ASHBURN, Va. — Just when you think the injury news out of Redskins Park can’t get worse, it does. Linebacker Junior Galette tore his left Achilles at the end of practice on Wednesday. He will miss the entire season and faces a lengthy rehab process.
Head coach Jay Gruden said after practice that the team was examining Galette for an ankle injury and that he was very concerned. According to multiple reports later in the day, an MRI revealed a torn Achilles. Not knowing exactly what had happened, players were very concerned after practice and were bracing for the worst.
“Right now I’m worried about him as a person,” nose tackle Terrance Knighton said after practice. “I know he loved the game. Right now he probably feels like he’s letting people down, that’s how much he cares about his teammates and the people around him and his family. To me right now, the impact hurts on a personal level.”
Quarterback Kirk Cousins knows it’s a big loss as well.
“Disappointing,” he said. “We understand its part of the game. Our thoughts and prayers need to be with Junior getting healthy. All season long we’re gonna have guys get injured, and we need to have the next-man-up mentality to be able to have success.”
Galette was scheduled to make his Redskins debut on Saturday night. He had just returned to practice full-time after missing time with a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in June. One thing was certain — he was feeling at home with his new team, and was very thankful that the guys had embraced him.
“Especially the D-line group, linebackers (have been) extremely encouraging,” Galette said in Richmond during training camp. “A lot of guys since day one have been pulling for me. It was probably an emotional cycle for me the past six months, but here I am now, I’m just blessed and happy to be here.”
Galette was signed by the Redskins at the beginning of training camp, a week after he was released by the Saints. New Orleans released the linebacker less than a year after signing him to a four-year, $41.5 million contract.
Galette is still under investigation by the NFL connected to domestic violence charges that were later dropped. He could still be suspended for those off-the-field issues, which caused the Saints to release him.
This injury takes the focus, at least for a day, off Robert Griffin III, who suffered a concussion in last week’s win over the Lions. The talk this week has centered around whether or not he will be cleared by a neurosurgeon in order to play against the Ravens in the team’s third preseason game Saturday night.
Griffin is scheduled to see the doctor on Thursday and the Redskins are hopeful he will be cleared. The quarterback has gone through non-contact drills each day of practice this week with no setbacks.
With Galette most likely heading to season-ending Injured Reserve, he joins Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen, Adam Heyward and Silas Redd Jr as players who have seen their seasons end before it even starts.
It’s only August.
