The Redskins may sit rookie wide receiver Josh Doctson for a couple weeks to speed up the healing process for his lingering Achilles injury.
Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has expressed puzzlement over the last month regarding rookie Josh Doctson's lingering Achilles tendon injury, which remains troublesome for the team's first-round draft pick.
A series of tests has shown no structural damage that would indicate any long-term concerns, but Doctson has still reported discomfort pushing off the ground in the way he would like.
That's made determining the wide receiver's status difficult, as Doctson, who sat out practice Wednesday and will likely do so Thursday, will be "making a great catch and looking good and then the next day he gets sore," Gruden said.
The daily uncertainty has Gruden very concerned, and the head coach said that it's a possibility the Redskins keep him from practicing and playing for a couple of weeks to help expedite the healing process.
"We are not trying to rush him, we are just trying to see how he feels on each given day and if he can go, he goes and if not, he doesn't," Gruden said. "So we just don't know what tomorrow will bring."
This nearly had bigger implications last Sunday at MetLife Stadium, when Doctson reported discomfort during his warm-ups. Because he was originally slated on the active roster, the Redskins moved swiftly to make changes to the inactive list before its release, calling up wide receiver Rashad Ross to take Doctson's place before the team's 29-27 victory.
Check out these photos of the Redskins' offense preparing for their Week 4 game against the Cleveland Browns Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, at the Inova Sports Performance Center at Redskins Park.
"He just didn't feel comfortable, couldn't push off the way he wanted to so we had to make that last minute switch," Gruden said. "We don't know. We are trying different treatments for him to try and get him back in action as soon as possible but take it easy this week, next couple days, see if he can do anything Friday and see where he is at. But, it is kind of a wait and see type thing."
Doctson was active for the team's first two regular season games. He caught a 9-yard pass near the end of the Steelers' game and caught a 57-yard pass against the Cowboys on five targets, most of which were fade routes in the corner of the end zone.
After the loss to Dallas, Doctson explained that he was still fighting through pain during the game.
"The thought was that he keeps showing a little bit of progress, we keep thinking he's getting better and he keeps teasing us," Gruden said Wednesday. "This is new to everybody I think and the key is to get him healthy."
