OldSchool101
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I appreciate your input 13 you’re always educated and insightful. So don’t take this as discounting any of this. Ironically did some reading about Jones Fractures also. I could give you a litany of responses, but any would be conflicting because nobody knows his timeline except maybe himself and maybe not even that! I’m not going to jinx him giving a timeline but imo based on he’s actually suited up already? He’s been out a month already and we’re still 10 days out. They feel like he has a legit chance of playing through it and managing it, so this far he hasn’t had any complications. Time will increase Reeds odds and personally if just hold him out like 2 games (another 3 weeks) to get him to 2 Full Months. I think we can function without him either way.I think we do have one significant weakness that is somewhat intangible - health, throughout the entire roster.
Right now, this is our injury list going into Week One...
Expected to return on or about Week 6:
Christian Watson
Marshawn Lloyd
Colin Oliver
These were all players who were expected to contribute to this year's campaign, and 2 of 3 were expected to be key contributors.
Questionable for Week 1:
Xavier McKinney
Dontavion Wicks
Aaron Banks
Barryn Sorrell
Savion Williams
Nate Hobbs
Jayden Reed
All 7 of those players were expected to be very important to this season, and even if they do all returned Week 1 or 2, several of them are young players who were quite highly regarded, but needed all the camp time they could get in August in order to prepare for the regular season, or new veteran additions who would have benefited greatly from some summer snaps to learn the system and become comfortable with their roles. So we have at least 10 starters or (at least) important rotational players absent or questionable as we begin our season with one of the most crucially imprtant games on our schedule.
And as far as Reed is concerned...
From what I've learned about Jones fractures, I'm highly skeptical about his availability this year, even by mid-season. From what I've read, if a Jones fracture (especially in a WR or RB) is not properly and very cautiously managed right from the beginning, it can quite possibly be a career-ending injury. There simply is no shortcut for a Jones injury.
In this study, it was found that 50% of players who suffered a Jones fracture did not fully heal for at least 2 years after their return to the field, and there was a significantly greater likelihood of suffering another Jones fracture within a short time of returning. The blood flow to that are is very, very minimal, so the cells simply do not get enough oxygen or nutrients to heal properly -plus, is appears to be exacerbated by every high-level athlete's inherent emphasis on "getting back into the game" as quickly as possible.
I'm really worried about Reed. From what I've found, putting him back into practice running routes within 3 weeks of diagnosis, and especially putting him into a real-time game situation a month later, is (as near as my research takes me) appears to be literally unprecedented.
Jones Fractures Identified at the National Football League Scouting Combine: Assessment of Prognostic Factors, Computed Tomography Findings, and Initial Career Performance - PMC
Jones fractures result in subsequent dysfunction and remain an issue for athletes. To (1) describe the epidemiology, treatment, and impact of Jones fractures identified at the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine on players’ early careers ...pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
We've seen this before, where Packer teams go into camp looking strong on paper, and by September, there are a number of important players who are either already lost to injuries or whose preparedness for the season is going to be significantly degraded because their "training camp" starts in October instead of July. The rookies and 2nd year guys will have a hell of a lot of catching up to do.
Now, I'm not saying by any means that the season is over, so let's just ride it out and get a Top Ten draft slot, or anything of that nature. I still firmly believe we are in the Top 15% of NFL teams who are legitimate Lombardi contenders. It's just that I think it's become more likely that we're gonna have to work a lot harder at it. Because in the NFC North, every single game matters massively for post-season standings.
On Defense? We just inherited an All Pro Pass Rusher!!! that imo will impact the game more than Charles Woodson prime. Whats more impactful though? I am about 90% sure he will benefit 2-3 Packers around him. One such player is Devonte Wyatt who was rising in 2024 and a big part of our #6 scoring feel. His biggest issue is he has a hard time with Doubles and actually gets washed out. When he’s singled? He’s regular dominance. Micah and Rashan can’t both be doubled. Then we have Cooper who I believe didn’t get proper recognition. He was pacing 28TFL! with a normal full time load. That’s like NFL record breaking pace albeit just 1/2 season. Cooper might not be HOF player but nobody gets that lucky 14 times in 1/2 season of snaps.
We are all conditioned to our Packers. Yet something greater is here. The Packers Offense no longer needs to carry the team like we’re used to since around 2011. Also no player on IR was heavily involved in our Offense up to this juncture except Christian Watson. Everyone knows I’m high on Lloyd. Yet he’s only a bonus at this point our roster is not only set, it’s pretty stout level at RB without Lloyd.
IMO they should just sit Reed for 2-3 weeks, we can win without him, get him healthy. Wicks was back at practice running full tilt and we’ve still got 10 days.
Golden, Wicks, Doubs, Heath, Kraft, Musgrave, Jacobs, Wilson. As long as we don’t lose several players we’re fine, but every team has that issue.
PS. I know I’ll get trash thrown at me worse than the Blues Brother on stage. Mecole Hardman should get elevated. He can play PR and share Slot duties. He’s not Reed, but fully capable to share that role temporarily to rest Reed a couple of weeks if needed.
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