Will Wes Welker be a force for the Patriots this season?
Well, he better be if the Pats ever want to get back in the title picture after two disappointing seasons.
Luckily, according to sources, New England Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker will indeed be fully cleared to participate in all training camp activities before the 2010 NFL football season starts.
WR Wes Welker has looked good in individual drills for the Patriots in offseason workouts though he still has a long way to go in his recovery. He still is not competing in team work during non-contact scrimmages, but Welker is encouraged with his rehab.
“It’s going good so far,” Welker said recently. “It’s a long process, but I feel like we’re making a lot of strides.” But even though Welker is making strides — he had surgery Feb. 2 but has been running at practice without a limp —reports said there’s still a possibility he’ll miss the first six weeks of the season.
The New England Patriots aren’t going to take any chances by rushing his recovery to get him back for the first week of the season. “My plan is to keep working hard, keep doing the things I’ve been doing to get to where I am right now,” said Welker.
This news would mean that Welker would not be able to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list, and would mean that he is extremely likely to play within the first few weeks, if not right away in Week One.
A player on the active PUP is ineligible to practice, but can be removed from the list at any time during camp. If Welker is not put on the list, the Patriots would not have the option of placing Welker on the reserve PUP (where players aren’t eligible to play for the first six weeks of the season) come Week 1.
The bottom line here is that Welker has evidently made great progress from his reconstructive ACL surgery, and once he’s out on the practice field, and that could happen Thursday, the “how close to 100 percent is he” questions must still be answered.
Look for Welker to reclaim his slot role and chase a fourth consecutive season of 110+ receptions.
Which team will win Super Bowl XLV? BetUS.com has the odds.
New Orleans Saints +900
Indianapolis Colts +800
New England Patriots +1000
Dallas Cowboys +1000
Want more odds? Visit BetUS.com for more NFL betting odds. Want to watch the NFL live? Get NFL tickets online now.
Comments
