UDFA Thread

[MTK]

04/25/2012 - Former Virginia defensive back Chase Minnifield is recovering slower than expected from his January knee arthroscopy, which reports indicate included a microfracture procedure, but he expects it will lead to an improved final result. "I am getting better every day and I only have trace swelling," Minnifield told NFLDraftScout.com. "My doctor, James Andrews, made a report that all NFL teams received. They know. I am not 100 percent, but I will be." Minnifield would not confirm he had microfracture during his January 3 knee scope, but said he was familiar with the procedure. Multiple league sources confirm that medical reports said he had the procedure. Team reactions have been mixed. Minnifield, once projected as
a second round draft prospect, has dropped two or more rounds on some boards and at least one team said he is off their draft list now. "We know this procedure is designed to enhance recovery and make the knee more sound," reported one team executive. "We also know it takes time." Despite Minnifield's desire for a rapid recovery, studies on NBA players who had microfracture indicate that a slow, deliberate rehabilitation yields the best results, although some individuals respond quicker than others. Microfracture is a procedure developed in the late 1980s by famed Vail, Colorado orthopedic surgeon Richard Steadman. Dr. Andrews, whose clinic attended Minnifield, advocates a version of that procedure. It is an arthroscopic procedure that is done in conjunction with a traditional clean-out, which is what Minnifield said he had. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange