JMarr

I agree, but you also have to concede that the overall impact will be minimal regarding what he brings to the table when he's in the lineup. He is going to be a major factor in this offense regardless of whether not he's as quick as pre-injury.

We should know better than to underestimate anything about Welker--what else does he need to do to prove that he's a guy you would ever bet against, at anything?

The only consideration should be medical, not performance-related. I don't know about knee injuries, but does more time passing necessarily increase the odds that he won't injure it again once he's medically cleared?

DaBruinz

Listen. It's very clear to me you are 100% ignorant on the subject of ACL / MCL Injuries. We coming back this year would NOT cause him to get injured again. This isn't 1987 where the likelihood of re-injuring the same knee is 80% if you come back inside of a year. This is 2010 where the likelihood is probably 5%. The advances that have been made in ACL/MCL repair in just the last 10 years are mind-boggling and they continue to get better every year.

No, the Pats aren't really bad about bringing people back too early. On the contrary.

I'm sorry. Considering no one knows WHY Tate went onto the IR, using him as an example is dumb. Same with Mayo.

DaBruinz

You can not expect to see him until then. I'm a realist though. I know that everyone is different. I know that Welker was playing injured all year to begin with (Shoulder). And that him hurting his knee at the end of the year was terrible. However, I also know that he's already jogging and might even be running. There were no complications to his surgery.

Welker's game does not solely rely on him making extremely aggressive cuts. He also uses great head fakes.

Why should anyone concede that any part of Welker's game will be affected? Because it's your assumption that he'll be like every other NORMAL person and not like a the well-defined athlete that he is. People need to be reminded that Jerry Rice was able to come back in 6 months from his ACL tear. And that was back in 1989 or whenever. This is 20 years later with numerous advances that are drastically less invasive and all the person to heal more quickly and have the joint be stronger than it was prior to the injury.

cmasspatsfan

Id even go as far to say his knee may be stronger after surgery, I dont think his knee was fine then it popped one day, there had to have been some damage leading up to the straw that broke the camels back.

signbabybrady

I think there is a good chance he will be back this season and as early as week one. I think there is a good chance the he will be back to his old self making aggressive cuts but I do concede the possibility that he wont be back or wont be right. To me there is a chance that the overlly optimistic could be right and that the overlly pessimistic could be right but IMO the most logical way to think would be that I doubt he is ready for week 1 but that he likely will be back to his old self before the playoffs (other seperate injuries aside).

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FredFromDartmouth

Ahem that was not very polite. I beg to differ on this point.

I believe that Mayo was brought back too early; he was limping around at half speed for a 2-3 games after he came back and then never seemed to regain his rookie form. I would much rather have held him out an extra month and get him back at full strength.

As far as Tate; if it was not the knee then what was it? None of us know but I would say the probability is high that it was the knee. I did not see him clutching his elbow...

This year might be different with the new carpet. Last year the surface was horrible; it caused one injury after another.

Maybe PUP for Welker but nothing earlier than that. Please do not let him get re-injured; the Patriots have other weapons this season.

efin98

Recovery from ACL tear takes 6-9 months - White Coat Notes - Boston.com

This was posted in regards to TB but Welker's condition fits it too...

Welker can and will be back by the start of the season. At the absolute worst if he isn't ready then he will be back by week 6. Either way he is coming back in 2010.

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"As long as we have Belichick, I always think that we're going to be just fine."...Tom Brady, in reference to his coach.

“It is what it is, but it ain’t what you think.”...Brandon Spikes

Deus Irae

I don't know when Welker will be back, although I hope they take it as slowly as is needed in order to avoid re-injury or injury to other areas as a result of the primary injury, but Brady wasn't "back" even by the end of the season, which was well over a year post-op.

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PATRIOTSFANINPA

The doctor told me that when I fractured my Pelvis now 5 weeks ago that I would be not ready to walk until 8-12 weeks - Right now I can at least walk about 10 steps with a limp,but still rely on my walker for safety purposes and for less weight on the bone,However,I still think I am ahead of schedule despite looking like a drunk walking out of a bar or a two year old just getting up on its legs for it first step.

Every person is different and every person heals unique somehow,sometimes incredibly fast,some right on schedule to normal recovery and some very late recovery if at all depending on how the new bone or muscle grows in as the replacements.

I personally think Welker is between fast and normal recovery time which I would estimate as a non-medical guess to be about 7 or 8 months ready after his operation which would mean back to practice and on the team sidelines by between Halloween and before Thanksgiving.

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BelichickFan

Brady's knee was fine. In a way it's more difficult for a QB, he doesn't have to cut as much but he has to stand in against the unexpected hit more.

I'm tired of typing the same thing but a great rehab with no setbacks gets Welker back by opening day if he so chooses. People will dispute it but it's simply fact. Maybe he'll have a setback. Maybe the Patriots will take it slow as we have Edelman and the new TE to catch some of the short passes. But you can come back to play in 7 months. Braylon Edwards did it and that was a few years ago. Thomas Davis is only 2 months ahead of Welker and he was at (non contact) practice today with the full expectation of starting training camp.