John Riggins admits his former team has taken a different approach to the off-season than he expected.

"It isn't exactly what I thought it would be, with Mike Shanahan coming on board," the former Redskins running back said Monday. "But the more I think about it, and the more I talk about it, the more I kind of understand the way it's going."

Riggins, the 1992 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Redskins from 1976-79 and 81-85 and is now the host of his own radio show, was visiting Shenandoah Caverns Monday.

Riggins is the new spokesperson for the caverns and will be featured in a multimedia advertising campaign in the metro D.C. area next week.

"For me, an adult, it's just amazing to see this stuff," Riggins said of the caverns. "But I've got a five-year-old daughter who's going to go crazy when she sees this stuff. So I hope it's going to turn into not such a big, well-kept secret."

Riggins also discussed the first off-season for Shanahan, who was hired to coach the team in January, and general manager Bruce Allen.

Specifically, Riggins pointed to the trade for quarterback Donovan McNabb, and the veteran running backs and wide receivers "they're recycling," including Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, Joey Galloway, and Bobby Wade.

"Boy, if this doesn't have the feel of George Allen," he said. "And at the same time, it feels a little bit like Joe Gibbs. Joe brought in Mark Brunell.

"Bruce Allen, probably not unlike his dad, believes in building his team with veterans," he added. "And they think they can have a competitive team this fall by doing so. I'm a little skeptical of that.

"But I've been wrong before, I think."

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