WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

October 18, 2018 at 12:09 am.

–The Redskins released Ziggy Hood on Tuesday, their lone veteran defensive lineman. The other five defensive linemen on the roster are 24 or younger.

Hood had seen a significant decline in his snaps from 2017. In his third season with Washington, Hood played 20 snaps in a Week 1 win at Arizona and 18 in a Week 2 loss to Indianapolis.

Since then the vast majority of snaps have gone to second-year pro Jonathan Allen, rookie Daron Payne and third-year pro Matt Ioannidis. Hood didn’t take a defensive snap in Week 3 against Green Bay or Week 6 against Carolina.

The Redskins could be buying time for defensive lineman Stacy McGee. He is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after groin surgery, but began practicing Wednesday and can be activated for the Cowboys game. That wouldn’t make a ton of sense given he hasn’t been on the field since the spring.

–Cornerback Danny Johnson could play with a small fracture in his right arm Sunday against Dallas. But the Redskins also plan to start the clock on cornerback Josh Holsey as he returns from the PUP list Thursday at practice. Holsey hurt his foot over the summer and missed all of training camp.

–Stopping Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is so difficult because of what he can do even when a defender is in position.

“These one-on-one tackles against ‘Zeke’ are easier said than done but that’s what has to happen,” Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said. “Great backs can make the unblocked player miss, or run through him for another five or six yards and that’s what he’s done in his career. They get hat-on-a-hat-on-a-hat because there is always a free player coming and that guy has got to make his presence felt and make that tackle, or at least hold him up until guys get off blocks and can make the tackle.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 1 – Combined sacks for outside linebackers Preston Smith and Ryan Kerrigan.