Recovering from a torn ACL has been the top offseason priority for St. Louis Rams WR Donnie Avery. He injured his knee in a preseason game against the Patriots last August. The injury sent him to IR before the season began last year, and prompted the Rams to swing a deal for Mark Clayton. But having some extra time to rehab thanks to lockout has helped Avery.
Here's what he told the Post-Dispatch today:
It's [the lockout] been a great thing for me. I didn't want to miss OTAs, but the lockout is postponing them so it's given me more time to be healthy.
Shhhh. Don't let the NFL hear you Donnie. They'll use those words against you to try and undercut the players' argument that the lockout has done irreparable harm.
Of course, without a lockout Avery would still be able to rehab his injury, which he says is about "92-93 percent" better. He also would have been able to participate in the more formal OTAs with the coaches. It has been encouraging to see him practicing with his teammates in this week's informal workouts and those in Houston earlier this spring.
Obviously, Avery's just kidding with his remark, but the NFL has caused most of us to lose our sense of humor in the wake of this lockout.