Bruce Carter was supposed to be a first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. But on Nov 20, 2010, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. He needed reconstructive knee surgery on Dec 14, 2010. Rehabilitation forced him to miss certain drills at the NFL Combine. Before the injury, nobody questioned Carter's ability as a football player. Now everyone is asking one question: what about his knee?
Doctors say that athletes who suffer this injury can resume normal activity in six months, as long as they follow a proper rehabilitation program. But that is just an estimate. Injuries are different and so are people. So what can we expect from Carter's knee? To answer this question, let's look at some similar cases in NFL history.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice tore his ACL in the opening game of the 1997 NFL season. Rice attempted to come back in just 111 days. In that game, he broke his knee cap. His knee just wasn't strong enough. If one of the hardest working players in NFL history couldn't come back from this injury early, it's not likely that anyone else can. Rice eventually recovered. The next season, he had 82 receptions for 1157 yards. He played several more seasons, eclipsing one-thousand yards receiving two more times.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Barnett tore his ACL on Nov 09, 2008. He made it back ten months later and played the entire 2009 season. He played in the first four games of 2010, before breaking his wrist in Week Four.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Stewart Bradley tore his ACL during training camp. He missed the entire 2009 season. He was back for the 2010 season and played in the first fourteen games before dislocating his elbow.
Barnett and Bradley proved that torn ACLs can be overcome. Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis wasn't as fortunate. In Nov 2009, Davis tore his ACL while backpedaling in a game against the New Orleans Saints. He attempted a comeback seven months later. That should have been enough time to heal. But on June 09, 2010, Davis tore the same ACL while backpedaling (again) during a noncontact drill. He missed the entire 2010 season.
Probably the best case example for recovering from this injury is running back Jamal Lewis. Lewis tore his ACL during training camp for the 2001 season. Lewis missed the entire season. He came back strong for the 2002 season, rushing for 1327 yards (4.3 yards per carry). The next season, Lewis had his best year as a pro. He rushed for 2066 yards, 5.3 yards per carry and 14 touchdowns. Lewis played six more seasons, rushing for 1000+ yards four more times. Lewis retired in 2009 after sustaining a concussion during the season. He finished his career with 10607 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry and 58 rushing touchdowns. Lewis didn't just recover from his ACL injury. He went on to have a very good career, maybe even a Hall of Fame career.
So what does this all mean for Bruce Carter and his healing knee? According to history, the Dallas Cowboys should be careful with Carter. They should give him ample time to heal and strengthen his knee properly. If Carter isn't ready for opening day, so be it. I'd rather see him miss the entire 2011 season and come back in 2012 at 100%. Then Carter will have an opportunity to prove that he was the steal of the 2011 draft.
Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. He enjoyed watching the Dallas teams of the 90s dominate opponents on both sides of the ball. Living in New Jersey, he is sandwiched between Giants and Eagles fans. But that has never deterred him from being a fan of America's team.
Sources:
Carlos Mendez, "Cowboys select linebacker Carter, running back DeMarco Murray," Star-Telegram.com
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