Rumor: Da'Quan Bowers clears medical and has great interview with Bills

[X-Era]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/6463/daquan-bowers

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=5189

"We understand earlier this week Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers had a great meeting with the Buffalo Bills and the team doctor cleared his surgically repaired knee."

He may be a strong consideration for us at 3.

[theanswer74]

I dont think anyone has asked nix about Bowers the entire offseason, am i wrong?

[buffalobillsfan95]

I wouldn't mind taking him as long as his knee gets back t normal, if we do skip on him he could slip pretty far and become a steal

[Ebenezer]

Four year starter in college, correct?

[bflojohn]

He is an underclassmen, so 3 solid years of starting. The question swirling around is why 15.5 sacks this year, and only 4 his previous 2 years. All I know is he is a prototypical pass rushing DE, and those are indeed rare!!

[Bangarang]

The same medical staff that cleared Merriman? Supposedly Bowers looked pretty bad on his pro day.

[YardRat]

We're not taking Bowers, unless we plan on returning to a true 43 full-time. Even if we did, we'll probably take Miller over him.

[X-Era]

Four year starter in college, correct?No, he's a junior, just 3. And he only came on this year. However, he was dominant in many games this year and put up big sack numbers along with being solid against the run.

[CleveSteve]

I wouldn't mind taking him as long as his knee gets back t normal, if we do skip on him he could slip pretty far and become a steal

If he's available at 6 and medically cleared, he's the pick fo the Browns.

[X-Era]

We're not taking Bowers, unless we plan on returning to a true 43 full-time. Even if we did, we'll probably take Miller over him.I don't think we can rule him out as a 3-4 DE. Sure he's not over 6' 4" but he has thick legs and still weighs 280. And, he came into this year at 280 after losing 25 pounds in the off-season. If anything, he could add 5 to 10 pounds or so with his frame. He holds the edge well. I'm not that worried about him in a 3-4.

[Ebenezer]

No, he's a junior, just 3. And he only came on this year. However, he was dominant in many games this year and put up big sack numbers along with being solid against the run.
I wouldn't be upset with Bowers but I am thinking the pick will be Miller.

[DraftBoy]

Funny he cleared our doctors because I know more than 1 team medically failed his knee. Just saying.

[TacklingDummy]

I'd draft Bowers over Dareus.

[better days]

Funny he cleared our doctors because I know more than 1 team medically failed his knee. Just saying.

Can you tell us what teams failed his knee? I'm just curious. It is not unusual for different teams to have different pass/fail evaluations of a player.

[theanswer74]

The same medical staff that cleared Merriman? Supposedly Bowers looked pretty bad on his pro day.
Angelo Crowell.

Some teams pass and some teams fail.

[Buddo]

Funny he cleared our doctors because I know more than 1 team medically failed his knee. Just saying.

Fair enough. Not wishing to be particularly nit-picking, but do you have any idea as to how these 'medicals' are conducted - more specifically, the criteria used to determine whether or not someone is 'good to go'?

I'm curious that different teams may view fitness in different ways. e.g. Some teams may define it as being able to play 'now', whereas other teams may define it in terms of 'has the process been successful' ( i.e. the surgery).
If all teams use a similar set of criteria, then with there being some who pass Bowers, and some who fail him, I'd be very much inclined to stay well away from him, as that says to me that not only is he 50-50 to succeed (as most draft picks are), he's also 50-50 as a medical risk.

[X-Era]

Funny he cleared our doctors because I know more than 1 team medically failed his knee. Just saying.Could just be BS. I started the thread as a statement and then considered the source and added "rumor".

[DraftBoy]

Can you tell us what teams failed his knee? I'm just curious. It is not unusual for different teams to have different pass/fail evaluations of a player.
Unfortunately no I cannot, but I do know that more than 1 other teams failed his knee.

He had a re-check this weekend in Indy, I havent seen anything official yet.

