Gosselin: Cowboys knew Sean Lee's injury history; they took the risk and are paying for it
Rick Gosselin
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Published: 27 May 2014 08:02 PM
Updated: 28 May 2014 07:38 AM
There was no denying his talent.
Even at a school dubbed “Linebacker U,” Sean Lee was special.
Lee was a three-year starter at Penn State, an All-Big Ten selection as a junior and a team captain as a senior. He left Penn State as the school’s fourth all-time leading tackler ahead of such luminaries as Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham, College Football Hall of Famer Shane Conlan and NFL Pro Bowlers Matt Millen, LaVar Arrington and NaVorro Bowman.
But the NFL didn’t focus on his tackling ability in the draft research of Lee in 2010. The focus was on his knees. Medical staffs spent almost as much time studying Lee as scouting staffs. He was considered fragile.
But the Cowboys looked past his medical history and drafted the talent, believing they stole a first-round value in the second round when they claimed Lee with the 55th overall pick.
Lee became a starter in his second season in 2011 — but missed a game that year with a dislocated wrist, 10 more in 2012 with ligament damage in his big toe and five more in 2013 with hamstring and neck injuries.
His run of hard luck continued Tuesday when Lee suffered a knee injury in a noncontact passing drill on the very first day of the club’s organized team activities. He underwent an MRI in the evening and, according to sources, was told that he had suffered a torn left ACL and is expected to miss the season.
The injury was a flashback to his days at Penn State when he missed the entire 2008 season after tearing his right ACL in another a noncontact drill in the spring, then missed three more games in 2009 with a sprain to his left ACL. Tuesday’s injury was to his left knee.
I went back through my draft notes of 2010, and the red flags were everywhere. The talent evaluators raved about Lee’s ability but couched just about every comment with his medical history.
“I love him as a player,” one NFL GM said, “He can coach your whole defense. But he’s slight [6-2, 236], so durability is an issue. I’m not sure he can last on the inside in this league.”
“Helluva player,” said an NFL defensive coordinator, “but those knees are a concern.”
Dan Connor finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leader in tackles with 419 and became a third-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft. Paul Posluszny finished second on the school’s tackle list with 372 and became a second-round pick in the 2007 draft. Both were two-time All-Americans at Penn State.
Connor, Lee and Posluszny all started together at Penn State in 2006.
“He’s better than either Connor or Posluszny,” an NFL personnel director said, “He has great hands and great instincts. But we have medical concerns. I wish he was stouter.”
“He’s the best linebacker in this draft,” another NFL defensive coordinator said. “But can he stay on the field for you?”
The answer is no.
Lee is everything the Cowboys believed he would be as a player. He led the team in tackles (131) and interceptions (four) in his first season as a starter in 2011 and appeared headed for the Pro Bowl in his second season with 77 tackles and an interception through those first six games of 2012.
The Cowboys were so enthused with the progress Lee was making as an NFL linebacker that they rewarded him with a six-year, $42 million contract extension heading into the 2013 season.
But what other teams feared from Lee when they were dropping him down their draft boards — or removing him entirely — has also come to pass. He can’t stay healthy. And injured players can’t help you from the sidelines.
The last time Lee managed to stay healthy for a complete season was 2007.
Sean Lee is a terrific athlete. He was an all-state selection as a prep in both basketball and football growing up in Pennsylvania.
But terrific athletes abound in the NFL. What you need are healthy athletes to compete and win.
The Cowboys knew the risk when they drafted Lee. They took it. Now they are living that risk.
