Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday night that while Osi Umenyiora is attending New York Giants off-season workouts, he is also battling hip problems.
Wrote Garafolo:
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, whose situation has been clouded since he was demoted to a situational pass rusher last season, is now also battling complications from a lingering hip injury, according to someone informed of Umenyiora’s health status.
The person, who requested anonymity because he wasn’t at liberty to discuss Umenyiora’s injury, said side effects of a torn hip flexor that sidelined him for five games in 2006 often flare up during spring workouts and that this year Umenyiora is particularly affected.
Though Umenyiora has said in the past he and the Giants’ medical staff have discussed surgery as an option, it appears he will continue to rehab the injury during the off-season program and won’t go under the knife for the second time in two years. (Umenyiora had season-ending surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee in August 2008.)
I am not sure what to make of this. On one hand, MG says Osi battles this every spring. On the other hand, he is a little older now and it is a little worse than usual.
Might make a player like Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan all that much more attractive in the April draft. Not that I'm taking the opportunity to defend my pick in our BBV Community Mock Draft or anything.
- If there are going to be changes on the Giants offensive line, no one has told them yet. Listen to Shaun O'Hara, one player definitely not in danger of losing his job.
"As far as we knew, any word of change came from outside the building. It was people that were speculating. When you have an 8-8 season and finish the way we finished I think you open yourself up for those types of propositions.
"But at the same time I think as a group we know the talent that we have, we know the type of group we are, and it’s amazing what a difference a year makes. The previous year people were lauding us as one of the best groups in the NFL. We’re confident in the fact that we can get back to playing at that level.
"I think there’s no question that the 2007, 2008 seasons we won a lot of football games, but we won them by being physical," said O’Hara. "That can take a toll on you."I think as players we’ve had a chance now to regroup. It’s always tough to make it through a season without having an injury. I always put myself in the mindset of: It’s not a matter of if you’re going to get hurt, it’s a matter of when. You just have to find a way to deal with it."
- Here is a look at a few prospects who are moving up and down draft boards.