Wide Receivers Moss, Thomas Tweak Hamstrings During Redskins' Practice

Wide receiver Santana Moss had a light afternoon practice after tweaking his hamstring earlier in the day. Coach Jim Zorn said Moss experienced some pain running on a wet field and diving for a pass. While it's not enough of a problem to worry Zorn, it did earn Moss an easier afternoon.

"It's all right," is how Moss characterized the injury.

At least one other wide receiver is not feeling quite as good. After missing two days of practice, Devin Thomas was back in pads Thursday morning -- but not Thursday afternoon.

Thomas came up hobbling after a reception, aggravating a hamstring injury that held him out of several games last year and has slowed him some days of this year's training camp. Zorn stressed Thomas hasn't pulled a muscle and that resting him in the afternoon was a precautionary measure.

Still, Thomas said it's unlikely he'll be ready for action in Saturday's scrimmage.

"I'm trying to deal with it before it becomes a problem," said Thomas, who finished the morning practice with his leg wrapped.

Thomas said that though he wishes he was going full speed at practice, he is comfortable with the playbook.

"I don't know if it's a setback," Zorn said of injuries to his younger players, "but it is a learning situation for these guys when they're feeling pain. They got to know the difference between injury and just being sore. That's something they're working on and we talk about that a lot. But, you have to listen to our trainers, and you have to listen to your own body because they sort of speak to you verbally and nonverbally, and you just got to deal with it."

As for other injuries, Zorn said he thinks Stephon Heyer and Randy Thomas, both nursing aching knees, are close to returning. The coach still isn't sure of when cornerback Carlos Rogers, who has an injured calf muscle, will be available.

"I'm not alarmed," Zorn said of Rogers, "and I'm not panicking or anything like that. . . . He's coming along slowly. It was more of a significant pull than a slight strain."

-- SEEKING QUICK-STRIKE CAPABILITY: Clinton Portis rushed for almost 1,500 yards last season despite having no gains of more than 31 yards. The Redskins' top running back has had no rushes of at least 40 yards in the last three seasons.