On the same day that rookie Su'a Cravens took his first step toward returning from a concussion, the Washington Redskins announced that tight end Jordan Reed was being evaluated for the same condition after developing symptoms following Sunday's victory at Baltimore.
Coach Jay Gruden confirmed that Reed, 26 and the Redskins’ leading receiver, had been placed in the NFL concussion protocol as a precaution. If he is diagnosed with a concussion, it would be his fifth, at a minimum, dating from his college career at Florida. Reed acknowledged in 2013 that he had kept one concussion secret.
“I don’t think in those terms,” Gruden said, asked at what point Reed’s multiple concussions become a concern. “I’m not considering it a concussion until we get all the results right now. He just had some symptoms. It doesn’t mean it is. We just want to make sure we take the right steps.”
Reed was not at practice Wednesday after reporting concussion-like symptoms Tuesday morning. Absent a diagnosis, there is no timetable for his return.
But his loss would be significant if he can’t play against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) on Sunday at FedEx Field.
The Redskins have a glut of gifted receivers — so much so that Gruden and quarterback Kirk Cousins are struggling to get three-time Pro Bowl honoree DeSean Jackson, their deep threat, and nine-year veteran Pierre Garcon the number of catches they’re clamoring for.
But the strapping Reed, at 6 feet 2, 246 pounds, is a special asset, posing a mismatch for linebackers and safeties. He currently leads the Redskins with 33 catches for 316 yards , while he and second-year wide receiver Jamison Crowder share the lead with two touchdown receptions.
“We would love to have him out there,” Cousins said of Reed on Wednesday. “He’s obviously a great player for us. We’ve talked all year long about how depth is going to be important, and we’re going to need other players to step up.”
The Redskins rewarded Reed with a five-year contract extension last May worth $48.42 million. For all his imposing size, Reed has had trouble staying on the field. He has yet to play a full, 16-game season since the Redskins chose him in the third round of the 2013 draft, alternately sidelined by hamstring injuries and concussions. Nonetheless, Reed set a Redskins record for single-season receiving yards by a tight end in 2015, rolling up 952 yards, in 14 games. He missed Weeks 5 and 6 (losses to Atlanta and the New York Jets) with a concussion.
Meanwhile, Cravens made a limited return to practice, joining his teammates for stretching and individual work as team trainers, Redskins President Bruce Allen and Anthony Casolaro, a longtime team physician, looked on. Cravens appeared to want to do more but was pulled aside by team officials.
“Part of the concussion protocol is being active a little bit more so than inactive,” Gruden said, explaining Cravens’s carefully monitored participation. “We obviously don’t let them be in a position to get hit. Try to get them out there, see what they can do. Try to get to meetings, see what they can handle. Obviously if they have setbacks, we rest them or take care of them.”
Cravens left Redskins Park immediately after practice and wasn’t available for interviews.
Through the first four games, Cravens had made the biggest splash of General Manager Scot McCloughan’s rookie class. First-round wide receiver Josh Doctson has missed three games because of a puzzling, persistent Achilles’ tendon ailment.
Cravens, a hybrid safety-linebacker, has had 14 tackles (nine solo) and an interception. But he exited the Week 4 victory over Cleveland after a hard hit to the head in the third quarter. After being diagnosed with a concussion, he missed last Sunday’s game at Baltimore.
Cravens caused a stir on Tuesday by posting a photograph of himself wearing glasses on Snapchat, accompanied by text that read: “Due to my concussion my eyes have lost the memory to keep track of moving objects, so I have to wear these for the rest of my life.”
Gruden said Wednesday that the glasses were “just part of his rehabilitation.”
“We’re hoping to get positive results here shortly,” Gruden said, adding that he had spoken to Cravens about not disclosing medical information on social media.
“He understands now fully what not to put on Instagram and Twitter and what to put on there,” Gruden said. “I don’t think he meant anything by it, but it wasn’t the right thing to do at that time. He has learned.”
Redskins linebacker Will Compton, a defensive co-captain, said Cravens was in good spirits.
Fellow linebacker Martrell Spaight, who missed nearly all of last season dealing with a concussion, said that in his experience, concussion symptoms vary widely. His vision wasn’t affected, but his short-term memory was.
“It’s hard to think and hard to remember things,” Spaight said. “Sometimes you don’t remember what you ate last night.”
As far as vision goes, Spaight said, he was instructed to stay in dark or dimly lit rooms, avoid watching TV or using cellphones, and wear sunglasses when going outside. That’s why Spaight was encouraged to see Cravens on the field.
“Seeing him with clear glasses lets me know that I don’t think it’s going to be too serious,” Spaight said. “If it was, they’d have him in the dark shades.”