DC.COM Blog: Two Pre-Camp Injuries To Monitor

[WoodysGirl]

Posted by rphillips at 7/19/2010 11:27 AM CDT on truebluefanclub.com

Two young players missed OTAs and minicamp: linebacker Stephen Hodge, who had microfracture surgery last year, and fourth-round defensive back Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, who had shoulder surgery in March.

The Cowboys have been optimistic that Owusu-Ansah will be ready early in camp. Head coach Wade Phillips has said that camp is also the target for Hodge, but microfracture surgery presents a delicate rehab. Each case has varying rehab lengths.

“We just want to be real careful with it,” Phillips said in late May. “That microfracture is a real touchy surgery and they say the longer you can stay off of it the better off you are. They’re monitoring how it’s healing and all that stuff, but even after it heals they want to make sure.”

Placing one or both on the active PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list at the start of camp is an option. Both would still count toward the 80-player camp limit while they're on PUP, though, and the Cowboys moved to 82 with last week's supplemental draft pick, defensive lineman Josh-Price Brent. Two cuts still must be made once the team's remaining rookie pool is signed.

-Rob
@robphilllips3 (Twitter

 

[casmith07]

Said it before in another thread, but I'll be really disappointed if Owusu-Ansah ends up on the PUP list. I really want to see what he can do.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Injury updates on Hodge and Owusu-Ansah
July, 19, 2010 Jul 1911:21AM CTEmail Print Comments By Calvin WatkinsAs we get closer to training camp, the Cowboys are working on signing deals with their five unsigned draft picks and trying to determine who will attend the first practice after recovering from injury.

Stephen Hodge, the linebacker from TCU, who still is recovering from microfracture surgery, most likely will start camp on the Physical Unable to Perform list.

Hodge is doing some light rehab at Valley Ranch but has not been cleared to practice.

SafetyAkwasi Owusu-Ansah, who missed the rookie minicamp and all of the organized team activites with shoulder issues, will not particpate the first few days of camp. He's still recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in his last season at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Jay Ratliff (elbow surgery) and Keith Brooking (knee surgery) should be ready to practice fully once camp starts on Saturday. Ratliff said he had no pain in his elbows as he practiced during the veteran minicamp in June and Brooking practice some, missing the second practice of two-a-days, during the minicamp.

 

[zrinkill]

I am very excited about AOA.

 

[FLcowboy]

I am very excited about AOA.

I'd be more excited if AOA could take the field.

 

[CoCo]

I am very excited about AOA.

I'm very excited about the guy.

But my expectation is that he will have little to no contribution in 2010. I just think it's really tough to miss much camp (yet to be determined, but I'm nervous) as a rookie (much less DII) but still make an impact.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Gadfly22]

I'm optimistic about AOA and pessimistic about Hodge. Microfracture surgery has worked for a number of NFL players, but the sneaky degeneration that Hodge seems to have suffered just makes me think he'll never play a down of official NFL football and will end up another Justin Beriault.

 

[Bluefin]

Said it before in another thread, but I'll be really disappointed if Owusu-Ansah ends up on the PUP list. I really want to see what he can do.

Don't worry about it.

You need to remember how PUP works.

Placing a player on active PUP when training camp opens does not mean he will miss any regular season games.

The club is simply covering its bases and making the player eligible to go on the regular season PUP if he doesn't recover and practice during training camp.

The player can come off active PUP at any time during camp whenever he is cleared to practice with the team. If a player practices, he is eligible for games right away.

If the player doesn't get cleared to practice during camp, the club must either activate him for the 53 at final cuts, move him to regular season PUP (& miss 10 games) or just outright release him.

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah should be cleared to practice a week or two into camp, I'm not worried about him.

Stephen Hodge's future is up in the air, he may never practice with the team again or he might recover and challenge for a roster spot.

 

[speedkilz88]

Placing one or both on the active PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list at the start of camp is an option. Both would still count toward the 80-player camp limit while they're on PUP, though, and the Cowboys moved to 82 with last week's supplemental draft pick, defensive lineman Josh-Price Brent. Two cuts still must be made once the team's remaining rookie pool is signed.

I could of sworn that in the past seasons that the PUP guys did not count towards the 80 man roster until they passed their physical and got on the field. (But I just looked it up and they do count towards the 80 man roster.)