This is actually a two safety loss for the season. Via Redskins 360:
Finally, some news coming out of the Park although none of it is coming from the front office. Reserve safety Justin Hamilton said he's been released and in the process, revealed that safety Reed Doughty has been placed on injured reserve with a back injury.
Elsewhere in the article Hamilton characterizes his protracted survival on the roster as "shock"ing and Reed Doughty confirms that he is proceeding to IR. The article also observes that we're down to a 51 man roster, which leaves room for two mas. One of whom will probably be Shaun Alexander (ED NOTE: Not probably, definitely, he's signed), the other will be some additional free agent safety we pick up, I would bet.
Reed Doughty is a stud. The cidevant starter and sixth round draft in 2006 came into the unenviable position of having to replace one of the best safeties in the league who also happened to be one of the most beloved players on the team. Sean Taylor wears big, big shoes and Reed Doughty was, by most accounts, in over his head. Yet he performed solidly in the role he was auditioned for as we moved LaRon Landry over to ease the transition towards a functioning secondary sans Taylor. Reed was reliable and played a huge role in our late season 2007 rush to the playoffs. This season he didn't look quite so good, especially in contrast to The Predator Chris Horton, who has been surprisingly good thus far. I think we all knew Horton was well on his way to supplanting Doughty permanently as the starter.
Still, Reed Doughty is a member of this team and a contributing one and I look forward to his return. We have been prosperous with both these players and I think all would agree that we get great gas mileage out of these 6th and 7th round draft picks. Everyone loves an overachiever. That whole "back injury" thing scares me -- bad place for booboos no doubt -- but we'll wait to hear more from the training staff on when we can expect Doughty back.
It's now on Kareem Moore, who was actually drafted in front of Horton, to step up and prove his mettle with this defense. And while he will be joined by some as-yet named player to assist in finalizing our secondary, this is his opportunity to make waves with fans and the coaching staff. Earn some snaps, rook.