2013 NFL PRESEASON MARRED WITH LEAGUE WIDE INJURIES

Seattle Seahawks Team Surgical Specialties Physicians 2013

So, just where do the Seahawks stand with their 90 man roster and which players are most likely to stay and which players will likely be released before August 31, the date when all NFL teams must reduce their rosters number to 53?  One thing is for certain… The players that get cut from this talented football team won't be out of work for long.  Particularly considering the fact that former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who is now the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie head coach, will be waiting in the wings for the Seahawks to make their cuts.  The Jaguars are number two on the waiver list and will have an early opportunity to make Seattle's trash their treasure.  Bradley is intimately invested in many of the players that the Seahawks might cut and with a team that is in a rebuilding mode, it would be very natural to see Gus pickup talented football players who just weren't enough to make one of the best rosters in the NFL.  This is going to be one of the most difficult seasons in Pete Carroll's career in making player cut before the season starts.  Seattle is extremely deep at; defensive  line, wide receiver, running back and their deepest talent, defensive corner.  Several of the players that will be released by Seattle could start for several teams throughout the NFL, and they will.

Throughout the National Football League team trainers and doctors are working around the clock to help mend the bumps, bruises and various injuries to rookie players and veterans alike.  In over 40 years watching NFL football, I've never seen so many preseason injuries to players, and at all positions; quarterback to kicker.  It's difficult, without access to each teams medical history, to determine if there are more injuries occurring during the 2013 preseason [comparatively], or if there are simply more injuries being reported to the media than ever before.  Technology has certainly changed the way the media covers football and it has drastically increased the way that fans follow the intricacies of the pro-football experience. The advent of the Internet, combined with the various communication systems, available to practically every football fan, has opened up a new awareness of what is happening inside the game.  The National Football League has continued to be the  pioneers in making pro-football the most exciting, enjoyable and watchable sport in America. Decade after decade, and every step of the way the NFL has attempted to bring the fans closer to the field in every way possible.  Where we once marveled at the fantastic camerawork the NFL used for its Super Bowl coverage, now you see that kind of attention to detail in every single game played today.  It used to be common for a regular-season game to have eight fixed standard definition cameras stationed at various positions around the stadium… and the fans were satisfied.  However, the NFL was not satisfied, and now there are dozens of cameras all over the stadium; in the crowd, up and down the sidelines, in the end zones, and now even above the field, giving viewers the ability to see plays develop from the perspective of the actual players on the field.  The motorized and remotely operated "Sky-Cam," is suspended by cables high above the gridiron and is able to cover every inch of the football field.

Along with all this amazing camerawork and press coverage of the games, practices and training preparation, we are also seeing some of the more intimate details of the lives of players, coaches and other people involved in the game… and with it, we are seeing aspects of their lives that are not at all exciting or entertaining.  I am speaking specifically of player and their injuries.  Injuries are naturally a part of tackle football, a game that features; huge, strong, fast, and powerful athletes who purposely crash and colliding with one another with the goal often winning by attrition.  The question isn't "IF" a player it might get injured, but when and the level of severity.  Because of the violent nature of football, most players will admit that they never play 100% healthy.  There is always some nagging ache or pain that goes along with playing the game.

Because of the public's steadily increasing access to the NFL game in America, the players health and conditioning have become an open forum to the press and therefore to the public.  We are hearing about every groin pull, stubbed toe, sprained ankle, torn ACL or any other health complication that jeopardizes the player's ability to take the field at practice or a game.  I wonder if this is why we are hearing so much about player injuries.  Is it just increased awareness Or is there something more troubling for the NFL to investigate, perhaps even the NFL players Association.  Is it just a coincidence that player injuries have escalated since the signing of the new collective bargaining agreement?  Are players coming into camp not prepared for football related drill?  The question needs to be asked and answered and any solution would benefit both the owners and the NFLPA. Strength and conditioning coaches are typically held responsible for keeping players fit and ready to play.  However, all players presumably have their own off-season workout regimen to keep themselves physically fit and ready to play once they join their respective teams at the OTA's,  minicamps and especially the preseason training camp.



The NFL has continued to try and bring football fans closer to the game, filming portions of training camp practices that are also open to the press and to the public for the first two weeks of the season. Fans can now witness their performance in practice and in training camp and even learning of players sustaining injuries in almost real-time. Any way you look at it, I think America is becoming more educated about the common and not so common injuries occurring to some of the most supremely conditioned athletes in the world.  Words that you may have never heard or thought about before have now become commonplace in the discussions going on concerning football teams and their players; Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries, Patella Tendinitis, Lisfranc injuries, Plantar Fasciitis, Rotator Cuff Tears, Hip Flexor injuries, Hip and Shoulder Labrum Tears, Spinal Stenosis and all sorts of other medical terms have found their way into common football vernacular.  For sure, football fans are learning about human anatomy whether they planned to or not.

