Jim Molinaro made a vow: He won’t shave until he plays in a Washington Redskins preseason game. Molinaro sustained a meniscus injury in his left knee Aug. 7 and had arthroscopic surgery days later.
Molinaro, who is competing for a reserve offensive tackle position, returned to the field Monday and hopes to play in the Redskins’ preseason finale against Baltimore on Aug. 31.
Only then will he break out the razor to shed his mountain man-type beard.
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“Right now, I’m like Rocky Balboa training in Russia,” Molinaro said. “I don’t care about anything else right now except getting this wheel better. Then I’ll try to look more like a human being.”
On Tuesday, Molinaro added a high-intensity stationary bike ride to his rehabilitation and also got into a three-point stance for the first time. Yesterday he did more stance work and threw around a medicine ball.
“Things are pretty on schedule, and I’m trying to get my conditioning close to where I was before,” he said. “Laying around on the bench, you lose some [conditioning], so I’m trying to beat the heck out of myself.”
Molinaro admits he feels an urgency to get on the field. Tyson Walter, Jon Alston, Chris Pino and Spencer Folau are competing for the reserve tackle spots.
“I want to get back out there because it’s hard watching practice and the guys play and practice and you’re there doing nothing,” he said.
Breaux has surgery
Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Don Breaux underwent surgery yesterday morning to repair a hernia and is expected to be away from the team until early next week.
Coach Joe Gibbs said Breaux, 66, had stomach surgery five years ago and had experienced pain Saturday and Tuesday.
“He had the episode on Saturday but then was fine for the game, but when he had another one Tuesday morning, he went in to get it fixed,” Gibbs said. “They said he came out of surgery fine and things were taken care of.”
Gibbs said Breaux would remain hospitalized for a few days before resting at home.
Springs visits
Injured cornerback Shawn Springs visited Redskin Park for the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery and walked gingerly to his car.
“Sore … a lot better than last week,” Springs said.
Springs said he didn’t know about his availability for the Sept. 11 opener against Minnesota.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Whenever I get back. That’s going to be a tight one — I will say that.”
Joe Gibbs, D-lineman
The lightest moment of practice yesterday came when Gibbs did an assortment of running and stretching drills with the defensive linemen.
“He passed the test,” defensive end Renaldo Wynn said. “He gets an A-plus. For him to do that and have a sense of humor when he finished was good to see.”
Patten returns
David Patten (bruised thigh) returned to practice after missing Tuesday’s workout. Missing practice were Molinaro, Springs, Clinton Portis (shoulder), Kevin Simon (hamstring), Robert Johnson (ankle), Phillip Daniels (back) and Cornelius Griffin (knee).
Simon has missed the most time of any player in camp — he was injured in the Baltimore scrimmage Aug. 5 and hasn’t practiced since.
To make room for Duckett on the roster, the Redskins released receiver Ataveus Cash.
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