Arizona Cardinals 2013 first round draft pick Jonathan Cooper was on Fox Sports Radio 910 on Wednesday on The Drive with Mike Jurecki and Jody Oehler. He gave an update on his recovery from the broken leg he suffered last preseason and how the experience of being on injured reserve was. Also, with the NFL Combine getting ready to start this week, he recalls the experience he had just a year ago.
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Cooper currently has the week off to "recharge the batteries" and spend some time with family and friends, but his rehabilitation is going well. As of right now, he is able to "do more lower body lifting" and running is getting more comfortable.
The good news is that he is on track with his recovery. The plan is to be ready and a full go by the start of OTAs, although they may choose to bring him on slowly at the beginning of OTAs.
Cooper said that it was very tough to get hurt when he did because he felt he had made progress and had played his best against the Chargers in the preseason. He credited his teammates for keeping him close to them. "There was never a point where I felt like I wasn't part of the team," he said.
What helped him was the fact that linebacker Sam Acho suffered the same injury. Cooper said that Acho helped him out a lot, showing him how to be a professional and also how to be a better man and have greater faith.
He joked that he thought he would learn some trade or something with his down time, but unfortunately it never happened.
He was asked about the NFL Combine, since it is about to start in Indianapolis this week with this year's draft class.
"It was miserable," he said of the experience. "It might have been one of the worst experiences of my life."
He says that it was mentally and physically grueling because of the schedule -- up early and long days, lots of talking and the showcasing that goes on.
His recovery is good news for fans and for the offense. If he continues to progress the way he was before his injury, it will be a huge boost to the offensive line and will open up a lot of things in the running game that the team would like to do.
Let's hope his recovery is full and that he can avoid injury this offseason and preseason.