THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 22, 1995 TAG: 9507220402
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FROSTBURG, MD. LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Ron Lynn called it ``the Bobby Bugaboo.''
Bobby Backaboo might have been more appropriate.
Forty minutes into the Redskins' first practice Friday, Bobby Wilson injured his back. The defensive tackle is out indefinitely.
Wilson, a No. 1 pick in 1991 who has been plagued by injuries, was driven to Arlington Hospital, where he was to spend Friday night. He will be examined today by team physician Gordon Avery.
Diagnosing his injury will take two or three days, Redskins trainer Bubba Tyer said.
``Two years ago, he had surgery for a herniated disc and the pain he suffered today was similar to that,'' Tyer said. ``It's in his lower back, left buttocks and leg.''
Wilson, who will earn $1.669 million this season despite having played just 34 percent of the defensive snaps last season, went down during a one-on-one drill in which offensive and defensive linemen hook arms then twist and turn until one man breaks free. He remained on his back, still on the field, until a team assistant drove to him in a golf cart with a flat bed attached. Tyer and a couple of assistants lifted him onto the bed and drove into the training facility.
Wilson's back problems began midway through the 1992 season after which he underwent lumbar surgery to correct a ruptured disc.
In 1993, he had a knee injury that caused him to miss five games. Despite being second among defensive linemen in tackles last season, Wilson missed the last six games of the season with a broken thumb.
``I'm concerned,'' coach Norv Turner said. ``We need to be as healthy as we can. We need every guy we have got.''
Marc Boutte, a three-year veteran who started the final three games last season, stepped in for Wilson.
DRAFT BUSINESS: General manager Charley Casserly said there was talk, but no progress in the negotiations with the team's top two picks, receiver Michael Westbrook and center Cory Raymer.
Raymer, who had been in Pittsburgh waiting for agent Ralph Cindrich to cut a deal, was scheduled to return to his home in Wisconsin Friday night. He and the team are about $14,000 apart.
COMING AND GOING: The Redskins signed offensive lineman Louis Age and re-signed running back Dan Esposito on Friday. They waived running back Ernie Thompson. . . . Missing practice due to injury were running backs Reggie Brooks (hamstring), Tyrone Rush (knee) and William Bell (acute bronchitis). . Frostburg State University. by CNB