Redskins Rumors: Josh Norman injures ribs, expected out multiple weeks
Josh Norman suffered a rib injury against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. The Washington Redskins fear that he will be out multiple weeks.
The Washington Redskins suffered a major blow to their secondary in their game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Midway through the second quarter, the Redskins lost their No. 1 cornerback Josh Norman to a rib injury. Norman got hit by a teammate coming across the field and he didn’t return before the half. There were concerns that he may not return to the contest, but those concerns were exacerbated immediately after the intermission.
Upon the return to action, ESPN’s Lisa Salters confirmed that she had talked to Jay Gruden at halftime. He said that Norman was getting X-rays and was expected to be out… at least a few weeks. It wasn’t just the game. The injury was serious enough to warrant Gruden saying that Norman would likely miss a couple weeks. This would be a huge loss for the Redskins if that ends up being true.
Norman is the top corner on the Washington roster. Though Bashaud Breeland has stepped up this year, he has proven to be much better as a No. 2 cornerback. Last season, he struggled to cover the likes of Antonio Brown and Dez Bryant in limited action against them. Breeland may be able to hold up better with another year of experience, but he would still be a downgrade from Norman.
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In place of Norman, the Redskins would have a few options. The first is to play reserve Quinton Dunbar at the position. Dunbar, a former receiver at Florida, has developed into a nice depth corner for the Redskins and he looked good in limited action as a starter last season. He may be able to hold up across from Breeland for a couple of games, and that would be a sensible move for the team.
However, if Dunbar struggles for any reason, the team will have a decision to make. They could move slot corner Kendall Fuller outside for a couple of weeks, but then they would have a weakness in the slot. The best option for the team in that scenario would end up being rookie Fabian Moreau. The third round rookie has been a terrific special teams player, but he is unproven at the NFL level. He could end up being a future starter though, and getting him some action wouldn’t hurt if he can prove to be at least decent.
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No matter what happens, losing Norman would be a crushing blow. Washington has to hope that the injury is not as serious as it initially appeared. But based on what Gruden said, this could end up being very bad news for the Redskins as they look to stay competitive in the NFC East.