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Charles Spencer on PUP


rhino
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:D

 

Story:

 

Texans left tackle Charles Spencer spent 10 months vigorously rehabilitating his knee so that it wouldn't come to this. He does not want his name on top of the physically unable to perform list. He wants his name back atop the depth chart.

 

That will have to wait. Texans coach Gary Kubiak announced Wednesday that Spencer will be placed on the PUP list and will not step on the field until at least Week 7 (Oct. 21) of the season.

 

It was devastating news for Spencer and a blow to the Texans' offensive line. The team will enter camp with Ephraim Salaam and Jordan Black competing for the starting job.

 

"I'm upset about it, but, hey, what can I do?" Spencer said. "I'm not flushing this season down the drain. I'll be out there."

 

Spencer, who injured his left knee during Week 2 last season, emerged from his first training camp looking capable of being the team's long-term fix at left tackle. The Texans hope that can still happen.

 

"The doctors decided it's time to slow down," Kubiak said. "We are just trying to do the right thing. He is making progress. There is no doubt in our mind that Charles is going to play football again. It'll be a big positive if he could play football for us this year, but right now we're going to take the same course of action we took with (former linebacker) Kailee (Wong), so we're looking at (Week 7)."

 

If a player is on PUP, he cannot practice during training camp. If he remains on PUP until Sept. 1, he cannot step on the field until after Week 6 of the regular season.

 

Originally, the Texans were going to allow Spencer to practice during camp and see how his knee reacted. But over the past two months it appeared he wasn't ready, and a recent arthroscopic procedure confirmed that for team doctors.

 

"He is definitely not ready to pass (the team physical)," Kubiak said. "He has a ways to go."

 

The scope was not all bad news for Spencer, though. The doctors cleaned out some things and then told him that the cartilage around the break is growing back.

 

Spencer must now try to remain patient. He is using Wong's recovery as motivation. Wong, who suffered a career-threatening knee injury in 2005, returned from the PUP list to play in the final 10 games last season.

 

"Once they give me the green light, I'll be gone," Spencer said.

 

Salaam has the edge as the opening-day starter heading into camp. He replaced Spencer for 14 starts last season and did a solid job despite playing through a number of injuries. Black, who started 15 games for the Kansas City Chiefs last season, was signed via free agency to help add depth in case Spencer wasn't able to play.

 

The Texans may add more depth at left tackle. Former Green Bay Packer tackle Kevin Barry was in for a workout earlier this week. Barry was injured last season and is in the midst of working out for a number of different teams.

 

The report talks as if it's a knee injury. I thought it was a broken leg. Regardless...

 

Negative : He's not ready to go now. This will impact HOU's OL. CSpencer has put in a lot of work to make it back for training camp. And he didn't make it. Gotta' be a downer for the kid.

 

Positive : People were afraid that CSpencer would never play football again. Now, that doesn't seem to be a concern. It appears that CSpencer will play again. But, when? Week 7 in 2007? Or, not 'til 2008?

 

Positive : As his knee (leg?) was obviously healing during the last 10 months, doctors were concerned that the cartilage might not grow back. During their recent scope, they determined that the cartilage has grown back, and is looking good.

 

Positive : Unlike last year with Domanick Davis/Williams, HOU went into the off-season getting depth at LT. Although he's not in the top 5 of LTs, Jordan Black does provide us some depth. He started 15 games last season in KC. And ESalaam had to start for us thru injuries in 2006 because there was no one else. So, having JBlack is a plus.

 

So, while this isn't the news that a HOU fan was hoping for, it's not totally all bad. It just delays our progress a bit.

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