Concerns about the condition of Eddie Lacy’s toe caused him to fall to the second round of the NFL Draft.
But the Packers are glad he fell into their laps, and the doctor who worked on the Sgt. Hulka of this year’s draft process said the concerns were unfounded.
University of Alabama team doctor E. Lyle Cain Jr. told Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that any worry about Lacy’s long-term toe health has passed.
Lacy had fusion surgery, but only on one small bone at the tip of his toe, meaning he still has mobility.
“The joint underneath the toenail was fused to allow the ligament to work better basically,” Cain said. “It’s something you do to give you a better push-off. His big toe moves just like a normal big toe in terms of motion. . . . If you fused it completely, it’d give you a stiff big toe and you can’t push off and that’s a big problem. In Eddie’s case, he does not have that. His fusion does not affect his big-toe motion.
“The bottom line is, the fusion he had does not affect his big-toe motion.”
That’s good news for the Packers, who desperately needed some ballast for their run game, and adding a physical runner could be the complement they’ve been looking for.
Lacy had the surgery in the 2011 offseason, but went onto rush for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns. So if it’s a problem, it’s hard to tell.
“That answered the question really,” Cain said. “I think that takes it out of the equation, . . .
“I expect Eddie Lacy to have a long, productive NFL career. I don’t think the toe will be a problem in his career.”
Of course, the Packers hedged their bets by doubling up with UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin, but they clearly trusted their medical report on Lacy, when other teams did not.