More than three weeks ago, Patriots receiver Wes Welker tore an ACL while making a cut on the playing surface at Reliant Stadium.
But Welker still hasn’t had surgery.
According to Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald, the plan has been to allow Welker’s torn MCL to heal before fixing the ACL. (Given that a doctor’s detour regarding Tom Brady’s MCL during ACL surgery in 2008 resulted in a staph infection, that might not be a bad strategy.)
Still, when it comes to getting an ACL healed, no delay is a good delay. The NFL is a 12-month operation, with only a slice of down time from the middle of June to the middle of July. The sooner Welker gets his surgery performed, the sooner he’ll be ready to return to action.
Assuming a six-month recovery and rehab period, Welker’s availability for the start of training camp will soon be in jeopardy.
Texas Tech’s finest
Wes will be a PUPpy to begin the season at best. I’m sure he’ll work his tail off to be the best he can possibly be, but that upside may never be what it was four weeks ago…sad to say. I hope I’m wrong.
Explain this to me: how can NO delay be a good delay? The aphorism regarding NEWS makes sense but with “delay” it is a non sequitor.
Just sayin.
I don’t think anyone is counting on Welker to be ready any time before week 6, when he could come off of the PUP list.
Get well, Wes.
☻☼CBS, FOX, ESPN, NFLN nbc says:
HAHHA great name.
Wes will not be ready at the beginning of training camp(not effectively), nor will he be a 100% until possibly next year. Anyone who’s had major knee/shoulder injury knows this. For some reason the media never seems to realize this and speaks of the players decline the next season. It can take up to about 2 yrs until truly healed and pain-free.
among my favorite players in the league. it’s kind of sad he went down.
He has got an quite uphill battle ahead of him. With so much of his game dependent on being able to make cuts, I don’t see him being effective until 2011. This is a huge blow to the Pats offense. Get better Wes.
“Raw Deal says:
January 26, 2010 2:23 PM “It can take up to about 2 yrs until truly healed and pain-free.”
I have torn my ACL in my right knee twice. Although the medical attention i recieved was probably laughable compaired to an NFL player 1 thing i can tell you is your dead on ..
rehab took 6 months, it was a full year before I could really trust it … even then i found it pained me now and again.
I think that it is almost certain Welker will be on PUP to start the year, meaning he will probably be out for the first six-weeks.
As a Pats fan I don’t really think this is ideal but it isn’t a killer either. If Welker not being there the first 6-weeks kills their playoff chances then they aren’t a playoff team anyway in my opinion, and it gives Edleman some more game experience as the main slot guy. Just before Welker went down I was dreaming of a new Patriots passing offense for next season that had on the outside Moss and some yet-to-be-drafted-or-signed player as an off-setting deep threat, with Welker and Edleman playing opposite sides as dual slot guys. I think that could be a dangerous 4-rec set, but then again this might not even be reasonable.
If Edleman can continue to improve with game time by week 7-10 the dual slots could be in place. The question is will they get another WR to stretch the field or will it be Galloway pt. 2? Maybe do something crazy like trade the seymour pick for something this year instead of trading this year’s pick for something next year?? Crabtree or Harvin might have looked pretty good streaking down the field opposite side of Moss with two slot guys as safety valves…even if those rookies are Divas.
I think Brett Farve was sighted in New England today…………
He won’t be close to 100% anyway. … Two Colts players tore ACLs in the middle of last season, and neither of them was back in shape 12 months later. And they are quick healers.
Deion Branch should be signed as Welker isn’t going to be ready until Nov. either way. I’m sure he can still be a servicable possession receiver in the Pats’ offense.
With the way Welker cuts and hits routes hard his knee just can’t be ready before then. If it is then that will be great, but highly doubt it.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/everyone_at_hospital_already_hates
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Everyone At Hospital Already Hates Wes Welker
As we all discovered when Tom Brady had the same injury in 2008, when both ligaments are torn the procedure is to wait four weeks for the MCL to heal before going in and fixing the ACL. So it would be more surprising if he HAD had the surgery by now.
And yes, chances are he’ll open next season on PUP and we’ll hope he’s OK in the Week 7-10 window.
I am in 10 month post op for my left ACL. I have been working on it, since I was about 2 weeks out of surgery. I play semi pro football. All that being said, it sucks cause Wes is a great player, and I know he will be able to get the best care from the team doctors. The fact remains he is still human, and it takes time to fully heal from major knee surgery. I hope he heals well, but chances are he will never be the same after surgery. I hope I am wrong, the difference between Brady, and Wes is Tom has to plant and throw, Wes had great ability to move in and out of cuts quickly. Something that is hard to do after ACL surgery.
its 50-50 on wether welker will be on pup list or IR in 2010.
time to draft well…hopefully floyd reese can help this year…he wasnt around for last years draft…the first without pioli.
hopefully this will prompt the pats to return to a more ballanced offensive approach. the over reliance on downfield passing/shotgun formations killed them at times last year. brady wont last much longer if he continues to take as many hits as he did this year.
as for welker…hopefully he has a speedy recovery, but the pats likely cant rely on him. tough injury, especially for a player so reliant on lateral quickness.
he’ll come back week 10 and finish with 110 catches
ACLs take far longer than a “six month recovery and rehab”. Given the way he plays….cuts & jukes sharply…I wouldn’t expect him to be 100% with that knee until the 2011 season.