Nick Sundberg Hoping Return From Injured Reserve Will Come Sooner

By ZAC BOYER

zboyer@freelancestar.com | @ZacBoyer

ASHBURN – Nick Sundberg will be able to return to practice in two weeks to prepare for his return two weeks later.

Sundberg

But Sundberg, who had the hard cast removed from his broken left arm last Wednesday, has been hoping he can return sooner.

“I think the two weeks to practice, but not play, are to get back into game shape,” Sundberg said. “What long snapper do you know that needs to get back into game shape? Let’s be honest.”

Sundberg broke his arm in the Washington Redskins’ season opener at New Orleans on Sept. 9 and was placed on injured reserve with the new “Designated For Return” label. The tag allows a player who has sustained a long-term but not season-ending injury to return before the end of the year and essentially give the team a roster exemption.

Players with that label must six eight weeks, though Sundberg, who broke the ulna in his left arm, believes he is healthy enough now to return after six. He said he’s spoken to special teams coordinator Danny Smith about investigating an earlier return.

“Oh my God, dealing with snappers,” head coach Mike Shanahan said, laughing.

“I mean, this is the longest I’ve gone without snapping since I was – ever. I’ve never gone a full month, five weeks, without snapping,” Sundberg said. “That’s been the most difficult part – being inactive and having not done anything.”

The Redskins signed Justin Snow, who played the last 12 seasons with Indianapolis, to replace Sundberg on the active roster. With the signing of kicker Kai Forbath last week, Sundberg said it’s hard for him to know whether an efficient kicking operation would mean the Redskins would keep Snow and release him.

“I would hope not,” Sundberg said. “I mean, I want to play. I’ve wanted to play since Week 2.”

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