Redskins place CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on injured reserve

He was a Redskins free agent acquisition with modest excitement surrounding him. And now, his season is over, after two weeks.

When the Washington Redskins first signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, there was intrigue, more than anything else. Cromartie, then 32 years old, had recently retired midseason with the Oakland Raiders. He was observably past his prime, but the Redskins were in need of depth and versatility on the back end, and so they brought the familiar division rival on.

There was some speculation that Cromartie, with his relative experience and former 4.29 speed, could take on a role as a safety with the Redskins. But those aspirations proved to be ambitious, as Cromartie never amounted to more than a depth piece in Washington. He played just two games, filling in for injured cornerbacks, and in the end, he met the same fate as they did.

In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, Cromartie reportedly injured his leg, and after the Redskins signed edge rusher Noah Spence yesterday, they needed an open spot on the roster. Subsequently, Cromartie was placed on injured reserve. NBC Sports Mid-Atlantic’s J.P. Finlay confirmed the move, pursuant to several reports.

While he could be given a designation to return in the future, Cromartie is unlikely to be a return candidate off of injured reserve. The Redskins already have Derrius Guice, formerly their starting running back, on injured reserve, and he’s on track to return during the season. The lack of concrete knowledge as to the extent of Cromartie’s injury further clouds matters.

In two games, and one start, with the Washington Redskins, Cromartie logged seven total tackles. With Cromartie gone, and with both Quinton Dunbar and Fabian Moreau still dealing with lingering injuries, expect to see much more of Simeon Thomas and Aaron Colvin in the coming weeks. Both cornerbacks were signed in the wake of the injury wave that’s hit, and without Cromartie, the depth of the unit only weakens.