The nose tackle had to leave training camp early for a heart procedure and is ready to get back to football for the last week of the preseason.

Redskins nose tackle Jerrell Powe was active and on the field last week for the first time since he left the team in early August to undergo a heart procedure.

After making an early impression to start training camp, Powe said he felt as though he was going to pass out during a practice and told the team doctor. He was quickly diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia, which required an hour of surgery, and two weeks of non-contact.

"It was definitely random to me," Powe said. "Just kind of came out of nowhere. It's a very common thing."

The Ole Miss product participated in individual drills during practice and missed Friday's preseason game. He expects to be back making contact this week.

"I was glad I was able to catch it early in camp and got it fixed," he said.

Properly called Atrial Fibrillations, in which the heart beats out of rhythm and can be overworked during physical activity, they impacted Powe three years ago while he was with the Texans.

Two weeks removed from the ablation procedure, Powe says he feels back to normal.

"I feel good. I feel normal," he said after practice this week. "At first, my mind kind of tricked itself, I didn't know if it was going to come back and I was kind of scared that it may come back, but now I'm fine, feeling normal, like it never ever happened."

Powe will need to maximize his time with the Redskins considering he's missed all three games of the preseason. He made strides in the middle of the Redskins' 3-4 base defense, but will have his work cut out for him as he tries to make one more impressions before the roster is cut down to 53.

"I put so much work in trying to be here and then I have an injury like this happen during camp is very unfortunate for me," Powe said. "I definitely worry and was a little upset, but I'm a true believer in God and I trust in the process. He makes no mistakes."

For moral support, Powe has leaned on linebacker Junior Galette, who dealt with his own injury issues – another torn Achilles – before training camp began. Since they both wound up in Washington last season, the two of them have been close friends, often spending time at each other's houses this summer.  

"I don't know what made us just click but we did, and that's one of my best friends as far as football, and I actually went and checked upon him [Monday] night," Powe said. "We're good friends, always good to talk to him, he always gives me words of encouragement and vice versa. I enjoy out conversation.

"When I got out of the hospital, he was there for me. It's always good to have friends like that and I'm very appreciative of it."