Commanders defensive star sends fans into panic mode with mysterious injury

Washington Commanders fans are busy tying to keep up with the team’s myriad roster moves over the last 24 hours. Between reducing the roster to 53-players, re-signing several of their waived players to the practice squad and making a pair of waiver claims, it’s been a chaotic roster deadline for the Commanders.

The last thing fans need is an injury to derail the optimism of the regular season rapidly approaching.

In recent days, the news on that front oozed optimism with Trai Turner, Wes Schweitzer, John Bates and Cole Turner all returning to practice.

Unfortunately, those positive vibes ended in one fell swoop Wednesday when one of Washington’s defensive standouts showed up to practice in sweatpants and sporting a sling over his right arm and shoulder.

That player? The perpetually underrated Kam Curl.

Commanders defensive star Kam Curl showed up to Monday’s practice with a mysterious injury.

Not an image you want to see from a top-five most important player on the defense. During a season that was defined by defensive inconsistency, Curl was a model of consistency in 2021. His versatility is paramount, so you could imagine fans’ reactions when they stumbled across photos of him in a sling.

Good question. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

It’s only the Jaguars, but still … Curl is a stud. Need him out there.

We’re all searching for answers.

Maybe there were some overreactions, but what else do you expect when one of Washington’s primary defenders shows up to practice in a sling? To make matters more worrisome, it looks as though Curl has a cast on his wrist/arm area, too, at least according to this photo from The Athletic’s Ben Standig.

Let’s hope this is precautionary and Curl isn’t dealing with anything serious.

As we noted earlier, Curl was as advertised last season, finishing second on the Commanders in tackles (91), fifth in pass breakups (five) and defensive stops (27) and allowed just a 60.7% completion rate in coverage on 56 targets.

Ron Rivera will address the media after practice and you can guarantee reporters are clamoring for some clarity on Curl’s injury. All we know at this point is the former seventh-round pick left practice last Thursday with a trainer.

Probably a safe bet to say the injury occurred then. In a smidge of good news, Bobby McCain, Curl’s partner in crime at safety, told JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington that Curl should only be shelved for a few days.

Needless to say Curl being out a while would shatter a good chunk of the confidence fans have left in the first-team defense considering how it performed for most of last year and the first two preseason games.