LANDOVER — The Washington Redskins will be without three significant pieces of their offensive line Sunday when they take on the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field.
Left tackle Trent Williams (knee soreness) and right guard Brandon Scherff (MCL) were announced out after being listed as questionable. Center Spencer Long (quad tendinitis) was ruled out on Friday.
And in a surprising move, cornerback Bashaud Breeland was announced inactive after being listed as questionable with a knee injury. Breeland initially hurt his knee during a Week 6 win against the San Francisco 49ers, but played last week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Breeland also was a full participant in practice throughout the week. Cornerback Josh Norman, though, will play after missing two games with a fractured rib.
The Redskins added reinforcements for their line Saturday, signing offensive linemen Arie Kouandjio and Orlando Franklin.
Kouandjio, the Redskins’ 2015 fourth-round pick, spent training camp with the Redskins, but was released after being beaten out by guard Tyler Catalina. He has appeared in eight games with the Redskins, starting in two of them. Washington signed Kouandjio off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad.
Franklin, meanwhile, is a former 2011 second round draft pick. He spent three years with the Denver Broncos, playing guard and tackle for a Peyton Manning-led team. In 2015, Franklin, 29, signed a five-year contract with the San Diego Chargers, but was released in the spring. He briefly spent time with the New Orleans Saints in training camp, though was cut after just five days.
To make room for the two linemen, the Redskins placed linebacker Mason Foster on injured reserve and waived running back Mack Brown.
Kouandjio and Franklin are expected to play in backup roles on Sunday. With Washington’s injuries upfront, the Redskins’ starting offensive line is expected to look like this:
Left tackle T.J. Clemmings
Left guard Shawn Lauvao
Center Chase Roullier
Catalina at right guard
Right tackle Morgan Moses
Of that group, Lauvao and Moses are the Redskins’ regular starters. Moses, however, sprained both of his ankles in Washington’s loss to the Eagles, winding up on the Redskins’ injury report during the week.
Doctors, according to multiple reports, recommended Williams sit this week after re-aggravating his knee injury against the Eagles. Williams will eventually need surgery to repair a torn ligament.
Scherff told reporters Friday that he was “optimistic” he could play, but is out with an MCL injury.
Elsewhere, the Redskins made the following players inactive against the Cowboys: wide receiver Brian Quick (healthy), offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe (core muscle) and tight end Jeremy Sprinkle (healthy).
Nsekhe is recovering from core muscle surgery and has been out since Sept. 28.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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