[DraftBoy]

Fair enough. Not wishing to be particularly nit-picking, but do you have any idea as to how these 'medicals' are conducted - more specifically, the criteria used to determine whether or not someone is 'good to go'?

I'm curious that different teams may view fitness in different ways. e.g. Some teams may define it as being able to play 'now', whereas other teams may define it in terms of 'has the process been successful' ( i.e. the surgery).
If all teams use a similar set of criteria, then with there being some who pass Bowers, and some who fail him, I'd be very much inclined to stay well away from him, as that says to me that not only is he 50-50 to succeed (as most draft picks are), he's also 50-50 as a medical risk.


With broad discretion. Let me put it to you this way if a team wants a guy who has a known injury or injury history to fail/pass a medical, its VERY easy. Now does every team do that? No, so to say or assume that's what occured here with any team is a broad jump in logic.

Every team looks at things differently, simply see the John McCargo situation, he was active for us, traded to Indy and failed their physical. This is the reason why every team requires any incoming player to take a physical.

[DraftBoy]

Could just be BS. I started the thread as a statement and then considered the source and added "rumor".

Im leaning more towards BS at this point because its just too much right too soon right after his horrible pro day.

[Turf]

Please, no more were smarter than everyone else and are going to steal the injured guy picks.

[TigerJ]

He is an underclassmen, so 3 solid years of starting. The question swirling around is why 15.5 sacks this year, and only 4 his previous 2 years. All I know is he is a prototypical pass rushing DE, and those are indeed rare!!There was a story a while back on what motivated Bowers this past season. I think it had something to do with the death of Gaines Adams whom he idolized. In any case, it appears he went from being an unmotivated player to a highly motivated one. Of course, the worry in a case like this is that while Bowers was motivated this past season, could he for some reason become unmotivated again? That's what the interview process is all about. Find out what makes a player tick so that you can get some read on where his head is going to be in the future.

As far as Bowers' medical issues are concerned, I'm assuming what the Buffalo medical people ascertained that there is no reason the knee won't heal up completely. That's not to say he's at full strength right now. He's had a long layoff and it will take him a while to get up to full strength. That's why he had a poor pro day.

Regarding Shawne Merriman and the Buffalo medical staff, there's no reason to think that Buffalo's medical staff was incorrect concerning his condition with respect to his past injuries. My assumption is that Merriman got hurt this past fall because he was not in football condition and tried to do something he wasn't ready to do. It should have nothing to do with his long term prognosis.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

The same medical staff that cleared Merriman?
And, years ago, John McCargo-- the same guy they pawned off on the Colts, only for them to flunk him on a physical.

[tomz]

There was a story a while back on what motivated Bowers this past season. I think it had something to do with the death of Gaines Adams whom he idolized. In any case, it appears he went from being an unmotivated player to a highly motivated one. Of course, the worry in a case like this is that while Bowers was motivated this past season, could he for some reason become unmotivated again? That's what the interview process is all about. Find out what makes a player tick so that you can get some read on where his head is going to be in the future.

As far as Bowers' medical issues are concerned, I'm assuming what the Buffalo medical people ascertained that there is no reason the knee won't heal up completely. That's not to say he's at full strength right now. He's had a long layoff and it will take him a while to get up to full strength. That's why he had a poor pro day.

Regarding Shawne Merriman and the Buffalo medical staff, there's no reason to think that Buffalo's medical staff was incorrect concerning his condition with respect to his past injuries. My assumption is that Merriman got hurt this past fall because he was not in football condition and tried to do something he wasn't ready to do. It should have nothing to do with his long term prognosis.

Good post--very reasonable.

How many guys are actually dominant for multiple years in college? It seems like Dareus and Miller both have two good years but I have not heard that about others.
Bowers was highly touted coming into college so it is pretty clear that the talent is there. Maybe the light went on and he learned how to work smarter with the focus that comes with the motivation from the Adams situation? It happens all the time. I seem to remember several former Bills (Bruce Smith, Eric Moulds, for examples)
who suddenly 'got it' in terms of work ethic and working smart.

