The Washington Redskins suffered so many injuries last season. This year, they are hoping desperately to avoid them.
The 2017 season was a sight to behold for the Washington Redskins faithful. And not in a good way. Week in and week out, the carnage of the 16-game NFL season took its toll on the team. By the end of the year, they had 23 players on Injured Reserve and were marching out a squad filled with many guys who had been signed off the streets to provide depth.
After seeing that, it’s fair to say that the Redskins want to go out of their way to avoid injuries in 2018. Jay Gruden has changed practice schedules in hopes of preventing injuries. The front office has added more depth to help the team should they suffer more injuries. These steps are crucial developments, but the team still has to make sure they do preventative maintenance with their players and be extra cautious during the offseason.
Even with extra caution, there are some players who never seem to avoid the injury bug. These injury-prone players are often X-factors for their teams if they can stay healthy. And the Redskins have a few on their roster. Here’s a look at the top three.
3. LG Shawn Lauvao
Re-signing Shawn Lauvao was not something that many wanted to see. In fact, some had celebrated the fact that his contract was up, as that would lead Washington to find a new starter, and upgrade, at the left guard position.
However, the Redskins didn’t do what many had expected. They re-signed Lauvao and eschewed the guard position in the draft. They did select an offensive lineman, in Louisville’s Geron Christian, but he is going to be a tackle at the NFL level.
Despite the fans’ distaste for Lauvao, Bill Callahan recently spoke well of him, per Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post. Here’s what Callahan said about the veteran lineman.
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"It’s not what I like [about him], it’s [what] I love. I love him. He’s a warrior, he’s a veteran. He’s well prepared. More than that, in the room, in the locker room, in the weight room, you watch him practice and he’s a very contentious pro. He’s a pro’s pro. He’s a consummate pro in that respect. He does everything you want him to do. He works hard. He studies. He knows the game. He can teach the young guys. We really benefited from him coming back."
Callahan is one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. If he loves Lauvao as he claims, then there has to be a reason for it. But one of the problems preventing the Redskins fans from knowing and loving Lauvao is that he hasn’t stayed healthy during his tenure with the team.
In the past three seasons, Lauvao has suited up for just 26 games of a possible 42. Last year, he only played nine games and was largely ineffective when on the field. That could have been because he was dealing with an injury throughout the whole season, or it could have been related to previous injuries. Or, he could just be a mediocre starter. It’s hard to know, given how much he has been hurt.
The reason that Lauvao is so important despite his less than stellar performance is that the Redskins have practically nothing behind him. Arie Kouandjio is on Injured Reserve. Tony Bergstrom is a below average journeyman. Kyle Kalis and Tyler Catalina are young, but they struggled to be effective last season when called upon. In short, there could be a huge drop-off from Lauvao to the next guy if he can’t stay on the field.
Perhaps if Lauvao can stay healthy this season, Callahan will be able to get the most out of him. And if not, the Redskins have no logical replacement for him. His health will be key for the team’s strong-looking offensive line.
2. S Montae Nicholson
One of the key pieces of the Redskins defense is Montae Nicholson. While the team’s free safety was just a rookie in 2017, he had a big impact when he was on the field, and he could end up being a very good piece of the Redskins’ secondary.
Nicholson showed excellent range and cover skills during the 2017 season. He was expected to mainly use his rookie campaign to develop, and it was thought that he would be the team’s third safety at best. And that only happened after the squad lost Su’a Cravens when he abruptly decided to retire in one of the stranger stories of that season.
Still, Nicholson was able to step up and prove that he had a spot in the NFL. Many had criticized the Redskins for picking a raw, traits based prospect in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, but Nicholson proved to be a solid playmaker, and his signature game came against the Oakland Raiders in Week 3 of the NFL season.
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Against the Raiders, Nicholson was forced into extension action for the first time in his NFL career. He did very well to help lock down the Raiders offensive weaponry, and he recorded the first interception of his career. He made a major difference on the back end for the Skins, and it became apparent that he should be the favorite to start over Deshazor Everett.
Unfortunately, Nicholson dealt with a concussion that knocked him out for the final five games of the season. Concussions are very tricky injuries, and it’s possible that Nicholson was held out at the end of the year to ensure that he was fully healthy. At the same time, the injury is certainly a concerning one, as concussions can become career-long problems for some players. So, this is something to keep an eye on.
Additionally, Nicholson dealt with a shoulder injury during the offseason, after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum following the draft. That lingered a bit into the start of the 2017 campaign, but with an offseason to heal from that, perhaps he will be even better.
Nicholson is a true X-factor. If he’s healthy, he will be a key player in the secondary. And if he’s not, the team will have to rely on Everett, Troy Apke, Quin Blanding, and Kenny Ladler to fill in for him. That could be a major downgrade, so Nicholson’s health is truly a key for the Redskins this year.
1. TE Jordan Reed
This is the obvious injury concern every season for the Redskins. Jordan Reed has never played a full season during his entire NFL career. His healthiest season came in 2015, when he was able to suit up for 14 games and put up career highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
However, since that time, Reed has struggled to get on the field and stay on the field. In the past two seasons, Reed has been active for 18 of a possible 32 games, and he has only made 13 starts. At times, he was just dressed to serve as a decoy, as he dealt with various injuries related to his shoulder, head, and legs.
The 2017 season was a particularly maddening one for Reed’s camp and Redskins fans. Reed had suffered a toe injury in the preseason and just a few games into the season, he suffered a hamstring injury. At the time , Reed was limited by the injury and was held out a couple of weeks as a precaution. Then, a couple of weeks turned into a month. Then two months. And then, the Injured Reserve came and it ended Reed’s season. His 27 catches for 211 yards were both career lows.
For 2018, Reed is entering a make-or-break season. The Redskins haven’t yet added true competition for him, but they have solid depth behind him. Vernon Davis and Jeremy Sprinkle could hold the fort if Reed gets hurt again. But if that does happen, the Redskins may have to try and part with Reed and target a replacement in free agency or via the 2019 NFL Draft.
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Reed needs to do everything he can to stay healthy this year. At the very least, he needs to be able to stay on the field for 12 or more games in order to develop a rapport with Alex Smith and prove that he is a worthy investment for the team. If not, he could become a cap casualty during the offseason.