Groin strain boots Hall out of opener

The centerpiece of the Washington Redskins’ new-look special teams unit will have to wait at least a week before making his debut.

Kicker John Hall suffered a slight groin strain during a post-practice conditioning session late yesterday and will not be in uniform for tomorrow night’s preseason opener at Carolina.

The injury apparently would not be serious enough to keep Hall out of a regular-season game, but the Redskins don’t want to take any chances in early August.

Washington will sign another kicker today to take Hall’s place, but the replacement will be temporary. Hall is expected back next week.

Despite the setback, the Redskins are hoping Hall, who signed a five-year, $7.13million contract in early March, will be a long-term solution to what has been a lingering problem. Three Washington kickers combined to go 16-for-25 (64 percent) on field goal attempts last season, including just 4-for-10 from beyond 40 yards.

Hall was 24-for-31 (77.4 percent) overall in each of the last two seasons with the New York Jets.

No room for Gibby

One week ago, Gibran Hamdan appeared to be a lock to make the Redskins roster. Now the rookie quarterback may not even make it onto the field for the preseason opener.

Hamdan, Washington’s seventh-round draft pick, has fallen from third to fourth on the depth chart following last week’s re-signing of Danny Wuerffel. With coach Steve Spurrier wanting to give as many snaps as possible to starter Patrick Ramsey, backup Rob Johnson and Wuerffel tomorrow night, Hamdan appears to be on the outside looking in.

“We’re hoping to get him in a little bit late in the game,” Spurrier said yesterday. “But I don’t know if it’s going to happen.”

A virtual unknown quarterback from Indiana before the Redskins made him a surprise pick, Hamdan was in line to spend this season as the club’s No.3 quarterback. It was understood Hamdan had virtually no chance of seeing action during the regular season, but at the very least he figured to get some snaps in the second half of preseason games.

Don’t count on it. Spurrier said Ramsey could play briefly into the second quarter, with Johnson and Wuerffel in line to get about 10 pass attempts each after that.

Hamdan, whose practice reps also have gone down since Wuerffel’s return, is making the trip to Charlotte, but he’s not counting on making his professional debut.

“I’m getting myself ready to play,” he said. “But I know they need to get Danny and Rob work, so I think it’s pretty unlikely.”

Jacobs, Russell stand out

Two young players who should see plenty of action tomorrow night are Taylor Jacobs and Cliff Russell. The two wide receivers have begun to separate themselves from the Redskins’ deep pack.

Jacobs, the former Florida Gator and second-round draft pick, and Russell, last year’s third-round pick who missed the season with a torn ACL, are routinely lining up with the second-teamers during camp. And when Washington goes to three- or four-receiver sets, the two are generally the first ones called into the huddle.

With the coaching staff planning to pull starters Laveranues Coles and Rod Gardner early in tomorrow’s game, look for the inexperienced Jacobs and Russell to get plenty of playmaking opportunities.

“Obviously, Cliff Russell and Taylor Jacobs are two we want to see a lot of,” Spurrier said. “They have not played much.”

Jacobs, in particular, has impressed the coaching staff with his ability to make the quick transition to the pro game. Though you would think he came in with a decided advantage (having played three seasons in Spurrier’s system at Florida), Jacobs said that’s not necessarily the case.

“Some of the plays are the same, but he’s got some different terminology for some stuff,” Jacobs said. “It’s not college anymore. It’s a whole different thing.”

Extra points

Running back Kenny Watson, who has been hampered by a sprained knee all week, said he’s been given the OK by the team’s medical staff to play tomorrow night. Watson likely will be sandwiched in between starter Trung Canidate and backups Robert Gillespie and Sultan McCullough. …

Cornerback Alex Molden sat out yesterday afternoon’s practice after feeling ill. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who has been bothered by a lingering knee injury, said he expects to play a few downs against Carolina. … The Redskins let go vice president of communications Julia Payne, who was hired on a 90-day contract in early May.