Bowers seems to me a perfect fit. Stout against the run AND a strong pass rusher. What more do you want? Probably scheme versatile as well.

He's the one DE that I see out there who could turn into a Smith-level player.

[justasportsfan]

The same medical staff that cleared Merriman? .
the same medical staff that did a great job with Kevin Everrett?

[DraftBoy]

the same medical staff that did a great job with Kevin Everrett?

You're talking about two completely different events to be fair.

The same doctors that worked on Everett are probably not the same ones giving a routine physical.

Also I think Buffalo General deserves a ton of credit for Everett as well.

[justasportsfan]

You're talking about two completely different events to be fair.

The same doctors that worked on Everett are probably not the same ones giving a routine physical.

Also I think Buffalo General deserves a ton of credit for Everett as well.


we don't know that to be fair. My point is, we don't know any better than doctors .

[mrbojanglezs]

Funny he cleared our doctors because I know more than 1 team medically failed his knee. Just saying.

teams also failed dwan edwards and he is fine.

[DraftBoy]

we don't know that to be fair. We don't know any better than doctors either.

You think an orthopedic surgeon is conducting routine physicals? Btw the docs name is Andrew Cappuccino who used the cold therapy to give Everett the ability to walk again (along with his surgery). He has been a part of the Bills staff for years but he is not the head trainer who would be conducting physicals, he is a contract orthopedic surgeon for them.

So yes I think its very fair to say it is not one and the same.

[DraftBoy]

teams also failed dwan edwards and he is fine.

Absolutely, I never once said the Bills are wrong or right, simply pointing out that if a team wanted to pass or fail a guy its easy to do.

[mrbojanglezs]

Absolutely, I never once said the Bills are wrong or right, simply pointing out that if a team wanted to pass or fail a guy its easy to do.

ya, I agree

[justasportsfan]

You think an orthopedic surgeon is conducting routine physicals? Btw the docs name is Andrew Cappuccino who used the cold therapy to give Everett the ability to walk again (along with his surgery). He has been a part of the Bills staff for years but he is not the head trainer who would be conducting physicals, he is a contract orthopedic surgeon for them.

So yes I think its very fair to say it is not one and the same.

They are part of the bills team. Some of the bills team were on the field the minute Everrett got injured and they were praised for their emergency care.

[DraftBoy]

They are part of the bills team. Some of the bills team were on the field the minute Everrett got injured and they were praised for their emergency care.

Again apples to oranges. Emergency care is not the same as what we are talking about. That's not to say conducting a physical is difficult but saying that because the Bills trainers that held Everett's neck straight for minutes until the orthopedist arrived is a far leap in logic.

[justasportsfan]

Again apples to oranges. Emergency care is not the same as what we are talking about. That's not to say conducting a physical is difficult but saying that because the Bills trainers that held Everett's neck straight for minutes until the orthopedist arrived is a far leap in logic.
I don't care. Some of these guys were most likely there when Everrett went down and had a hand in some way. So if people are gonna mock them for Merriman consider that too.

[DraftBoy]

I don't care. Some of these guys were most likely there when Everrett went down and had a hand in some way. So if people are gonna mock them for Merriman consider that too.

And McCargo, which imo is far more damning and directly connected than this extremely weak support you're presenting.

[stuckincincy]

The same medical staff that cleared Merriman? Supposedly Bowers looked pretty bad on his pro day.

I wouldn't waste a 3rd overall on him. And the high DE picks in recent drafts haven't exactly set the league on fire...

Perhaps - some day - they will figure out how and where to select OLs.

Maybe.

[justasportsfan]

And McCargo, which imo is far more damning and directly connected than this extremely weak support you're presenting.

You can't pin them for one thing and then ignore the other situations. What about the other players that were nursed back to complete health and played well. Are you just going to ingore that or are we just going to harp on Merriman?

[baalworship]

I would prefer Dareus, Fairley, Cam Jordan, JJ Watt etc over Bowers as a 3-4 DE.