Strong safety LaRon Landry was on pace for a career year with 85 tackles, one sack, an interception and forced fumble. (Photo: Jay Westcott)

The Washington Redskins are placing starting strong safety LaRon Landry on injured reserve after his strained left Achilles tendon failed to heal after nearly four weeks of inactivity, coach Mike Shanahan said today.

Fellow starter, cornerback Carlos Rogers, however, is expected to return to action this week, the coach said.

Landry has been sidelined since Nov. 16, and before that he had played four to five games despite being slowed by the injury. Landry’s Achilles’ tendon was so inflamed and so sensitive at that time, that even receiving an injection to the area would’ve subjected Landry to the risk of rupturing the tendon.

The 6-foot, 220-pound Landry wore a walking boot for three weeks, and then had it removed last week. He was hopeful that he could soon return to action. Landry did some light running last week, but still wasn’t able to practice fully or run full-speed without pain.

Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said last week that the Redskins likely would make the move to end Landry’s season early this week, and Shanahan said the team indeed has.

Before being sidelined, Landry was on pace for a career year with 85 tackles (which at the time was tied for the team lead), and also had a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.

Landry still is the leading Pro Bowl vote-getter at his position, and this would’ve been his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

“I thought the first half of the season, he’d be MVP the way he was playing,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully he can get well and be ready to go for next season.”

Even last week, Landry and the Redskins were holding out hope that he could return at some point this season. It seemed like an unnecessary risk considering that Washington even last week was virtually out of playoff contention. But Landry had insisted that help his teammates finish strong -- not making his first Pro Bowl -- was the reason for his unwillingness to pull the plug on his season.

“Just sitting out is [motivation] enough,” Landry said last week. “It’s killing me. My play will speak for itself. If I get to the Pro Bowl, I get there. Of course it’s a goal, but mainly, I want to be with my team. I want to finish what I started, want to battle with my team, with my family.”

But, as it turns out, Landry won't get that opportunity this season.

He becomes the 10th Redskins player and the third Washington safety to be placed on injured reserve this season. Landry is also the second starter to be placed on injured reserve, the other being running back Clinton Portis (torn abdomen muscle/groin).

Also on IR are wide receiver Mike Furrey (concussion), Malcolm Kelly (hamstring), offensive lineman Clint Oldenburg (ankle), linebacker Robert Henson (knee), running back Chad Simpson (foot) and safeties Chris Horton (ankle) and Anderson Russell (knee).