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Injuries Are Hitting Teams at Epidemic Proportions

Orlando Scandrick played his last down of football for 2015.

Another day, another full injury report to make us all shake our heads. We can’t blame preseason for this or anything other than dumb, bad luck, but you know those Philadelphia Eagles fans that sent prayer requests to the Pope over Sam Bradford are probably all slipping their priests an extra $20 this week just to seal the deal.

Cowboys’ Scandrick tears ACL and MCL

The biggest loss of the last couple of days has to be Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who tore his ACL and MCL during practice with the team Tuesday. Scandrick was in a drill with rookie wide receiver Lucky Whitehead and that wasn’t so lucky for Scandrick. A collision with the wideout put Scandrick on the ground. According to reports, he knew he’d torn his ACL while lying on the field.

According to Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson, Scandrick told him, “It’s my ACL. I know it. It’s gone.”

Scandrick was heading into his eighth season and is coming off the two best seasons of his career. Last year he had 55 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. His 2013 season was nearly identical except he had two sacks and 64 tackles. With Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne both underperforming at corner, Scandrick was the star of the Cowboys’ defensive backfield. Now the team might be in trouble at that position.

The injury moves up the timetable on rookie Byron Jones out of UConn, who should have pressed for a starting job on the other side of the defense anyway. Now, Claiborne, coming off an injury and Carr may have to be counted on again too. As starters.

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Redskins’ Galette tears Achilles, will sue Saints

There was no good news for Washington Redskins outside linebacker Junior Galette Wednesday. Not only did he, according to ESPN, tear his Achilles tendon at practice Wednesday, Galette’s former team, the New Orleans Saints, announced that they won’t pay him the $1.25 million guaranteed in the contract he signed last season. Galette’s lawyer has field a grievance on his behalf.

Galette will be out six-to-eight months recuperating from the Achilles injury and will face, at best, a court case with the Saints to try to get the $1.25 million they refuse to pay him.

The good news for Galette, at least, is his injury will probably coincide with the suspension he’ll face after a video surfaced of him beating a woman with a belt like she was Adrian Peterson’s son at a beach party in 2013. So he has that going for him.

Dolphins lose Jamar Taylor for two weeks

The Miami Dolphins got lucky on the injury front this time. Tuesday starting cornerback Jamar Taylor was diagnosed with a quadriceps injury, after he went down in last Saturday’s preseason game. Taylor is expected to miss 10-to-14 days, but be ready for the regular season.

It was good news as the Dolphins have already put one defensive back, safety Louis Delmas, on injured reserve with a torn ACL last week.

Charles Clay left practice early Tuesday with knee injury

While it wasn’t good news that Charles Clay had to sit out of Tuesday’s practice, it was mainly a precaution for the free agent tight end signed by the Buffalo Bills this offseason.

Clay told reporters after practice that he was fine.

“It was just something they want to look out for me a little bit,” Clay said. “It was something that started nagging, so they decided it would be best to pull me out.”

The Bills signed Clay to be a weapon in the offense. Over the last two seasons with the Dolphins Clay averaged over 60 catches, 650 yards and four touchdowns.

Other news

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans injured his hamstring Monday night against the Cincinnati Benglas. The injury isn’t thought to be serious

After complaining about soreness in his throwing elbow, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel had an MRI Wednesday that showed no structural damage. Manziel will be held out of Cleveland’s next preseason game as a precaution.

Written by Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a writer and photographer based out of East Tennessee. His work has appeared on Cracked.com, in USA Today, the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs Vineline Magazine, AskMen.com and many other publications.

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