Safety has been out with hamstring injury ASHBURN — Strong safety LaRon Landry is ready. Whether his hamstring is remains another matter, but in Landry’s mind it’s time to return.
Landry is hopeful he will play at Dallas on Monday, returning for the first time since missing the final seven games of 2010. He hasn’t practiced at full speed since training camp opened.
Landry missed the first three weeks of training camp while he strengthened his Achilles. But he tweaked his hamstring Aug. 19 and again the week of the opener. He said it feels better than even a week ago. Landry was still limited in practice Wednesday, but his optimism is high.
“I just feel comfortable,” Landry said. “Hamstrings are all about comfort level, too. If you second guess yourself, you may pull it because your body’s not comfortable of sustaining all that you need to do on the field. Straight ahead is no problem, but you may have to make that one sudden movement that will tweak it. I just feel comfortable that I’m able to do those things.”
But Landry still has to show the coaches he can get through a week of practice with no issues. He said he hasn’t fully tested his hamstring since the week of the opener — when he suffered a setback. Reed Doughty has started the first two games in place of Landry.
“I hadn’t had any setbacks, so I’m looking forward to playing Monday,” he said.
And when Landry does return, he said there’s no sense trying to keep him calm.
Landry’s intensity was evident in the walkthrough Wednesday morning. While his teammates were jogging, Landry participated at a faster speed, even bumping into linebacker Lorenzo Alexander after one play.
“Lorenzo is one of the toughest guys I’ve ever been around, and he hit ‘Zo one time, and ‘Zo was like, ‘Dude, calm down,’?” cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. “That’s LaRon, full speed. He has a motor.”
Telling him to calm down is a waste of time and effort. Landry has long been known for how hard he goes in practice. Add to that the fact that he hasn’t played since November and is ready to hit someone. Anyone.
“Don’t calm me down,” he said. “Let me go. Untame this beast. It’s been a while. I’ve been counting them days. Man, I haven’t played a game since Week 10. You tell me what you would do, especially on a Monday night.”
Hall said he told rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan how much the game will change when Landry plays.
“It’s just the intensity he brings, the speed he brings, the reckless abandon he brings,” Hall said. “It’s amazing. You sit in awe watching him sometimes when you’re on the field. If he’s out there, we’ll be that much better, faster, crisper.”
Said linebacker Brian Orakpo: “It just adds another playmaker. It’s like ketchup on a burger.”
But nobody knows how Landry will respond once he’s on the field. If he’s on the field, that is. He hasn’t worked with free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe at full speed. He hasn’t tackled anyone in 10 months, not that he’s worried about any physical limitations.
“I don’t want to hear a thing about tackling or fundamentals,” he said. “Tackling comes with attitude, a passion. I’m a hitter and a tackler.”
