Oakland Raider Trevor Scott blew out his ACL last November. That left Scott with just nine months to get ready for the 2011 season opener. That seemed like a longshot. The typical recovery time for reconstructive surgery on an ACL is nine to 12 months. Given Scott's reliance on explosion, it seemed unlikely that Scott would be ready to contribute for the opener.
Scott apparently ha no use for these timetables. He hit the Raiders practice field on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he was one of the day's stars.
Everyone reporter I saw that covered practice had good things to say about Scott. One particular play drew loud praise from Hue Jackson, as Scott shed a block and dumped Rock Cartwright for a two-yard loss. Hue Jackson had this to say on Scott after practice:
"Wow. Wow. What a tremendous competitor. What a tremendous football player"
I think we all know Jackson has a penchant for hyperbole, but in the case of Scott it is definitely warranted. We still don't know how close to full strength Scott is, or how much he will be able to contribute, but the fact that he was even able to stand out in a practice is a true testament to Scott and his work ethic.
So, here's to you Mr. ACL recovery guy. That is a long road, and Scott obviously must have busted his ass to be ready to roll in nine months. His presence is certainly welcome. You can never have too much depth on the D-line, and even though his move to LB didn't last, at least he adds some experience to a paper thin LB unit.