The Redskins placed right guard Randy Thomas on injured reserve on Thursday, ending the veteran lineman's season.
Jason Fabini is expected to finish the season as the Redskins' starter at right guard. The team re-signed Rick DeMulling to take Thomas's place on the roster.
For Thomas, it was a disappointing end to an injury-plagued year.
He suffered a torn triceps in Week 2 at Philadelphia, an injury that sidelined him for 11 weeks. Thomas spent mid-season rehabbing the injury and hoping to return for the Redskins' stretch run.
After missing 10 games, Thomas finally returned to the starting lineup for last Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.
In the first half, Thomas stumbled a couple of times and suffered a bruised elbow. He stayed in the game, but when he started favoring the elbow, he figured it would be best to give way to Fabini.
Coaches said he did not re-tear the triceps, but there was swelling around the injury.
"It's tough," Thomas said on Thursday. "I had a long talk with Coach [Joe] Gibbs. We decided [injured reserve] would be best for me as a player. You have to be careful--it's a tough game.
Gibbs said that Thomas needed to rebuild strength in his arm before returning to the lineup.
Said Thomas: "I tried to come back. The training camp did their best to try and get me to come back. You just never know. But I learned it early that I'm not ready and I need more time."
DeMulling spent eight weeks on the Redskins' roster earlier this season and played in three games.
Last year, he played in 14 games with seven starts in Detroit and has now played in a total of 78 games with 53 starts in his NFL career.
-- MORE ON THE QUARTERBACKS
Mike Sellers has had plenty of fun at Todd Collins' expense this week.
Asked about the fact that Collins hadn't started a game since 1997, Sellers wondered with a wry smile, "Was I even alive back then?"
All kidding aside, the Redskins' players have confidence in Collins and his backup Mark Brunell. Antwaan Randle El will serve as the emergency quarterback, head coach Joe Gibbs said.
"We feel really comfortable with the quarterback situation we have," Casey Rabach said. "Todd has been with us the last two years and he has been in this system for 10 years now. You saw what he was capable of doing against the Bears.
"And everyone knows what Mark is capable of doing. He has won a lot of big games in this league and been to Pro Bowls. We feel real comfortable with them."
Sellers commented on the fact that, in preseason, Collins's performance was impacted because he played behind third-string offensive linemen.
"Now that he's playing in front of an offensive line that has some experience--unlike preseason where he was playing behind rookies and first-year players--he looks more comfortable throwing the ball."
-- DANIELS SITS OUT PRACTICE
Phillip Daniels has been sidelined in practice this week with a knee injury suffered last Thursday against the Bears. His official status for the Giants game will be decided on Friday when the Redskins issue their injury report.
Meantime, Daniels lamented the first Redskins-Giants game in Week 3 as one the Redskins let "get away."
"We had a 17-3 lead at halftime and we could have had them," Daniels said. "I think we got a little too conservative on offense and on defense we just couldn't hold them. Plaxico Burress got us at the end [with a 33-yard game-winning touchdown catch].
"We just have to be better this time. If we get a lead, play better. It's going to be a tough game. So we have to go out and play hard every snap. There's a lot riding on this game. Both teams are fighting for a lot."
