Leonard Hankerson: "I'm ready"

Leonard Hankerson said his recovery from hip surgery remains on target and that he’s anxiously awaiting his return to the field next week at Redskins Park.

“Right now, I’m feeling pretty good,” the second-year receiver said at Brian Orakpo’s youth football camp in Fairfax. “I’ve been in the training room this whole off-season, working out, working on my hip, doing little things to get me prepared for next Wednesday.”

Veterans report to Ashburn on Wednesday; the first practice of training camp is Thursday.

“I can’t wait to get out there and get going and see how it goes for me,” added Hankerson, who, if healthy, could be another weapon for an improved receiving corps that includes veterans Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan and Santana Moss.

Hankerson showed flashes of promise last season – he had eight receptions for 108 yards at Miami in November – before a torn labrum in his right hip ended his season. In four games, the 23-year old notched 13 catches for 163 yards and no touchdowns.

Hankerson underwent surgery in February, but was withheld from last month’s mini camp for precautionary reasons.

The surgery “impacted me a little bit because I missed all of the off-season program with my teammates,” Hankerson said. “I wanted to be out there working with them guys, but I couldn’t because of the injury. I was a little disappointed, but it didn’t stop me. I kept working, stayed focused doing the little things I had to get done. I’m ready.”

Hankerson said he has yet to be on the receiving end of a pass from rookie Robert Griffin III. But the wait, he added with a smile, will end soon enough.

“I’ve talked to him a couple of times,” Hankerson said. “He’s there now, so I’m going to get back over there and go workout with him. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”


(csnwashington.com)