Over half of the league has now reported to training camp and begun practicing.
Unlike last season, when it seemed there was a major injury daily in late July, it's been eerily quiet. Nearly every piece of news on veteran players returning from injury has been positive. There are a few players on the NFI list due to conditioning issues and some big names who start camp on the Active / PUP list, but I don't see any major surprises.
I'm sure the more superstitious of my readers cringed as they read the last paragraph. I know how you feel. I was trained never to say the "Q" word in the hospital and I've had to stop myself from deleting that paragraph twice already. But it's fact. It's also likely fact that the early good fortune around the league won't last, but it's a nice start to the preseason nonetheless.
Let's make rounds anyway -- there's still lots to cover -- and highlight the players who have avoided the PUP and NFI lists and have been cleared to practice.
Rob Gronkowski | Cleared for Practice
Last summer, the football world was briefed daily on the status of Gronkowski. There were frequent reports about his progress from the arm infection and whether he may need to have his metal plate removed for six weeks to allow healing. Then there were updates on his rehab from back surgery. Thoughout camp and the first few weeks of the regular season, we waited anxiously for the next report on whether Gronkowski was ready to come off the PUP list or ready for the active roster. Local and national media had story after story, including reports that Gronkowski and his handlers were delaying his return longer than what the team felt necessary.
This year, Bill Belichick casually told reporters in a press conference that Gronkowski would put on the pads at the start of camp and would not be put on the PUP list. There will be no debate, no digging for hidden meaning in vague statements, no guesswork and no circus.
Gronkowski is ready. And the timing is very good news.
By allowing Gronkowski to take even one repetition in practice, the Patriots severely limited their options. If Gronkowski has any minor setbacks or doesn't look ready over the next month after all, New England's only choices are to put Gronkowski on the injured reserve list with a designation to return or carry him on the active 53 man roster and deactivate him on gamedays until he's ready.
This decision tells us two very important things. First, Gronkowski is already in good enough physical condition to practice in pads. If he weren't, he'd likely have been put on the Active / NFI list while he conditioned and rehabbed on the sideline. Second, this decision says the medical staff believes Gronkowski will be ready for Week 1. And when you compare this year's quiet, business-like report to last year's weekly circus, it's fair to say Gronkowski believes it, too.
This doesn't mean that Gronkowski is a lock to be in top form during camp or early in the regular season. But full clearance for contact just six months after an ACL/MCL tear is impressive and reassuring.
Julio Jones | Cleared for Practice
I've been strongly optimistic on Jones for weeks. I'm not surprised he's been fully cleared to practice. There is some risk that Jones could re-injure his foot, but I think the risk is small. The primary concern here is making sure that Jones is ready to take reps in pads. It's one thing to be in prime athletic condition, it's another thing to get the body ready to withstand football-related activity in pads. The Falcons -- smartly -- plan to limit Jones' snaps early in camp. That should limit the risk of any early overuse injuries or a compensatory soft tissue strain.
David Wilson | Cleared for Practice
Though disappointed he wasn't cleared for contact in minicamp, there was universal optimism that Wilson would be cleared for the start of training camp. An MRI showed that his bony fusion had fully healed this week and Wilson has been cleared for contact. Wilson had been allowed to workout and condition, and he was immediately slotted as the #2 running back on the depth chart.
Degenerative disc disease -- and that's what herniated discs and spinal stenosis necessitating a fusion procedure is -- can recur, but Wilson is starting camp healthy and there are no current indications that he's a setup for new symptoms anytime soon.
Travis Kelce | Cleared for Practice
The offseason news on Kelce, who had microfracture surgery on his knee early last season, was mostly positive. The Chiefs were hopeful that he would be ready for OTAs, but ultimately decided to hold him out until camp. There has yet to be any reports that the Chiefs are managing Kelce's snaps early and his media interviews are encouraging. That's great news, but he'll still be monitored closely. Microfracture surgeries are more successful now than ever, but some cartilage defects simply can't be overcome. Hopefully, Kelce doesn't fall into that category and has a smooth and promising preseason.
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Others cleared to practice at the start of camp include Von Miller, Reggie Wayne and Chris Johnson.
Many players did find themselves on the PUP or NFI list to start camp. With one notable exception I'll discuss below, none of the names were unexpected -- Geno Atkins, Brian Cushing, Jon Beason, Tyrann Mathieu, NaVorro Bowman, Leon Hall all need more time to recover from major injuries. All except Beason and Bowman have a good shot to be ready soon. Those that were mild surprises aren't expected to be there long.
Marcus Lattimore | Placed on Active / NFI
The official word from the team and local writers is that Lattimore's health concerns aren't serious. And that may prove true. Lattimore may spend only a handful of days on the NFI list. But something doesn't add up for me here. The Niners have hinted that Lattimore is still recovering from his knee reconstruction, which was performed nearly two years ago. The other concern in the reports linked above is a hamstring injury that -- reportedly -- occurred during OTAs.
Players recovering from an injury suffered during team sponsored football related activities generally go on the Active / PUP list, not NFI. Also, it's been more than a month since the Niners last practiced. If the hamstring injury is still a primary issue, it means that it was likely a Grade 2 or worse strain. It's possible and probably likely that the team's story -- Lattimore's hamstring injury was mild and they'd like him to condition to ensure the muscles around his reconstructed knee are good to go -- is accurate.
But if this drags on and/or we hear more rumblings about the hamstring strain lingering, it's not good news.
Odell Beckham | aggravated hamstring strain
I'm also watching Beckham's recovery closely. His injury is an aggravation and it sounds like it's at least as significant as his initial injury, which limited him a month ago. Aggravations can be at least one grade higher than the initial injury. If that's the case, this aggravation could cost Beckham 2-4 weeks of camp.
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