Saturday Camp article on Doering

[All In]

Not sure if he'll even make the team, but I wouldn't be surprised.

http://www.redskins.com/story.asp?ContentID=10930

Doering Glad to Be Back on the Field

04/27/2002

By Jason Gould

Editor, Redskins.com

An Achilles' tendon injury for an NFL player can often prove fatal for his career. Not only is the physical toll of such an ailment taxing on a player, but also the emotional ramifications of hurting one's Achilles can sometimes be too much to overcome.

Redskins wide receiver Chris Doering, who suffered an Achilles injury in the 2000 season and was out of the NFL in 2001, chooses to look at it differently.

"I feel like maybe it was a blessing to be out last year," he said after Saturday morning's practice at Redskin Park. "First, it gave me some extra time to recover from the injury. Second, I could have been in a contract with someone else and not had the chance to come back here with coach [steve] Spurrier. After being out for a season, I cherish every moment I'm out on the field."

Doering Saturday morning looked as if he was thankful to be on the playing field. Under nearly perfect playing conditions, Doering looked sharp, making some sterling catches during the morning session. On one play, he hauled in a pass on a dead run that was thrown considerably behind him.

Doering, who played for Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier at Florida in the mid-1990s, thinks his comfort level with the offense has helped him early on in practice.

"It's amazing how much easier it is to play and react when you know what you're doing, and you don't have to think about it," he said "Certainly I have to be refreshed because it's been a while since I've been in this offense. If you spoke English your whole life, then went away for a few years, then came back, you'd still remember English. It's like that."

Some of what Doering had to recall during Saturday morning's practice was Spurrier's litany of trick plays. The Redskins offense worked on everything from wide receiver option passes to end arounds.

Said Doering: "We have a lot of trick plays available to us, and coach Spurrier likes to work on them in practice to have them ready."

The Redskins have 10 wide receivers on their roster. Most teams keep five or six wide receivers on their roster come the regular season. But Doering says the competition for a job does not interfere with developing relationships with the other wideouts.

As he explains the situation: "It's kind of the same everywhere you go. You like the other receivers so much. We have a lot in common, and we're trying to help each other out. But at the same time in the back of your mind, you're thinking, 'These are my competitors.' The thing you need to focus on is taking care of yourself and let what happens happen."

[Bonedoc]

There are several players ,Johnny Unitas,Sonny Jurgensen and Dan Marino to name a few, who've come back from similar injuries.

They played at a lower physical level at positions that accomodated their skills.

I don't think that wide receiver will be as forgiving. The added stress of playing in a cold weather environment would add to the increased risk of re-rupture. A not too cap friendly event, and/or vote for continuity of team development.

We need to give guys like Skaggs a chance.

I wish him well in his futre developments.

[NavyDave]

A nice feel good story but unless we are keeping 8 WRs I rather see th youngings Skaggs and D Mac get a look