On last day, Landry shows up

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By Ryan O'Halloran

Jim Zorn emerged from a staff meeting Wednesday at Redskin Park greeted by a surprise waiting outside his office.

After being a no-show for the Washington Redskins' first 11 organized team activities, safety LaRon Landry came out of hibernation for a 20-minute meeting with Zorn, followed by his full participation in Thursday's final offseason workout.

The third-year safety became the last healthy player to take part in the voluntary workouts.

"I just wanted to come back and finish off with a good note and get back out there with my teammates," Landry said after the 1-hour, 45-minute session. "I was at home dealing with a couple personal issues, but I was training, and my teammates knew I would come back ready to go."

Landry wouldn't elaborate on what issues kept him away. He did receive passing marks from Zorn and his teammates for his lone appearance, though.

"I think he heard some good things were going on, so he came back," Zorn said. "I was surprised - but pleasantly surprised - [Landry showed up] and glad he was able to participate in one practice. Anytime we can get everybody here, it's a positive."

Said safety Reed Doughty: "I'm glad he came. It was fun to have him out there. It would have been fun to have him here the whole time, but he'll be fine."

Although the workouts aren't mandatory, Landry's absence was notable because he was not communicating with Zorn or the coaching staff, and it wasn't as if a handful of starters stayed home. Even Clinton Portis appeared for several workouts, and newcomers Albert Haynesworth and Derrick Dockery were regular attendees.

Landry, meanwhile, continued to follow in the footsteps of Sean Taylor, who rarely prepared for the season with the team. Landry's entering the third season of a six-year contract, but Zorn didn't view his absence as a protest.

"I don't think it was strategic on his part," Zorn said.

During their meeting, Landry gave Zorn his new phone number.

"I said, 'What number do I have for you, and what number do you really have?' " Zorn said. "We synchronized his phones."

Said Landry: "We're on the same page - everything's cleared up. Through the midst of my personal things, I still stayed in shape. I have a couple of things to catch up with in the playbook, but my physical ability and endurance is there. ... It wasn't mandatory, but they knew when I came back, I would be in shape and wouldn't let them down."

Zorn said all along he expected Landry to be in shape whenever he showed up and predicted the same for the start of training camp July 30.

"The good thing is that he didn't come back sluggish - he came back hard, performed well and got back into the swing of things," Zorn said. "Being with the team and participating in the OTAs would be better, but he's working his plan. ... He'll be very much ready to go when we start training camp."