Travis Lulay? Have we seen his last game?

[Blue In BC]

IMO the Lions must re-negotiate his contract. The new SMS is irrelvant. You have to plan the roster around the budgeted salaries. If you " plan " his current salary into the mix it may mean not being able to re-sign other players to extentions etc. If he ends up on the IR to start the season or some significant portion of the season, it's already too late to have spent that money in the budget on free agents etc.

It's a a large payroll expense whether it counts against the SMS is only partially relevant to the rest of the team budget and overall payroll. It's not like the Lions are making millions of dollars every season and a $400K-$500K salary is not relevant.

The SMS is not irrelevant. If Travis spends all next season on the IL, his entire salary won't count towards the Cap. So the Lions would still have $5.1M to spend on resigning other players, on top of Lulay's $500k. Would the Lions expand their player budget to $5.6M next year to keep an injured Lulay? I think they would. If it was determined Travis couldn't come back for 2016, then it might be time to move on. I believe the Lions have plenty of Cap room this year to sign extensions for all the players who want to sign.

If Lulay's salary next year, handicapped the Lions from signing another high-priced QB, that's just tough luck. That's the contract they signed. I believe K. Glenn is still under contract for next year and if he isn't the Lions should sign him long-term and have Kevin finish his career in Vancouver (either as the starter or premier backup).

You missed the entire point bout commiting salary to a player in the budgeting process. It's fine if he gets healthy and plays. But if he end ups as he did this season beinging the season on the 6 game IR, you've lost the opportunity to have used that 1/2 of the season salary on signing free agents or re-negotiating other players contracts.

Unless you want to assume the LIONS KNEW he was going to start the season on the 6 game IR in 2014? Or might KNOW he would start the 2015 season on the 6 game IR or longer?

It's one thing to agree to taking the payroll hit but not a SMS hit. But can you really plan a budget on the highest paid player without knowing he would or wouldn't play the majority of games.

In a sense, this was the same decision Wally made when releasing Pierce. Risk is too high for many reasons.

[The_Pauser]

Just read today that Lulay has elected for rehab on his shoulder, and not surgery. Personally I expect he'll be back by the Calgary game at the end of the season.

[KnowItAll]

Just read today that Lulay has elected for rehab on his shoulder, and not surgery. Personally I expect he'll be back by the Calgary game at the end of the season.

I think it is a dumb decision on his part. Fans should encourage him to have the surgery.

[Spud387]

Just read today that Lulay has elected for rehab on his shoulder, and not surgery. Personally I expect he'll be back by the Calgary game at the end of the season.

I think it is a dumb decision on his part. Fans should encourage him to have the surgery.

Because we know better than all of the specialists he talked to?? Please.

[The_Pauser]

Just read today that Lulay has elected for rehab on his shoulder, and not surgery. Personally I expect he'll be back by the Calgary game at the end of the season.

I think it is a dumb decision on his part. Fans should encourage him to have the surgery.

Because we know better than all of the specialists he talked to?? Please.

This. Fans should NOT encourage him to have surgery. The only one who really should encourage him to do so are his doctors, and that's based solely on their own professional opinion. If they don't recommend it, then surgery should be off the table completely.

[sj-roc]

This. Fans should NOT encourage him to have surgery. The only one who really should encourage him to do so are his doctors, and that's based solely on their own professional opinion. If they don't recommend it, then surgery should be off the table completely.

All the same, I think Lulay knows he could be cut in the off-season if he doesn't come back this year and show enough to convince WB he's worth keeping. I think this would be part of his decision-making process.

[KnowItAll]

he is going to have surgery. he is the one who decided to put it off. who knows what the doctors are saying.

[DanoT]

Lulay had the surgery last fall, rehabed it all winter spring and most of the summer, then the shoulder popped out after one hard hit in his first start after the sugery. Maybe surgery is over rated.

[Spud387]

Lulay had the surgery last fall, rehabed it all winter spring and most of the summer, then the shoulder popped out after one hard hit in his first start after the sugery. Maybe surgery is over rated.

^ This. Remember, the surgery was not to "fix" his arm. It was to tighten the socket to prevent future pop-outs.

He spent the whole year rehabbing it just to prevent future popouts and then first big hit out it goes. Also, every time he goes under the knife that is additional scar tissue building which is possible worse for his throwing arm than non surgery.

[notahomer]

Both of my shoulder joints have popped so many times, I've lost count. Doctor doesn't recommend surgery in my case because he says it often doesn't help and may in fact make things worse. Mine are stable for the most part due to weight lifting but they do act up. My shoulders are one of those joints I used to guage the weather. It maybe beautiful outside, but if the shoulders start aching (especially the right one) I prepare for a weather change, SOON.........

I hope Lulay does what is best for him in the long-term. I'm a Lions fan through and through but I would NEVER want him making a choice based solely on winning football games. But I guess thats the types of choices these guys make ALL THE TIME......

[KnowItAll]

color me confused. If surgery and extensive rehab couldn't allow him to play even one whole game, how will no surgery do so???

wild uneducated guess - is it not possible that more surgery scarring might help it stay in??

[Spud387]

color me confused. If surgery and extensive rehab couldn't allow him to play even one whole game, how will no surgery do so???

wild uneducated guess - is it not possible that more surgery scarring might help it stay in??

Another surgery could help it stay in. Key being "could."
However, the additional build up of scar tissue and damage from the surgery itself could hinder the strength & mobility of the shoulder once healed.

Lulay knows, having the surgery done once, it did not seem to help. If he gets hit the wrong way, shoulder is popping out. So, rather than do the surgery again he'll rehab the shoulder, strengthening it naturally.

We have made great strides in medicine this century, but digging into the body with knives & needles is still very barbaric and is damaging. The idea of surgery is to fix something on the body and while doing, causing less damage than leaving the injury unattended would cause.

[Toppy Vann]

color me confused. If surgery and extensive rehab couldn't allow him to play even one whole game, how will no surgery do so???

wild uneducated guess - is it not possible that more surgery scarring might help it stay in??

Another surgery could help it stay in. Key being "could."
However, the additional build up of scar tissue and damage from the surgery itself could hinder the strength & mobility of the shoulder once healed.

Lulay knows, having the surgery done once, it did not seem to help. If he gets hit the wrong way, shoulder is popping out. So, rather than do the surgery again he'll rehab the shoulder, strengthening it naturally.

We have made great strides in medicine this century, but digging into the body with knives & needles is still very barbaric and is damaging. The idea of surgery is to fix something on the body and while doing, causing less damage than leaving the injury unattended would cause.

I tend to agree. Surgeons can overstate what they can do like - hey - my little tiny hernia was MINOR surgery but I felt the affects for 6 weeks from the anaesthetic etc.