Redding not fazed by losing his starting job

November 6, 2010 2:39 PM by Dan Kolko View Comments

Signed this offseason to become the Ravens' top defensive end, Cory Redding has cracked the starting lineup just once in his last four games played.

Redding has seemingly lost his starting job to Brandon McKinney, who has primarily played nose tackle in his five years in the NFL. The 6-2, 350-pound McKinney has now started four straight games, including three at D-end.

But Redding says he isn't frustrated with his lack of starts of late.

"It's not about who's going to start and who's not going to start," Redding said. "It's about winning, bro. At this point in my game, it's all about what the coaches feel like is best for us to win. So, whoever's in the lineup, that's who's in the lineup.

"We don't sweat about who's going to start. We line up and we play, man, because we're all about winning."

Redding has posted 10 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed this year, which puts him on pace to almost perfectly match his 20-tackle two-sack season that he put up last year in Seattle.

Part of the reason why it's all about winning for Redding is that his teams haven't done much winning since he came into the league in 2003.

The eight-year veteran was a combined 31-81 in his seven previous seasons with the Lions and Seahawks. One of those seasons was the 0-16 campaign that the Lions put up back in 2008.

That's probably why he isn't fretting over a decreased number of snaps or opportunities to get to the quarterback.

"My snaps will be whatever my coaches determine they're going to be," Redding said. "I don't care. I don't care. I'm about winning. And the guys got to understand that. Whenever it's about winning, it should not be about you. It shouldn't be about how many snaps I'm going to get or am I a starter. I don't want the light on me. The light should be on my team.

"And that's how it should be. Regardless of who's out there, we're all playing for one thing and one thing only, and that's winning."