The Seahawks coaching staff and medical staff have probably never worked so closely together and probably wished it was never necessary.  Each day Pete Carroll ends his training camp practice with a rather lengthy press conference going over the teams infirmary report.  Prior to the first preseason game in San Diego, the Seahawks reported eight players being held out of action due to injury.  Some of those injuries were considered minor, some were relatively severe and some of them included players rehabilitating from off-season surgery.  However, after the Seahawks' preseason game against the Chargers, Seattle's infirmary report shot up to 18 players.

As the seasons pass, it seems that more and more coaches find less and less use for preseason games.  Too many pointless injuries occur and because of the odd brand of coaching during these insignificant scrimmages, it's difficult to determine whether a player is performing at a high enough level to be worthy of the 53 man roster, or not.  Since the team owners and the NFL players Association stipulated on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), it has drastically reduced the amount of time players are on a practice field competing for their jobs, and even more limited opportunity to see them making any real contact.  The CBA eliminated the long-standing "two a days" which required players to take part in a morning practice session and an afternoon session.  Players objected to the grueling nature of these long practices and negotiated to have them not only reduced to once a day, but the number of hours they are on the field was also limited.  In addition, players are rarely in full contact drills, handicapping the coaches ability to see them in real time, real speed and real contact situations.  Much of the practice drills are referred to as "walk-through drills" further frustrating coaches and making it particularly hard to see players create separation between themselves and those competing for the same position.  With the current state of injuries in the NFL preseason, it's even making things more difficult.

The Seahawks made key acquisitions during the off-season including, Percy Harvin, the player that Seattle and almost every other football analyst believed was going to be the player to take the Seahawks to another level and perhaps to their second Super Bowl appearance.  Harvin was signed to a lucrative deal in Seattle, but almost immediately he reported that he was experiencing discomfort in his hip.  Seahawks doctors and trainers believed it was a hip flexor strain, but after all of the off-season training sessions concluded, he reported to training camp with much more serious news.  He was taken in to have his hip scanned with an MRI, and Seahawks physicians reported that he had a possible small hip labrum tear, but could possibly play through it.  As the NFL CBA provides, players have the right to seek another opinion independent of the Seahawks franchise.  Harvin flew to Germany to be examined by a highly regarded hip specialist who advised Harvin to have it surgically repaired immediately.  Harvin decided to take his advice and went through a arthroscopic procedure to have a hip repaired.  Percy Harvin's expected return is estimated to be mid-November or early December.  If everything goes as expected during his rehabilitation assignment, Pete Carroll and the Seahawks are hoping to have their newest and most dangerous weapon in uniform for the New Orleans Saints game on December 2.  However, Carroll was careful to point out that they have no reason to hurry up his rehab if he's not completely ready to play.  It's important to remember, this Seahawks offense was one of the most prolific scoring teams in the NFL over the second half of the 2012 season scoring 150 points total in three games (50 point average) This was all done without Percy Harvin on the roster.  The point is Seattle has plenty of play-makers to be just as dangerous, if not more, than last season.  Sidney Rice remained healthy all season long, Golden Tate proved to be the play-maker everyone new him to be out of Notre Dame, and they have a healthy slot receiver, Doug Baldwin, returning to the lineup this year.  Baldwin led the entire team in receptions as a rookie coming out of Stanford an undrafted free-agent.  In addition, new acquisition, 6'5" WR Stephen Williams, has looked outstanding in camp and also in the first preseason game against the Chargers, playing the X receiver.  Jermaine Kearse has had a terrific camp and could be another dangerous weapon for Russell Wilson.  Kearse has also been an outstanding special teams player, which could be a determining factor as the coaching staff evaluates the entire package offered by each receiver.  The Seahawks also drafted Chris Harper, a 6'1" torpedo of muscles, weighing 235 lbs. and running the 40 in just 4.47 seconds.  Carroll and the Seahawks are expecting a lot from this talented rookie receiver.  The wide receiver Corps for the Seahawks is alive and well and to add to that, the Seahawks have Zach Miller returned and new draft selection Luke Willson, of the University of Rice, who is 6'5" and has 4.5 speed to go with his large frame. This Willson with two  L's in his name, is a tremendous pass receiving tightend and could make dynamic matchup advantages for their quarterback to hit deep and intermediate passes outside the pocket.  This could be an incredible value for the Seahawks to have a dangerous weapon downfield with size, speed and great hands.

