Alabama Football: 2 players down with injuries in NFL

These former Alabama football players are down with injuries

Unfortunately, injuries are a part of football. Some of Alabama football’s best players have struggled with injuries, and that has carried on into the NFL. With rigorous training and games, it is expected for players to get hurt. At their NFL training camps, two former Tide athletes got hurt.

DeVonta Smith suffered an MCL sprain with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Heisman receiver will be week-to-week as training camp continues, putting his eligibility for Philly’s first preseason game in question.

One of Smith’s best traits in college was durability. The slender receiver avoided any major injury until he dislocated his finger in the second half of the national championship. Despite his usage and risky plays, he carried Alabama football with consistency.

This injury shouldn’t impact Smith’s eligibility for the start of his rookie season, which is crucial moving forward. The Eagles will need Smith to be a key contributor for their offense as they try to remain relevant in the NFC East.

Smith wasn’t the only Alabama football player to go down recently. Miami lineman DJ Fluker also went down with a meniscus injury. He had surgery and is expected to miss a few weeks. The Dolphins decided to release Fluker with a settlement, making him eligible to sign with any team.

There’s a small chance that Fluker will return to Miami after he is fully healthy, but there are a lot of moving parts that will impact Fluker’s future in the NFL.

Fluker made the move from tackle to guard, and he was solid for the Ravens last year. As more injuries happen, some team will likely want to add him to provide depth to the interior of the offensive line. He’s a better guard, but he knows how to play tackle, which adds to his value.

While these injuries are tough, neither will likely impact the long-term success of these players. We’ll just have to see where Fluker signs once he’s healthy.