Redkins Landry's season over

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASHBURN, Va. -- A wasted season is over for Washington Redskins safety LaRon Landry, whose sore left Achilles tendon hasn't fully healed and will now likely require surgery.

Now it's a matter of waiting to see if the injury has ended Landry's Redskins career as well.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday that Landry will be placed on injured reserve. The news came almost a year to the day that Shanahan made essentially the same announcement -- the former first-round pick is being shut down with three games to go.

"It's got to get well," Shanahan said, "because last year, in the first nine games that he played, he should have been player of the year."

With the Achilles still sore, Landry went to a see Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C., this week. The doctor recommended surgery, and Landry now will seek other opinions before deciding how to proceed. Shanahan said the Achilles is not torn, "but if he feels like he needs to have surgery on it, something's seriously wrong."

Complicating matters is Landry is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If he were healthy, the No. 6 overall selection in 2007 would expect a big payday. Now the Redskins -- and other teams -- will have to pause before throwing lots of money at a defensive back who has played in only 17 games over the last two seasons.

"You've got to check out exactly how the surgery went," Shanahan said. "You've got to talk to the doctors. You to make sure the athlete's in a good rehab program."

The Redskins thought safety would be one of their strong positions this season. To complement Landry, they signed Oshiomogho Atogwe of Windsor, Ont., to a five-year, US$26-million contract just before the NFL lockout.

But while Landry has been hindered by hamstring and groin injuries in addition to the Achilles, Atogwe has battled hamstring, toe and knee ailments and will spend the final three games playing backup to Reed Doughty at free safety.

Landry has missed three of the last four games. His strong safety spot now belongs to rookie fifth-round pick DeJon Gomes, who started Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots.