ASHBURN — Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Thursday that he anticipates defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis missing Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Ioannidis had surgery last week to repair his fourth metacarpal after fracturing his hand in the Redskins’ 33-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He missed last week’s game in Seattle.
Ioannidis, who has 3 1/2 sacks this season, said he has experience of playing with a cast before in college. Ioannidis still needs to receive medical clearance from doctors.
If Ioannidis goes the whole week without practicing, he said he would still feel comfortable playing.
“You’ve got to be a pro about your preparation and take reps in the film room,” Ioannidis said.
The Redskins will be cautious.
“The important thing is, can he grab without any pain and is it safe to grab right now so close to surgery?” Gruden said. “We want to make sure it’s stable and he can do it without damaging it more.”
Zach Brown misses practice
Linebacker Zach Brown missed practice Thursday with an ankle injury. Brown had been previously dealing with a back injury in recent weeks, but the ankle problem is new.
“It just popped up today,” Gruden said. “He had some soreness in his ankle so we kept him out.”
Redskins cut McClure
The Redskins waived safety Stefan McClure on Thursday with an injury settlement. One of the last players to make 53-man roster, McClure was put on injured reserve last week with a hamstring injury.
McClure, who was an undrafted free agent, played in seven games this season, mostly appearing on special teams.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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