In a pleasant and relatively stunning surprise for the Patriots, slot receiver Wes Welker was in uniform and participating in drills during Wednesday morning’s OTA practice.
Welker tore his ACL and damaged his MCL late last season. He also needed offseason surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. Before Wednesday, it was widely believed that Welker would not be ready for Opening Day, and that he might miss the first six weeks of the season on the reserve/PUP list.
According to Albert Breer of the Boston Globe, Welker participated in pre-practice stretching and high knee bag drills before the team put the kibosh on reporters tweeting from practice.
Observed Breer in conclusion, “My opinion on Welker timetable has changed. Drastically.”
While it’s uncertain if Welker made any cuts on his reconstructed knee, it seems clear that his recovery is well ahead of schedule.
The career overachiever continues to defy the odds.