Is a torn rotator cuff really season-ending?

[MoLewisrocks]

IR rules are what they are because of the nature of the business and the relative lack of guaranteed contracts (beyond the top tier). As the guarantees increase and if the season is expanded it will probably result in some mechanism for restoring players after week 10 or before the playoffs depending on when they were IR'd. It would also make sense for the PUP list to be tweeked to allow for addition throughout camp. The problem will arise with young players on minimal deals being asked to risk further injury because teams aren't as heavily invested and the pressure to win is often immense for coaches and GM's on the hot seat...

 

[TruthSeeker]

I always thought the IR rules were ridiculous. Why punish a team and player by not letting a player return when they are fully healed? There's absolutely no reasonable argument against allowing players to come of the IR at some point. I think they need to tweak the rule and make it more like the DL in baseball, set several time intervals for the IR (1 month increments?).

Clearly you're not thinking of the potential for abuse of this. As you're probably aware, teams even abuse the IR list (putting players on it for an entire year that may not even be injured - or injured insignificantly enough that they could still play).

It's a trade-off. The current system is Draconian, but pretty fair overall.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Chad Pennington played with a torn rotator cuff and beat SD in the playoffs a few years back, but then again Chad is not your average player, most would of not been able to play.

With Chad he had to have surgery and it was basically a 8 month rehab.

Chad is a poster boy candidate for why desperate teams can't be trusted to do what is in the players long term/career interest. There were several on the JETS over the recent decade... Chrebet comes to mind...

 

[patsfan-1982]

i think we all know that the pats will never give out every bit of info on injuries so all we realy know is Bodden, needs one year to heal

 

[patchick]

Clearly you're not thinking of the potential for abuse of this. As you're probably aware, teams even abuse the IR list (putting players on it for an entire year that may not even be injured - or injured insignificantly enough that they could still play).

It's a trade-off. The current system is Draconian, but pretty fair overall.

I really believe that mothballing healthy players for a whole season, so they can't practice and develop their skills, is rare to nonexistent.

What you DO see is teams saying "dang, I can't afford to keep a spot open for this guy for 4 weeks until he's healthy, gotta IR him." Of course, you do manage to keep the spot open for an impact starter. So it's mostly the young kids, trying to establish themselves, who lose opportunities. That can derail a career, and it's just not necessary.

Simply requiring that any 8-game-IR player have a spot on the roster for the games before and after the IR should be enough to prevent flagrant abuse. It should also help teams field healthy, competitive squads for the playoffs, which increasingly look like wars of attrition.

 

[AzPatsFan]

After reading every post in both the Bodden to IR and the Secondary threads,
I'm a little surprised that the above question hasn't been asked.

Is it because the injury is so debilitating that even a CB, who tackles less than any member of the defense,
cannot play with it and not experience ineffectiveness to the point of uselessness?

Has any CB started the season with a torn rotator cuff and finished the entire season?

How long is the recovery time? If it's no longer than 6-9 weeks,
then why not save a roster spot for Bodden and have him avail. for the post-Thanksgiving stretch run?

Why not wait another few days, maybe get a second opinion, before deciding to IR him?
Bill's obviously giving OxyKaczur every chance to play this year, so why not Bodden?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Captain,

I know you will appreciate this Conspiracy on the part of the Prince of Darkness, Bill Belichick. He needed to find a convenient, fake injury he could use to stash a guy on IR. Why? So there would be room to keep the golden child Ron Arrington on the roster, of course!

Your favorite Cheapskate, Kraft went along so he doesn't have to pay Bodden... Big Bucks. Shh! And Pass it on, now that your Inquiring Mind Knows...

 

[IllegalContact]

I have never had this injury, but I am guessing reaching up to swat a ball or tie up a reciever might be pretty painful.

Not to mention laying your shoulder into a runner or a pile.

how about trying to make a tackle? the leverage needed in the shoulder to wrap upan RB or a TE.....

 

[Alyfoley]

Gwedd and MoLewisrocks

You both are spot on.. My dad had it done after not taking it seriously and his shoulder ended up "frozen". He couldn't wash his hair or drive normally, get his wallet out of his back pocket ect..

It took a lot of PT before he could even do any of the things. He couldnt even practice putting or just swinging the putter gently..

simply, you really cant play football with this injury, the risks of other injuries to it is almost certain, which could effect him off the field.

 

[jmt57]

As I recall there was a time when a player going on IR could be brought back later in the season. I believe some teams were abusing it in order to stash players and effectively expand their roster. However I do like the idea of limited four and/or eight game IR.

I also remember Bill Belichick speaking about this topic at one time, and as I recall he pointed out that rosters used to be smaller (40 players), and that the eight players that are inactive on game day essentially accomplishes the same thing as a mini-IR. He also brought up the point that by expanding the roster size, which you are pretty much doing by adding these types of IR spots, results in more roster spots dedicated to specialization (for example carrying two kickers on a roster). His question was at what point do you have too much specialization with an expanded roster, and is that good for the game.

I understand his point and don't disagree with getting too carried away with too many specialists, but I do see value in four or eight game IR spots as long as they are limited in how many a team can use over the course of a season. As mentioned by someone else, it should help the NFL deliver a better product for its customers, especially come playoff time. And if the NFL is indeed going to proceed with an 18-game schedule, then some form of an in-season IR should be added.

Right now it's a really tough choice for a coach. You might carry a guy as a game day inactive all season that should have gone on IR (e.g., Fred Taylor), or you may IR a player that could have helped you later because you feel you can't afford to lose the roster spot.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Hopefully, if they are angling for an 18 game schedule they will also help with IR rules and roster sizes.

Yeah that .... maybe it's just all the media out there but it seems like there's more injuries in all sports lately ... a roster of 60 players without the practice squad needs to be discussed.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Chad Pennington played with a torn rotator cuff and beat SD in the playoffs a few years back, but then again Chad is not your average player, most would of not been able to play.

With Chad he had to have surgery and it was basically a 8 month rehab.

It depends on the tear. Some are minor and will not hinder a player hardly at all. Others are major and can be long lasting with the rehab being brutal.

I had major shoulder surgery for a complete break off of 20% bone joint in the shoulder joint and full dislocation. When the doc's went in he also found the rotator cuff torn in 2 places. He told me that even without the break it would be a long an painful rehab just for that.

I was put on IR and 6 months of painful rehab got me to be able to swing my golf club with a compact swing.