Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon (88) is introduced before NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

When Bruce Allen addressed the media on Tuesday, he stated that one of the goals of Redskins OTAs was to get players healthy. “As we get through OTAs, we’ll see if there’s anybody out there who can enhance our roster,” Allen said. “But right now we feel pretty comfortable with the 90 we have. We’re just short in depth in a couple areas because some players are still mending.” Two of those players on the mend, Josh Wilson and Pierre Garcon, are recovering from similar injuries to the labrum.

Wilson played through injury at the end of the 2012 season and underwent off-season surgery on his labrum and pectoral muscle. According to Rich Campbell of The Washington Times, the damage was more extensive than doctors had expected. According to Mike Shanahan, Wilson is recovering well and hopes to be a part of training camp: “He played through it the whole season. It was sore and he played through it. Then he went in there for surgery and it was worse than they thought it was. He’s feeling pretty good.”

Garcon also is recovering from off-season surgery to a tear in his labrum. The wide receiver first announced on NFL Live Thursday. Shanahan was even rosier about Garcon’s prospects: “I mean anytime you get operated on like he did and you’re able to come back as quickly as he has. I was watching him this morning in the weight room and he’s lifting weights he shouldn’t be able to lift. He’s in excellent shape, so I’ll be surprised if he’s not full speed and ready to go once we go to training camp.”

While injuries to players like Robert Griffin and Fred Davis were highly publicized, these injuries flew under the radar and first became apparent to the media on Thursday when the Redskins released a list of players who had not been medically cleared to participate in OTA drills. Both players will need to be healthy if the Redskins hope to make a repeat trip to the post-season.

Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) is looked at by team trainers after being injured against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at FedEx Field. The Seahawks won 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Michael McGraw is a writer and editor for Riggo’s Rag, a Redskins fan site. He recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his knee. He will be blogging about his recovery and talking about sports and RG3 along the way. It is actually kind of a selfish endeavor if you think about it, but just play along.

It started with a growth on the side of my right knee. I had just finished an April run and noticed that my knee was swollen, but only selectively on the side. It looked like a second knee cap was forming on the outer part of my leg. How long has that been there? The doctor was confused by the swelling as well: “It could be a cyst…or some fluid…or maybe a small tumor.” A knee tumor? He ordered an MRI to get a better visual. I waited a week to get the official diagnosis, time spent frantically calculating my chances of survival on the internet (not good was the consensus). When I returned to get the results from the doctor, he gave me the news that made me long for a knee full of tumors. I had a benign cyst but no ACL.

The news was surprising because I had torn that same ACL on two prior occasions. The first time was in 2002 playing tennis. My opponent lobbed a ball over my head after I came to the net (I was never very good at prolonged volleys). In attempting to jump for the ball, my ankle gave out and my knee shredded. The pain was so horrible I nearly blacked out. In 2006, I re-tore the same ACL playing a game of Capture the Flag in college. This fluke injury forced me to spend the next year carrying out the same conversation:

“How’d you tear your ACL? Are you a snowboarder?”

“No, I was playing Capture the Flag.”

“…You disgust me.”

However, with my current injury there was no obvious cause. No singular moment of agony. This time, my ligament just wore out over the years. In some ways, that will be harder to explain to others than the Capture the Flag fiasco.

Surgery was on Monday. It was a long and exhausting day at the hospital. Through all the reality-distorting drugs, only a few random memories have endured. My last moment of consciousness on the operating table involved nurses shaving my knees to prepare for surgery. There are few moments in my life in which I felt more vulnerable. I remember the intense bouts of nausea after waking up, and my attending nurse commenting on the pale color of my skin (but in a beautiful British accent). I recall my dad telling me the doctor had removed a large chunk of cartilage that was just floating around my knee. I hope I will forget that moment in time.

The days since the surgery have been long and painful. I’m not sure when the adidas RGIII “All-In For Week One” commercial was conceived, but it certainly did not come from Griffin laying in bed 48 hours after his operation. There is no way he was thinking anything other than “I wonder if I can use this dinner tray to saw off my leg somehow.” I know professional athletes have a different mentality than sports bloggers, but I have to think RG3 felt some vulnerability as well. He had to, right? He is rehabbing his second ACL surgery on the same knee; he had to at least consider whether he would ever fully recover. Maybe he had some of the same feverish, self-lamenting thoughts I did during my sleepless nights. How could this happen to me again? What is wrong with my body? Why didn’t I date more people in college? Is this what it feels like to be 30? Am I ever going to write the “Great American Novel” or will I give up on it like my ACL gave up on me?

Only three days out from surgery, I already feel physically and mentally exhausted. How can professional football players go through this every offseason? Not every injury is as invasive as an ACL tear, but many are far worse. How does Tim Hightower have the dedication to return to the field after almost two full seasons of rehabbing a knee injury? He’s younger than I am. My goals for recovery are not nearly as lofty: I want to be able to jog again without excruciating pain. More immediately, I want to be able to take this bandage off so I can scratch my (now) hairless knees. It’s clear I do not have a warrior mentality.

Aug 25, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins running back Tim Hightower (25) runs the ball forward while Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea (41) grabs from behind during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Paul Frederiksen-USA TODAY Sports

According to multiple sources, the Washington Redskins have inquired about re-signing running back Tim Hightower. Hightower was brought in from Arizona via trade in 2011 where he earned a role as the starting tailback. His 2011 season was cut short however, when he ruptured his ACL in a Week 5 game against Carolina. He attempted to make a comeback during the 2012 preseason, but suffered a set back after attempting to play against the Colts. The team released him before the season began.

It is unknown how serious the Redskins are about bringing back Hightower. Several other teams, including the New York Giants, have opened up communication lines with Hightower’s agent. His case is a difficult one for Washington’s front office. Hightower was impressive during his short time with the Redskins, winning the starting job outright in 2011. He rushed for 321 yards on 84 carries, and provided a versatility out of the backfield catching passes as well. At 26, Hightower may still have legs for the NFL despite his injury.

However, his extended time out of the league is cause for concern. The Washington backfield is crowded already with Alfred Morris, Roy Helu, Evan Royster, and draft picks Jawan Jamison and Chris Thompson under contract. Hightower may be a better option than a couple of these backs, but his injury and price tag may be too high for the cash-strapped Redskins. Additionally, he would have to learn a new offensive scheme, as the zone-read was not in place during the 2011 season.

If the price tag is right, the Redskins should certainly explore bringing back the talented Richmond tailback. However, running back is currently one of the deepest spots on the Washington depth chart. After selecting two running backs in the 2013 NFL Draft, it seems more likely that Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen will go in another direction for a change-of-pace back.