THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 29, 1996 TAG: 9607290133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FROSTBURG, MD. LENGTH: 79 lines
Washington Redskins guard Bob Dahl will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this afternoon at Arlington Hospital and could be out up to four weeks.
Dahl, a 319-pound free-agent acquired during the offseason after Ray Brown signed with San Francisco, first injured the knee in last week's practice against Pittsburgh. Coach Norv Turner said Dahl would be able to play if this was the regular season. But with more than four weeks to go before the season opener Sept. 1 against Philadelphia, Turner and Dahl favored taking care of a potentially nagging problem now.
``You feel his knee and there's some crunch in it,'' trainer Bubba Tyer said. ``The cartilage is injured behind his kneecap. He's a heavy weightlifter and he needs his legs to weightlift to keep his body weight up. We'll wash the knee, trim it and get out of there.''
Dahl has no prior history of knee problems. This one leaves the Redskins thin at guard. Dahl's backup, second-year pro Brian Thure, has a pinched nerve in his neck. Ironically, it's the same injury he suffered almost a year ago to the day after scrimmaging the Houston Oilers.
Veteran Ron Lewis and World Football League refugee Matt Storm are the two healthiest guards in camp. One of them likely will fill in until Thure can go, which Tyer says shouldn't be long.
Although Dahl's injury has the most impact on the Redskins's immediate offensive plans, Gus Frerotte's pulled rib muscle continues to receive most of the attention.
Frerotte will work light exercises today, and may possibly do some short ball-tossing depending on how he responds. Tyer worked on Frerotte Sunday afternoon at Redskin Park and indicated Frerotte had excellent range of motion.
But Frerotte likely won't practice until Wednesday, which also likely would remove him from Friday night's preseason opener at Buffalo. Turner and Tyer said they'd know more about the weekend after this afternoon's practice.
``We don't want to rush it,'' Tyer said. ``I know it's important for him to get out there, but this is something we prefer to take day-to-day. We want to make sure we get it good and well. The spasms have subsided and if he handles one activity well, we'll increase it. If he handles that, we'll do more. That's how these things go.''
Turner said he doesn't think Frerotte's injury will change his competition with Heath Shuler for the quarterback job.
``It doesn't have any impact, unless it has an impact on his performance,'' Turner said. ``I think having all that work was good for Heath, great for Trent (Green).''
Asked to evaluate Shuler's three days against the Dolphins, Turner stressed the positive.
``Friday's practice was outstanding,'' Turner said. ``He didn't miss but one or two throws and he was really quick.''
He said nothing about Thursday or Saturday.
Others injured include defensive end Rich Owens (sprained ankle), defensive tackle Marc Boutte (pulled rib muscle), linebacker Dion Foxx (sprained right knee), receiver Tydus Winans (sprained shoulder) and defensive end Sterling Palmer (sprained lower back). There's a chance all of them could play against the Bills.
Foxx, from Richmond and James Madison University, has really caught the coach's eye. He strained his knee in special-teams work Saturday, but continued to play. The knee ballooned on the plane ride back to Washington Saturday night and he was given crutches. By the time he arrived at Redskin Park for treatment Sunday, he'd already discarded them.
Turner said Sunday that Foxx, who started as a backup to right linebacker Marvcus Patton, has been asked to also learn the defensive schemes for left linebacker Ken Harvey's position. That's not good news for Harvey's present backup candidates, Terry Crews and Chesapeake's Jim Kitts.
BOTTLING THE DOLPHINS: The Redskins won Saturday night's scrimmage against Miami 12-6. Shuler took snaps in three of Washington's four possessions. He completed 7 of 18 passses for 72 yards, no touchdowns, one interception.
Green hit 5 of 6 for 83 yards and a 28-yard touchdown to free-agent receiver Michael Watkins of Northeast Louisiana. Reggie Brooks scored Washington's other touchdown on a 2-yard run. Brooks, who appears to be mounting a career comeback in his fourth NFL season, carried seven times for 56 yards. Included was a long gain of 37 yards.
``I really like what Reggie is doing,'' Turner said. ``He's quick, hitting things fast, he's determined. He's hit the two long runs in our scrimmages.'' by CNB