By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 24, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 23 -- It's been a trying NFL scouting combine for University of Maryland guard Andrew Crummey, who is here but unable to participate in drills because of a broken bone in his left leg.

Crummey's senior season with the Terrapins was cut short by a fractured fibula. He returned to the lineup by season's end but broke the same bone during last month's East-West Shrine Game in Houston.

"It's just bad luck," Crummey said Saturday, sitting at a table in the media room at the downtown convention center that is attached to the RCA Dome. "It's unfortunate this happened twice in three months. But what are you gonna do? What's the line -- it builds character? I've heard that a few times."

Crummey originally was hurt in the Terrapins' Oct. 6 game against Georgia Tech. He returned for the regular season finale seven weeks later against North Carolina State after being told by doctors that his leg had healed sufficiently.

"In retrospect, it's kind of easy to say I pushed it," Crummey said. "But at the time, I didn't feel like I was being over-the-top risky."

After playing in the N.C. State game and the Terrapins' bowl game, Crummey re-injured his leg in the second half of the East-West game. Now he must hope NFL teams think enough of him that he won't slip too far in the draft in April.

He won't be ready to participate in Maryland's pro day for NFL scouts, but he said his leg might be healed in time for him to have a separate workout for scouts before the draft. He should be ready to participate fully in the offseason practices of the team that drafts him, he said.

"It's been fixed," Crummey said. "It's a question of the timeline, not a question of if it's going to heal right. . . . I've played quite a bit. That's what I'm banking on, that teams rely on that as I go through this process. . . . It's been a tough road, but there's nothing I can do about it."

The Washington Redskins are among the teams being linked to cornerback DeAngelo Hall in a potential trade with the Atlanta Falcons, but an NFL source said Saturday it is unlikely the Redskins will be involved in such a deal.

The Redskins consider a trade for Hall too costly both in terms of what they would have to surrender to get him and what they would have to pay Hall, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no trade discussions involving Hall have been acknowledged publicly.

The Falcons reportedly are seeking a first-round draft choice for Hall, who is attending the scouting combine and said here in recent days that he doesn't think he will be back in Atlanta next season. The New York Giants reportedly are willing to surrender their first-round pick for Hall. Both Giants General Manager Jerry Reese and Falcons Coach Mike Smith declined to comment Saturday.

Linebacker Zach Thomas, who was released earlier this month by the Miami Dolphins, agreed to a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus, a $1 million salary for next season and another $1 million in possible incentives. Thomas, who grew up in Texas, visited the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints earlier in the week but met with Cowboys officials here Friday and completed a deal Saturday. . . .

Quarterback Rex Grossman passed up a chance to be an unrestricted free agent and agreed to a one-year contract to remain with the Chicago Bears. Grossman was benched by Coach Lovie Smith this past season but regained the starting job before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Washington.