Anyone else keep seeing Josh Simmons mocked to us at 25 recently ? I've seen Pro Football Network, SI, Underdog Fantasy, NFL.com and a lot of others. I understand before the injury, he was, most likely, a top 10 pick talent but a torn patellar tendon worries me. From what I've read, that injury could be a career changer if not ender. I've seen things like:

They found that out of 559 NFL players, the most difficult injuries for NFL players to return to play in were patellar tendon tears (50.0 %) and achilles tears (72.5%). (Source)

And

Only 55.4% of PT tears in the NFL return to play; that's 10% less than ACL tears, and with ACL tears return to prior performance level within the limits of certain treatments is as high as 100%. For PT tears, only 21% return to prior performance level within 2 years of the injury occurring. (Source)

And then you have a mix bag of player recovery examples:

Victor Cruz (NFL Wide Receiver)(2014 age 27):
Cruz missed the rest of 2014 after surgery to repair a torn right patellar tendon. He missed 2015 as well with compensatory issues in his left calf.
Retired 2018.

Jerod Mayo (NFL Linebacker) (2014 age 28) :
Mayo's career was impacted by a patellar tendon rupture, showing the potential career-altering nature of the injury.
Retired 2016

Morris Claiborne (NFL cornerback) (2014 age 24)
Played 56 of 80 of possible games after injury but was mediocre at best.
Retired 2020

Jimmy Graham (NFL Tight End) (2015 age 29):
Played 108 of 112 of possible games after injury. Pro Bowl (2016, 2017)
Retired 2024

Jimmy Graham seemed to completely recovered and still play at a high level but that looks to be the exception.

Most likely we won't take him. We might not even draft at 25, but every mock seems to gloss over the injury like it's no big deal. Am I crazy to not want to take a chance on a 1st round high risk, high reward Tackle? What do y'all think? Is a patellar tendon tear not a big problem anymore? Is Josh Simmons (22) young enough and a great enough athlete where the odds are in his favor? Do you just prefer we take another position?

15 comments

  1. I’ve too been seeing a good amount of mocks projecting us to pick Josh Simmons. Personally idk how I’d feel if the team were to draft him, like you mentioned considering the type of injury that he sustained is note worthy. I for one like the possibility of us potentially getting Zabel more.

  2. Literally was just looking into him before seeing this. Apparently he had a promising short workout at the Ohio State pro-day (for someone who just had this injury around 5 months ago). It’s looking like his recovery is going incredibly well. Hopefully the Texans can or have already met with him. If they take him I assume his health looks good

  3. If they take him, I would guess they feel like he can be the franchise LT as early as year after this. He won’t contribute much this year so it’s risky bc you need more OL talent NOW

  4. Didn’t we have a lineman with the same injury? Derek Newton? I think he tore both though and he was never the same after that.

  5. I think I would hate it if they took him. It sucks drafting a guy with such high bust potential. If they can just draft an above average o lineman with some fight in him I’d be a lot more excited.

  6. I’ve learned since we drafted JJ Watt over Nick Fairley to just trust the team knows what they’re doing when they make their picks because the opposite is just not a fun place to be mentally. So if the Texans draft this guy, then I assume it’s after they’ve done a ton of homework that would be impossible for any of us to do to make sure he’s good to go.

  7. I would say after our offseason moves OT is not as big a need as IOL, if they take him I’d guess they see him as BPA and in that case I don’t hate it but I Like Zabel better between the two.

    My preferences for olinemen that could go at 25 go.
    Zabel>Banks>Simmons>Booker>Conerly.

  8. I don’t think they’re going o-line first round, it’ll either be WR or DT imo

  9. I hate like all the options atp. 

    Please trade out of 25 unless somebody slides 🙏

  10. Josh Simmons is a boom or bust prospect. He would be perfect for us if he didn’t have that horrible injury.

    Personally, I wouldn’t take a chance on him. But if he did recover well, he would be so good as CJ’s blind side protector.

  11. I hate this pick so much. This roster does not have any room for error to gamble on risky prospects. We actually need them to be able to play, not stash them.

  12. I’m not a big college football fan/ spectator, but I do know top needs are OL and WR. Whoever they choose I will 100% support. I trust this front office and coaching staff. I just hope CJ is protected.

  13. OSU fan here, depends on how he recovers, but he was playing like the best LT in CFB before his injury.

  14. I want Zabel but but if we are taking a tackle I LOVE Simmons. He’s OT1 without the injury, imo, and that guy usually goes way before pick 25. 

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