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The injuries continue to pile up for the Washington Redskins, as the team officially placed cornerback Quinton Dunbar, wide receiver, Trey Quinn, and offensive guard Jonathan Cooper on injured reserve, effectively ending each player’s season.
#Redskins sign QB Josh Johnson, C Demetrius Rhaney, G Zac Kerin and DE Marcus Smith.
In corresponding moves they place CB Quinton Dunbar, WR Trey Quinn and G Jonathan Cooper on Injured Reserve Ā» https://t.co/rAEuYnQCXk pic.twitter.com/fULUtX67QH
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 5, 2018
Dunbar has been bothered by a lingering nerve issue in his injured shin. He missed five of the last six games due to the injury. His lone game since Week 6 was on Thanksgiving in a 31-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Dunbar’s condition worsen throughout the game and was evident when he gave up a 44-yard touchdown catch from Amari Cooper, who beat him on the route before cutting up the field for the score.
Dunbar entered the season as one of the Redskins’ top two cornerbacks. He showed great progression after being converted from a wide receiver. With him on the field, the Redskins were confident in him defending top wide receivers even with Josh Norman playing opposite of him.
Like Dunbar, Quinn battled through his issues. He initially was placed on injured reserve after Week 1’s game against Arizona with a high-ankle injury but was activated off IR on Nov. 14.
Quinn played in two games after being activated, making nine receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he re-injured the ankle and was seen in a walking boot Sunday as the team traveled to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, a game he did not play.
Trey Quinn has legitimate talent. But there was lots of talk about his ascent and how expendable Jamison Crowder has become. Quinn was constantly unavailable as a rookie. He needs to play a few games in a row before we start talking about him as a long-term fixture.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 5, 2018
The last overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Quinn entered the season with high expectations as the Redskins got younger at wide receiver. He was tabbed to backup Jamison Crowder, who too has dealt with a lingering injury throughout the season. However, injuries tamed the anticipation of the former SMU product.
Cooper suffered a torn biceps Monday against the Eagles, ending his season. It was only a matter of time the team made his move to IR official. Cooper started four games for the Redskins after being signed last month to replace left guard Shawn Lauvao, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 against Atlanta.
In corresponding moves, the Redskins signed three players — center Demetrius Rhaney, offensive guard Zac Kerin, and defensive end Marcus Smith.
For Rhaney, this is his second stint with Washington. The Redskins signed him in November of 2017 after a rash of season-ending injuries to the offensive line. He played in one game. He spent training camp and preseason with the team before being released during final cuts ahead of the start of the regular season.
The Redskins will be Kerin’s sixth team during his career. He went undrafted out of Toledo but was signed by the Minnesota Vikings, spending three season with them. He most recently spent the start of the season with the Atlanta Falcons before being released in October. He has made one start in his career — with the Detroit Lions in 2017.
Smith is a former 2014 first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles out of Louisville. He spent three uneventful seasons with the Eagles and was waived during camp in 2017 after the team decided to decline his fifth-year option.
He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks shortly after and played in 14 games in 2017, recording 2.5 sacks. Seattle released Smith in August.
Smith is more so a corresponding move to replace edge rusher Cassanova McKinzy, who suffered a torn pectoral in the Thanksgiving loss to Dallas. Washington went into Monday night’s game against Philadelphia with 52 active players.
The Redskins are holding out hope that quarterback Colt McCoy can return this season despite suffering a fractured fibula in Monday’s loss at Philadelphia. He underwent surgery on Tuesday and head coach Jay Gruden said “wishful thinking” McCoy could be out two-to-three weeks but more than likely four weeks.
If the Redskins are still in the playoff hunt for the final game of the regular season, the hope is McCoy could return to start. With that in mind, they will hold out on placing the quarterback on injured reserve.
Mark Sanchez will start at quarterback in McCoy’s place. And the team announced the signing of Josh Johnson to serve as Sanchez’s backup while McCoy is out.
Washington’s injured reserve list stuffed with notable names, including Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff, who suffered a torn pectoral in Week 9 against Atlanta and quarterback Alex Smith, who suffered a compound fracture in his leg breaking his fibula and tibia in Week 11 against the Houston Texans.
