Big Snack Avoids Surgery

[Jooser]

Good news.....

[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/13/casey-hampton-wont-need-surgery-for-partial-acl-tear/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -acl-tear/[/url]

Casey Hampton won’t need surgery for partial ACL tear

Posted by Mike Florio on January 13, 2012, 1:35 PM EST

AP
The Steelers lost nose tackle Casey Hampton early in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, with a knee injury. As pointed out in PFT’s Friday one-liners, the veteran won’t need offseason surgery to fix the joint.

Hampton is lucky. Most ACL injuries require surgery. Usually, an ACL tear results in a full construction of the ligament.

In Hampton’s case, the tear was sufficiently slight to avoid surgery, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Which means he won’t be spending the full offseason rehabbing as he gets ready for what will be his 12th NFL season.

Two other key players weren’t as lucky; center Maurkice Pouncey has undergone ankle surgery, and guard/center Doug Legursky needs shoulder surgery.

Hampton is due to earn a base salary of $5 million in 2012, the final year of his current contract.

[Slapstick]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

Perhaps he'll be back next year after all...

[JAR]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

That's good. Legursky, Starks and Allen are all having surgery today.

[Oviedo]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

Just means that there is a higher probability that Hampton comes to camp over weight and out of shape. He has a built in excuse with the injury. Time to move on and draft a NT in the first three rounds.

[Shoe]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

Pay cut or adios.

It sucks, but the cupboard is rather bare. Ziggy is not a difference-maker. McLendon is totally unproven. Cam Heyward is still green, and doesn't figure to be a difference-maker in 2012. Keisel is good, but aging. Hampton is a borderline fossil.

We've invested two #1 picks in this area in the past three seasons, and it's probably still the least dynamic area of our football team.

[aggiebones]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

If we bring Hampton back, he will start. He ain't taking a paycut, but he would extend his contract for a price.
I could see him in another jersey. He's not bound like Ward or ASmith are mentally, I doubt.

[steelz09]

Re: Big Snack Avoids Surgery

The Steelers neglected this for way too long and now it's biting them in the ass. And rightfully so...

I've been asking for them to address the NT position the year BEFORE Hampton signed his last contract. I'm actually surprised Hamton signed the last deal. But the Steelers had no choice, they neglected one of the most important position in a 3-4 defense and Hampton could have held them hostage.

Even if we have McClendon, you can't go into the season with 1 NT. Hoke's career is over and Hampton is costly. Who is McClendon's competition? What if McClendon gets hurt? We have no one else to field that position. This is a problem.