Orshawante Bryant was expected to be a much bigger part of the Utah Blaze offense this season.
But those plans came to a painful end Friday during the second day of the Arena Football League's training camp. Bryant, a veteran of both previous Blaze campaigns, went down with a ruptured left Achilles tendon during a practice at the Spence Eccles Fieldhouse on the University of Utah campus. He will be placed on the injured reserve list and is expected to have surgery to repair the damage on Monday.
Bryant caught 90 passes for 1,039 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2006 for the Blaze. Last season he spent more time as a defensive back than a receiver, intercepting a team-high five passes. He also had 24 catches for 331 yards and five scores in just nine games during an injury-plagued 2007 year.
Bryant was slated to be a full-time receiver this season. With the loss of record-breaking pass catcher Siaha Burley, who signed a free-agent deal with the rival Arizona Rattlers, Bryant was expected to be one of Utah quarterback Joe Germaine's main targets.
With Bryant out with what may be a season-ending injury, receivers Tom Pace, Aaron Boone, Huey Whittaker and J.J. McKelvey will be asked to pick up the slack.
—Loren Jorgensen