Pierson Prioleau is out for the entire season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Credit to Hogs Haven faithful redskins4adam on the scoop.
The news is as unfortunate as it is bizarre. Priloeau was injured sans contact. If you get 11 guys on a Football Field running as fast as they can down the field, these things will eventually happen. It's rare, impossible to predict, but costly nonetheless. Prioleau was a reliable backup Safety. The remaining two backups are Vernon Fox and Reed Doughty; the former has only been with the team for a little over a week and the latter is a 6th round pick rookie. I wasn't entirely sold on certain aspects of Adam Archuleta's play, either. Specifically he's excellent as a run support safety but is suspect in coverage. Prioleau might have been a more reliable safety in certain pass situations, though we'll never know now. He was certainly a better backup option than either Fox or Doughty.
The Redskins might try and pick up a veteran or a talent (or some combination thereof) this week in free agency, though I don't know much about the available free agent safeties. If any of our readers do, please chime in.
This is bad news at a bad time. Sean Taylor is quickly becoming a marked man, Shawn Springs is out, Carlos Rogers is probably being asked to do more than he is (currently) capable, Archuleta is questionable in coverage, and Mike Rumph will not hack it as a reliable 2nd CB. Injuries in this secondary? No bueno.
There is some good news. Shawn Springs is day-to-day, but if the healing powers of Redskins staff with Portis are any indication, Springs could be playing soon (please be ready for Dallas!). Clinton Portis will be 100% or perhaps 98.72% by this weekend's game. Perhaps the best news is the return of "backup" defensive end Renaldo Wynn. With the way Andre Carter has (not) been playing -- does anyone remember him doing anything on Monday night? -- I say we give the spot back to Wynn. At the very least, having a healthy Wynn gives Gregg Williams an additional defensive option. Even with Carter as the starter [yuck] Wynn will likely see some considerable playing time, as Demetric Evans did backing up Phillip Daniels against Minnesota.