--If newly-acquired end Erasmus James can prove his twice-repaired left knee is healthy, he could contribute in a big way to Washington's defensive line this season.
"His senior year, Erasmus was as good a player as I've been around in all my years of coaching," said new line coach John Palermo, James' position coach at Wisconsin. "I'm looking forward to Erasmus getting healthy and coaching that same guy."
But getting healthy hasn't been easy for James, who missed his entire junior year with a dislocated hip that threatened to end his career and who has played in just six games since he tore his left ACL and MCL in Week 2 of 2006. A cadaver graft replaced those ligaments, but when James tore the same ACL again in Week 13 of 2007, his first start since the first injury, his own patella tendon did the trick.
When the Vikings traded for NFL sacks leader Jared Allen in April, James, whom Minnesota had chosen 18th overall in the 2005 draft, became an afterthought. He was traded to Washington on May 30 for a conditional seventh-round pick.
"I had a decent first year," said the 25-year-old James who had four sacks as a rookie. "I haven't really been able to get in a rhythm at all (since)."
--Coach Jim Zorn expects safety Vernon Fox, linebacker Rocky McIntosh and receiver Antwaan Randle El, who've all had knee surgery, tackle Chris Samuels (elbow surgery), guard Randy Thomas (torn triceps) and rookie quarterback Colt Brennan (hip surgery) to be ready for the start of training camp on July 20.
"The first part of training camp is very difficult so we need to really make sure we get those guys pushing through and get them coming out the back end healthy," Zorn said.
--Zorn doesn't expect to have James, cornerback Carlos Rogers and rookie safety Kareem Moore, who are all recovering from knee surgery, or tight end Tyler Ecker, who had groin surgery on June 11, on the field for the start of camp.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's important to us, but it's really important to them to not lose a day. Guys that sit out and dicker over dollars have a very difficult time participating that first year in the regular season." -- Coach Jim Zorn on getting all 10 draft picks signed by the start of training camp.
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