An Achilles issue continues to bother Redskins first-round receiver Josh Doctson, who will miss his third straight game Sunday, and head coach Jay Gruden didn’t rule out an eventual trip to injured reserve Friday. “We’ll have to wait and see if this thing gets any better the next week or so and go from there,” he said (via JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “I hate to put him on IR and then he’s better tomorrow, you know what I mean, because he’s such a valuable, big play type guy. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and see what happens.” Doctson is dealing with pain when he “pushes off,” according to Gruden, which Finlay notes is especially problematic for a receiver. The 22nd pick from TCU appeared in the Redskins’ first two games, catching two passes for 66 yards, but he previously missed all of training camp and the preseason.
More from the NFC:
- After going without a catch or a target in the Cardinals’ 33-21 win over San Francisco on Thursday, wideout Michael Floyd is on a career-worst reception pace through five weeks. That led head coach Bruce Arians to posit Friday that Floyd’s status as an impending free agent is a factor in his sagging production. “I’m sure that has a lot to do with it,” Arians said of Floyd, who has caught only 12 of 35 targets through five games. Floyd averaged 52 receptions on 97 targets over his first four years, and the Cardinals remain confident in him, per Arians (Twitter links via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
- Although Eagles receiver Dorial Green-Beckham hasn’t posted gaudy numbers this year (seven catches, 65 yards in three games), the club is pleased with the mid-August trade acquisition. “He’s done a nice job. He’s really grasped the offense and understood his role,” head coach Doug Pederson stated (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com). Green-Beckham, whom the Eagles got from the Titans for offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, has seen his offensive snap percentage rise in each of Philly’s games. The 2015 second-round pick participated in 32 percent of the Eagles’ plays in their opener and was on the field for 46 percent and 49 percent in Weeks 2 and 3.
- The Saints were disappointed with high-priced free agent signing Coby Fleener after the first two weeks of the season, but the tight end has turned it around since, writes Herbie Teope of NOLA.com. After picking up a meager three catches on 12 targets in his first pair of games as a Saint, the ex-Colt totaled 10 receptions on 16 targets over the previous two. “I feel like over the last two or three weeks here, he’s really starting to, ‘OK, I got it, I understand what’s going on. I know what Drew’s (Brees) looking for,” assistant head coach/tights ends Dan Campbell told Teope.
- Friday was an eventful day for backup quarterbacks in San Francisco: A contract restructuring is a possibility for Colin Kaepernick, as is a return to the starting lineup in Week 6. Meanwhile, some 49ers want Christian Ponder to take Blaine Gabbert‘s job.