Injuries Schminjuries

[Luvnit2]

(08-17-2016, 12:36 AM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: I know, I know.  Injuries suck.  And they definitely suck when they happen in the preseason even more.  While we've started out with more than our fair share this offseason, I don't think it's time to panic just yet.  Perhaps let's pump the brakes a bit on the season is over talk?  Here's the deal.  We've taken our lumps recently.  And we already had some issues with guys like Burfict and Eifert that we knew going into camp.  But I'm telling you, it could be much, much worse.  Muuuuchhh worse.

Is Dalton healthy?  Yup.  Is Green healthy?  Yup.  Ok, well that's one heckuva start.  Bernard and Hill both appear, at the moment, to be ready to pencil in for Week 1.  Whitworth, Zeitler, Boling, and Bodine all should be good to go.  I mean, hot damn, that's a lot of returning talent right there.  And when QB1 and a handful of weapons are healthy I'm not sure you can gripe much in this league.  I'll take a healthy QB1 over 5 random lesser contributors every single day of the week.

Yeah, Eifert will miss time.  But the good news is that we know he'll be back eventually.  And if potentially missing your #2 receiver for a game or two (or it's possible not at all) is your biggest loss then I think you're doing ok.  The guy has yet to even catch a pass here, and is coming off a 500 yard season.  He signed a 1 year 2.5 million dollar deal for a reason.  It won't be the end of world if he misses time.

We've got a first year starter on the OL that may miss a couple weeks, while the veteran 4 are in tact.  

We're down a couple of reserves in the secondary, with one due back sooner than later.  Pacman Jones, Kirkpatrick, George Iloka and Shaun Williams are all healthy.

People are WAY overreacting over Billings.  I mean, if you think has potential, I get it.  But he's a 4th round rookie joining an interior DL of Geno Atkins, Peko, Brandon Thompson and Pat Simms.  The DL is littered with healthy talent.  Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson, both should be good to go.

So, again, let's all try to take a deep breath here.  Dalton, Green, Atkins, Burfict, Bernard, Whitwoth, Zeitler, Pacman, Iloka.  Those are names to do a double take if they come up on the injury report.  How many teams have we all see where there's huge, huge losses going into the season.  TOM BRADY this season.  Ben raped one two many chicks that one year and lost time.  Speaker of those losers, they're going to missing LEVEON BELL longer than more than half of the guys on a injury report.  Martavis Bryant, gone.  Heath Miller retired, and now his replacement (Ladarius Green) contemplating retirement.  Philly's #1 pick, and potential QB1 is likely already out for the entire preseason.

We'll be ok.  We're supposed to have all this depth and continuity and familiarity that many of you applaud so much.  IF we can't weather some losses for a few weeks, and some mid round rookies gone for longer, then we've got some serious problems.

Great thoughts. I agree, I would add some of these rookie injuries may allow us to stash talent for the future. Billings is a rookie, he likely like you said would not contribute a lot in 2016, but Hardison or Williams are 2nd year guys that we may have lost if we did not pick up the extra roster spot. We have a deep team and only 53 spots so spots 51, 52 and 53 are like Gold and may allow a Core, Erickson or James Wright make this team versus being cut or trying to get on the practice squad.