Tommy Sweeney expected back by Bills per doctors

[Punching Bag]

42 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I'm sure they teach ballet - and martial arts - in Buffalo

 

For ballet WNY is equivalent is to a minor league team.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Myocarditis has an incredibly variable presentation.  It can be as mild as self limited chest pain to full blown cardiogenic shock requiring ECMO (artificial circulation).  It usually resolves without sequalae but can also leave someone with a permanent cardiomyopathy (weak heart).  Cardiomyopathy can lead to chronic heart failure and sudden death - (think squiggly line and CPR on TV).

No one can really predict the course of myocarditis from more common viruses like adenovirus and cocksackie.  COVID was and still is to a great deal a great unknown.  Doctors were correct to be cautious.  Fortunately there are good tests to confirm return of normal function and even cardiac MRI's can show if there was any permanent scar in the heart muscle even if function is normal. 

 

As for the player, he is on the outside looking in at a roster spot at this point. If they draft TE in the first 5 rounds, he probably has little chance to make the roster.  

[Iiiiiiiiive Got a Feeeelin]

Piggy backin on Ethan here...  

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Myocarditis can affect your heart muscle and your heart's electrical system, reducing your heart's ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).  

Severe myocarditis weakens your heart so that the rest of your body doesn't get enough blood. Clots can form in your heart, leading to a stroke or heart attack.  

while i agree this kids got talent lets maybe look beyond that a little

Look up what happened to Keyontae Johnson

[Hapless Bills Fan]

58 minutes ago, Iiiiiiiiive Got a Feeeelin said:

Piggy backin on Ethan here...  

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Myocarditis can affect your heart muscle and your heart's electrical system, reducing your heart's ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).  

Severe myocarditis weakens your heart so that the rest of your body doesn't get enough blood. Clots can form in your heart, leading to a stroke or heart attack.  

while i agree this kids got talent lets maybe look beyond that a little

Look up what happened to Keyontae Johnson

 

I don't see the relevance of Keyontae Johnson to this case.

 

Because the NFL had a screening requirement, Sweeney was diagnosed and placed on IR before he collapsed in a game from acute myocarditis.

 

Virally induced endocarditis can cause permanent damage, but it can also resolve completely in a matter of months.  As @Ethan in Portland said, there are excellent tests to confirm resolution and detect lasting damage if any.  A case that was properly diagnosed, managed, and resolved is unlikely to lead to a Keyontae-like mid-game collapse.

1 hour ago, Ethan in Portland said:

As for the player, he is on the outside looking in at a roster spot at this point. If they draft TE in the first 5 rounds, he probably has little chance to make the roster.  

 

I actually don't know's I agree with this.  I think the team moved on from Lee Smith in part because they believe Sweeney is ready to compete (possibly with Becker) for the blocking TE (who can leak out and catch) role on the team.  If they draft a top TE in the first couple rounds, someone's gotta go and it may be Sweeney, but "the first 5 rounds"?  Nah.  Sweeney played and looked good in the NFL when he had his chances.

 

[billieve420]

Honestly was more impressed with Sweeney over Knox early on. Knox had the wow plays but Sweeney looked to be the better blocker and pass catcher despite not being as athletic.

[Thurman#1]

Oh, hey, that's great news.

 

Good for him.

[cd1]

16 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

There was a sideline catch in that highlight clip that would have been clearly out in the NFL, is why I asked.

 

Is it just me, or does he look awkward to everyone?

Dawson Knox is the one that looks very awkward to me!

[Don Otreply]

Sweeney can catch the damn ball, and I hope TS makes the team. There is room for both DK & TS imo. 👍

[BuffaloBill]

Good for him.

[scuba guy]

23 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

There was a sideline catch in that highlight clip that would have been clearly out in the NFL, is why I asked.

 

Is it just me, or does he look awkward to everyone?

I had to watch the highlights a couple of times and what I noticed is his  running still is off (labored,stiff and runs more upright does not bend well) maybe big feet syndrome.

[ColoradoBills]

34 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

Sweeney can catch the damn ball, and I hope TS makes the team. There is room for both DK & TS imo. 👍

 

There could be a TE as BPA available in the draft in say the 5th round that could push Sweeney off the roster.

He would probably end up taking Nate Becker's spot on the PS IF that happens.

I'm rooting for Tommy to improve.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

15 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I don't see the relevance of Keyontae Johnson to this case.

 

Because the NFL had a screening requirement, Sweeney was diagnosed and placed on IR before he collapsed in a game from acute myocarditis.

 

Virally induced endocarditis can cause permanent damage, but it can also resolve completely in a matter of months.  As @Ethan in Portland said, there are excellent tests to confirm resolution and detect lasting damage if any.  A case that was properly diagnosed, managed, and resolved is unlikely to lead to a Keyontae-like mid-game collapse.

