Could Jaguars GM Gene Smith be drafting too many injury prone players?
by Adam Stites on Oct 18, 2011 11:04 PM EDT
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PrintToday the Jaguars announced that 2009 6th round pick Zach Miller, 2010 5th round pick Austen Lane and 2011 5th round pick Rod Issac would all miss the remainder of the 2011 season and would be placed on the injured reserve list. On injured reserve they join, 2009 7th round pick Rashad Jennings and 2010 3rd round pick D'Anthony Smith.
It is certainly possible that these injuries are purely coincidental and simply a case of bad luck for the organization, but after a certain amount of time the question bears asking: Are the Jaguars drafting injury prone players?
In the time since Gene Smith was named general manager of the Jaguars, the team has had three drafts and has drafted 20 players. Three of those players are no longer with the team: DE Larry Hart, WR Tiquan Underwood and DB/PR Scotty McGee.
Of the 17 other players, Rod Issac, D'Anthony Smith, Austen Lane, Eben Britton, Jarett Dillard, Zach Miller and Rashad Jennings have all spent time on the injured reserve list.
Eugene Monroe is currently suffering from a shoulder injury, Derek Cox is suffering from a groin injury shortly after recovering from a chest injury, and Tyson Alualu is suffering from a nagging knee injury.
While it certainly could be misfortune for the team, after a while it starts to look like a trend. Certainly a very concerning trend.
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Did any of these players have a history of injuries in college? Weren’t all cleared by doctors prior to be signed to contracts? Does anyone have a crystal ball of when someone might suffer an injury?
Unfortunately, without a time machine, you can’t draft based on a player’s future injuries.
by Slothful_Lifestyle on Oct 18, 2011 11:37 PM EDT reply actions
+1
My thoughts exactly. Were people saying the same thing about the Packers GM last year when they had a ridiculous amount of people on I.R. but still won the S.B.? I’m not comparing Gene to Ted Thompson or saying we are headed to the Super Bowl but this is a league of injuries…they happen! I dont think Gene would purposely target every injury-prone player player and then draft them. I would think the Jags organization and their medical staff would do their due diligence and their home work on these players with medical issues upon drafting them. However, I will say that the number of players that are suppose to be “key contributors of the future” and constantly being injured is alarming!
by Jags85 on Oct 19, 2011 8:39 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Definitely an interesting observation. I think ever guy has had an injury.
by Alfie Crow on Oct 18, 2011 11:41 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Peyton Manning was not on the injury report last year.
And he had neck surgery a few years ago.
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When drafted guys like D'Anthony and Zach Miller are consistently out
then he has drafted some injury prone players. I think part of it has to do with the fact that a lot of these guys are small school players who go from lower FBS schools or FCS schools to the NFL. That is a dramatic change from a physicality standpoint that wouldn’t be as drastic if they had come from the Big Ten or SEC. That is just something I believe could affect it, since the three guys who went on IR today are all small school guys.
I don’t want to attribute it to them just being small school players, but it could have something to do with the fact that they’re from small schools and are thrust into action so soon. Most of the time, your 4th round and beyond picks are just special teams and get a season in an NFL program. This roster was gutted however, so they’re forced to play.
Up til he went on IR, Miller only missed a handful of games in 3 years
besides, like it or not and I’m gonna play this card, he’s a 6th rounder. If he was a first rounder and missed all this time, I get the consternation and calls of him being a bust. Most teams don’t get anything out of their 6th rounders, aside from this kid up in New England who just might make it at quarterback.
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I know he was a 6th rounder
But when the team hypes him up as the next Dallas Clark, then he becomes more than a 6th rounder in my opinion.
by Dwalk1217 on Oct 19, 2011 9:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think a lot of the problem is, a lot of fans hype players up to an unnecessary level (team is a lot at fault, too… Vic…).
Then, you get the blowback when they’re never anywhere close to what they were hyped to be. Yeah, Miller has just a 6th round pick and what you’ve got out of him is okay for that, but he was hyped beyond belief and never got close to it.
very true. great point
Plus, and take this as it is, but in my view, there are a lot of fans here who want to see the great white hope. It’s something I’ve heard quite a bit at the sports bars and the stands.
Saw it with Matt Jones a few years ago, Miller, and last preseason with Bolen and Matthews.
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I could see that…. sad as it is.
There’s been too much almost “You’re stupid, Gene is a genius.” going on when a draft pick is questioned by fans. It’s going to cause a natural blowback when the player winds up not that great.
I.E. Underwood. Vic hyped him up beyond belief and I never got it. He couldn’t catch at Rutgers and was a secondary/third target… but he was magically going to be some great deep threat in the NFL? Questioning it resulted in a smarmy response about Gene Smith being so great at unearthing talent no one else knew about.
I brought this up a year or two ago, around draft time
that it might be these guys adjusting to the size of the NFL, as many come from smaller schools. But looking at it now, even guys from bigger conferences are consistently getting hurt. Could other areas be to blame? Perhaps strength and conditioning?
Injury Plagued
This team has always been injury plagued going back to the beginning. Injuries are a part of the NFL and always has been. Its just some teams have more depth and are not as affected. Also teams are just more cautious today than they use to be about putting players back out too soon.
