Considered an up-and-coming safety in league circles, former USC standout Su’a Cravens is expected to play a huge role for the Washington Redskins this seasons.
The issue has always been injuries for Cravens. He dealt with torn biceps and a concussion as a rookie last year. The 2016 second-round pick then had to undergo knee surgery last month.
In what can’t be considered absolutely shocking news, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Cravens had told teammates on Saturday that he planned on retiring before ultimately being talked out of the decision by the Redskins’ brass.
Su'a Cravens told some Redskins on Saturday he plans to retire, but a meeting with team officials has changed his mind for now, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2017
There’s a couple things to look at here. If Cravens had gone as far to tell other members of the team that he planned to retire, how committed is he to actually playing football? And from a Redskins perspective, it seems a bit selfish to make the move to talk him out of giving up the gridiron. If a player of Cravens ilk and injury history wants to retire, maybe the best thing to do is throw some support behind him.
Mike Jones of The Washington Post noted in response to Schefter’s report that this isn’t the first time the defender has considered retiring.
After playing a hybrid linebacker/safety role last season, Cravens is currently the Redskins’ starting safety. He recorded 33 tackles, five passes defended and an interception as a rookie last season.