Rumors: Fabian Moreau’s ankle injury could last into regular season

According to a report, there is some concern that cornerback Fabian Moreau could miss time with an ankle injury he suffered last week. Here’s how that could impact the Redskins.

So far this preseason, the Redskins have managed their projected starters very carefully. After a couple of seasons that saw them load up the IR with 20-plus players, the team has taken a cautious approach to injuries. They have played many of their starters sparingly and have even sat out some young guys for precautionary reasons (Terry McLaurin and Cole Holcomb stand out in this category).

However, because of the nature of football, the team can’t prevent all injuries. And it appears that the one the Fabian Moreau recently suffered an ankle injury that could sideline him for a bit.

According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, “there is a concern” that Moreau could miss time early in the season as he recovers from the injury. Here’s what Standig said of Moreau’s injury in a recent 53-man roster projection.

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"We knew Fabian Moreau would miss the third pivotal preseason game in Atlanta. On Sunday, Gruden described the injury as a “sprained ankle,” and subsequently offered little else. The third-year corner then missed all three practices following the Aug. 18 game against the Bengals. According to sources, there is a concern Moreau’s injury could linger into the regular season and cause the projected slot starter to miss multiple games."

And in response to this article on Twitter, NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay pointed out that Mitch Tischler had seen Moreau wearing a cast, which is obviously not good.

If Moreau does, indeed, miss time, the Redskins’ secondary depth will be tested early on in the season. The good news is that the team does have some solid options that could step up.

Many fans will clamor for seventh-round rookie Jimmy Moreland to get a chance to play the slot. He could get some opportunities, but given that he has had some issues in coverage, he may not start right away. In all likelihood, he would be the role player on the back end that could come in and try to create some turnovers in certain packages.

If Moreau does miss time, rolling with the veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would seemingly make the most sense. DRC is a seasoned veteran with experience in the slot and he should be able to fare well at the position. Again, he could cede snaps to Moreland if the rookie can prove that his coverage skills are strong enough or if the team is in need of a big play, but Rodgers-Cromartie would likely be the safe option to replace Moreau if his ankle does keep him out early in the season.

We’ll see if anything regarding Moreau’s prognosis changes in the near future. But even if he does miss time, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to have to go on any injury list or anything of that sort. The team is just going to have to be patient, and given the solid options they have at cornerback, they should be able to survive without him in the short term.