Ron Rivera Offers Injury Update on Commanders' Benjamin St-Juste

The Washington Commanders are dealing with some injury setbacks after their 17-15 win over the Cleveland Browns, with Ron Rivera offering an update on cornerback Benjamin St-Juste's health.

This time of the year when NFL teams can be nervous as the injuries can start to pile up, and for the Washington Commanders, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is one to keep an eye on.

As Washington gears up for two joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens prior to their preseason game on Monday night, head coach Ron Rivera offered an update as to why St-Juste was absent from practice.

“He’s got a little tweak on his ankle, and obviously, a guy that runs a lot, you don't want to get out there and exacerbate the injury," Rivera said. "We just wanted to be smart, see how he is. We slowed him down yesterday. Today, we just kept him out.”

St-Juste is coming off a good season in his second year in the NFL, and playing the cautious approach with his starting cornerback at this stage of the year is the right thing to do.

With the Commanders en route to Baltimore for joint practice, things will again go up a notch as the fight to improve now reaches another level.

Rivera has some choice words to his players about what to expect coming up against John Harbaugh's Ravens.

"I said, hey, next time we're on the practice field, it's going to be competitive. We don't want to go around and bullshit. We want to come, get around, learn, grow, we want to be able to work our offense, defense, and special teams against a very good football team. That's pretty much been one of the standards probably the last 14 years since [Baltimore Ravens Head Coach] John Harbaugh arrived on the scene. So, we all can learn something from those guys, and that's the approach I want everybody taking.”

As Week 1 of the regular season draws ever closer, these practices take on more merit, not only so that both the offense and defense can iron out any wrinkles but also for players on the bubble hoping to make the 53-man roster.

Every snap has more meaning, and with joint practices, both the Commanders and Ravens will be all gas, no brakes.

Try telling them that it's "only" preseason.

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Washington Commanders? Click Here.

Follow Adam Schultz on Twitter

Follow Commander Country on Twitter.

Want even more Washington Commanders news? Check out the SI.com team page here