No football player wants to sustain an injury this time of year. Even the slightest interruption in their preparation for the season can set them back. That's why second-year defensive tackle Torell Troup is hoping he can still play despite suffering a cracked bone in his right hand at Monday's practice.
"I think it just got caught in Wood's shoulder pads," Troup told Buffalobills.com. "I went to long arm him and I couldn't really tell when it happened. I just went back to the sideline and I just felt the pain. I thought I may have jammed a finger or something, but they told me I had to go get it x-rayed."
Head coach Chan Gailey confirmed Troup's hand will be in a cast. He also said that Troup should be out of the cast before the season opener.
"They can put a cast on it and let him play, but it's going to be a few days until the swelling gets back down and it knits together a litlte bit better so he can get out there on the field," said Gailey.
Troup admits there's pain in his hand, and he did not practice on Wednesday night, but his plan is to eventually play despite the injury.
"Somewhere in my hand I've got a little broken bone, but it'll be fine," he said. "I'm still going to play. I've just got to wait for the pain to go away and they're going to cast it up and I'll get out there again."
Gailey believes that Troup will be able to practice and play in the preseason just not right away as he's not expected to play Saturday in the preseason opener at Chicago.
"Maybe not this week, but down the road yes (he will play through it)," said Gailey.
Ironically, Gailey had recently praised Troup and fellow second-year defensive lineman Alex Carrington for their improvement in this camp from that of last season, commenting on their improved hand usage to disengage from blocks and make plays.
Now Troup's progress in that area of his game will be somewhat restricted by the cast that will soon go on his right hand.
"I've just got to make the best of it," he said. "They're going to protect it for me with a little cast around it. I'm still going to have to be able to use both my hands, so I'm going to have to fight through the pain. This is the first broken bone I've ever had, so I don't know what's going to happen. I'm just taking it one day at a time."
