Redskins’ Orakpo done in preseason, but MRI negative

Brian Orakpo feared the worst. After tearing his left pectoral muscle late last season, he had a similar feeling Saturday night at the Chicago Bears.

“I thought, I worked this hard trying to get back and I felt the pop and I thought it was done, to be honest with you,” Orakpo said.

But then he and the Washington Redskins got a dose of good news as X-rays and an MRI were negative. Orakpo won’t play again this preseason, coach Mike Shanahan said, but the team is relieved that there’s no new tear, just scar tissue.

“It wasn’t as serious as what we thought, and I should be ready to roll,” Orakpo said Monday. “The soreness went down, but I feel better. I feel a lot better.”

Orakpo did not return to the Redskins‘ second preseason game in Chicago but he was on the field for Monday’s practice. He said rewowned Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery, was on the sideline at Soldier Field and was able to provide some insight.

The result was a positive one, and Shanahan said: “I think everybody’s relieved. Good news.”

Safety Brandon Meriweather, who left with a knee injury, also won’t play again this preseason, but Shanahan said there was no tear and won’t require surgery.

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