DeSean Jackson to miss approximately a month with left hamstring strain

DeSean Jackson will miss approximately a month after straining his left hamstring in the the Washington Redskins’ 17-10 season-opening loss to the Miami Dolphins, coach Jay Gruden said Monday.

“Possibly, it could be shorter, but you never know with hamstrings,” Gruden said.

Jackson played only 13 snaps on Sunday, leaving the game after a deep pass from Kirk Cousins was incomplete. Cousins rolled out following a play-action fake while the wide receiver ran a go route down the right sideline, and Jackson, covered by Miami cornerback Brent Grimes, was unable to snag a ball that appeared slightly overthrown.

Entering his second season with the Redskins, Jackson did not play at all in the preseason after spraining the AC joint in his right shoulder during practice on Aug. 6. Andre Roberts and Ryan Grant shared snaps opposite Pierre Garçon throughout the remainder of the game.

Gruden said he didn’t know if there was a connection between Jackson missing so much of training camp and the preseason and the injury he sustained on Sunday.

“You’d like to have guys all throughout training camp, but the shoulder limited him,” Gruden said. “He was able to do a lot of running during that time, but I don’t think it was that. I think it was just one of those things that happen to wide receivers every now and then.”

Jackson led the Redskins with 1,169 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions last year. His availability for the game against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Oct. 4 is also in question; last season, Jackson caught five passes for 117 yards in a touchdown in the teams’ first meeting, then had four receptions for 126 yards in the second game.

Gruden also said strong safety Duke Ihenacho broke his left wrist on Sunday, and because the injury will require surgery, the team will need to decide whether to put him on injured reserve.

Ihenacho, who played just nine snaps and was replaced by Trenton Robinson, played in only three games last season after being claimed off waivers by the Denver Broncos because he broke a bone in his left heel.