Safety Brandon Meriweather is one of the few Washington starters expected to play in Thursday night’s preseason finale in Tampa and the only one expected to make his preseason debut.
Meriweather has sat out the first three games in an effort to ensure his troublesome right knee was well enough for game action and is hoping to take the final step in that process against the Buccaneers on Thursday. It’s not the first time that Meriweather has planned a delayed debut in Tampa. In Week Four last season, Meriweather was supposed to play after missing the first three weeks with knee issues, but he collided with wide receiver Aldrick Robinson in pregame warmups and wound up missing seven more weeks before returning to action and tearing his ACL in the first half of his first game back on the field.
“I’m not allowed to go out [early] in Tampa, man,” Meriweather said, via Zac Boyer of the Fredricksburg Free Lance-Star. “I’m not allowed to warm up. I won’t be out there this time.”
Assuming he makes it to the game unscathed, Meriweather’s return would be a welcome one for the Redskins defense. He’s not the best safety in the league, but he’s the best option currently on the roster and he’d add some stability at the back end of the defense next to rookie Bacarri Rambo.