Doomsday101
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Make no mistake about it, the Dallas Cowboys have a trick or two up there proverbial sleeve when it comes to shoring up their ailing pass rush.
Many are pleading with the team to make it rain in NFL free agency, while others cite how insanely deep the draft is this year -- both factions seemingly forgetting the Cowboys have not one, but two, redshirt pass rushers set to debut in 2017.
Rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith and defensive end Charles Tapper were both drafted with the expectation they'd make tremendous impact on the field and, after not taking a snap in 2016 due to injury, they're both ready to be the next big stars out of what has already been a historic draft class.
For his part, Tapper wants the world to know he's in the best shape of his life -- which is saying a lot coming from a DE that outran wide receivers at the 2016 NFL Combine.
He recently spoke on ESPN radio's "J Dub City" with Jean Jacques-Taylor and Will Chambers to explain further, as transcribed by The Dallas Morning News:
Will Chambers: We saw last year and heard about the back issue. Just wondering 1) what happened there? And [2)], how are you now? Where are we at with the injury?
Charles Tapper: I have a birth defect, it's called 'L5 pars defect.' ... Me not being in the best shape coming to the Cowboys was what happened to me. Coming from OU I was sitting about 275-280 [pounds]. So coming here I was about 280, 275 trying to play a five-technique. As we all know [Rod] Marinelli, he didn't like that. So he was running and running me. It's kinda more of a fatigue injury I would say than injury of any sorts. Right now I'm feeling better than I ever felt in my life condition-wise, core-wise, strength, flexibility and everything.
So what is "Pars Defect", you ask?
"A pars defect of the lumbar spine involves a part of a vertebra called the pars interarticularis. Roughly translated, that means "the part between two joints." A defect in the pars is a break in this portion of bone. This break leads to a separation of the upper, front portion of the vertebra from its lower, back portion." - LiveHealthy.chron.com.
Management of the condition is ongoing and treatment/physical therapy is provided as needed, which could include wearing a back brace and more. After landing on the team's injured reserve list last season, it sounds like Tapper finally has the condition under control and expects it to be a nonissue going forward.
As far as what he can do for the Cowboys now that he feels terrific?
http://dal.247sports.com/Bolt/DE-Charles-Tapper-feels-better-than-ever-ready-to-hit-QBs-51788027
Many are pleading with the team to make it rain in NFL free agency, while others cite how insanely deep the draft is this year -- both factions seemingly forgetting the Cowboys have not one, but two, redshirt pass rushers set to debut in 2017.
Rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith and defensive end Charles Tapper were both drafted with the expectation they'd make tremendous impact on the field and, after not taking a snap in 2016 due to injury, they're both ready to be the next big stars out of what has already been a historic draft class.
For his part, Tapper wants the world to know he's in the best shape of his life -- which is saying a lot coming from a DE that outran wide receivers at the 2016 NFL Combine.
He recently spoke on ESPN radio's "J Dub City" with Jean Jacques-Taylor and Will Chambers to explain further, as transcribed by The Dallas Morning News:
Will Chambers: We saw last year and heard about the back issue. Just wondering 1) what happened there? And [2)], how are you now? Where are we at with the injury?
Charles Tapper: I have a birth defect, it's called 'L5 pars defect.' ... Me not being in the best shape coming to the Cowboys was what happened to me. Coming from OU I was sitting about 275-280 [pounds]. So coming here I was about 280, 275 trying to play a five-technique. As we all know [Rod] Marinelli, he didn't like that. So he was running and running me. It's kinda more of a fatigue injury I would say than injury of any sorts. Right now I'm feeling better than I ever felt in my life condition-wise, core-wise, strength, flexibility and everything.
So what is "Pars Defect", you ask?
"A pars defect of the lumbar spine involves a part of a vertebra called the pars interarticularis. Roughly translated, that means "the part between two joints." A defect in the pars is a break in this portion of bone. This break leads to a separation of the upper, front portion of the vertebra from its lower, back portion." - LiveHealthy.chron.com.
Management of the condition is ongoing and treatment/physical therapy is provided as needed, which could include wearing a back brace and more. After landing on the team's injured reserve list last season, it sounds like Tapper finally has the condition under control and expects it to be a nonissue going forward.
As far as what he can do for the Cowboys now that he feels terrific?
http://dal.247sports.com/Bolt/DE-Charles-Tapper-feels-better-than-ever-ready-to-hit-QBs-51788027
Sure he feels great now, it's the off season. Let's see him get through OTAs and training camp still feeling great.
