Just when LaRon Landry thought he was ready to get back into game action with the Washington Redskins, he experienced a setback.
His left Achilles tendon was doing OK and he was targeting a return for Thursday night’s preseason game at Baltimore. But things went wrong during a sprint before last Friday’s game at Indianapolis.
“I was finished accelerating and everything,” Landry said. “I was just trying to idle down and just felt a little pop.”
The pop apparently was in his right hamstring, and now Landry’s availability for the regular-season opener could be in doubt.
“Right now, I’m just going day by day. I think I’ll be ready for the opener,” Landry said. “I think I’ll be fine. I just want to feel comfortable with myself in a game situation.”
Landry, who hasn’t played since Nov. 15, insisted the Achilles is fine and he was ready to go before the hamstring problem emerged. Now, the Redskins will have three-quarters of their starting secondary in against the Ravens but not their strong safety.
“I’m a little upset. It happens,” Landry said. “It’s better to happen right now than going into the season.”
Coach Mike Shanahan doesn’t consider himself an expert on hamstrings but doesn’t want to rush Landry if he’s not ready.
“I think he’s making some strides,” Shanahan said. “You don’t want to over-test it; he’s been working hard and hopefully it’s sooner than later.”
Beck against Cameron
Thursday night is an opportunity for quarterback John Beck to face his last team — and also the man who drafted him. Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was the coach with Miami and used the 40th overall pick in 2007 on Beck.
Cameron said he has heard good things about Beck’s development and is proud of him.
“I think everybody around here has a lot of respect for him, because when he was here, he worked hard,” Cameron said. “Nothing John can do in a positive way would surprise me. That is the kind of person he is and the kind of worker he is.”
Shanahan said Tuesday “it really doesn’t matter who starts” at quarterback between Beck and Rex Grossman, noting that both will see plenty of time. Beck is intrigued about facing his former teammates.
“I treated every practice when I was there like it was my game, so I know what it’s like to go against Ed [Reed] and to go against Ray [Lewis] and Haloti [Ngata], and they are an unbelievable defense,” he said. “I know the type of intensity the Baltimore Ravens bring to every game, and that’s why they’re a playoff team. And we’re trying to become a playoff team.”
Earthquake tweets
Practice ended well before the 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Redskins Park on Tuesday. The media room annex shook for what felt like 5 seconds.
Some players still were in the main building when the shaking started, and apparently their reaction was animated. At least one player with earthquake experience was amused.
“Funniest thing ever seeing a bunch of east coast natives scrambling because of an earthquake lol it’s a west coast thing!” receiver Terrence Austin, a Long Beach, Calif., native, wrote on his Twitter account.
Return specialist Brandon Banks, a North Carolina native, painted a picture of apprehension.
“Never seen so many football players scared!!!!!! EARTHQUAKE!!!” he wrote on Twitter.
• Stephen Whyno can be reached at swhyno@washingtontimes.com.
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