Cravens Out For Year

Maybe the signs were there all along for Washington Redskins safety Su’a Cravens.

- Brian McNally

There was the odd disclosure on social media last October that he’d have to wear special glasses for the rest of his life after a Week 4 concussion left him with lingering symptoms. There was the biceps injury Dec. 11 that never healed as frustrated teammates wondered whether Cravens wanted to return to the field at all. He didn't play another game, including the regular-season finale versus the New York Giants.

That bit of news leaked out during the post-mortem stories on former general manager Scot McCloughan’s firing. Cravens again took to social media this past spring to dispute that Sports Illustrated report, but teammates weren’t persuaded much. Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic released a clip of linebacker Will Compton confronting Cravens about his desire to be at training camp in Richmond.

“I need more,” Compton implored.

Well, there is no more. Cravens, recovering from preseason knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus, abruptly told some teammates in a group text message that he was retiring just one week before the start of the season. A day later, he expressed the same message to team president Bruce Allen.

After waiting two weeks for Cravens to return, Washington placed Cravens on the reserve/left squad list on Sept. 18. He’s now gone until 2018 with the Redskins wondering until then if Cravens ever wants to play again.