Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Need to Know: No surgery for Garçon

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, February 22, one day before the start of the NFL Combine.

Garçon should avoid surgery

My friend John Keim of the Examiner was the first to report yesterday that Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garçon has probably dodged the bullet and should be able to avoid having surgery on the injured toe that kept him out of six games last year.

It was the second toe of his right foot that caused the problems, the plantar plate to be specific. It kept him from being able to run full speed and hindered his ability to cut. Garçon said that it hurt him some during training camp but that it popped while he was completing an 88-yard touchdown catch and run in the first quarter of the season opener in New Orleans.

He sat out the rest of that game and then the next two. After two ineffective performances Garçon then was out the next four games. A combination of the rest and the miracle of modern medicine got him back onto the field for the last seven games of the season. Not coincidentally, the Redskins won all of them as Garçon led the team with 633 receiving yards.

It still is not certain if Garçon will participate fully in the offseason program. The organization is generally cautious when it comes to handling players coming off of injuries so it would not be surprising for them to limit Garçon’s reps.

After the season Garçon said that even though he was able to play with the injury is still wasn’t certain that it would be able to fully heal without surgery.

“We'll get some experts' opinions,” he said. “We'll see it how it goes."

At least so far it’s going well.

Redskins may gain some cap room

The Redskins have yet to release a player or to renegotiate a contract but they may have more salary cap space than we thought.

Our friends at Pro Football Talk have learned that the 2013 cap will exceed $122 million. An increase to $122 million would only add about $1.4 million to the cap, an increase of about 1.1 percent

That’s not much but a cap of $122 million would leave the Redskins unofficially about $3.6 million over the cap. That leaves them in a slightly better position than needing to chop an estimated $4.1 million to get under the cap.

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Days until: NFL Combine 1; NFL Draft 64; OTA’s start 84

Hall out of practice with flu, is probable for Sunday

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

Redskins veteran DeAngelo Hall did not practice Friday because of the flu, Coach Mike Shanahan said.

The cornerback, however, is listed as probable on the team’s injury report, which means he’s likely to suit up Sunday when Washington hosts undefeated Atlanta at FedEx Field.

Safety Brandon Meriweather (knee) and cornerback Cedric Griffin (hamstring) will not play, Shanahan added.

Joining Hall as probable are: wide receiver Pierre Garçon (foot), left tackle Trent Williams (knee) and wide receiver/returner Brandon Banks (hips). All three played through their injuries in last week's victory over the Buccaneer. 

Running back Evan Royster (knee) is listed as questionable, though he said he expects to play. He also suited up in Tampa.   

Meriweather probable but stops short of saying he'll play

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

Trent Williams and Pierre Garçon aren’t the only Redskins whose availability for Sunday’s game in Tampa remained unclear Friday.

Brandon Meriweather is listed as probable, but the strong safety stopped short of declaring himself ready to make his season debut. He sprained two ligaments in his right knee during the six days before the season opener in New Orleans.

“I would be ecstatic,” Meriweather said Friday. “I can bring a lot. I’m good at disguising [blitzes]. I’m patient. I can do all the little things.”

Meriweather’s experience could prove beneficial to a secondary that’s struggling, having yielded 300 or more passing yards in each of the past two games.

“He can do a lot of things,” defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said. “He’s an ex-corner coming out of college. He’s got football intelligence. He can take something from the classroom to the field. He brings energy to the backend. We’ve missed him.”

Meantime, cornerback Cedric Griffin (hamstring) has been ruled out against the Bucs, meaning rookie Richard Crawford will be the Redskins’ third cornerback.

Running back Evan Royster (knee) is probable and wide receiver Brandon Banks (hip) is questionable. Banks said hurt himself in practice.

If Banks misses the first game of his career, Niles Paul and Aldrick Robinson are listed as backup kick returners. Santana Moss and Richard Crawford, meantime, are the backup punt returners.

"I want to play," Banks said. "Hopefully I can play."

Garçon questionable for Bucs

Pierre Garçon is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in Tampa, Coach Mike Shanahan said Friday afternoon. According to NFL injury designation guidelines, that means that there is a 50 percent chance that he will play. 

Garçon, the Redskins’ No. 1 wide receiver, suffered an injury near the big toe on his right foot while sprinting for a touchdown in New Orleans. He was sidelined against the Rams and Bengals.

Leonard Hankerson replaced Garçon in last week’s loss to Cincinnati and is expected to start there against the Buccaneers. Hankerson is probable with a back injury he sustained again the Bengals.

Garçon did not speak to reporters Friday.

Shanahan: Garçon is 'getting better'

Wide receiver Pierre Garçon, who has been sidelined the past two games with a sprained foot, was limited in practice again on Thursday, Coach Mike Shanahan said.

“It’s getting better, I can see that,” Shanahan said, echoing sentiments the player shared Wednesday. “But until he’s able to go, he’s just getting better.”

