12-30-2016, 10:10 AM
So, I understand this year has been frustrating with Ogbuehi's play but there's one thing I think we should all take into account, the bowl game injury he had. The guy blew out his knee, missed most of his rookie year recovering, and this season is the first real year after the injury.
Do any of you remember what Geno was like the first season back from the ACL injury? Our own Defensive Coordinator said "He was just another guy out there", explosiveness and power were just gone. Cut to the following season, with more recuperation under his belt (and confidence in his knee), and Geno was back to being Geno. Was he "healthy" that first year back? Yes, he was. But he wasn't back to being the same yet. My point? OL and DL have similar body sizes, stresses, etc. on their bodies. If an All-Pro DT looks just meh a year after surgery, why do we expect a 2nd year OT to be perfectly fine?
Offensive and Defensive linemen have to put extreme stress on their knees on every single snap. Their knees are anchoring 300+ lbs human beings, being violently pushed or pulled by other 300+ lbs human beings, often with other overgrown men either intentionally diving at their knees (penalty or not), or falling and rolling up on their knees. The psychological concerns for these men coming off a knee injury are astronomical, I'd argue more so than for skill position players.
Now don't get me wrong, his ineffective play shouldn't have been repeatedly trotted out there for all of us to see (and AD to fear). However, assuming at this early stage that Ogbuehi is a bust, or won't be a solid OT is a bit pre-mature.
Do any of you remember what Geno was like the first season back from the ACL injury? Our own Defensive Coordinator said "He was just another guy out there", explosiveness and power were just gone. Cut to the following season, with more recuperation under his belt (and confidence in his knee), and Geno was back to being Geno. Was he "healthy" that first year back? Yes, he was. But he wasn't back to being the same yet. My point? OL and DL have similar body sizes, stresses, etc. on their bodies. If an All-Pro DT looks just meh a year after surgery, why do we expect a 2nd year OT to be perfectly fine?
Offensive and Defensive linemen have to put extreme stress on their knees on every single snap. Their knees are anchoring 300+ lbs human beings, being violently pushed or pulled by other 300+ lbs human beings, often with other overgrown men either intentionally diving at their knees (penalty or not), or falling and rolling up on their knees. The psychological concerns for these men coming off a knee injury are astronomical, I'd argue more so than for skill position players.
Now don't get me wrong, his ineffective play shouldn't have been repeatedly trotted out there for all of us to see (and AD to fear). However, assuming at this early stage that Ogbuehi is a bust, or won't be a solid OT is a bit pre-mature.
