Washington Redskins linebacker Junior Galette suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during the end of practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN, and will miss the 2015 season.
Coach Jay Gruden confirmed the injury after he was taken off the field and was evaluated further. It was initially reported as just a foot/ankle injury, but instead will miss the season because of the tear. This injury takes quite a long time to rehab as the process will take around six to eight months.
Galette, 27, signed a one-year-deal with Washington after being cut by the New Orleans Saints because of a domestic violence arrest back in January. He had recently signed a big extension worth up to $41 million just over a year ago in New Orleans before being cut. He turned into a locker room distraction and then the arrest was the last straw before his aforementioned release.
It should be noted that Galette is still under investigation from the NFL and is likely to face a suspension when healthy. This spurns from the incident in January and back in 2013 when video resembling Galette shows him striking a woman. His attorney, however, has declined that it was his client.
Galette was the top pass rusher in New Orleans as over the past two seasons he tallied 22 sacks. He is regarded as one of the best outside linebackers in a 4-3 scheme in the NFL.
Washington was hoping that Galette could help a down trodden defense, but those plans will have to be thrown out as he won't be back playing football in 2015. They got him at a discount after the release by the Saints, so they didn't spend a fortune to sign him. Nonetheless, they would have been a much better defense with him in the lineup.
Some other options for this Redskins defense include Trent Murphy and Preston Smith ,who will now take on a bigger role. The original plan was to play Galette opposite of star outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. The coaching staff says that Murphy will be ready to start so they are hoping he can play some good football for this Redskins defense that had their struggles last year.