DE Anthony Spencer might need minor knee surgery that would keep him out two to three weeks

[RS12]

OXNARD, Calif. – Skeptics rolled their eyes this off-season when owner Jerry Jones called the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line a position of strength.

Two days into training camp, Jones would even have a hard time being convinced.

The Cowboys ignored the defensive line during April’s draft and didn’t add any players in free agency.

Fast forward a few months and now starting defensive end Anthony Spencer and starting defensive tackle Jay Ratliff haven’t participated in team drills because of injuries and top reserve defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles tendon Sunday. Crawford will head back to Dallas in the next few days for surgery.

Spencer is still recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee he suffered during the last week of OTAs in early June, and Ratliff suffered a strained hamstring running the conditioning test Saturday.

Spencer might need minor surgery on his knee that could cause him to miss two to three weeks. The Cowboys expect to have a better idea on Spencer’s situation Tuesday. Spencer, who is playing again as the team’s franchised player with a one-year contract for $10.6 million, started feeling pain again in his knee during Saturday’s conditioning test.

An MRI showed that Ratliff, who had season-ending sports hernia surgery last December, has only a mild hamstring strain, but there’s no timetable set for his return.

The Cowboys plan to plug their defensive line holes internally instead of adding a veteran. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said that they couldn’t place Crawford on the season-ending injured reserve list to open a roster spot until they trim their roster from 90 to 75 players Aug. 27

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[RS12]

Hard to believe this just cropped up now.

 

[Moderately_Askew]

Well if he needs the surgery might as well have it now, no reason to wait.

 

[MonsterD]

The Cowboys plan to plug their defensive line holes internally instead of adding a veteran.

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Are we trying to not show our hand here? I cannot see us ignoring any free agents in this scenario.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Are we trying to not show our hand here? I cannot see us ignoring any free agents in this scenario.

Certainly agreeable, at least makes you wonder who would come here for the Veteran Minimum.

 

[jobberone]

I read that he hyperextended the knee. Of course I don't take that as the truth. I'd prefer a bone bruise rather than an ACL strain or partial tear though....mostly. We'll see.

 

[Lonestar94]

God I hate injuries.

 

[Zordon]

SMH

 

[Jerryrage]

Ware next? wow what a week.

 

[Ren]

2-3 weeks wouldn't be the end of the world if they do it right away. Obviously it's not ideal since he's trying to learn a new position but he would be ready in good time for the season.

It's obvious we need to do something about depth right now while it's still early and we can do something about it. Insisting on doing it internally could kill our season before it even begins.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

2-3 weeks wouldn't be the end of the world if they do it right away. Obviously it's not ideal since he's trying to learn a new position but he would be ready in good time for the season.

It's obvious we need to do something about depth right now while it's still early and we can do something about it. Insisting on doing it internally could kill our season before it even begins.

Well really we don't know what the coaches are looking at so we have to trust their judgement at this point of what we have out there. Not like we know everything from some media nerd blogging about what he thinks is going on.

We have probably the best DL coach in the business, we should trust him to figure it out. Let the young guys play, maybe we will find someone else who can contribute then if we do add someone we will be that much better for it.

 

[Vinnie2u]

And people around here will still claim we need to sign him long term... Worst use of the franchise tag....

 

[Idgit]

And people around here will still claim we need to sign him long term... Worst use of the franchise tag....

I'd sign him long term in a heartbeat, at the right price. But no matter, the fact that he got hurt has little to do with whether or not he should have been signed. He's been able to stay on the field for us, and you'd have a hard time making the case that this injury was age-related.

 

[Fredd]

yeah, let's just hope that this is a minor thing...perhaps he is pulling an Emmitt Smith and just wants to sit out TC? (joking)....but, I am on the fence with whether to get him signed past this year...we hold all of the cards in that decision and even a pro-bowl season doesn't preclude us from signing him next year...the injury has virtually zero to do with that decision

 

[Zordon]

Mike Fisher is calling it a serious issue.

 

[Zordon]

fishsports
#Cowboys’ Spencer ‘Bone Bruise’ Could Lead To Serious Injury http://t.co/vfMcmIrdj4
7/23/13 7:49 AM

fishsports
Source on Spencer: 'key is conservative management (rest etc) and making sure there is no underlying stress fracture.' #cowboys
7/23/13 7:54 AM

 

[Zordon]

OXNARD, CA (CBSDFW.COM/105.3 THE FAN) – Anthony Spencer’s “mild’’ knee injury has been diagnosed as a “bone bruise,’’ and the Pro Bowl defensive end has sat out the first two days of Dallas Cowboys training camp. If it seems like the Cowboys are being unusually cautious here, they are – and one of the reasons should be named “Kevin Ware.’’

