UDEZE'S AGENT TALKS TO PFT
After reading agent Thomas Barnes' quotes in Wednesday's Florida Times-Union (scroll down for the story), we here at Profootballtalk.com decided to pick up the phone and give Mr. Barnes a call to discuss the rampant rumors regarding the condition of defensive end Kenechi Udeze's shoulder.
We started the conversation with a simple question -- Is it true that Udeze didn't show for the combine medical re-check?
Barnes' response: "It's true."
Barnes told us that Udeze had a scheduling conflict that prevented him from flying back to Indy for the April 2 session. Barnes also explained that Udeze offered to make the trek at a later date -- and at his own expense.
On the surface, it seems like a common-sensical gesture. As a league source later told us, however, the problem is that the medical re-check is attended by NFL team doctors who fly back to Indy on a date certain. Thus, as a practical matter, postponement isn't an option.
The source also told us that, contrary to Barnes' statements in the Times-Union, the issue isn't Udeze's rotator cuff, but his labrum.
So with a possibly torn labrum, how can a guy bench press 225 pounds 25 times at his pro day workout?
Per the source, use of a closed grip transfers much of the strain from the shoulders to the triceps (feel free to try this at your desks -- the boss isn't looking). So, in theory, a guy with a bad labrum or two can still throw up the iron.
On the field, however, a torn labrum will manifest itself when a defensive end tries to extend his arms to fight off a blocker.
Barnes told the Times-Union that an MRI was conducted on Udeze's shoulder, and that teams can review the image of the joint.
We asked our source whether a torn labrum can be spotted on an MRI.
"Sure," the source said. "It's like spotting a whore in church."
We appreciate the fact that Barnes chose to speak with us, but the situation could be another example of what can happen when an inexperienced agent gets his baptism into the business with a first-rounder as a client. Barnes first became certified by the NFLPA in September 2003, and we've been told that he was able to land Udeze in part because Barnes gave a job to Udeze's brother.
By the way, Barnes has no other active clients.
And as any experienced agent knows, no player ever should fail to report to the medical re-check. Ever.
Let's try that again.
Ever.
Although Udeze visited Jacksonville, Detroit, Washington, and Minnesota last week, it's unknown whether and to what extent team doctors examined Udeze's shoulder. The Jags, as reported by the Times-Union, didn't.
So the end result is that there's now a cloud hovering over Udeze, regardless of the fact that he recorded three sacks in the Rose Bowl after suffering the shoulder injury in a late-season game against Oregon State. And Barnes will now be hard pressed to remove any doubt regarding Udeze's shoulder in the hours that remain before Commissioner Paul Tagliabue starts butchering names at the MSG podium.
And maybe that's the silver lining for Udezi. If he's on the board after Tags hands the reins to Gene Washington, his family will never have to hear (obstruct nostrils before speaking):
"With the ninth pick in the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Ken-eck-Hi You-Deez."
