Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan
What you’re thinking is obvious, and you’re right. Taylor Lewan‘s inclusion on the list comes for one reason. He’s coming off of a season where he fell victim to a devastating knee injury. He was placed on the Tennessee Titans’ IR (injured reserve) on October 19th after a Week 6 overtime win versus the hated Houston Texans, one in which he ruptured his ACL.
He’s back, and that’s a good thing. The question is this. Did he come back too early?
For any mortal man, the healing process that comes after that type of injury can be upwards of 12 months. That’s the case even if you aren’t playing football. Lewan returned to the practice field in ten months and is looking to find his way back to the playing surface in a little over 11 calendar months.
Sure, we look at these NFL stars as gladiators, and in all honesty, if we want to use the ‘gladiator’ term, Lewan is definitely someone who can be classified as one of them, but trust and believe, if Lewan goes down and gets up slowly, Titans Nation will hold its collective breath.
If he’s fully healthy, he’s one of the game’s best at his position. If he isn’t ready, he could see a below-average run by his standards. Fortunately for Tennessee’s fans, an off-year for Lewan could be the best year for some other tackles.