Pete Carroll's defense has unlimited potential, but until he can get them all on the field at the same time healthy, all that potential will remain on paper.  The Seahawks were far more aggressive than anyone believed they would be during the free-agent market of available players.  The top defensive prize was Cliff Avril who became an unrestricted free agent after the Detroit Lions failed to offer him a deal.  No one really knows why Detroit allowed one of their best pass rushing defensive ends to hit the open market, but it likely happened because of a lack of available money in their salary cap.  Nevertheless, Seattle became the recipient of this experienced pass rushing phenom.  Unfortunately, Avril came with a few bumps and bruises.  Immediately when the minicamps began, Avril complained of a foot injury.  Plantar fasciitis was the diagnosis and it would mean that Seattle's new play toy would sit and watch the off-season drills as he waited for his foot condition to heal.  Not long after his foot injury seemed to heal, Avril sustained a minor pull of his hamstring.  This also kept Avril from training camp drills, but most of it was primarily decided on as a form of insurance that he would not exacerbate the problems.  Avril is a seasoned veteran and the layoff shouldn't slow him down.  In fact, this week (Thursday) the great defensive  end joined the rest of the team in full speed training camp activity.  To add to some of the less than encouraging news about Percy Harvin and Cliff Avril, the Seahawks learned that Michael Bennett has been suffering from a torn labrum on his right shoulder.  He played through the entire season with the injury and is expected to play through 2013 and address the shoulder injury after the season has concluded.  Pete Carroll is encouraged by the rehabilitation process of Seattle's top sack specialist, Chris Clemons, and said that he is hopeful that he could be ready for the beginning of the season.  They're not going to hurry him back, being 32 years old, and the fact that there are other players who can shore up the defensive line while he continues to get into game-playing shape.  Seattle signed Tony McDaniel shortly after acquiring Avril and Bennett, and he is a player who can provide pass rushing pressure on the interior of the defensive line, something the Seahawks lacked in 2012.  Bruce Irvin was going to be part of a major overhaul to his responsibilities for the upcoming year, but during the off-season Irvin tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug of some time, plus he sustained a groin injury just prior to the first preseason game.  Irvin will miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension for the PED's, and looks to be absent from the second preseason game as well.

Other nagging injuries affecting the Seahawks defensive squad include; Bobby Wagner (shoulder), Jesse Williams (knee), Tony McDaniel (ankle) and  Korey Toomer who has again injured his knee and may be out of the lineup in the first half of the regular-season.  The offense has its own nagging health issues, but none of them are particularly severe, Percy Harvin notwithstanding.    Oft injured lineman, James Carpenter, is again suffering a knee injury and of course Seattle has lost the services of tight end Anthony McCoy for the entire 2013 season.

It's a wonder why they are so many injuries in the NFL this off-season.  The NFLPA got what it wanted in the CBA regarding work-related issues, reducing the amount of time the players are required to be on the practice field, the number of training sessions per day and the contact drills have been reduced to the point where there is little hitting, blocking and tackling going on during training camp drills.

So why so many injuries you might ask?  Yes?  Well, for now, nobody really understands why the injury report has been so littered with players from all team and all positions.  It's likely an in-depth study will be done once the season concludes.  In the meantime, all NFL players will be required to wear; shoulder, hip, thigh and knee pads, no matter what position an athlete might play and when they play.  In theory, NFL officials are hoping to see less abrasions, lacerations and contusions than during the years when many players chose to omit these protective pads. The argument goes on as to whether players avoided these pieces of protective padding because they believed it limited their  performance oon the field, or if it was complete ego driven vanity.  The reaction by NFL players has been mixed. Wide receivers  and  defensive backs, like;  WR DeShawn Jackson and DB Dominique Rodgers Cromartie,, seemed to agree that pads limit their movement and slow them down, while other players like RB Adrian Peterson and RB Marshawn Lynch, think all the whining is all  for nothing.

Plenty of NFL players are griping about the looming requirement that they wear leg pads in 2013.  The reigning league MVP doesn’t want to hear that leg pads reduce player speed.

“I’ll call BS on that,” Peterson told Mike Garafolo of FOXSports.com.  ”It’s like, ‘You’re a National Football League player.  If a pad that doesn’t weigh but a couple of ounces slows you down, you don’t need to be playing in this league.’  Like, come on now.  Seriously.”

So what’s the real reason for the resistance?

“Guys like to be pretty, not wear the thigh pads and knee pads, but it protects you,” Peterson said.  ”There have been plenty of times I got hit in my knee and when I had my pants pulled up too high and that pad wasn’t there to protect it.  It didn’t feel good.  So I make sure I keep my pads pulled down and covering my knee just to be able to protect my body.”