To PUP or not to PUP (Gronkowski) ... that is the question

[Sciz]

I'm laughing at the Bills and Jets right now, and the Bucs don't scare me much either. Get him back on the field for week 4, though.

 

[Kontradiction]

I pup gronk . no matter how he looks. hes to important to the team to take any chances with him. I want him to be 100 percent and have plenty of time to train and get back in shape before going out on the field again. back injuries are no joke. the more time for the mangled arm to heal the better.

1. You don't PUP Gronk unless he's physically unable to perform.

2. PUPing him makes it take that much longer for him to get into football shape.

3. He can still get injured even if you PUP him.

 

[supafly]

Those who advocate placing Gronk on PUP need to take the following into account:

He'd be eligible to return to team practices the 3rd or 4th week of October and then would certainly take a week or two to see the playing field for actual games, which wouldn't occur until at least the beginning of November.

That would mean that the difference would be:

--potentially missing 2-3-4 games in the beginning of the season vs the likes of the lowly Bills, Jets, and maybe Bucs, BUT still being able to practice with the team and get back into football shape

--missing at least 50% of the season and coming back in November for the stretch run of the year

This seems like a no-brainer to me, unless there was some kind of setback that we're not currently aware of.

 

[supafly]

Do you PUP Gronk and get him back in week 7 or do you take a chance he is fully ready to go and pick him off the PUP by Saturday's deadline?

We wouldn't "get him back" in week 7. The week 7 date simply means that he would then be able to resume practicing with the team. He wouldn't be able to play in week 7, and probably not in week 8 either.

With the week 9 bye this year, there'd be an excellent chance that Gronk wouldn't even return until week 10.

That makes it an enormous difference between the popular misconception of "week 7" and the reality of the situation. You can't just put him back in right off the bat once he's eligible to practice during week 7, so either way he'd be missing at least 50% or more of the season.

 

[Ozymandias]

I'd say Rob will be back by week three the earliest, and week four the latest.

 

[ahmed]

People are overestimating our rookies and team right now. Looking good in TC & preseason does not necessarily equate to being good during regular season.

Football is a game of inches and every player counts. Your second best player's production is literally irreplaceable. Get him involved as easily as he is medically cleared and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

did individual drills today so he is close...no PUP

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Yeah no pup. It's not beneficial for both sides.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Did you watch the Houston playoff game? Do you want to make the same mistake twice? I know I don't.

It's been explained ad nauseum on this board how that is not even remotely relevant to what's going on now.

 

[Gronkandez]

It's been explained ad nauseum on this board how that is not even remotely relevant to what's going on now.

How much weight training do think he's done in the last nine months? He is probably starting to do upper body weights for the first time since November. I'd give him two months to get his body back in shape before putting him in there. Just my opinion.

 

[pats4life12]

I'd say Rob will be back by week three the earliest, and week four the latest.

Don't you think that's a little quick. If we put him on the PUP then he is not rushing his recovery. I rather have him be 100% and play the second half of the season then rush back and hurt himself even more.

 

[supafly]

Don't you think that's a little quick. If we put him on the PUP then he is not rushing his recovery. I rather have him be 100% and play the second half of the season then rush back and hurt himself even more.

That would mean that he'd finally see the field in a month from now.

When you say "rushing back," what is your concern more geared towards? The arm recovery or the back issue?

The arm surgery took place prior to Memorial day in May, so he's definitely had a full 3 months of recovery already. Another month would make it a total of 4. That's a lot different than the 6 week period where they brought him back from mid-November to the end of December where he played in the regular season finale vs MIA.

If the back procedure is your concern, that has been a full 2 months already, meaning that he'd be back after a full 3 months. JPP had a very similar surgery and was taken off of the PUP list today, so his recovery was one that many fans were following closely.

From all accounts, Gronk's back procedure was very minor and was no way related to his past issues at the University of ARZ. The recovery time for something like that shouldn't be too bad, definitely not worth keeping him out for another 10-12 weeks which is what placing him on PUP would do.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Gronk is vital to our team. I don't care if we are giving up a roster spot for a few weeks. If we can get him back by game 3 or 4, then we definitely keep him on the active roster.

