The agent for defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, who slipped to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of April's NFL draft after being projected as a top-10 pick, told the *St. Petersburg Times* that concerns about Bowers' knee surgery have been overblown.
Joe Flanagan, Bowers' agent, addressed those issues and said Bowers has not experienced a setback that would keep him from going to training camp this summer should the lockout end by then.
"I've always been told that training camp is not going to be an issue," Flanagan said. "But that's (Bucs general manager) Mark Dominik's decision at this point. I do know that Da'Quan is champing at the bit. If anything, we're having to hold him back (from doing too much). He feels great."
Flanagan added that Bowers has focused on strength training and basic conditioning while working out under the supervision of the training staff at Clemson University.
Bowers plunged from a probable high first-round draft choice to No. 51 overall after a shaky pro day workout and rumors that he would be a "one-contract player."
"I do know what people have said," Flanagan said. "But given the procedure in January, he's way ahead of schedule."
Flanagan said Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon who is helping oversee Bowers' rehab, is content with Bowers' progress.
"Dr. Andrews said if there were going to be problems (down the road), they'd show up pretty quick," Flanagan said. "He hasn't had any swelling, soreness or pain. He hasn't had to back off at all. He didn't have a good workout on the field (at his pro day) but the fact that he did the workout at all was impressive."
So why the draft drop?
Flanagan cited two factors: teams not wanting to miss on a high pick and team doctors being leery of giving Bowers a clean bill of health and then having it affect their career if he had a setback.
"Privately, tons of clubs have said if they could have gotten their medical staffs to OK it, they would have loved to have done it," Flanagan said.
