What injury reclamation projects have actually worked out?

[lusdawg]

I saw that Keenan Lewis was just cut by the Saints cause they got tired out waiting for him to get healthy. So, that got me to thinking about what injury-riddled draft picks or free agents have worked out for the Pats. Yes, Gronk, but then you've got Easley, Dowling, Tank Williams, etc. Who were the successes and failures?

 

[fightingirish595]

I saw that Keenan Lewis was just cut by the Saints cause they got tired out waiting for him to get healthy. So, that got me to thinking about what injury-riddled draft picks or free agents have worked out. Yes, Gronk, but then you've got Easley, Dowling, Tank Williams, etc. Who were the successes and failures?

Just for the Pats, or around the league? If you mean around the league first one that comes to mind is gurley

Edit: AP broke his foot in his sophomore season and his collarbone his junior season

 

[Froob]

Edelman maybe?

 

[bbobbo]

for 6 ½ glorious games, dion lewis.

 

[lusdawg]

My bad. Just talking Pats. I edited the original thread body

 

[Urgent]

Sorta Rodney Harrison. He left San Diego due to injuries, and managed to contribute in New England.

Miguel posted some in-depth analysis a year ago about players the Patriots picked up on injury waiver during pre-season or rookies that landed on IR. About a net zero contribution from that group.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Otis Smith was the first to come to mind for me. I assume there's more that I'm spacing at the moment, and with luck Tyler Gaffney may join that list.

Do guys who played for the Pats, got hurt, and then came back and were good count? Because if so, you could maybe add Rosevelt Colvin to the list.

 

[VrabelJr]

Rob Gronkowski?

 

[jboston19]

Randy Moss was a trade for a draft pick, if that counts. He supposedly was slowed by injuries and age but worked out ok.

 

[lusdawg]

I actually mentioned Gronk in my original post

 

[bbobbo]

Otis Smith was the first to come to mind for me. I assume there's more that I'm spacing at the moment, and with luck Tyler Gaffney may join that list.

Do guys who played for the Pats, got hurt, and then came back and were good count? Because if so, you could maybe add Rosevelt Colvin to the list.

if you're going by that, tom brady would top the list.

 

[BradyFTW!]

if you're going by that, tom brady would top the list.

Yeah I guess so, although I don't think tearing an ACL really fits the spirit of this thread. It's a significant injury, but it's not career-threatening or anything anymore.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Also, I'd be really surprised if Keenan Lewis has anything left in the tank. I think the downward spiral of his career started in 2014 when he hurt his knee, got carted off, then came back and tried to play through it. His knee ended up looking like this:

Which brings us to today, and the Saints eating a $7M cap hit just to free up his roster spot. It was cheaper to keep him than cut him and they cut him anyway, which is a pretty enormous red flag re: the potential of him being in any shape to play football this year.

 

[supafly]

Also, I'd be really surprised if Keenan Lewis has anything left in the tank. I think the downward spiral of his career started in 2014 when he hurt his knee, got carted off, then came back and tried to play through it. His knee ended up looking like this:

Which brings us to today, and the Saints eating a $7M cap hit just to free up his roster spot. It was cheaper to keep him than cut him and they cut him anyway, which is a pretty enormous red flag re: the potential of him being in any shape to play football this year.

Thank you for stopping the "sign the beast" threads before they even start.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Which brings us to today, and the Saints eating a $7M cap hit just to free up his roster spot. It was cheaper to keep him than cut him and they cut him anyway, which is a pretty enormous red flag re: the potential of him being in any shape to play football this year.

The Saints are not exactly experts when it comes to cap management so odds are 50/50 they even knew it was cheaper to keep him......

 

[patchick]

Malcolm Mitchell looks like he might be one. And while I know he's a forum whipping boy, Marcus Cannon is another. 4 OTs were drafted in the 5th & 6th rounds in 2011; Cannon is the only one still in the league.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Malcolm Mitchell looks like he might be one. And while I know he's a forum whipping boy, Marcus Cannon is another. 4 OTs were drafted in the 5th & 6th rounds in 2011; Cannon is the only one still in the league.

For as much crap he gets on this board Cannon is a courageous young man.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Which brings us to today, and the Saints eating a $7M cap hit just to free up his roster spot. It was cheaper to keep him than cut him and they cut him anyway, which is a pretty enormous red flag re: the potential of him being in any shape to play football this year.

But how much does it save them in the long run? The short-term hit may have been worth it.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

The Pat's have drafted at the bottom of each round (and had two first round picks stolen from them), for the last 15 years. That streak is unmatched in the NFL and it has put the Pat's in the position of having to take chances on injuries guys to stay competitive.

Gronk of course, sat it his last year in college due to a back injury, so he was a gamble that I would say has paid off. Teams stayed away from Aaron Hernanadez because they were worried about his drug use. Well that worked out great for the Pat's until he decided to start murdering people. (Incredibley he never failed a drug test)

Cannon would have been a late first, second round pick, but he was diagnosed with lymphoma at the combine.

Actually the reclamation projects have turned out to be more healthy than some of the draft picks (Ras-IR, Dobson, Crable, etc.)

I thought stealing Gaffney a few years ago was a great move, just bad luck that he hurt the other knee the next year, but he certainly looks like he can contribute.

I wouldn't look at the Pat's taking chances on these injuries players as a team philosophy , I think it's out of necessity due to their low draft status for an extended period of time.

 

[jah]

For as much crap he gets on this board Cannon is a courageous young man.

Yeah, it really sucks that the board whipping boy happens to be a cancer survivor. Wonder if some people forgot that.