08-30-2007, 09:27 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Both of them
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,225
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Portis: Healthy season or else
Portis: Healthy season or else*--*The Washington Times, America's Newspaper
Quote:
As the second player acquired upon Joe Gibbs' return to the Washington Redskins in 2004, Clinton Portis always has had a secure role: When healthy, he's the franchise running back.
But after a 2006 season that ended early because of shoulder and hand injuries and included the emergence of Ladell Betts and a forgettable preseason in which knee tendinitis has kept him sidelined for four weeks, Portis admits this season may be his last with the Redskins.
"The world forgot about me this year," he said. "I have to make it work this year or I'll be out of here and probably be doing these same interviews somewhere else."
Quarterback Jason Campbell and left tackle Chris Samuels returned to portions of practice yesterday, the final one of the preseason, and appear to be on track to start the Sept. 9 opener against the Miami Dolphins. That leaves Portis as the biggest injury-related question mark on offense.
Portis practiced for the first time since July 30. If he doesn't play tomorrow night in Jacksonville, he has four practices next week to show Gibbs he's ready.
The longer Portis is bugged by injuries, the more chances Betts will receive to show his five consecutive 100-yard games last season was just the beginning. The longer Betts produces like a No. 1 back, the more likely Portis and the Redskins would part ways.
"I just have to be healthy," he said. "Hopefully this is my year. Hopefully I can prove to the coaches that with fresh legs and a fresh body, I can be durable for the long haul."
Portis' health remains a work in progress. His surgically repaired shoulder and hand are fine. But the tendinitis that flared in mid-May still hasn't disappeared.
"It felt pretty good actually," he said after the workout. "I went out to see what I could do, and I basically participated in everything. There weren't any short cuts or ifs, ands or buts about it. I did what they asked me. ... Hopefully I showed them enough in practice where I don't have to play on Thursday."
The coaching staff, though, didn't ask him to do a lot. One assistant coach said Portis did "limited" work.
Ideally, Gibbs would like to get his top two running backs about 16 to 20 carries apiece in the preseason. Portis has none, and his injury has forced the Redskins to be protective of Betts, who has only 14 carries in three games.
Portis is confident his knee will be 100 percent by Sept. 9 and the lack of contact during the preseason won't hurt his ability to start fast.
"I have to keep myself in the training room and get healthy," he said. "I feel good about it. I don't feel there have been any setbacks the last week when I've done a lot of side-to-side running."
While Portis' status for the season opener remains unclear, Campbell took another step toward starting the Jaguars game, and Samuels (knee) and linebacker Marcus Washington (elbow) practiced for the first time since their injuries July 30 and Aug. 18, respectively.
Campbell went through his first full practice since sustaining a left knee bruise against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"They're doing a great job working me in slowly," he said. "They didn't have me do every drill and take every snap. ... I want to get some work in [tomorrow night], and it doesn't matter how long I play. The most important thing is participating in practice because that's when we're running our full offense and I don't want to fall behind."
Campbell has taken 47 snaps this preseason and is 12-for-22 for 179 yards. Regardless of how much he plays against the Jaguars, expect a game plan that doesn't have him moving around unless he has to.
"We want to make sure he stays healthy and would like very much for him to line up against Miami in the opener," associate head coach Al Saunders said. "Anything we do in this game with him will be prudent."
Samuels and Washington are unlikely to play against the Jaguars, but both are hopeful they will be ready for the Dolphins.
Samuels did individual work in pads. By the Dolphins game, it will be a day short of six weeks since he sprained his medial collateral ligament.
"I didn't go against the defense or push off against a defensive guy, but overall I felt great," he said. "I did a lot of conditioning — that's what I really need to be working on. ... The way I felt today, I'm confident [about taking a full practice next week]."
There were mixed messages about the condition of Washington's right elbow, which was dislocated in the Pittsburgh game. On Monday, he said he "definitely" would be ready for Week 1.
Yesterday, Gibbs said Washington was "quite a ways" from returning, but assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams was hopeful of having his strong-side linebacker vs. Miami.
Told of Gibbs' assessment, Washington said: "Coach Gibbs always judges things by what he sees in practice. I didn't take any contact. I wanted to run around a little bit and do some conditioning work. I feel pretty good about Miami."
Said Williams: "I'm anxious to see how he bounces back. We'll try to give him a little more every day."
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Portis: Healthy season or else
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