1. Free safety Kareem Moore will undergo surgery on his right knee Monday and has been placed on injured reserve. It’s the same knee that required surgery during training camp, causing him to miss a month.
“It’s a setback enough to have surgery,” coach Mike Shanahan said.
Moore missed the first two games of the season as well as last week. He was limited in one other game because of the knee.
“He played hurt most of the season,” Shanahan said. “It’s nice to see somebody fight and work as hard as Kareem has done.”
Moore injured his left knee in his first training camp with Washington in 2008.
2. The Redskins have to think hard about upgrading free safety in the offseason. The coaches have always liked Moore’s competitiveness and say he’s mentally tough, more so than even LaRon Landry. But Moore didn’t produce and missed too many tackles. Was that a function of his knee? Inexperience? Or is he a better backup?
3. The Redskins signed defensive back Reggie Jones to take Moore’s roster spot. Jones had spent the entire season on New Orleans’ practice squad. He missed 2009 with an Achilles’ tendon tear. Washington also signed CB Doug Dutch to the practice squad; they had traded Dutch to the Ravens for John Beck this summer. Yes, now that he’s back it’s a real heist. They also signed DL Vince Oghobaase to the practice squad.
4. Corner Carlos Rogers (calf) was the only player who did not participate in practice. Returner Brandon Banks (knee), linebacker Brian Orakpo (groin/hamstring) and S Macho Harris (hip) all were limited.
5. Shanahan said he did not expect the season to be so rocky. And when asked whose fault it was, he sort of pointed the finger at himself. But I only say sort of because he really didn’t blame himself.
“I’m the head coach so I take it very personal and hopefully we’ll do much better in years to come,” he said.
6. Can’t blame him for everything, obviously, but he hasn’t exactly had his best season. But if they get to seven wins, I can’t fault him too much because that’s how many I predicted they’d win. Still, considering I thought one of the questions solved before this season was quarterback, it’s hard not to think this will take a few more years.
And this is not something free agency alone will fix. Keep in mind his track record in Denver with free agents was not very good.
7. Clinton Portis did not sound overly anxious about taking a pay cut to remain in Washington. And in talking to him today (in a group session), Portis still views himself as a player worthy of a full-time role. Now, whether other teams agree is another matter. After all, before next season he will be 30 years old and coming off 19 missed games in two seasons.
“I don’t think I’ll be just a contributor on any team,” Portis said. “Where I’m playing at, I think the defensive coordinator is going to game plan. I don’t think he’ll look and say, ‘That’s Portis, don’t worry about it.’ “
8. And about the pay cut, he said: “I played for pennies in Denver and I would be considered awesome. I gave everything I had in Washington and was supposedly overpaid and the last two years, when I’ve been on IR it’s like he’s overpaid and don’t deserve it. There’s plenty of people around the NFL whose stats don’t come close, who making the same kind of money as I’m making. So that’s up to them. I can’t sit here and say, ‘Oooh, I want to take a pay cut.’
Then he laughed and said: “I really want a pay raise, to be honest.”
9. By the way, Santana Moss is now fourth in career receptions by a Redskin (433) and fifth in receiving yards (6,068). The question is, will he add to those totals next year? He is a free agent after the season.
“Hopefully I’ll be here,” he said. “I’m a Redskin right now. That’s all I pretty much care about. All the other stuff that happens is out of my control.”
10. Moss loves this offense. He was pumped when he talked to Andre Johnson about Kyle Shanahan’s system in Houston. And after a year in it, Moss remains excited. He also likes playing in the slot for the first time, at least in a full-time role, since his college days.
“The routes inside, you can get open a little faster by putting a couple moves on that guy and getting him out of the break,” Moss said. “This offense is phenomenal when it comes to getting receivers the ball.”
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