 

I actually don't know's I agree with this.  I think the team moved on from Lee Smith in part because they believe Sweeney is ready to compete (possibly with Becker) for the blocking TE (who can leak out and catch) role on the team.  If they draft a top TE in the first couple rounds, someone's gotta go and it may be Sweeney, but "the first 5 rounds"?  Nah.  Sweeney played and looked good in the NFL when he had his chances.

 

I admit I don't know much about his blocking ability.  I look at it two ways. If you are correct and he can block then you may be right he is the Lee Smith replacement. 

My hunch however is if they wanted a blocking TE they would have just kept Smith. I'm thinking they only carry 3 TEs next year and use the extra spot to keep an extra OL.

[OldTimer1960]

20 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Myocarditis has an incredibly variable presentation.  It can be as mild as self limited chest pain to full blown cardiogenic shock requiring ECMO (artificial circulation).  It usually resolves without sequalae but can also leave someone with a permanent cardiomyopathy (weak heart).  Cardiomyopathy can lead to chronic heart failure and sudden death - (think squiggly line and CPR on TV).

No one can really predict the course of myocarditis from more common viruses like adenovirus and cocksackie.  COVID was and still is to a great deal a great unknown.  Doctors were correct to be cautious.  Fortunately there are good tests to confirm return of normal function and even cardiac MRI's can show if there was any permanent scar in the heart muscle even if function is normal. 

 

As for the player, he is on the outside looking in at a roster spot at this point. If they draft TE in the first 5 rounds, he probably has little chance to make the roster.  

I just don't see any intriguing TE prospects beyond Pitts.  If Freiermuth were to last until pick 61, but pick 30 or early 2nd in trade-down would be disappointing to me - of course I only know what I've read and, in some cases, watched on game film (not highlight videos).

[Ethan in Cleveland]

7 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

I just don't see any intriguing TE prospects beyond Pitts.  If Freiermuth were to last until pick 61, but pick 30 or early 2nd in trade-down would be disappointing to me - of course I only know what I've read and, in some cases, watched on game film (not highlight videos).

I don't know much about the other TEs. But here is the secret. Neither do the GMs. Kittle was taken in the 5th round and Kelce in the 3rd.  The draft has been and always will be a weighted lottery. 

 

[OldTimer1960]

1 minute ago, Ethan in Portland said:

I don't know much about the other TEs. But here is the secret. Neither do the GMs. Kittle was taken in the 5th round and Kelce in the 3rd.  The draft has been and always will be a weighted lottery. 

 

Agreed on that point, but to extrapolate from some anomalous late picks who turned out to be good that nobody has any idea of who will be good seems wrong to me.

 

[Green Lightning]

On 4/20/2021 at 2:44 PM, Mark Vader said:

In a way, he does look awkward.

 

He's not a spectacular Tight End. He's not going to burn defenders, but he will get you that first down when you need it, and a touchdown as well.

He seemed to go down pretty easy after the catch for a big guy. 

[Doc]

Anything they get out of him will be gravy.  But still need better.

[Jay_Fixit]

Welcome back Tommy.

 

We’re not going to keep you but here’s a crisp high five.

[JerseyBills]

On 4/20/2021 at 2:44 PM, Mark Vader said:

In a way, he does look awkward.

 

He's not a spectacular Tight End. He's not going to burn defenders, but he will get you that first down when you need it, and a touchdown as well.

And isn't he a great blocker? 

I remember thinking he was Lee Smith like with the blocking with much much better catching ability and athleticism.  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

I admit I don't know much about his blocking ability.  I look at it two ways. If you are correct and he can block then you may be right he is the Lee Smith replacement. 

My hunch however is if they wanted a blocking TE they would have just kept Smith. I'm thinking they only carry 3 TEs next year and use the extra spot to keep an extra OL.

 

The problem with keeping Smith is that he counted (IIRC) $2.5M against the cap.  So in a tight cap year, that would be $2.5M reasons to move on from Smith.

 

Sweeney has shown more ability in the passing game (Smith will catch accurately thrown balls that would count as drops if he didn't catch them; Sweeney will dive, jump, and one-hand balls that come near him).  Sweeney is signed for $874k, and will probably not even count in the top 51 against the cap even before the draft (Spotrac shows him as #50 currently, with information on Obada and Lamp's contracts still pending.)

 

I read that Sweeney was considered the best blocking TE in the 2019 draft class.

 

No question Smith would be a better blocker at this point, but they also need to balance against overall utility/threat

 

I don't know who's there in the 5th round of the draft, but I don't see it as a "given" that a 5th round pick pushes Sweeney off the roster.  He could, but he'd have to really master the playbook and show something in training camp.