Rob Gronkowski

**The Excellector** · 01-17-2013, 08:53 AM

Could this be why Ozzie Newsome marked Rob Gronkowski off of his board? Many fans rushed to judgment about Ozzie Newsome missing out on Gronkowski, but it might not have been as bad as initially thought. This is exactly why Ozzie took him off of his board.

**GOTA** · 01-17-2013, 08:57 AM

He had a broken forearm. It's not like he had a history of breaking arms in college.

The issue that kept Ozzie away was his back. Backs are tricky in the NFL. So far that hasn't been an issue with Gronkowski. Ozzie is going to be cautious about drafting any player with a back issue or a history of concussions. I can't blame him for taking that approach. I probably would too if it were my money at risk.

**bt12483** · 01-17-2013, 08:58 AM

I think the initial concerns were his back.

His back has never been an issue.

It's been an ankle and now this freak forearm stuff.

The ankle stuff happens all the time.

But to break the same forearm twice in two different spots could be a long-term issue. They brace their fall so much with their arms, it is going to be in constant line of fire every time he is tackled. Is there even such a thing as a forearm brace?

**iggyman555** · 01-17-2013, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Could this be why Ozzie Newsome marked Rob Gronkowski off of his board? Many fans rushed to judgment about Ozzie Newsome missing out on Gronkowski, but it might not have been as bad as initially thought. This is exactly why Ozzie took him off of his board.

i thought it was back issues that bothered him before

**Paintballguy** · 01-17-2013, 09:16 AM

It was definitely the back issue which was questionable about Gronk. The forearm injuries have just been freak injuries. Looks like he just fell the wrong way on it.

**Coastergenius** · 01-17-2013, 09:32 AM

It's also not hard to look like a Pro-Bowler when you have Tom Brady throwing to you in Bill Belichick system. Who knows how he would have done in a Cam Cameron system.

**The Excellector** · 01-17-2013, 09:35 AM

Let's keep in mind that back injuries have a way of leading to injuries elsewhere.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-17-2013, 09:50 AM

yeah, i guess in a way, you might give Ozzie props for not drafting a "fragile" guy. He was durable his first year or so, but now seems to be having trouble staying healthy.

But yeah, the back issues were what was red flagging him then.

**RedSkins Fury** · 01-17-2013, 10:08 AM

As for breaking the arm in two different places, this makes since. And it's not some related to some genetic bone weakness or something like that... lol.

He had surgery for the first break, correct? If so, that means the reason for surgery was to place screws and plates on the bone for proper placement and stabilization. Many times those plates and screws are removed after the bones are healed, but that requires a later surgical procedure. After bones have healed 100% they are usually stronger in that area than they were before, so it's rare to break a bone in the same place twice. The fact that he still has screws, etc reinforcing the initial "mostly healed" fracture makes since that it broke somewhere else... In fact, the artificial reinforcement may have caused reduced flexibility and increased stress/load to the other part of the bone and may have cause a fracture that wouldn't have otherwise happened.

Of course this is all speculation.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 01-20-2013, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Coastergenius

It's also not hard to look like a Pro-Bowler when you have Tom Brady throwing to you in Bill Belichick system. Who knows how he would have done in a Cam Cameron system.

I honestly think he would have been no more productive than Pitta & Dickson combined have been.
Keep in mind, Cam always wanted to run the ball into the end zone once the Ravens got within 7-8 yards of it. That takes away a lot of scoring opportunities from both the WRs, TEs and QB.
By contrast, the Pats' playcallers have always relied on Brady once they're in the red zone.
The only real advantage Gronk has over Pitta & Dickson is blocking.

And his earlier back trouble has nothing to do with him breaking his arm again while trying to brace himself from a hard landing. It has more to do with his physical, hard-nosed, somewhat reckless style of play.

**Tucker: M&T Sec 527** · 01-17-2013, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Could this be why Ozzie Newsome marked Rob Gronkowski off of his board? Many fans rushed to judgment about Ozzie Newsome missing out on Gronkowski, but it might not have been as bad as initially thought. This is exactly why Ozzie took him off of his board.

Not hating on the guy, but I'm sure glad he's out for Sunday. He would've been a nightmare for our LBs in coverage.

The Pats sure wanted him in that draft; IIRC they traded up to get in front of us in that round.

**HoustonRaven** · 01-17-2013, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Let's keep in mind that back injuries have a way of leading to injuries elsewhere.

Leading to a forearm breaking?

**lovefootball** · 01-17-2013, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Leading to a forearm breaking?

Instead of landing on his bad back, he breaks fall with his forearms? Amazing how some receivers land after being tackled or falling to the ground. To see them pop up and act like it was nothing really is amazing. Is it because they are in great shape or damn lucky?

**Paintballguy** · 01-17-2013, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by lovefootball

Instead of landing on his bad back, he breaks fall with his forearms? Amazing how some receivers land after being tackled or falling to the ground. To see them pop up and act like it was nothing really is amazing. Is it because they are in great shape or damn lucky?

It really is crazy. I broke my wrist tackling a guy when I put my hand down to brace my fall. It just popped and I knew immediately it was broken.

**Boulderraven** · 01-17-2013, 01:36 PM

Not sure if we was on the board or not for the RAVENS. But he does have a degenative back problem, Stenosis I beleive made teams wary. But his back has been fine thus far.

**The Excellector** · 01-19-2013, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Leading to a forearm breaking?

Back injuries lead to imbalances in the rest of the body, as the body tries to compensate. The notion that someone has shoulder pain, doesn't mean that the key injury is in the shoulder. The shoulder pain could be the effect of an injury in another part of the body that is leading to improper or overusage of another part of the body.

**goodandfast** · 01-19-2013, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Back injuries lead to imbalances in the rest of the body, as the body tries to compensate. The notion that someone has shoulder pain, doesn't mean that the key injury is in the shoulder. The shoulder pain could be the effect of an injury in another part of the body that is leading to improper or overusage of another part of the body.

That kind of explanation holds up with soft tissue damage but not with broken bones, IMO.

**The Excellector** · 01-19-2013, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by goodandfast

That kind of explanation holds up with soft tissue damage but not with broken bones, IMO.

If those bones are weak and suddenly overused, for example, the explanation does hold.

**The Excellector** · 01-19-2013, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

If those bones are weak and suddenly overused, for example, the explanation does hold.

If Gronkowski is constantly using his forearm to break his fall, due to a psychological hesitance to use his back for support, due to worry over the back issues, and the forearm is weak, for example, it could happen, and it's only a matter of time before it happens in some cases.

Sorry for quoting myself.

**GOTA** · 01-19-2013, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Back injuries lead to imbalances in the rest of the body, as the body tries to compensate. The notion that someone has shoulder pain, doesn't mean that the key injury is in the shoulder. The shoulder pain could be the effect of an injury in another part of the body that is leading to improper or overusage of another part of the body.

Did you see the last game? It was a diving catch. He landed on the arm. He doesn't even have a back injury right now. That could happen to any player who flies through the air trying to catch a ball out of reach