Joining Garçon as limited in practice were: safety Brandon Meriweather (knee), running back Evan Royster (knee) and wide receiver Brandon Banks (hip). It’s unclear when Banks was injured. He did not appear on the Wednesday injury report.

Cornerback Cedric Griffin, meantime, did not practice for a second consecutive day. He was injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Bengals and did not return.

Garçon limited in Wednesday practice

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

Pierre Garçon was limited in practice Wednesday, but the Redskins wide receiver said he's making significant strides toward returning from the right foot injury that's sidelined him the past two games. 

“There was a lot of progress,” Garçon said in his first public comments since getting hurt in New Orleans. “It’s coming along very well. It’s very frustrating but it’s part of football.”

Garçon cut hard and ran routes during the first half hour of Wednesday’s session, which is the only part of practice that's open to the media. Last week, he did little more than stretch and jog during the open portion of practice.

Garçon revealed that he was injured on his 88-yard touchdown run but it was not the result of contact from a defender.

“It happened just from running,” he said.

Garçon said he does not know if he’ll be able to suit up Sunday in Tampa Bay, but he did acknowledge that the injury is taking much longer to heal than he had orginally anticipated.

“I didn’t know at all what kind of injury it was,” Garçon added. “It is nagging a lot more than anyone expected or wanted it to. As you know, football is a game of injuries.”

Point-Counterpoint: Dealing with injuries

 

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Garçon again limited in practice on Thursday

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garçon was limited in practice Thursday, raising doubts about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.

Garçon, the No. 1 target for Robert Griffin III, was injured in the first quarter against New Orleans and missed last week’s game against the Rams.

He declined to speak to reporters following practice.

“You just keep on working on it and hopefully it gets well,” Shanahan said. “He’s getting as much treatment as he can everyday. He’s working extremely hard, but it’s still sore and that’s why he isn’t taking all the reps.”

Shanahan said, “Doesn’t need to,” when asked if Garçon had any new tests since it was determined he suffered a turf-toe like injury on his right foot while sprinting for an 88-yard touchdown against the Saints.

Last week, Shanahan said Garçon's availability against the Rams would be determined by his ability withstand pain. He also hinted that the wide receiver could take pain medication to help him get on the field.

“I never know for sure,” Shanahan said when asked if the injury is taking longer to heal than he had anticipated. “You just kind of keep your fingers crossed. But it is nagging him a little bit more than I hoped it would.”

Against the Rams, Garçon was replaced in the lineup by Aldrick Robinson, who had two receptions for 40 yards – and gigantic dropped pass deep in St. Louis territory in the fourth quarter as the Redskins trailed 31-28.

The Redskins’ other injured players – cornerback Josh Wilson (concussion) and safety Brandon Meriweather (knee) – also were limited in practice, Shanahan said.

Carriker could miss rest of season

Although Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan won’t update reporters on his team’s injuries until 3 p.m., clues trickled out of the locker room in Ashburn this morning.

Adam Carriker (right leg) could miss the remainder of the season, according to defensive captain London Fletcher. Carriker left Sudnay’s 31-28 loss in St. Louis in the first quarter after planting his foot awkwardly and feeling a sharp pain near his knee.

“Adam has been a big part of what we’ve been able to do around here, a tremendous player for us,” Fletcher said. “He’s going to be done for, I guess, the rest of the year. We’ll miss him but it’s opportunity for somebody else now.”

Carriker was replaced by Kedric Golston and Jarvis Jenkins.

Linebacker Brian Orakpo (left pectoral muscle/shoulder) avoided the media during the open locker room period. But his backup, Rob Jackson, said he’s preparing as though he’ll start Sunday against the Bengals. Orakpo’s injury is believed to be to the same muscle he tore in the regular season finale last season and aggravated during the preseason.

Cornerback Josh Wilson, meantime, walked through the locker room and joked with teammate with Madieu Williams. Wilson sustained a concussion in the third quarter against the Rams and did not return. He is not permitted to speak to reporters, per NFL rules.

Cedric Griffin replaced Wilson and rookie Jordan Crawford replaced Griffin in nickel packages.

Shanahan is expected to provide a more detailed update this afternoon.

Garçon says he's 'feeling good' but was very limited in practice

A day after not participating at all in practice, wide receiver Pierre Garçon’s sore right foot caused him to be “very limited” on Thursday, according to Coach Mike Shanahan.

“I really don’t know,” Shanahan said when asked about Garçon’s availability. “He was very limited. We’ll have a better idea tomorrow.”

Garçon was injured while sprinting on his 88-yard scoring play in New Orleans on Sunday.

Shanahan described the injury as being near the ball of Garçon’s foot. The coach also said there’s no concern that he might do further damage, rather it’s more of a “pain tolerance” issue.

“He got a little work in today, so that was encouraging,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see tomorrow how it is.”

Garçon declined to discuss the injury with reporters, repeating, “Feeling good” as he walked from the practice field to the locker room.