Ashburn, VA – The Washington Redskins have lost two defensive starters for the remainder of the season.
Head coach Mike Shanahan revealed at a Monday press conference that both outside linebacker Brian Orakpo and defensive end Adam Carriker will require season-ending surgeries.
Both starters were injured during Washington's 31-28 loss Sunday at St. Louis. Orakpo exited the game with a left pectoral tear and Carriker went down with a quad tendon tear -- injuries that will both take 4-to-5 months of healing time.
Orakpo -- who has dealt with the same left pectoral injury in the past -- has played for the Redskins since being their first-round draft choice out of Texas in 2009. He has started 49 of 50 career games. All told, he has recorded 170 tackles with 29 1/2 sacks.
Carriker, who played with St. Louis from 2007-2008, came to Washington in a 2010 trade with the Rams. He has started all but one of the 34 games with the 'Skins. Last season, the sixth-year vet out of Nebraska recorded 34 tackles with 5 1/2 sacks, and for his NFL career, has 125 tackles with nine sacks.
The Redskins (1-1) take on Cincinnati next Sunday at home.
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