10-21-2015, 08:29 PM
(10-21-2015, 04:07 PM)jowczarski Wrote: I get why people are antsy for Burfict - he is the lone Pro Bowler in that linebacking corps.
But - he hasn't been on the field since last October. I tend to agree with Marvin Lewis when he says that until a guy practices, he doesn't exist. Albert Breer's video was nice, sure - mainly because we don't usually get to see Tez during the few minutes of open practice we get. But honestly that's no different than the stuff he's been doing since training camp.
We won't know anything until Monday or Wednesday of next week. And here's how that will work:
1. IF he's on the field, in a helmet and jersey, "practicing" - the Bengals are given a roster exemption to allow him to do that to see if he CAN practice That doesn't mean he WILL. It just means the league allows them that opportunity to find out.
2. IF he is doing that, they have 21 days from that point to decide what to do with him - activate him, IR, etc.
Now, let's look at the schedule. They're 6-0. The linebackers are healthy. They've got a game on Nov. 1, and then another four days later. I highly doubt he plays in either. I could be wrong, but IF he's practicing this week, on Oct. 26, they'll wait 15 days until the week before Houston to see what they want to do. By that point, they could have a guy on IR.
That's IF he's practicing this week.
Fast forward that timeline each week. Burfict is a guy who will have to prove he's in game shape to play. History or not, Lewis won't let him roll into practice on a Thursday, activate him and cut a guy on a Friday, and have him play on a Sunday. Doesn't work that way.
Stranger things have happened. Antonio Bryant immediately comes to mind. Correct me if I'm wrong; Bryant entered the 2010 training camp coming back from a knee injury. The coaching staff could have had Bryant run routes off to the side to test the knee. Instead they allowed him to participate fully in practice, he exacerbated the knee, and was released before the start of the season, and the team had to pay him $8 million guaranteed. However, if memory serves me correctly, if they had him work off to the side and the knee flared up the team wouldn't have to pay the guaranteed money.