Ware is the Louisville basketball player who sustained one of the most infamous and gruesome injuries ever captured on live television on May 31 in the NCAA Tournament when he snapped his tibia.

How in the world is this related to Spencer?

A medical source with knowledge of Spencer’s situation (but not affiliated with the Cowboys) tells 105.3 The Fan that the term “bone bruise’’ is a misnomer; it actually means a fracturing of the inner layer of bone. Among the issues: such an ailment weakens the outer layer of the bone, the hardest part, possibly making a serious fracture more likely down the line if it isn’t managed properly.

That may very well be what Spencer is suffering from now.

<snip>

Read more: http://t.co/vfMcmIrdj4

 

[TheRomoSexual]

fishsports
#Cowboys’ Spencer ‘Bone Bruise’ Could Lead To Serious Injury http://t.co/vfMcmIrdj4
7/23/13 7:49 AM

fishsports
Source on Spencer: 'key is conservative management (rest etc) and making sure there is no underlying stress fracture.' #cowboys
7/23/13 7:54 AM

Wow, that's a lot of reaching by Fisher.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

OXNARD, CA (CBSDFW.COM/105.3 THE FAN) – Anthony Spencer’s “mild’’ knee injury has been diagnosed as a “bone bruise,’’ and the Pro Bowl defensive end has sat out the first two days of Dallas Cowboys training camp. If it seems like the Cowboys are being unusually cautious here, they are – and one of the reasons should be named “Kevin Ware.’’

Ware is the Louisville basketball player who sustained one of the most infamous and gruesome injuries ever captured on live television on May 31 in the NCAA Tournament when he snapped his tibia.

How in the world is this related to Spencer?

A medical source with knowledge of Spencer’s situation (but not affiliated with the Cowboys) tells 105.3 The Fan that the term “bone bruise’’ is a misnomer; it actually means a fracturing of the inner layer of bone. Among the issues: such an ailment weakens the outer layer of the bone, the hardest part, possibly making a serious fracture more likely down the line if it isn’t managed properly.

That may very well be what Spencer is suffering from now.

“It’s concerning to me,’’ Spencer said Monday. “It’s bothering me right now. I really don’t know what else to do. I’m just taking it day-by-day.”

But “day-to-day’’ might not quite be enough. If the Cowboys’ announced diagnosis is correct, at least six weeks of rest could end up being the wisest avenue for Spencer.

The tie to the Louisville basketball player?

It’s barely publicized at all that six weeks before Ware’s horrible compound fracture, on January 21, he sustained another seemingly scary knee injury that was eventually diagnosed as a “bone bruise.’’ Ware played through the injury, and in doing so, may have set himself up for the later broken tibia.

Says our source: “Ware’s knee buckled and there was no shock absorption from his knee. That transmits 1,000 pounds of pressure somewhere else – and that amount of pressure can break a bone.’’

That is the concern with Spencer, which is why there is talk that he’ll start undergoing regular MRI examinations.

“We don’t think it’s a severe thing,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said hopefully. “We’re just trying to come up with what we think is the best option here in the next few days.”

The Cowboys have made noise about Spencer undergoing “minor surgery’’ on his knee that could cause him to miss two to three weeks. But if the bone-bruise diagnosis is correct, it’s not clear what surgery would repair. (It’s possible an MRI showed loose bodies needing to be cleaned up, but that’s no cure for the “bone bruise.’’)

Spencer, who is playing under the franchise tag with a one-year contract for $10.6 million, seems to smartly be opting for patience – the only remedy for the ““bone bruise that is really a fracture.’’

“We’ve got a long time until this first game,” Spencer said. “I’m just going to take my time right now and get right for the season.”

Anytime you have to use a phrase like "that may be," you aren't "reporting," you're writing an editorial. Reporters don't seem to know the difference nowadays.

 

[Doomsday101]

Well if he needs the surgery might as well have it now, no reason to wait.

I agree. The procedure evidently is a minor one that would still allow him time in training camp and pre season. If it has to be done do it now so that he can get ready before the season opener. In the meantime this opens up a lot of snaps for guys we will need to be part of the rotation.