Gaither Still Hasn't Practiced (Merged)

[SugarRay52]

....and we all saw it coming. Philip Rivers is going to really be irate when this season starts. Vincent Jackson is in Tampa Bay. Ryan Matthews is on the injury list. Mike Tolbert is in Carolina and he will be lacking a quality LT.

Don't forget about WR Vincent Brown breaking his ankle, there was a lot of buzz coming out of San Diego about him breaking out big time this year.

[Ravens75]

Pat Kirwan destroyed him on his show on Sirius on Monday. Said this is the same stuff he pulled in Baltimore.

The word is out on Jared that he's a bad actor and really doesn't want to play.

I really hope he's hurt because if he's exaggerating to skip practice, he'll never see another real contract as long as he's in the league.

[Haloti92]

I really hope he's hurt because if he's exaggerating to skip practice, he'll never see another real contract as long as he's in the league.

I disagree. As long as he miraculously gets to 100% by the start of the regular season (or likely before the last preseason game), and plays fairly well during the regular season, someone will always offer him a middling-contract (for the position) to play.

As I said before, no team is going to publicly call him out about faking or exaggerating injuries. They might (likely are) talking to him privately, and maybe forcefully, about the "need" to practice, but they will not accuse him of being a liar/faker. At least not until they cut him, and likely not even then.

He is 6'9", ~340 lbs, 26 yrs old, and plays pretty well when he gets in the real games. That he could possibly/likely be an All-Pro with real effort doesn't take away from the fact he can be a decent LT with no effort (so far). He seems content with decently paid for no practicing and no real effort. And there will always be a team that will put up with that even if they have to lie to themselves (about whether Jared suddenly is as committed/"healthy" as he says he is).

If he does not feel "healthy" enough to play in the games, then I agree, he is not long for the league.

[Stealthbirds80]

You hate to just flat out laugh at the guy, but he should just end it now.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla...=239330&spln=1

[The Excellector]

Baltimore should have got a pick for him when they had the chance.

[Captain Silver]

That lazy bastard. Good for the idiot Chargers, they are going to suck ass this year and Norv will be fired which is long overdue. That GM needs to go as well. Blow up that franchise. Hell, I'd even trade Rivers for a #1, his shelf life is halfway over.

[Stealthbirds80]

Baltimore should have got a pick for him when they had the chance.

agreed.

[The Excellector]

I got roasted for saying that I would have taken a two for Gaither.

[NOLARavenFAN]

Back spasms.....hasn't practiced since July. Same old Gaither. Once he gets his money, he quits.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/83...gaither-week-1

[Jsmoove]

Damn I don't know what to say about this, is it really a front or does Gaither really have bad back issues?

[rharris1986]

He's sitting on $9 Million in guaranteed money - and according to the article may not play this year. I have no doubt the Ravens knew EXACTLY what they were doing with Mr. Gaither and EXACTLY what they had.

The Chargers were STUPID to give a 4 year $24 Million dollar contract to a tackle with a bad back and a questionable work ethic.

[Jsmoove]

The crazy thing is Gaither without even trying is top 5 tackle so easily its a pain to see such sheer talent alone just go to waste, bad move by the chargers to pay him so much and not get 1/3rd of his services.

[21xxxv]

And he will be back healthy in late November when the Ravens play him in SD...

[RavenScallywag]

I don't think it's a front. I think he has conditioning issues which causes tweaks and things like this to affect him more than others.

But yeah, what 21 said...he'll be ready to go when we play him in November, and I hope we can beat him like a drum then, just so we can stop hearing the "Ravens stupidly ran Gaither out of town" crap.

[arnie_uk]

It's not a front. He clearly has back issues. while it might stem from poor work ethic etc, there is still an issue there

[Raveninwoodlawn]

But yeah, what 21 said...he'll be ready to go when we play him in November, and I hope we can beat him like a drum then, just so we can stop hearing the "Ravens stupidly ran Gaither out of town" crap.

Well, first, I don't think there are people really saying that now because if nothing else, everybody see's he has a really bad back issue.

And I doubt we beat him like a drum...his play really can't be questioned and he shut Suggs down last year.

[StingerNLG]

Good grief. AGAIN??? Gaither should be inducted into the ROH with the amount of attention we pay to this guy.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

[B-more Ravor]

It always something with Gaither.

I don't doubt he has back issues, I'm just not sure he's that eager - at times - to play through them. It just seems awfully convenient that he was able to play so well - and back injury free, apparently - late last year when his career was hanging in the balance, and now, with $$$$ in his pocket and an offseason of no problems, it flairs up again when TC arrives.

He's definitely a talent when healthy and when he wants to be, I just think that the motivation to be that guy comes and goes far too often.

[GOTA]

I got roasted for saying that I would have taken a two for Gaither.

I remember that and you were 100% correct.

[purplepoe]

Gotta love AJ Smith.

PP