Question - Can PUP players practice with the team? If Gronks recovery is behind but he can still practice with PUP then I might consider it, otherwise I just want to keep him on the roster.

 

[pats4life12]

That would mean that he'd finally see the field in a month from now.

When you say "rushing back," what is your concern more geared towards? The arm recovery or the back issue?

The arm surgery took place prior to Memorial day in May, so he's definitely had a full 3 months of recovery already. Another month would make it a total of 4. That's a lot different than the 6 week period where they brought him back from mid-November to the end of December where he played in the regular season finale vs MIA.

If the back procedure is your concern, that has been a full 2 months already, meaning that he'd be back after a full 3 months. JPP had a very similar surgery and was taken off of the PUP list today, so his recovery was one that many fans were following closely.

From all accounts, Gronk's back procedure was very minor and was no way related to his past issues at the University of ARZ. The recovery time for something like that shouldn't be too bad, definitely not worth keeping him out for another 10-12 weeks which is what placing him on PUP would do.

I understand what your saying but today was his first day at practice and he still did not do to much during it. I have my droughts about him but I now think your correct he should be back for week 3-4.

 

[Ozymandias]

How much weight training do think he's done in the last nine months? He is probably starting to do upper body weights for the first time since November. I'd give him two months to get his body back in shape before putting him in there. Just my opinion.

As supafly said, Jason-Pierre Paul underwent a similar surgery 2 weeks before Rob did and JPP will probably play in week 1. So just off the basis of extrapolation that puts Rob on track to play in week 3. If not, then the worse case scenario is week 4.

The schedule meshes up nicely for a week 3 return/maintenance game against Tampa, thus allowing him to be all systems go on SNF against the Falcons in Georgia. The game against them will be a huge one and it makes sense to have your second best offensive player available if he's fully capable of playing.

Basically, at this point the chances of Rob being placed on the PUP are very slim unless he suffers another setback from now until the deadline date.

 

[kennyb]

I understand what your saying but today was his first day at practice and he still did not do to much during it. I have my droughts about him but I now think your correct he should be back for week 3-4.

If he practiced with the team then he cant go on pup at all.

I think they'll pup him and hell be back about week 7 or 8.

 

[Tunescribe]

To me, putting Gronk on ice for six weeks is a no-brainer. He had nothing resembling an off-season program. He's skinny, he needs more time to get strong and ease back into a groove. This will be a playoff team and he'll be important for the stretch run.

 

[supafly]

If he practiced with the team then he cant go on pup at all.

He took part in individual drills today. He can't take part in team drills while on PUP.

The fact that he took part in individual drills today in front of the media must be pointing to something, at least one would think anyway. It's possible they're just trying to see how he feels after drills this week, who knows?

I think they'll pup him and hell be back about week 7 or 8.

I think he'd definitely need a couple of weeks to practice and get back into game playing shape with pads on etc. He wouldn't even be able to practice until week 7, so he wouldn't be able to play in week 7--and maybe not even in week 8 either.

Considering the fact that they have a week 9 bye, if he went on PUP we may not see him in a game setting until week #10.

 

[supafly]

I understand what your saying but today was his first day at practice and he still did not do to much during it. I have my droughts about him but I now think your correct he should be back for week 3-4.

You may end up being right. I'm just pointing out the timetable when he can't even practice until week #7. Due to that aspect, it would come down to 2 options:

1. They try to play him in week #8 before the bye and see how he feels. That would give him approx. 1 1/2 weeks of practice time.

2. Due to the week 9 bye, they just bring him back in week 10 when they return. That would give him a few weeks of practice after coming back from PUP.

Although he didn't do too much today, it may be viewed as a step in the right direction, and he could be in the process of being brought back in a cautious and slow fashion leading up to real team practices in the next couple of weeks.

 

[ATippett56]

Do not PUP Gronkowski unless it's doctor's orders.