The news that Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas tore an ACL while working out for the Saints could have a very real consequence on the future of such workouts.
Specifically, more and more players may choose, at the behest of their agents, to no longer engage in private workouts.
As one league source explained it, teams already have hours of game films and postseason practices and all-star games, along with workout data from the Scouting Combine and/or the Pro Day workouts. Additional private workouts aren’t necessary. Prospects who won’t realize a major financial gain (especially with the value of the contracts at the very top of the draft not what they used to be) and who could lose plenty by suffering a serious injury when the hay was otherwise in the barn may decide to start saying “no” to invitations to work out once again.
Yes, the Thomas injury constitutes a rarity. But it can happen to anyone. The only way to eliminate the risk is to eliminate the private workouts. More and more players could end up doing just that in the aftermath of the Thomas injury.