Despite an injury the Steelers could still set their sights on CB Fabian Moreau

The NFL Draft is less than five weeks away, and as we countdown closer to draft day, what was a deep class for cornerbacks continues to thin with injuries.

As we reported last week, Washington’s Sydney Jones suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Though some teams think he is out, we agree with his physician’s assessment that he could be back and play this year. Even though Jones might be a risky pick coming off of this injury, we also feel the Steelers could still have interest.

The same could be said for cornerback Fabian Moreau, a prospect out of UCLA. The Sporting News is reporting that Moreau had surgery Wednesday for a torn pectoral muscle that occurred during his Pro Day while on the bench press. The injury is similar to one Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis had during his final season. Lewis returned to win his second Super Bowl, recovering via a non-surgical route.

Even with this injury, Mayock still has Moreau projected to go within the top 40 picks in the draft. That’s because of the nature of his injury.

A pectoral muscle is either of the two major chest muscles that aid in the movement of the shoulders and the upper arms. A torn or strained pectoral muscle can be recognized by chest pain, swelling, the inability to lift objects, and limited mobility of the upper body. A torn muscle occurs when the fibers that make up the muscle rupture. Depending on the severity, to treat a torn pec, most doctors recommend the R.I.C.E treatment — rest, ice, compress, and elevate. The best icing is with (and don’t laugh) a bag of frozen mixed vegetables to get the uneven frozen shapes to the entire muscle.

In more extreme cases, surgery may be required to fully recover, and if the patient wants to have a more exact timetable for the healing process and resume regular activities quicker.

Resting the injured muscle is extremely important, as it gives the muscle time to heal. Because the first 48 hours are considered to be the most critical time after an injury, doctors say that resting is essential to treat a torn pectoral muscle. Any activity using the chest muscle should be limited, including lifting. You may have to use a device that will immobilize this area, such as a sling, which is what Moreau was given as soon as the injury was confirmed.

According to JAAOS 2005 (Journal American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons), and Journal of Sports Medicine (2010), with this minor surgery, repairing the torn tendon, the athlete has a good chance of returning to high-level sports and activities within a reasonable amount of time. 4-6 weeks is typical. Ideally, the repair is performed in the early period following the injury.

By performing the repair within several days or weeks of the injury, scar tissue and muscle atrophy are minimized. The repair is performed by placing large sutures in the torn tendon and then securing these sutures to the arm bone with either hole in the bone or anchors inserted in the bone. Then a period of rehabbing weeks takes place. But this is considered a simple if not minor injury and surgery. (Which is why Moreau’s coach downplayed the injury.)

I would expect, if all goes well, and Fabian heals as expected, he should be healthy to participate in training camp come July. Since this was an injury that occurred during the bench press, I am sure he will be reminded of proper technique in the future. The most important considerations are to limit the distance the bar is lowered and to narrow the grip of the hands on the bar. Lowering the bar all the way to the chest, or widening the grip on the bar, increases the stress on the muscle and increases the chance of pectoralis injury.

I’d suggest watching a few of James Harrison‘s workouts to get an idea of the proper technique. He is in his 14th year and has not had an injury of this kind. His bench work is well documented. (It’s also why you will see wood blocks on his chest, as to not lower the bar too far as to risk injury.)

Regardless, mistakes occur and we hope this young man is recovering nicely and is healthy enough to enjoy the NFL Draft process. I see him as an early round choice, one that most teams won’t avoid as his injury shouldn’t prevent him from sitting out a majority, if any, of training camp.