Landon Collins has been placed on Injured Reserve with a season-ending Achilles injury, the Washington Football Team announced Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the team signed safety Jeremy Reaves from the practice squad.
"It's always tough when you lose a good football player," defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said Monday. "He's a tough guy that was voted a team captain by his peers. Obviously, any time that happens, it's something you have to work to overcome. We're just going to ask him to heal up and stay positive. We're going to carry on. We're going to continue on and expect to play well."
Collins, a three-time Pro Bowler, has totaled a team-high 158 tackles since signing a multi-year contract with Washington last offseason. He also added 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception during that stretch.
Before leaving Sunday's game early in the second quarter, Collins made perhaps his biggest play wearing the burgundy and gold. Three plays after Washington's offense was stuffed at the goal line on its opening drive, Collins blitzed off the defensive right edge, used a swim move to breeze past his blocker and smacked the ball out of the hands of Dallas quarterback Andy Dalton. Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz recovered the ball but was downed in the end zone for a safety, giving Washington a lead it would never relinquish.
"Terrific play right there to take the ball off the quarterback when we're back there," Del Rio said. "We don't just tackle him, but try to take the football off him. I thought it was a great play."
In Collins' absence, seventh-round rookie Kamren Curl played strong safety while Deshazor Everett stayed at free safety. It remains to be seen if Washington will use that same combination going forward, but the coaching staff has liked what Curl and Everett have done in limited action.
"I'm excited about his development," defensive backs coach Chris Harris said about Curl. "He's got the tools to be able to play in our big nickel package when he's outside and also to play back deep or at strong safety. His versatility is one of the things that I really like about him."
