The Washington Redskins wanted to keep safety DeAngelo Hall around, just to see what he has left. But they’ll need to be patient. Hall will open training camp on the physically unable to perform list, joined by outside linebacker Houston Bates, per a source.
Hall tore his right ACL in Week 3 while Bates tore his left ACL in Week 15. Neither move is a big surprise, especially Bates because of when he was hurt. The Redskins have other players who could join them, but that won’t be known until they take physicals on Wednesday. The Redskins’ first practice will be Thursday in Richmond, Virginia. The only way a player can open the regular season on the PUP list is to be placed there before the start of training camp.
Hall has missed 31 of the last 48 games because of various injuries, but the Redskins love his leadership and want to see if he has anything left. Su’a Cravens and D.J. Swearinger worked as the starting safeties in the spring and are expected to remain in those roles as camp begins.
Hall, who has one year left on his contract, took a pay cut to remain in Washington this season. Still, his cap hit will be $3.1 million -- second only to Swearinger among the safeties. If Hall remains a backup even when healthy, that’s a hefty sum. If the Redskins cut Hall, he’d count $812,000 against the salary cap. It’s uncertain when Hall might be able to resume practicing.
Bates provided depth and special-teams play. The Redskins have talent, but questions, at outside linebacker: Junior Galette is returning from two missed seasons thanks to Achilles’ injuries; Trent Murphy will miss the first four games for taking performance-enhancing drugs, and Preston Smith must show more development.
The Redskins will find out Wednesday whether linebacker Martrell Spaight (shoulder), corner Fabian Moreau (torn pectoral muscle) and safety Montae Nicholson (surgery in March to repair a torn labrum), among others, will need to be placed on the PUP list. After the draft, both Moreau, a third-round pick, and Nicholson, a fourth-rounder, were on pace to return around mid-August. But the physical will determine their early fate.
