Trent Williams has limped off the field this season. Not long after, he would often limp back on. He would limp toward the trainer’s room postgame and limp out of the locker room. He’s been grinding it out.
The season has been an unsettled one for the Pro Bowler. His postgame discourse with wide receiver Pierre Garcon spurred stories about the Redskins’ locker room appearing to take a 27-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks lightly. Williams dislocated the kneecap in his right knee in a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants, but missed only 10 snaps that game and has been able to play since. Now that he has another knee injury, his availability for Sunday’s game in San Francisco is in doubt. Williams did not practice Wednesday because of a sprained MCL, though he has not practiced at all in prior weeks of his career and played in the game.
Williams has started every game this season at left tackle. He feels obligated. As an offensive captain, in part, he is.
“To me, Trent Williams is my business,” Williams said. “I want to show guys how well my business is going. I always want to go out on the field and go out there and perform at a high level no matter what. That’s why in the past, I’ve always tried to fight through injuries and find a way to be there for my team. The ’C’ on my chest, I don’t really take that lightly. I know the guys need to see me out there and need to see me performing and sometimes lift them.”
If Williams can’t play, his replacement will be rookie Morgan Moses. Moses took over for Williams during the Redskins’ embarrassing 27-7 loss against the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Moses played 65 of his 72 snaps this season in that game.
That afternoon did not go well for the entire line. Quarterback Robert Griffin III was sacked six times — a few of which can be attributed almost solely to Griffin. Though, for the season, the Redskins’ offensive line is 28th in adjusted sack rate, according to the advanced statistics site footballoutsiders.com. Adjusted sack rate gives sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent.
SEE ALSO: Redskins’ Trent Williams ‘not as positive’ about playing Sunday at San Francisco
Earlier in the season, Redskins coach Jay Gruden said the 6-foot-6, 318-pound Moses was pushing Tyler Polumbus for playing time at right tackle. Polumbus was eventually replaced by Tom Compton three weeks ago and Moses was declared not ready Oct. 16.
“He is still cooking in the oven a little bit, he is not ready to come out,” Gruden said at the time. “When he is ready, he will be ready.”
He still may not be ready. The third-round pick out of the University of Virginia played 30 college games at right tackle, 12 at left tackle and one at guard. Left tackle, an NFL position that has prompted movies about the otherwise fame-free offensive line, is a different challenge, but is also where Moses played his senior season at Virginia.
“It’s definitely a lot more comfortable [at left tackle],” Moses said. “I’ve had a chance to mold myself throughout the weeks and season at both left and right, so I feel comfortable at both.”
The only Redskins offensive lineman to play 100 percent of the offensive snaps this season is right guard Chris Chester. Center Kory Lichtensteiger is right behind Chester at 99.7 percent. If Williams is out, Washington’s starting outside tackles will be a rookie and a third-year player who started his first NFL game in late October.
The fluctuation at quarterback has not made things easier for the offensive line. Dealing with three starting quarterbacks in 10 games has made the line prepare for varying opponents and moderate changes in styles behind them. Zone-read run plays can be an influential part of the package when Griffin is the quarterback. With Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy under center, those plans shift.
SEE ALSO: Redskins’ Robert Griffin III only ‘focused on San Francisco’
“It’s just a matter of emphasis,” offensive line coach Chris Foerster said. “It’s all in from the very beginning of the season. We work on it all offseason. Week to week — that can happen with the gameplan, not just who the quarterback is — [it’s a] different emphasis.”
Moses has flipped from right to left tackle since joining the Redskins. When Compton moved to the right side, Moses’ focus shifted back to the left. Of course, the rookie is not going to unseat a two-time Pro Bowl player. So, he was learning until Sunday.
Each week brings subtle shifts. Moses understands what the Redskins’ defense wants to do after facing it since training camp. But, the approach from the Houston Texans is different. As is the Minnesota Vikings’, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’. Also, during the game, a team will throw something at him he has not seen on film or experienced on the field. It may be something that Williams is familiar with from three seasons ago, but, for Moses, it’s unexpected.
“There’s just a huge learning curve for offensive linemen,” Foerster said.
If Williams has his way, Moses will continue to learn from the sidelines this weekend. Even if he has to limp onto the field to keep him there.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.