The Redskins will be without Josh Norman for four weeks with injuries to his ribs and a lung, according to both a cryptic tweet from the player and some detail added by NFL Media.

Before assessing the impact of the loss of one of the team’s best players, let’s take a look at the timetable for his absence. He suffered the injury Monday night in Kansas City. The Redskins are on a bye this week before playing the 49ers and then the Eagles. The game in Philadelphia will be three weeks to the day after he suffered the injury.

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So, he will miss those two games. The question is, will he be back for the next game on Sunday, October 29 against the Cowboys? That would be one day less than four weeks after he sustained the broken rib. If the four-week absence means four weeks after the injury, Norman cold return to play Dallas. However, if they are talking about four weeks from today then the earliest return date would be November 5 at Seattle.

That will be clarified over the next couple of weeks. What we know now is that the pressure is going to crank up on one third-year player and two rookies.

The third-year player is Quinton Dunbar. He stepped into the Chiefs game after Norman went out and did a good job. Now, he will be the starter for as long as Norman is out.

Stepping up a notch each on the depth chart will be third-round pick Fabian Moreau and seventh-round selection Josh Holsey. Moreau has been active every game but he played sparingly on defense until Norman departed the Chiefs game. He is viewed as a potential future starter but he will be tested if he has to play a major role.

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Holsey played well enough in training camp and in the preseason to earn a roster spot but he has been inactive for all four games. He is best suited to playing in the slot.

Bashaud Breeland will continue to start at one outside corner and Kendall Fuller will handle the slot duties.

Norman has started all 20 games since he signed with the team in 2016. The Redskins’ improving defense will be severely tested.

Stay up to date on the Redskins. Rich Tandler covers the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page Facebook.com/TandlerCSN and follow him on Twitter @Rich_TandlerCSN.