RICHMOND — Tight ends Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen will each undergo surgery next week and will miss the entire season, Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden said on Saturday.
Paul broke his left ankle in the Redskins’ preseason victory over the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, while Paulsen sprained a ligament in his right big toe, a condition frequently referred to as “turf toe,” in practice on Aug. 6.
In addition to Jordan Reed, who again missed practice on Saturday with a strained hamstring, the Redskins have Je’Ron Hamm and Chase Dixon, two players who were on their practice squad for a portion of last season, and Devin Mahina, an undrafted rookie out of BYU.
“We’ll work a couple guys out here shortly, but we’ve got three players in house that are capable right now, and we’ve got to get them better,” Gruden said.
Gruden had said after the game against the Browns that Paul would miss the season, while that was the likely scenario for Paulsen as well. Paulsen will have surgery on Monday, while the date for Paul’s procedure has not yet been determined.
Paul had a career-high 39 catches for 507 yards last season, leading to a three-year $6 million contract extension he signed in February. Paulsen, entering the final season of a three-year, $4 million contract, had 13 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown in 2014.
The team has not yet placed either player on injured reserve. Hamm, who left the game against the Browns in the second quarter after getting poked in the eye, took most of the first-team reps on Saturday.
Right tackle Tom Compton, who has spent extensive time at right guard in training camp, also took some reps as a jumbo tight end in running packages on Saturday. The Redskins showed that formation on occasion late last season.
“He’s a versatile guy,” Gruden said. “I doubt he’ll catch any passes down the middle of the seam, but he can get in there and block, and he can run block and do all the things a tight end needs to do without running routes.”
The 6-foot-3, 236-pound Hamm, a wide receiver in college, went undrafted out of Louisiana-Monroe in 2014 and spent all of last season on the Redskins’ practice squad. Dixon, a 6-foot-5, 240-pounder, went undrafted out of Central Arkansas that same year and joined the team in November.
“[I just have to] take advantage of all the reps that I’m given with a couple guys out,” Hamm said. “With a couple guys out, the rep count went up for a lot of us younger guys. Coach Wes [Phillips] has coached us up well, and to be able to go out there and get that experience is great.”
Gruden also said that running back Silas Redd will miss the season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee in the game on Thursday. Redd, undrafted out of USC prior to last season, played 55 snaps as a rookie and rushed for 75 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. He was competing for a role in the running back rotation during training camp.
Left tackle Trent Williams sat out Saturday’s practice with irritation in his right knee, while inside linebacker Perry Riley also missed the session after experiencing swelling in one of his wrists and defensive end Frank Kearse was on the sidelines with his left shoulder wrapped.
Strong safety Jeron Johnson returned to the field after straining a hamstring on Aug. 1, and cornerback David Amerson also practiced for the first time as he recovers after straining the AC joint in his left shoulder on Aug. 3.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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