Chase Minnifield’s attempt to make the Washington Redskins’ final roster as an undrafted free agent is over before training camp even begins.
The Redskins waived the former University of Virginia cornerback on Tuesday with hopes of retaining him on their injured reserve list and protecting his rights for the 2013 season.
Minnifield impressed coaches during offseason practices, but sometime during those workouts he suffered a “setback” to the injured knee that scared teams off during the draft, Brad Blank, Minnifield’s agent said.
“He’s not going to be physically able to come back during the season,” Blank said. “He’s going to be out a year.”
Minnifield would have been a legitimate contender for one of the Redskins’ reserve cornerback positions. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett praised Minnifield’s intelligence and awareness during minicamp last month after Minnifield showed well against veteran receivers such as Santana Moss.
Haslett said the Redskins rated Minnifield a third-round talent before the draft, but the knee injury and a subsequent poor 40-yard dash time prompted the Redskins not to draft him.
“Thank God we got him,” Haslett said in June. “I love the kid.”
Minnifeld recently underwent a “procedure” on his injured knee in Alabama, Blank said. He did not provide details.
“It wasn’t like he got hurt at home in the bath tub,” Blank said. “He got hurt on the football field.”
The Redskins signed free agent cornerback David Jones to take Minnifeld’s roster spot, the team announced. Veteran Kevin Barnes and second-year player Brandyn Thompson are two cornerbacks whose roster chances figure to benefit most from Minnifield’s absence.
• Rich Campbell can be reached at rcampbell@washingtontimes.com.
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