Training camp couldn't even kick off before the Edmonton Eskimos put prized possession and part-time prizefighter Adam Braidwood on the nine-game injured list.
It's the same place where the 2006 first-overall draft pick spent the entire season last year after injuring his knee in training camp.
'ALL OPTIONS'
"We're going to explore all options with Adam as far as the medical side is concerned," said the club's general manager and director of football operations Danny Maciocia. "We've had some discussions with our medical people. We're going to see what we need to do to get him up to speed to where he was prior to him sustaining that injury in 2007."
Maciocia said Braidwood's left knee had a tendency to swell up while running during off-season conditioning.
"It was a concern. We had him sit down with our medical people, they've kept a close eye on it," said Maciocia. "I think the best thing for us to do, as far as an organization is concerned right now, is just nine-game him and see how this thing plays itself out."
He didn't provide any terms, but Maciocia confirmed Braidwood is still under contract with the Eskimos.
And he said releasing the defensive lineman is not an option he's ready to consider.
"As far as I'm concerned, I think he just turned 25 a few days ago. I know he can play," said Maciocia. "We're not going to give up on the young man and we're just going to do what we feel needs to be done to get him to where he was when we first drafted him.
"There will be no lack of trying here, put it this way."
The news came as a surprise to Braidwood, who spent part of the afternoon signing autographs along with his teammates during fan-appreciation day at Clarke Park.
"It sucks. Obviously I'm really disappointed. Nobody on the team knows. I just found out today. I'm still kind of in shock about it really," said the six-foot-four, 270-pound Washington State product. "It's just one of those things. It's up to the medical staff at this point. They haven't told me a whole lot.
"It's really, really frustrating. I worked hard this off-season," said Braidwood, pointing out it wasn't anything he did while training that aggravated the "left-over" injury.
Nor is it something that was made worse by wading into the boxing ring.
'I'LL BE BACK'
"That had nothing to do with it," he said. "It has everything to do with the surgery last year and the injury that happened in training camp and that's it.
"Whatever it is, I'm going to get it fixed up and I'll be back in action as soon as I can," said Braidwood.
GERRY.MODDEJONGE@SUNMEDIA.CA
