Working out the kinks

Ashburn (Map, News) - The players have tried it coach Joe Gibbs’ way in the offseason. It hasn’t helped — just look at the 4-9 record.

Now, some want to return to doing it their way.

One Redskin said because so many guys did work out here this past offseason, many are now “burned out’’ and need to get away.

Gibbs said they’ll “look at everything and see if there’s a better way of doing something.’’ But he places a great importance on offseason attendance (it was 98 percent last offseason).

“Our emphasis will be, when we tee it up, Redskins need to be here,’’ he said.

But it is evident that players lack confidence that the way they did it last year is the right way. Some players have incentives in their contracts if they work out in Ashburn (workouts begin in March and were held Tuesday-Thursday). Others, though, would rather follow programs that they’ve used for years.

“Hard work is the key to winning, but at the same time you have to be smart,’’ Redskins end Phillip Daniels, who would prefer to work out in Atlanta, said. “I talked to other guys and they wish they could get back into their programs. ... I don’t know if we worked too hard or came in and did too much.’’

Daniels said he feels he gets better workouts on his own because he’s one-on-one with a trainer and time is not spent on things such as meetings with coaches.

“Sometimes I wonder if I got back into [his program] if it would eliminate some of my injuries,’’ he said. “I have a great program [in Atlanta] and I had great years when I did that program.’’

Receiver Santana Moss would prefer to work out in Miami, where he’s from and where he went to college.

“We get so many opportunities to be professionals on so many occasions,’’ Moss said. “But it seems like the one thing we want to do to make ourselves better is taken away from us. A lot of teams don’t have to deal with it. But teams have rules and you have to abide by them. I’m not saying don’t be here at all, but just give us that right. It sucks, but it’s something that should be brought up because it helps a lot of guys.’’

Not everyone follows that thinking.

“It’s an NFL program, so it should be top of the line,’’ tight end Chris Cooley said. “I’ll do what they ask.’’

Week 15 Notes

» Linebacker Robert McCune has been signed off the practice squad by Miami. McCune was a fifth-round draft choice in 2005 from Louisville, but he’s been on the practice squad all season.

McCune did play in five games for Washington last season and in both playoff contests, but only on special teams and not at middle linebacker.

» Statworthy: The Redskins’ defense ranks last in sacks per pass and turnovers caused. Washington is on pace to create only 12 turnovers this season, which would shatter the franchise record for the lowest amount of turnovers — 21, set in 1998. The Redskins have scored just 13 points off turnovers this season and none since Oct. 1 vs. Jacksonville. Meanwhile, the opposition has scored 44 points off the Redskins’ 14 turnovers.

» Redskins corner Shawn Springs on his motivation for the rest of the season, “We have a great job. When you go to a place like Walter Reed [Hospital], I see guys who are the same age as me and who come back [from Iraq] with missing arms and legs and they’re still excited about the Redskins. That’s one of my motivations. If you can’t get motivated having one of the greatest jobs, then you don’t deserve to be here and you’re not respecting

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