FanPost

Gailey taking steps to minimize injuries

I've often wondered why the NFL doesn't require players to wear knee braces. Sure, it would hinder WRs, but they don't seem to take as many knee injuries as other positions...so maybe there are some positions that wouldn't benefit from a mandatory knee brace policy. Chan Gailey has concluded that offensive linemen, however, don't need gazelle like speed. According to the Associated Press (via PFT), all offensive linemen wearing a Bills uniform will practice with knee braces.

I like it. I like it a lot. Buffalo has seen an unbelievable run of injuries over the past few seasons. Some of them might be attributed to the nature of training camps in the Jauronian era. Some, like Wood's, were ghastly and wouldn't have been prevented by a knee brace. Others, though, could have been foreseen and prevented--5 linemen and 3 or 4 defensive linemen crashing together every snap means that over a ton of weight is thrashing around a lot of vulnerable knees each and every play. It's good to know that the Bills are at least attempting to minimize preventable and potentially devestating injuries along the offensive line.

The question becomes whether the Bills will wear the braces during actual games. I can see Gailey requiring it during the pre-season if it goes well during training camp....particularly if he can hold up a mangled knee brace that saved some guy from serious injury. If wearing them in live game conditions during the pre-season develops a comfort level for the players I can see the smarter of them wearing them during the games that matter.

After all, if you know the boss likes something that you find useless/annoying but not overly so isn't it human nature to grin and bear it?


Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.