ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins didn’t need to see Ryan Kerrigan in preseason games. So they saved wear and tear on his surgically-repaired knee, hoping that translates into a healthy 16-game season.
It’s not as if Kerrigan missed a lot of time, only games. But the Redskins wanted to protect the knee by keeping him out of the preseason. Kerrigan said the plan worked.
“In the long run it’ll be more beneficial,” Kerrigan said. “Obviously it’s good for the knee and even though you don’t play a full game, those hits add up. My knee is feeling great right now.”
Kerrigan underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his left knee in May, causing him to miss spring workouts. He practiced this summer, with only occasional days off to rest.
“It would get swollen at times, but my range of motion has been strong and good,” Kerrigan said. “That’s always the main thing, to make sure it’s bending right.”
Kerrigan isn’t worried about any rust gathering on his game, or finding his rhythm as a pass-rusher. Even though the Redskins don’t hit the way they would in a game, the one-on-one pass-rush drills are fierce as is the full-team work.
The next step for Kerrigan is making sure the knee doesn’t limit him during the season, aside from normal wear and tear. The Redskins need his pass-rush skills on the edge, with still-unproven pass-rushers Trent Murphy and Preston Smith on the other side.
Now Kerrigan just wants to get going.
“It’s tough to compare it to years past, but I feel good. I feel fine,” he said. “I’m ready to get that first hit out of the way -- you’re always most anxious for that.”