Take stock in your lives, but leave your livestock alone
how often is a GM blamed for player injuries?
I’m pretty sure we changed our conditioning coach a few years back because we had injury problems before Gene took over. It’s part of the game, and you notice it more on teams without great depth. If you want to questions Gene Smiths performance, I think it would make more sense to question the lack of depth instead of injuries that he has no control over.
I don't think that's even a moderately fair assessment at all:
Rob Issac missed 3 games his entire 4 year college career (two separate injuries due to ankle sprains within his Freshman and early Sophomore season). Seeing as he played pretty much every game every year I would highly not consider that injury prone.
D’Anthony Smith missed ONE game his entire college career.
Austen Lane had no games missed due to injury
Eben Britton not only missed no games due to injury, he actually started 37 consecutive games at right and left tackle in college. The guy was THE symbol of consistency.
Jarett Dillard officially missed no college games due to injury (though missed a good portion of the Texas game due to an unnamed reason).
Zach Miller-can’t find much info, but I do know he had a torn tendon in his hand during his pro day (then again, it was a freakin 6th round pick…let’s not get toooo crazy. Low risk.).
Rashad Jennings missed no games due to injury in college.
Derek Cox no injuries in college.
Tyson Alualu played in every single game possible in college.
The only player anyone could say was even moderately injury prone would be Eugene Monroe with his dislocated and sprained knees in college. But, again…that’s ONE player out of 17.
So……I ask you…the point of this article is what? That GMs must be Nicolas Cage and know the future huh? Human beings = imperfect unpredictable creatures. Lol…
Travis D. Holmes
Guy's just unlucky with his picks...(Kanye West shurg)
just can’t necessarily blame him for them…
Travis D. Holmes
I'mma let you finish, but Gil Brandt was the best GM of ALL TIME!! (humph look)
Section 442, RIP
"You think you know, but you don't know."
thanks for doing some research, T.
I had actually started thinking the same thing earlier today when I saw we put three more on IR. But then I wondered how many other teams faced similar circumstances. The 2010 Packers had quite a few.
Section 442, RIP
"You think you know, but you don't know."
I'm not saying you're wrong
Because I certainly never ruled out the possibility that it could be bad luck and pure coincidence in the article, but your logic doesn’t exactly rule it out either.
Playing games doesn’t necessarily prove that a player isn’t susceptible to injuries. For how much Zach Miller’s been banged up during his NFL career, he only missed 3 games in 2009 and 2010 combined. Does that make him an iron man and a solid investment to a potential suitor? No, probably not, because you have to look at a deeper level than just whether they played or not.
Again, I’m not saying that he draft injury prone players, but I think it’s worth pointing out that his 20 picks have had a rough history of injuries. After a while, you have to start scratching your head and wondering if it’s bad luck or if it’s a trend.
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I agree
What the trend is, is an interesting topic? Perhaps small schools have an impact?
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Real fans don’t need a reason.
"Real G's move in silence like lasagna.." lol
by TheTealDeal on Oct 19, 2011 7:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
No question mark after topic
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Real fans don’t need a reason.
"Real G's move in silence like lasagna.." lol
by TheTealDeal on Oct 19, 2011 7:25 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I definitely agree with you. But the scounts are paid to look into just that. I'd assume (maybe I shouldn't) that they would look into it much deeper than we would.
But just looking at what information we do have available, saying he drafted injury prone players wouldn’t seem to have much backbone based on their playing pasts.
Travis D. Holmes
I love the movie, you’re referring to
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Real fans don’t need a reason.
"Real G's move in silence like lasagna.." lol
by TheTealDeal on Oct 19, 2011 7:12 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Shit happens
Not Gene’s fault, just unfortunate for the Jags.
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I'm willing to drink the Kool-ade, but I'm hungry for the truth.
GMs cant take heat for injurries
That occur to players with no past injury history. With the lockout, you could argue it affected the players being in shape and took longer to get up to standards. The lockout + the usual amount of injuries = a plausible reason for all the injuries
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Real fans don’t need a reason.
"Real G's move in silence like lasagna.." lol
by TheTealDeal on Oct 19, 2011 7:22 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Sure a GM can. Injuries expose your depth, or lack there of.
It’s a great indication of roster building.
so, given the spate of injuries would this be a fair assessment
We have a team full of depth, but the collective quality is 2nd string, with a couple of exceptions.
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I think it’s showing this roster has some good building blocks, but overall isn’t that good.
So, yeah.
I'm curious...
about something. If the team would’ve won some of those winnable games this year, would you still be saying that the team isn’t that good?
As Jason Hill would say
“Nah, come on! It ain’t Gene, its the HUMIDITY!!!”
by Jags85 on Oct 19, 2011 8:41 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
At least we didn't sign Bob Sanders....
like some fools wanted to do! I think this year is a lot to do with the lock-out and being away from team doctors. I also believe that the organization might be a little over-cautious with their young players. Jennings felt that he could play this year, but he would have taken a roster spot, and he’s a young RB who the Jaguars are paying very little. Why not rest him for the year, get healed up, and start again next season. Seems to me that they do not want their young guys getting career injuries.
Jennings at the 30, at the 20, at the 10. TOUCHDOWN RASHAD JENNINGS!!
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