Marshawn Lynch passes physical

[BILLSROCK1212]

NFL | M. Lynch passes Green Bay's physical
Sun, 22 Apr 2007 10:45:31 -0700

Bob McGinn, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reports California RB Marshawn Lynch (back) passed his physical with the Green Bay Packers' medical staff. General manager Ted Thompson usually does not invite potential top picks to the team's facility, but he wanted to have Lynch's back examined. The team's medical staff signed off on what has been described by NFL club officials as a congenital disc abnormality in his lower back. Lynch's agent, Doug Hendrickson, said it was his understanding no MRI was performed on Lynch, and the team was satisfied and passed him on his physical.

[jamze132]

I don't have any issues with us drafting Lynch as long as Willis isn't there at #12.

[HHURRICANE]

If he has back issues they should have done an MRI. I wouldn't touch him at this point.

[Michael82]

If he has back issues they should have done an MRI. I wouldn't touch him at this point.
The back issues worry the hell out of me. I wouldn't touch him unless they traded down to the 20th pick or later and then drafted him.

[okaydo]

If he has back issues they should have done an MRI. I wouldn't touch him at this point.
Ummmm, Lynch actually underwent a bunch of MRIs -- one at the combine, and several more at the teams he visited.

And he was cleared.

They found he had a CONGENITAL disc abnormality, which means he's had it since birth, which also means he's played with it successfully through high school and college.

Here's the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=594418):


Lynch's back not sore spot

Medical team says ailment no problem

By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com

Posted: April 21, 2007

Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers cleared the final hurdle to a possible first-round selection of running back Marshawn Lynch when the team's medical staff signed off Friday on what has been described by National Football League club officials as a congenital disc abnormality in his lower back.

General manager Ted Thompson departed from his normal protocol of not inviting potential top picks to the team's facility in this case mainly because he wanted Lynch's back examined.


On Saturday, agent Doug Hendrickson indicated that, although it was his understanding no magnetic resonance imaging test was performed on Lynch, the Packers were satisfied and passed him on his physical.


"It was first reported at Cal back in '02," Hendrickson said Saturday. "No team is really concerned about it. All he does is exercises for it to strengthen it."


Lynch, a junior from the University of California, is a consensus pick as the No. 2 running back in the draft behind Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson. For months, he has been a popular projection for the Packers with their 16th overall selection.


Green Bay was the ninth and final team that Lynch visited this month. Others were Detroit (second pick), Cleveland (3), Atlanta (8), Buffalo (12), St. Louis (13), Tennessee (19), Kansas City (23) and Baltimore (29).


Officials from four of those teams told the Journal Sentinel after visits by Lynch that their medical staffs had cleared his back. A personnel director for an AFC team that met with Lynch visit said, "We checked it out and we're fine with it. It's like a disc. We gave him an MRI. He said he was able to do all his lifts and it hasn't precluded him from doing anything."


Lynch underwent an MRI at the combine in late February. Based on those findings, another personnel director said he would be off his board. That team reversed its conclusions after a visit in which its doctors performed their own tests.


"I know that there's some teams that will red-flag him," one NFC executive said. "But I don't know that it will (prompt) a lot of teams from staying away from him."
In college, Lynch has been able to play through his back problems.


Lynch arrived in Green Bay on Thursday after a visit in Buffalo and spent most of Friday with the Packers. It was the final day for visits by draft-eligible players.

[Neggie Nancy]

He'll be an interesting story in the draft as Buffalo, GB and TENN are the three most obvious teams where he'd fit right in and start.

Buffalo gets first crack if they want him, unless a team jumps above them.