One of the hallmarks of a Brandon Beane draft class is selecting at least one offensive lineman nearly every year. The Buffalo Bills did that again, selecting UConn OT Chase Lundt in the sixth round.
Seeing nearly every snap at right tackle, Lundt appeared in 49 games over his collegiate career at UConn. He is an older player and will be 25 entering his rookie year due to the extra year afforded to him due to the COVID pandemic. At 6’7”, 303 lbs, he fits the mold that the Bills look for in their offensive tackles and could prove to be strong depth behind Spencer Brown or become the next swing tackle for the Bills. During draft prep, Lundt was working on his left tackle stance according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
While Lundt is seen as more of a project, he dropped down the boards due to several knee injuries.
Read inside for Chase Lundt’s publicly reported injury history and analysis.
Injury History
2019 UConn
No publicly reported injuries.
2020 UConn
No publicly reported injuries.
2021 UConn
Left ACL, meniscus tear, vs UCF, missed 1 game.
Lundt suffered an ACL and meniscus tear at the end of his redshirt sophomore season and underwent surgery. He was able to return in eight months to start the 2022 season opener. The exact details of the injury were provided by Dane Brugler of The Athletic in his draft guide.
2022 UConn
No publicly reported injuries.
2023 UConn
No publicly reported injuries.
2024 UConn
Right MCL knee sprain, vs North Carolina, missed Senior Bowl, Combine.
Lundt took a hard shot to his right knee late in the third quarter of the Fenway Bowl against North Carolina. He suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain which forced him to miss the Senior Bowl and unable to participate in testing during the NFL Combine.
Buffalo Bills Injury Analysis
The biggest concerns looking at Lundt’s injury history are the knee injuries. His ACL and meniscus injury are notable but it’s an excellent sign that even after returning in eight months, he was able to return to play without any complications such as missed games or soft tissue injuries like hamstring or groin. Since his injury occurred in 2021, he is outside the immediate two-year re-tear window.
Considering he played right tackle with his left leg being inside, it makes sense why he was able to return quicker and had less issues as this was the pivot leg as he blocked outside. It’s not clear if the meniscus was a repair or trim but that may dictate how his knee looks from a degenerative aspect the further he gets away from the injury.
Looking at his MCL sprain, it’s unfortunate and thankfully it was to his other knee. By this point, the knee should be fully healed and he should have no limitations regarding his ability to participate in rookie minicamp or OTA’s. Knee sprains are incredibly common with over 40 percent of knee injuries being an MCL sprain. Furthermore, lineman and tight ends have the most common rates of knee injuries with 57-68 percent experiencing a knee injury based on the literature. It will not surprise me to see him wearing either one or two knee braces during practice.
Final Thoughts
Lundt is more likely a project that the Bills can work into their system as either a reserve lineman on the active roster or on the practice squad. His knee injuries are notable but have good outcomes right now. The bigger concern right now is the right knee coming off the MCL, but it has been several months since then and should be fully healthy by now.
I would like to wish Chase Lundt a warm welcome to the city of Buffalo and to remain healthy this season.
Top Photo Credit: Stew Milne/AP
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