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Could Da'Quan Bowers Career Be 'Done' Already?

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune at least believes that that could be true:

The question is whether he ever plays at a high level. There is concern by most teams that he might be essentially finished. On some level, you have to applaud Tampa Bay for taking him. But there is a large number of people who have seen the medical report from when he was re-checked in April that believe he is done.

Until Da'Quan Bowers gets on the field, we'll continue to read these kinds of stories and there is undoubtedly some truth to these rumors. Medical evaluations aren't cut and dry, as every body reacts differently to injury, and every medical team will have different experiences with various injuries. The fact that he's been able to play on that same knee injury the past season would certainly cast doubt on the assertion that his career is basically over, though. 

But here's the thing: the Buccaneers' doctors have seen the same medical information, and if they believed Da'Quan Bowers' career was essentially over, there's no chance he would've been drafted by the Buccaneers at all. It's important to note that the Bucs' medical staff has plenty of experience treating both career-threatening and chronic knee injuries. Cadillac Williams has successfully returned from two different torn patellar tendons, while those injuries very often end careers. In addition to those injuries, the Bucs have managed Kellen Winslow's knee injury, allowing him to play in all 16 games the past two years despite a very serious and chronic knee injury. We just have to trust that the Bucs can do the same thing with Da'Quan Bowers' injury. 

In a previous story I speculated that Bowers could have a short but effective career, based on some public comments by injury expert Will Carroll. But at this point we really know nothing about Bowers' injury. All we can do is hope.