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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Washington Redskins rookie linebacker Steven Daniels is out for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Daniels confirmed he would be having surgery to repair the injury, which occurred during the first week of training camp.
"It just hurts," Daniels said Friday. "I've never been without a football season and now I don't have a football season right now. I've just got to take it day by day and stay learning from the older guys and just take it step by step."
Coach Jay Gruden said the team would like to place Daniels on injured reserve as long as he clears waivers. Washington lost injured cornerback Telvin Mitchel, a 2015 sixth-round pick, to the Indianapolis Colts on waivers a year ago, but Gruden downplayed that concern with Daniels.
"That was just such an oddity," he said. "It hardly ever happens. I don't think it'll happen again."
Daniels was a seventh-round pick in the draft, taken 232nd overall. He was competing for an inside linebacker job at training camp.
"He's a bright kid, went to Boston College — their defense was ranked No. 1 in the country — and he was a leader," Gruden said last week. "This is a different style: different game, different pace, different speed all across the board."
The 5-foot-11, 245-pound Daniels led Boston College's No. 1-ranked defense with 82 tackles last season. He had 273 over his college career.
Daniels refused to reveal which shoulder needed surgery. He said he didn't remember which play caused the injury.
"It's an opportunity of a lifetime to play in the NFL and be on a team at all, and to not get that is definitely discouraging," Daniels said. "I've just got to stay positive and keep working."
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