The Tennessee Titans’ selection of Tyjae Spears was a controversial pick in and of itself because of the team’s need at wide receiver, but when you also learn of the situation with his right knee, the pick only looks worse.
Spears stayed healthy the past two years (and was sensational in 2022), but had multiple knee issues in the years prior, including a pair of torn ACLs.
Adding to that, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed during the draft, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound back has “a full thickness cartilage loss,” and has no ACL and an arthritis issue in that knee, per CBS Sports Jordan Dajani.
Here’s @RapSheet breaking down Tyjae Spears’ injury history. pic.twitter.com/i6E6siXf6D
— Mickey Ryan (@MickeyRyan1045) April 29, 2023
When asked about Spears’ injury history, head coach Mike Vrabel said he and general manager Ran Carthon are “comfortable” with his medicals.
“Played a lot of really productive snaps. Didn’t miss much time at all. Was a full participant throughout the week at the Senior Bowl,” said Vrabel. “I think both of us are comfortable with where we’re at with Tyjae and what his availability will be going forward.
“Now, that may change, but [we] feel good about where it is right now.”
Obviously, the Titans had to evaluate the medical report and clear Spears in order to consider drafting him, but this is also a team that hasn’t been able to keep players healthy the last two years, and at a historic rate.
Tennessee drafting Spears keeps the spirit of Jon Robinson’s propensity to bring in players who have suffered the injury alive. Hell, he signed Bud Dupree to a massive contract off of one — but I digress.
None of this is to say it’s impossible for Spears to stay healthy and be a good or better player in the NFL, and I’ll certainly be rooting for him to do just that.
However, it’s impossible to completely ignore all of that information on his knee, especially after Tennessee’s locker room has been doubling as a physical rehabilitation clinic the last two years.
As a result, I’m even more down on this pick than I already was.
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