May 14, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Ryan Swope (19) catches the ball during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Well, so much for the excitement of rookie wide receiver Ryan Swope coming in and vying for a spot on the Arizona Cardinals offense. Just within the last hour, the Cards placed him on the Reserve/Retired List. Considering his injury past, it isn’t completely shocking, however there were some high expectations, including on my part. It’s unfortunate it has come to this.
Swope, who has a history of concussions, was forced to retire on Thursday. This was considered one of the reasons why he fell all the way to the sixth-round of the NFL Draft. The Cards saw all the upside on him though. He was quite similar to Cards wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in style of play. Swope had a great leaping ability to snatch balls out of the air and over his head.
The Cardinals were aware of the risks they were taking in drafting Swope. After having a set back once he joined the Cards at the end of April, it was clear there would be on-going issues. As recently as June though, the Cards thought it might not linger. I didn’t think it would either but apparently the concussions were too much to overcome for former Texas A&M star receiver. I applaud the Cards and Swope in coming to this decision though. This way he stays healthy and can live a full productive life without the worry of future head issues.