Welker says that he is "way ahead of schedule"

[Patsgofor4]

A good friend of mine (a reliable guy) sat directly behind Welker on a flight from Boston to LA today (another Playboy visit vs. passing camp with TB?). Welker told someone sitting next to him that he is "way ahead of schedule". Take that for what it's worth at this point in his rehab but it can't be a bad thing.

 

[livinginthe past]

I'll take that with a pinch of salt - but its good news so i'm willing to suspend disbelief a little!!

 

[slash83]

He very well could be way ahead of schedule, still does not mean hes going to be there the first half of the season.

 

[Raymond]

No disrespect, but this is as dubious a source as they get.

 

[A.C Vegas]

for all we know he could have been talking about his plans in LA

 

[Kontradiction]

Maybe he is talking about the fact that he is "way ahead of schedule" on his visits to the Playboy Mansion?

 

[patchick]

A good friend of mine (a reliable guy) sat directly behind Welker on a flight from Boston to LA today (another Playboy visit vs. passing camp with TB?). Welker told someone sitting next to him that he is "way ahead of schedule".

I guess that means he had no problem making his connecting flight?

 

[TB146]

No disrespect, but this is as dubious a source as they get.

While the parenthetical assurance of the OP's friend's reliability did feel a bit squirrely, why would he be making this up? I would think that a fabricated story about meeting WW on an airplane would a) be in the first person (i.e. "I met Welker...") and b) would include some more spectacular elements like "he let me have his second bag of preztels" or "he signed my American Airlines napkin" or "he gave me his phone number so we can meet up and chill sometime" or "we played Magic: The Gathering during the whole flight"...

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm going to be laughing (in the nicest way possible) at all you doubters on Week 1. I've said all along I expect him to play Week 1 and it seems more likely than ever now. I know it's natural to protect yourself from disappointment by being negative but it's OK, really, to admit that WR can make it back in this time (Braylon Edwards did) and if anyone can, Welker will.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm going to be laughing (in the nicest way possible) at all you doubters on Week 1. I've said all along I expect him to play Week 1 and it seems more likely than ever now. I know it's natural to protect yourself from disappointment by being negative but it's OK, really, to admit that WR can make it back in this time (Braylon Edwards did) and if anyone can, Welker will.

I can't vouch for the source, obviously, but this does sort of echo the report from last night, where someone claimed the reporter woman had that same info about Welker doing very well. I'm not sure that a couple of unverified sources makes Welker's return at any particular time more likely, but it is a pair of reports in about a 24 hour span.

 

[BelichickFan]

I can't vouch for the source, obviously, but this does sort of echo the report from last night, where someone claimed the reporter woman had that same info about Welker doing very well. I'm not sure that a couple of unverified sources makes Welker's return at any particular time more likely, but it is a pair of reports in about a 24 hour span.

Definitely gives the good vibe. I'm as optimistic as anyone and, barring a major setback, I think the absolute worst case is that he sits out the first 4 games then we have the bye and he would play Week 5. That way he could practice the whole time as opposed to if he were PUPed. I'm not backing off my Week 1 feelings but Week 5 is a reasonable worst case IMO.

 

[Kontradiction]

Definitely gives the good vibe. I'm as optimistic as anyone and, barring a major setback, I think the absolute worst case is that he sits out the first 4 games then we have the bye and he would play Week 5. That way he could practice the whole time as opposed to if he were PUPed. I'm not backing off my Week 1 feelings but Week 5 is a reasonable worst case IMO.

I certainly hope you're right.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Looks like the goat I sacrificed back in January did not die in vain

 

[Patspsycho]

I guess that means he had no problem making his connecting flight?

I don't think Welker is that cheap.

 

[patchick]

Looks like the goat I sacrificed back in January did not die in vain

We all thank Clover for her selfless devotion to the cause.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

If he keeps on going to the Hills in LA for his "Therapy" we may never see him again.

Maybe Wes is the the Hier Apparent to Hefner?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I'm going to be laughing (in the nicest way possible) at all you doubters on Week 1. I've said all along I expect him to play Week 1 and it seems more likely than ever now. I know it's natural to protect yourself from disappointment by being negative but it's OK, really, to admit that WR can make it back in this time (Braylon Edwards did) and if anyone can, Welker will.

Did it ever occur to you that one person's injury might be different than another's? Or that people respond to treatment differently? What about the fact that Welker's bread and butter is his ability to make quick and sharp cuts which place far more stress on the knees than receivers who run different routes?

Welker might be back week 1, but I wouldn't bet on it, he also might not be nearly the same player post-injury.

I guess I'm really just wondering how you attained your opinion of when Welker will be back, with your intimate knowledge of his injury and of knee surgery.

 

[BelichickFan]

Did it ever occur to you that one person's injury might be different than another's? Or that people respond to treatment differently? What about the fact that Welker's bread and butter is his ability to make quick and sharp cuts which place far more stress on the knees than receivers who run different routes?

Thanks, I never thought of that

Of course I know that. I am just flat out debunking the "thought process" that you can't come back from a torn ACL this quickly. Edwards did. Although he played a different position, so did Carson Palmer who's injury was worse than Welker's. Yes, Welker may take longer due to "his game"; he also might return quicker because ACL surgeries and rehabs are more known and tested now.

Again, the answer to you question is that I am not an idiot, I know not everyone is the same; however that also applies the other way, just because some other player didn't make it back in 8 months doesn't mean Welker won't.

 

[Intommywetrst]

I can't vouch for the source, obviously, but this does sort of echo the report from last night, where someone claimed the reporter woman had that same info about Welker doing very well. I'm not sure that a couple of unverified sources makes Welker's return at any particular time more likely, but it is a pair of reports in about a 24 hour span.

Yeah Maria Menounos said he said he was "ready to go"....

Twitter / maria menounos: Hung out w/my patriots-vin ...

We'll see I guess..

 

[dhamz]

Of course he is.

There is a pattern of reports that every football player who has ever torn his ACL could check off. The players are always ahead of schedule - even though no one says or even knows what exactly that means. The injured knee is always reported to now be stronger than it was before the injury due to the rehab. It is always the mental aspect, not the physical aspect the player has to worry about.

Then when they aren't the player they were before in year 1 - the ACL is really a 2 year injury and no one should have expected the player to be back 100% even though he was ahead of schedule, his knee was stronger than it was before the injury, and there were no physical concerns only mental concerns.