Injuries Continue To Mount For Predators
Published on May 24, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 24) -- The injury news keeps getting worse for the Predators as starting defensive back Ryan Bowers went down during the team's walk through on Thursday. Bowers was jogging through a kickoff coverage play when he strained muscles in his lower abdomen. At 4 p.m. on Thursday, Predators coaches and trainers made the decision to put Bowers on injured reserve and activate Floyd Young.
"I don't think I ever lost a player at a walk through," Predators head coach Jay Gruden lamented. "It was a freak injury, but I guess we'll just have to adjust and move on."
Bowers had started the team's first 11 games. He was the team's second leading tackler with 59 stops and also was tied with Rayshun Reed for the team lead in interceptions with five.
Young has been on the Predators injured reserve list all season, battling ankle and knee problems. He played four seasons in the NFL - seeing action in 36 games with the Tampa Bay Bucs from 1997-2001. He also played briefly for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League last season.
Bowers loss will hurt the Predators will depth issues on offense and special teams. He had been splitting return duties with Javarus Dudley in recent weeks and has been the team's number four receiver - a job that will most likely now fall to starting safety Lin-J Shell.
On the positive side, the Predators activated starting defensive end Chaz Murphy from injured reserve. Murphy suffered a torn hamstring in a week three game against Austin and has missed the last eight games.
Murphy had two tackles, a quarterback sack and two pass defenses in just two and one-half games. "It will be great to get Chaz back," Gruden added. "He's a high energy guy who can help pick us up defensively."
To make room on the roster, the Predators placed defensive lineman Darrell Wright on injured reserve. Wright had played in three games, but had missed last week and had been having trouble with his Achilles tendon.
Counting the injury to Bowers, the Predators will now have nine players miss a total of 51 games - including 39 by starters.
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