The Bucs Know Knees
May 5th, 2011
Raheem Morris went on a radio media tour this week, appearing on mulitiple stations. And of course, rockstar Mark Dominik wasn’t denied, checking in with the national Jim Rome Show on WDAE-AM 620 Wednesday.
Both were asked about second-round pick Da’Quan Bowers, and part of their responses included comments about the Bucs’ experience with knee injuries. Essentially, Dominik told Jim Rome that his staff knows bad knees, like those of Kellen Winslow and Cadillac Williams, and isn’t daunted by managing Bowers’ condition. Raheem offered a similar talking point take on 1040 AM.
Joe doesn’t quite know what to make about the mystery surrounding Bowers’ knee. Joe gets the whole theory of Bowers’ perceived value and risk/reward in the second round, but for a team that insists on building through the draft, Bowers’ represents one hell of a gamble. It’s not like the Bucs are going to go out and sign a beast of a free agent pass rusher in case Bowers’ can’t get healthy.
Joe also wants to add one famous Buccaneer knee that Dominik didn’t take credit for managing correctly– that would be the one belonging to Antonio Bryant. It turned out to be the right move to not give Bryant a long term deal and to not re-sign him. Clearly the Bengals’ weren’t as wise.
May 5th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
The way I understand it (I may have it wrong) is Bowers just will not have a long career ?
May 5th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Great article Joe!!!
And…they are saying if we get 4 years out of him, that will be awesome. But he may need another more serious surgery to fix the knee this offseason, which means we won’t have him at all this season. And to pass on Mikel Leshoure among other players, to get this guy is so confusing for me. If we aren’t getting FAs and we want to build through the draft. WTF are we doing drafting this kid?? Leshoure would have given us maybe the best 1 2 punch at RB in the league. Any back who is compared to Steven Jackson and after watching many of his tapes. It dumbfounds me to not take that guy. You have to have 2 RBs to be a threat anymore and we have Blount…
May 5th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
thats also a sign that they KNOW knees as in when they are managable and when they need surgery and when its not as bad as the hype. im all for bowers
May 5th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Clifton Smith too Joe
May 5th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
I’d take 10 of these types of second round gambles as opposed to the Dexter Jackson 2.0 one.
May 5th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Did not say they fix knees, just manage them. Clifton and Bryant were managed out the door…At least that is one way to look at it. Like Dan said above, maybe they know what stage the knee is in. Also, who are these people saying he will need another surgery? Most are talking heads or docs that are not caring for Bowers. This reminds me of you guys bashing freeman becasue of his college stats, he had no injury but you heard is “how could we do this, or how could they do that…so so was on the board, BLAH BLAH BLAH. This pick was well worth the risk, hopefully he proves everyone wrong and comes out fighting, like jeff Carson pointed out, science is on his side.
May 5th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Or Jeff Carlson, either way…
May 5th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
The way I have read it, Bowers will come back from his injury and should be ready this season at some point. As far as the long term degenerative condition, know one really knows how long those things take. Odds are he will be good to go for at least 5-6 years, after that, who knows.
So, basically to get him with pick 51 and have him (hopefully) productive for 5 years is worth it to me. Heck even if it is 4 years. I would sign him to a 4 year contract with a couple 1 year options added in at the end to extend to 6 if they want.
As far as Clayborne… he does not have an injury. he has a birth defect that has been there his whole life and will not get worse. It simply limits him in some ways, but apparantly not in football. They mention his strength numbers because he can’t fully extend his right arm… who cares? On the football field it was obvious that he plays with a lot of power.
May 5th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Chris FWC 🙂
Excellent point
May 5th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Funky Munkey
By not taking a bcak it tells me they are confident in Huggins and Lumpkin. THey also did take a big bruising back who can block (Bradford) from USC who can play FB as well.
May 5th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
I trusdt the rockstar GM – if he say’s DQ is ready, after what he did last season I believe he’s earned the right to ask us to trust him when he say’s “I got this”…
as to the absolute “DEAD ON” analysis that the resident “experts” were completely wrong on Josh Freeman – great point.
If we only get the kid for limited plays this season – he’s well worth it. If we don’t get him this year, but he’s available for a FULL season NEXT year…he’s still well worth it. There wasn’t another player with his grade ANYWHERE near our 20th OR 59th pick! This guy is a beast and adding him to the “walking wounded” defensive line of Clayborn (one armed), Price (broken hip), McCoy (torn bicep)…he fits right in!
…but something tells me DQ will be on the field this season (if there is a season).
Besides – there is a reason you haven’t heard more about his knee condition – it’s because health records are protected by the HIPPA LAW…
May 5th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
Winslow has played four seasons since his microfracture surgery. The only games he’s missed were the six “staph infection” games in 08. Bowers’ knee doesn’t seem to have been trashed to anything like the extent Winslow’s was. I know the situations aren’t comparable – all knees are different – but the parallels are encouraging.
May 6th, 2011 at 7:44 am
It’s all speculation…
No one but Bowers and his doctors, and the Bucs, know’s the true extent of Bower’s injury. It could be it isn’t nearly as serious as people think.
This talk is all because of a draft rumor…a “draft rumor”…and we all know how over blown that can be. Just ask Warren Sapp.
But even if Bower’s knee is that bad…surgery may be able to fix it.
There isn’t a player in the league that couldn’t have their career end in the first week of football, a year later, 4 years later or ten years later. Bower’s is no different than anyone else.
The claim 4 years? If I were Bower and the Bucs…I would prove everyone wrong.
March 6th, 2014 at 6:17 pm
[…] players. Enough already. Dominik said a few times that he and the Bucs medical staff “know knees,” as in torn up joints. How about just putting old fashioned healthy bodies on the field. Joe […]