Offensive lineman Kili Lefotu is improving but he remains hospitalized as doctors and team officials continue to wait for an update on his condition. He continues to undergo tests at
"He's doing much better today," director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer told reporters on Thursday. "He feels good. He's talking. He called me by my name and has a good memory. He couldn't remember exactly what happened in the episode."
Tyer said he expects Lefotu to be released from the hospital on Friday.
Lefotu was first hospitalized on Wednesday evening. Team officials first noticed that he was absent from Wednesday's practice and rushed over to his dorm room to locate him. Lefotu was conscious when team officials found him, but then the 6-5, 315-pound lineman "just passed out," Tyer said.
He was immediately transported to a local hospital. Initial tests on Lefotu were negative, but doctors wanted to keep him hospitalized to run more tests.
Team officials discounted Lefotu's condition as related to the heat.
"He is a big guy, and he had a good week of practice and work," Tyer said. "He wasn't any worse off than the other guys in regard to the heat. He wasn't one of the guys we had to IV earlier. It wasn't related to heat."
It is unlikely that Lefotu will play in this Sunday's preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
-- JIMOH HAS CHEST INJURY
#### -- ORTEGA A ROSTER HOPEFUL
Through the second week of training camp, Buck Ortega's most notable moment was when he was taped to a tree in the back of Redskins Park as part of a rookie hazing.
The 6-4, 227-pounder is hopeful that his performance this preseason creates more notable moments--and earns him a roster spot.
Ortega has settled in at tight end, but he has experience at multiple positions in college at the University of Miami. He played quarterback, linebacker and wide receiver before moving to tight end.
"I've been around a bunch of different positions," he said. "This one stuck."
Ortega was also a solid special teams performer at Miami, something that attracted Redskins coaches to him. Ortega signed with the Redskins as a free agent shortly after the NFL Draft.
"Special teams is a huge deal for all of the rookies," he said. "I played all of the special teams at Miami, so I knew that would help me a lot in the pros. The experience of that and all of the drills we did--it's to the point now where I always look forward to playing on special teams."
