On Tuesday afternoon, Jay Gruden told the media at a press conference that at least six Washington Redskins will definitely sit out Thursday’s preseason game.
Thursday is going to be the first preseason game of the 2017 season for the Washington Redskins. The team is taking on the Baltimore Ravens in a game that will showcase some of the younger talent on the team’s roster. Of course, the team is also expected to rest a fair number of their starters as they look to get action for the members on the 90-man roster.
Originally, it was assumed that most of the players that would sit out would be veterans. However, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said on Tuesday that at least six players would not be playing on Thursday night.
This was confirmed by the Redskins official Twitter account.
Gruden says Crowder, Doctson, Jordan Reed, Kendal Thompson, Fabian Moreau & Montae Nicholson will not play in Thursday's game vs. Ravens. https://t.co/TfqvAgQIrN
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 8, 2017
The first five members of the list should not be a surprise. Jordan Reed is currently on the PUP list with a toe injury and there is no timetable for his return. Josh Doctson is dealing with a slight hamstring pull and is likely being held out as a precaution. And Jamison Crowder has sat out with a hamstring malady of his own in recent days, so keeping him out seems to make sense.
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In addition to them, Kendal Thompson and Fabian Moreau will be sitting out. Both players are currently on the PUP list, so they were always expected to sit out. Thus, the most surprising player on this list in Montae Nicholson.
Nicholson was a fourth round pick by the Redskins in the 2017 NFL Draft. Some were surprised by the team’s decision to select him at the time, as he was considered to be a very raw prospect whose physical ability had not yet translated to the field. Still, there was some hope that he would be able to develop into a solid player for the team.
However, Nicholson is currently listed behind Fish Smithson, an undrafted free agent, for the third free safety spot on the team’s first depth chart. That means that Nicholson is behind in the battle for the fifth safety position, and he is going to have to have some success in the preseason in order to avoid being stashed on the practice squad. This was one of the reasons I thought that the Smithson vs. Nicholson battle would be a one of the most important ones to watch in the first week of the preseason.
Next: Redskins position battles preseason Week 1
Now, Nicholson is going to be facing an uphill battle if he cannot get on the field. It is unclear if his absence stems from the torn labrum that he has been recovering from since the team selected him, but it could hinder his development. Perhaps if Nicholson cannot see the field in the preseason, the team will try to store him on the Injured Reserve to give him a redshirt year.