Redskins Take Beating With Nine Starters Out
Even by training camp standards, the Washington Redskins injury situation is looking pretty grim. Nine of 22 starters - both running backs, both guards, the tight end and the entire defensive line - are expected to miss Saturday’s exhibition game at Tennessee.
Eighteen players - more than one-fifth of the roster - did not practice Wednesday.
The team’s biggest immediate concern was defensive tackle Marc Boutte, who felt something pop in his right knee during practice Monday. Although arthroscopic surgery seemed at first possible, Boutte will not have the operation - for now - and might even play in Saturday’s second preseason game.
More injury news
A day after saying his injury wasn’t serious, the Indianapolis Colts announced Wednesday that offensive lineman Clay Williams will miss the entire season with a broken right leg.
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound lineman from Indiana was hoping to make the Colts after spending part of last season on the team’s practice squad. Coach Lindy Infante said Williams will spend the season on the injured list.
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Chris Zorich and defensive back Kevin Miniefield will undergo surgery later this week.
Zorich will undergo surgery Friday to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb, coach Dave Wannstedt said. Miniefield will have arthroscopic knee surgery Friday.
Sherrard retires
Mike Sherrard, a wide receiver who played 11 NFL seasons, including last year with Denver, announced his retirement Wednesday.
Sherrard had 3,931 career receiving yards and averaged 15.3 yards per reception.
Butler talks about 19-0
Last year, Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren issued a moratorium on Super Bowl talk after strong safety LeRoy Butler declared the Packers the team to beat.
Now Holmgren might have to clamp down on talk of an unblemished season.
Butler said there was chatter around the locker room about going 19-0 this year.
Unbeaten. Unprecedented.
But not so unlikely, Butler insisted.
“It’s just a realistic goal. We’re pretty damn good,” Butler told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “OK, we won the Super Bowl. Now our next goal is to make history: Win the Super Bowl again and go undefeated if we can.”
Holmgren cringed.
After all, the Packers are only 3-1/2 weeks into training camp, and talk about unseating the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who went 17-0, is exceedingly premature.
At least publicly, Holmgren was diplomatic in his response.
“In this day and age I think it’s a little unrealistic,” he said. “I think if you lose somebody to an injury, it’s harder to replace that person because of the rules we’re under now.”
Talley sued over autograph
A $450,000 lawsuit contends that former Buffalo Bills linebacker Darryl Talley manhandled a woman who tried to get his autograph at a charity golf tournament last year.
Paula McGowan of Virginia Beach, Va., said Talley, now a 37-year-old unsigned free agent, picked her up against her will, slung her over his shoulder and signed his name on her upper thigh.
Talley could not be reached for comment.
Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Erik Williams has been hit with a paternity lawsuit alleging he is the father of a boy born July 9 to his longtime girlfriend, according to a published report.
The lawsuit, filed July 18, asked a Dallas family civil court judge to order Williams and girlfriend Shelley West to undergo tests to establish paternity.