Hampered by a nagging Achilles injury, the Redskins have decided to place 2016 first-round pick Josh Doctson on Injured Reserve. He had two receptions for 66 yards this season.
Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden on Friday announced that rookie wide receiver Josh Doctson, the team's first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, has been placed on Injured Reserve. In a corresponding move, the team signed Maurice Harris from the practice squad to the active roster.
"We saw another specialist, a couple of them now, I think with all the work that we put in we thought it was best to immobilize him for a little bit of time and see if that can help by the time he gets out of the boot," Gruden said of Doctson. "Then he'll need time to see if he's ready and hopefully we'll get him back for the last maybe two games of the year."
Gruden said earlier this week that Injured Reserve would be a possibility for the 23-year-old, as the Achilles has continued to give him problems.
"I'm frustrated for him. I feel bad for him. He wants to play in the worst way," Gruden said. "This is the most unique injury that people have seen you know. Can't put a finger on why he's having pain, but he's having pain. And he wants to play. And he's not the same guy when you can't push off because your Achilles is bothering you. So we got to get to the bottom of it and give him a little bit of time hopefully and try to get to the bottom of it, but we're more concerned about longevity right now. We want to make sure he gets well."
Doctson was limited to only two appearances this season. In those games – against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys the first two weeks of the year – the TCU product collected two receptions for 66 yards.
Fifty-seven of those yards came on a deep reception against the Cowboys, as Doctson hauled in a underthrown ball and raced up field for the longest reception by a Redskins rookie wide receiver in 15 seasons.
At the time, it appeared that it would be the start of a solid rookie campaign for the 22nd-overall pick, but the Achilles issue flared up once again in pregame warmups for Washington's game against the New York Giants on Sept. 25. He hasn't been back on the field since then.
He could potentially return later this season, though, depending on where his health stands down the road.
"The big thing is just to get him healthy and based on all the research we've done we thought this was best for him," Gruden said.
Harris, meanwhile, has spent the entire season to date on the team's practice squad after originally signing with the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in May.
The 6-foot-3, 200 pounder recorded four receptions for 27 yards in the preseason after amassing 1,009 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns during his college career at California.
The Greensboro, N.C, native joins a wide receiver corps that is headlined by DeSean Jackson, Jamison Crowder and Pierre Garcon and also features Rashad Ross and Ryan Grant.
