Washington Redskins: Several players not expected to be ready for OTAs

It’s a good thing the offseason is seven months long. The Washington Redskins need it.

Coming out of the 2017 season, the Washington Redskins were one of the most banged up teams in the entire NFL. Countless position groups were decimated by injuries, including the running back core, the offensive line, and much of the entire defense.

It’s an impressive feat in its own right that Jay Gruden was able to keep the team competitive in the wake of such a relentless wave of health issues. And the hope is that, with a healthy, retooled roster in 2018, the team can find more success. But first things first: The Washington Redskins need to get healthy.

Speaking to reporters at a coaches’ breakfast earlier this morning, Jay Gruden was able to shed some light on the pending situations of multiple key players for the Washington Redskins. According to Washington Post reporter Kimberly A. Martin, Gruden stated that left tackle Trent Williams, right tackle Morgan Moses, and tight end Jordan Reed are not expected to be ready by organized team activities, which normally start some time in May.

The unavailability of Reed is something the Washington Redskins should be used to by now. Reed, in his last three seasons with the Washington Redskins, has missed 16 full games. Over his entire five-year career, he’s missed 28. In contrast, Vernon Davis, over a twelve-year career, has only missed 12 games. The injuries are a legitimate threat to the quality of Reed’s career, and if he doesn’t show quick improvement, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to draft a tight end. In our recent Round 7 mock, we had the Washington Redskins select Tennessee tight end Ethan Wolf.

The absences of Moses and Williams are more unexpected. Both players were lost to injury in the latter parts of the 2017 season, after playing with their ailments in order to avoid forcing unprepared reserves into the lineup. Both players were admirable in their efforts, but now their health will be a concern for the foreseeable future. Thus, drafting another tackle in the middle rounds isn’t out of the question for the Washington Redskins, either.

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Nevertheless, the offseason is built to give players time to rest, heal, and recuperate, so react to this news with that in mind. By August, Trent Williams and Morgan Moses should be well on their way to recovery, and by then, more depth will have been added to serve as a buffer. The hope is that Williams and Moses will be ready by preseason. The two combine to form one of the better tackle duos in the nation. Without even one of them, the Washington Redskins is worse as a whole.