin.
