A fairly carefree winter and spring helped Santana Moss regain his strength for practices--and autograph signing. MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss credits his offseason (with emphasis on the prefix 'off') for rejuvenating his body and making him feel fresh for the season. MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Redskins training camp

Date published: 7/28/2008

BY ADAM HIMMELSBACH

ASHBURN--

His body didn't hurt. He felt refreshed. He was in France for his honeymoon, and he was going to spend time in Italy as well.

In previous offseasons, Moss would have been in a weight room somewhere. Sometimes it was in the Redskins' training facility. Sometimes it was in the extravagant weight room he built in his Florida home.

But for Moss, 29, last season was filled with aches. Previously, he thought that meant he hadn't trained hard enough.

But this time, he responded differently. This time, he did very little.

It wasn't easy.

"Once I feel like I'm out of shape, I usually start doing something," Moss said. "This year, I was itching. Every week went by I was like, 'Oh, I don't think I can stay out of the weight room.' But then I thought about how my body felt last year, about how I wore myself down a little bit."

So Moss relaxed. He took three months off. He married his high school sweetheart and had a luxurious reception in Hollywood, Fla. He honeymooned in Europe.

"And other than that," Moss said, "I just chilled."

Last season, Moss was slowed by groin, heel and hamstring injuries, and he missed two games. In 2006, he was slowed by hamstring and hip injuries, and he missed two games.

This season, Moss wants things to return to the way they were during 2005, his first season in Washington, when he had 84 catches for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns.

Moss says he has felt reinvigorated during the first week of this training camp.

"He's still the same Santana," Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell said. "This time, he's just probably more healthy than he's been. He's just so smooth running his routes, and so fast that it opens things up for us."

Moss is excited about the opportunities that should come with head coach Jim Zorn's West Coast offense. He would like to establish himself earlier in games than he did last season.

WHEN: Through today WHERE: Redskins Park, Ashburn OPEN PRACTICE: 8:30 a.m. ADMISSION: Free PARKING: Free INFO: redskins.com, 703/726-7411

Date published: 7/28/2008