Quote (kargus @ May 10 2012 09:24pm)

Bucs DE Da'Quan Bowers will undergo surgery Friday to repair an Achilles' tendon torn in the offseason program on Thursday.

lol

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Da’Quan Bowers Likely Out For The Year
May 10th, 2012

Per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, Bucs second-year defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has torn an Achilles tendon and is expected to be lost for the 2012 season.

Bowers is scheduled to have surgery Friday.

Bowers suffered the injury while participating in the Bucs’ offseason conditioning program.

Though it is possible Bowers could return late in the year, that’s more pipe-dream than a realistic expectation. If Bowers were to return, no one knows if he would be 100 percent or how he could play after such a short time after the surgery.

Now one wonders about Bowers’ future. He already has a bum knee and add to that a surgically-repaired Achilles tendon. Not good for a defensive end to have such bad injuries to his wheels.

Bowers was drafted by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik with a second round draft pick in 2011. He showed flashes of a player who was once thought to be a high draft pick. Bowers slid to the second round over grave concerns about his bum knee.

Michael Bennett will likely replace Bowers full-time at left defensive end in Bowers’ absence.

The Achilles injury Bowers suffered was to his right leg. The knee problem he has battled is his left knee.

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TAMPA --

TAMPA Buccaneers defensive end Da'Quan Bowers took the first step in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon Friday when he underwent what the team deemed successful surgery to repair the tear.

Bowers, who was injured working out on the practice field at One Buc Place on Thursday, described the procedure as "smooth sailing'' on his Twitter account, where he also thanked fans for their support.

"Thanks everyone for the check up and encouragement I really appreciate you all, ESP #BUCSNATION and my #clemson fam," wrote Bowers, a second-round pick out of Clemson in 2011.

The surgery was performed at Baptist Hospital Coral Gables by John Zvijac, the team team doctor, and Thomas San Giovanni. Neither the team nor the doctors provided a timetable for Bowers' return.

Rehabilitation for such an injury can take 4-6 months. With the NFL season scheduled to start in September, Bowers said in a Twitter post on Thursday he hoped to play this season.

Bowers' absence for the start of the season means the Bucs likely will lean on fourth-year pro Michael Bennett as the starting left defensive end.

Bennett started the first 10 games of the 2011 season. Before he was sidelined for the final six games by a foot injury, he recorded 39 tackles, four sacks – the second most on the team – and one forced fumble.

Bowers, 6-foot-3, 277 pounds, had a strong finished to his rookie season, starting the final six games and totaling 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

His NFL career started slowly because of offseason knee surgery for a torn left meniscus that dropped him from being a potential top-10 overall pick to the second round.

Quote (hokies @ 15 May 2012 17:23)

sucks cause we need our D line to be beast because welll.... our secondary is only going to be average

Quote (bob(Cs2) @ May 15 2012 12:20pm)

I think if our Dline is healthy, our secondary automatically looks and plays better. Less time in the pocket leads to bad throws which leads to pick 6's

Quote (hokies @ 15 May 2012 19:32)

Ronde Barber to maybe play safety this season?
Could be interesting / continue nickle play.

http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Defensive-Options-on-Display-at-First-OTA/291b3c8e-aeff-44b7-a3b9-709ce0cec3b1

Quote (GOwens @ May 17 2012 01:27pm)

I dont see him moving out of nickel but we'll see