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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Hatcher, Thompson Among Those Battling Injuries

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Redskins head coach Jay Gruden on Wednesday said the immediate status of defensive end Jason Hatcher (stinger) and running back Chris Thompson (shoulder) is unknown.

Though the Redskins only participated in some walkthroughs on Wednesday, the aftereffects from Monday night's loss to the Cowboys were still noticeable in the team's first injury report of the week as it begins preparations for the Chicago Bears.

The report, an estimation of what players would have done had the team conducted a full practice session on Wednesday, listed 13 total players, including six as either "out" or "did not participate."

Thanks to a stinger suffered in the second half, defensive end Jason Hatcher was among those listed as a "did not participate" player for the Redskins. He was joined by running back Chris Thompson, who was dealing with an AC Joint sprain before Monday and tore his labrum in a separate injury against the Cowboys.

Stephen Paea (toe), Jeron Johnson (hamstring) and Andre Roberts (knee) were also non-participants on Wednesday, while Perry Riley Jr. will continue to be listed as out as he recovers another expected 2-5 weeks from foot surgery.

"Hatcher's MRI [outcome] was positive; it's just a matter of getting his strength back," head coach Jay Gruden said. "That's the issue he has. Thompson had a tear in his labrum. That's a concern. He can play with that, possibly, if he has enough strength and the swelling and the pain goes down. So we're concerned about Chris a little bit."

Gruden said that it's possible Thompson practices Friday but that will depend on how much his shoulder heals.

If he is unable to play against the Bears, practice squad running back Christine Michael could be an option for the Redskins, though Thompson's role – primarily as a third down receiving back that picks up blitzes – would be difficult to acquire in a short amount of time.

"That's a guy that has to know all of the protections and obviously be a force out of the backfield winning one-on-one matchups," Gruden said. "We have Christine Michael in here. He's a possibility on the practice squad. There might be some other options. Matt Jones actually did a good job on third down last week in the blitz pickups. He had some excellent blitz pickups, so he's an option."

Not making things easier is the condensed week of practice, which has limited the ability to game plan on a regular schedule and get players a much-needed extra day of rest. That becomes especially valuable for veterans such as Hatcher, who has felt rejuvenated recently after getting back to familiar workout and rehabilitation routine.

Monday night's injury, its uncertainty and the shorter window to let it heal, presents a unique challenge for him.

"I got a pinched nerve in my neck, and I lost some strain in my arms," Hatcher said. "I've been through this before. A couple years ago I had it bad where I didn't have no strength, so at least I got some strength. Just taking it day to day, the nerves got a mind of their own, so you just got to wait on them to wake back up and get some strength so I can protect myself. So if I can protect myself by Sunday, I'll be out there playing with my team."

Hatcher, who has 13 tackles and a sack on the season, said that the nerve injury he experienced years back while playing with Dallas rendered his arms essentially useless. This injury isn't as bad, but he must remain patient with it in the hopes that the strength comes back to his nerves.

"I'm going to be smart about it and listen to the trainers," he said. "Because [if] I got enough strength, I can protect myself and play even half as good as I've been playing, then I'll be out there."

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