Report: Redskins Talked Su’a Cravens Out of Retiring

At just 22, Su’a Cravens is reportedly thinking about hanging them up.

Redskins safety Su’a Cravens told team officials this weekend he wants to retire, though they were able to talk him out of it, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 

Cravens is listed on the Washington depth chart as the starter at strong safety. (He also saw time at linebacker last season, as he did in college.) He injured his knee in the team’s first preseason game and had surgery to repair a torn meniscus but was expected to be ready for the opener against the Eagles. Schefter reports the team will let Cravens spend some time away from the game to sort through whatever issues led him to consider retirement.

Washington placed Cravens on the Exempt/Left Squad list Sunday afternoon.

While there has been an increase in early retirements from the NFL over health and safety concerns, Schefter’s report makes no indication that’s what led Cravens to weigh leaving the game behind. The second-year player “is struggling with the transition to the NFL,” Schefter reports.

Cravens just turned 22 in July. He was one of the youngest players in the NFL as a rookie last season. The USC product entered the draft early and was selected by Washington in the second round.