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Portis misses practice

Running back Clinton Portis sat out practice Wednesday because of leg problems.

"It's really one leg," he said. "It's just my right leg. I've got plantar fasciitis, an ankle, the inside of my MCL, and a calf all on my right leg. So if I can get a new lower leg, I'll be fine."

Portis acknowledged he has not had much interaction with new play-caller Sherman Lewis, who came out of retirement about two weeks ago to serve as an offensive consultant.

Lewis is unfamiliar with the team's personnel and knows little about Washington's running game, but Portis expects it to work well.

"It ain't hard, I mean, you either run gut, counter, stretch, toss, dive, or draw," Portis said. "You can call it however you want to call it, but them are the only runs in football. For him to be an offensive coordinator for as long as he has, I'm sure he knows that as well. Maybe it's the formations. . . . I don't think it's too hard to call the running game."

Smith to relay plays

The team's new play-calling procedure already has been revised.

Coach Jim Zorn initially said Lewis would work in the coaches' box and communicate the plays to Zorn on the sideline, and that Zorn then would relay the calls to quarterback Jason Campbell.

After practice, however, Zorn announced a new plan. With Lewis in the box, offensive coordinator Sherman Smith will move to the field and relay the plays he receives from Lewis. Zorn will hear the plays on his headset.

"I'll be walking around," Zorn said. "I'll be listening to what's going on. I'm not going to be calling what's going on."

Samuels sees specialist

Left tackle Chris Samuels, sidelined indefinitely because of a neck injury, traveled to California to meet with a specialist, Zorn said.

"We wanted to make sure that the doctor who was reading the reports actually could visually see him," Zorn said. "We sent him out there just to do all the due diligence, so we could make, and he could make, an intelligent decision about how long, what if, all the what ifs and things like that."

Jones glad to be back

Newly signed tackle Levi Jones practiced and is excited to be back in the league.

"It's a golden opportunity," Jones said. "I look at this team, and there's a lot of talent on this team. Lot of good players; got some good coaching. Hopefully, I can be a part of the turnaround and get this thing going."

The eight-year veteran hopes to learn things quickly. "There's a lot of work that needs to be done," Jones said. "I need to learn Coach [Joe] Bugel's techniques. I need to learn the plays."

-- Jason Reid