Kedric Golston, who has been nursing a strained groin since the season-opening loss at Houston, is inactive and will not play Sunday in the Washington Redskins’ home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A backup defensive end, Golston’s loss further weakens a defensive line that has been decimated by injury in recent weeks. Nose tackle Barry Cofield sustained a high right ankle sprain on Sunday and was placed on injured reserve, albeit with the “designated to return” label, on Tuesday. Backup nose tackle Chris Neild tore the ACL in his right knee in the preseason finale at Tampa Bay on Aug. 28.
Without Golston, who was listed as doubtful on the Redskins’ injury report on Friday, the Redskins will have just five healthy defensive linemen. Chris Baker, who started at defensive end a week ago, will slide to his right to replace Cofield as the starting nose tackle. Jarvis Jenkins will replace Baker, regaining the spot he lost during the offseason, while Jason Hatcher will continue to start as the right defensive end.
Clifton Geathers and Frank Kearse, who was inactive a week ago, will round out the defensive line rotation. The key for the Redskins, then, will be to limit the Jaguars’ running game, forcing them into obvious passing situations that will allow them to turn to their nickel package and, in turn, rest their defensive linemen.
The Redskins had previously ruled out tight end Jordan Reed, cornerback Tracy Porter and inside linebacker Akeem Jordan because of injury. Reed strained his left hamstring at Houston, while Porter has been dogged by a hamstring strain of his own and Jordan sprained the MCL in his left knee in the preseason finale.
Wide receiver Santana Moss, who was a healthy scratch for the first time in his tenure with the Redskins last week, was also among those inactive for the game against the Jaguars. Rookie right guard Spencer Long is also inactive, as is third quarterback Colt McCoy.
That means left tackle Morgan Moses and strong safety Akeem Davis, both rookies, will be active and should make their debuts against Jacksonville on special teams. Davis, who was signed off the practice squad on Tuesday, went undrafted out of Memphis a year ago and returned to his university to help coach the defensive backs last season.
For the Jaguars, starting strong safety Johnathan Cyprien was ruled out on Friday and will not play after having sustained a concussion in the season-opener against Philadelphia. Also previously ruled out were tight end Clay Harbor (strained calf), running back Storm Johnson (sprained ankle) and right tackle Austin Pasztor (broken right hand).
Wide receiver Cecil Shorts, who was considered doubtful because of a strained right hamstring, will not play. Also inactive for the Jaguars will be right guard Tyler Shatley and left tackle Josh Wells.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.