Reports: Bowers’ medical recheck revealed long-term issues

Topdawg13 · Apr 12, 2011

-Link-

On the heels of one positive report regarding Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers‘ medical recheck in Indianapolis, multiple negative reports streamed in about Bowers’ knee Tuesday evening.

The first, from NFL.com’s Steve Wyche, cites a source with knowledge of the situation who claims Bowers’ checkup “showed signs of potential long-term arthritis and some weakness” in the 2010 NCAA sack leader’s surgically repaired knee. Degenerative arthritis can be a career-shortening condition.

The second report, from Pro Football Weekly‘s Nolan Nawrocki, says three doctors in Indianapolis deemed Bowers’ January knee surgery to be of a microfracture variety, which could explain Bowers’ lack of explosiveness at his April 1 Pro Day.

“He will have future problems because the damage is too bad,” one unnamed NFL executive told Nawrocki. Said another high-ranking official, “Our doctors said (Bowers) would be lucky to play out his rookie contract.”

The third, from NFL Network’s Charley Casserly on Path to the Draft, indicated that several teams will be unwilling to use their first-round picks on Bowers because of the knee.

“A number of teams I’ve talked to view Bowers as high-risk,” stated Casserly. “Some teams won’t take him in the first round. With the money you have to invest, you have to pass on Da’Quan Bowers not only in the top ten, but in the first round as well.”
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alen1 · Apr 12, 2011

The BS meter is probably high.

Desides · Apr 12, 2011

Bowers’ agent denies.

“While we generally reserve discussions on client medical information to club decision-makers and physicians, in the interest of clarity, we would like to share the following facts regarding Da’Quan Bowers. Importantly, NONE of the following is news to NFL decision-makers or team doctors. All 32 NFL Clubs have had full access to Da’Quan’s records since January and have had the opportunity to physically examine him at least twice. As such, they have known the specifics detailed below for quite some time.

“On January 4, 2011, Da’Quan underwent an arthroscopic procedure that included what is, technically, a very small chondroplasty to a non-weight bearing area of his knee. The surgeon, Dr. Larry Bowman, observed, arthroscopically, a very healthy knee with no signs of arthritis. Based on the specifics of Da’Quan’s knee and the small size of the area addressed, it was described to us as follows: while chondroplasty can involve ‘drilling’, Da’Quan had the equivalent of ‘scratching’. In other words, along the continuum, it was very minor. So minor that Da’Quan was off crutches and bearing weight only 3 days after surgery. Thereafter, Da’Quan progressed on a conservative rehab protocol that emphasized protection of the healing process, as opposed to the typical combine prep performance training.

“As to his progress and the feedback from the medical recheck, every team we’ve spoken to, including multiple GMs, has [sic] said that, overall, Da’Quan’s knee has shown good healing, has continued to get better since the Combine, and, perhaps most importantly, showed absolutely no acute or remote ill-effects as a result of his April 1 workout (i.e., no swelling, no increase in laxity, etc.). We know of at least two ‘stations’ (multiple doctors) at the recheck who improved his grade from the Combine. In short, their doctors indicated that the fact that the knee didn’t swell up after a full Pro Day workout, followed immediately by a week of visiting teams via air travel (which can increase swelling) is clearly a very positive sign. Bottom line: if it’s holding up from a pounding in April, it should clearly hold up in August.

“As to films, the Combine films showed no onset of arthritis and since Da’Quan had no swelling, contrary to some reports, or other symptoms at the recheck, no new films were taken.
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Much more at the link.

ToddsPhins · Apr 13, 2011

thanks Desides. The kid has worked his butt off to fulfill his potential and make his dad and Gaines proud who are "looking down on him". It'd be a heartbreaker if he were cut short.

call me greedy, but I'd take him at 15 and devise a way to use him later. He could be a monster OLB if we had him playing at 265, and he'd probably be a more effective and explosive pass rusher too.

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