Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano backs WR Donnie Avery return to lost speed, form – NFL News
The topsy-turvy career of wide receiver Donnie Avery appears to get back on the right path with the Indianapolis Colts as after showing some guts in the team’s winning 23-20 performance versus the Minnesota Vikings coach Chuck Pagano reckons the player is
ready to have another shot at his professional league career chances.
It is rather unfortunate for Avery to spend the last two years in the process of recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) first and then in uncertainty to find a permanent team to play from until the last game when the Colts seemed to have finally
found him, before he could find them, given the team's receivers situation warranted recruiting of a player like him.
Coach Pagano says:
"I think he is back. His speed is back, his strength is back, his confidence is building."
If he is able to find his lost form this should come as good news or may be a guarantee to smooth progression of his pro career which started ruining itself after two successful years with St. Louis Rams.
Avery was selected as 33rd overall pick in the 2008 draft by the Rams and his initial two years record included 100 catches for 1,263 yards. He appeared to be making giant leaps in the league before being hit with a knee injury which later required
him to sit out.
He said of the setback:
"The lockout really hurt me because I didn't have any one-on-one with the trainer, so it took longer to recover. Some days when you get frustrated, you have a trainer there to tell you right where you are and right where you need to be. I didn't."
Rams released him before the season. He later joined the Tennessee Titans but has never picked up the form and kept moving here and there, before now finally arriving in Indianapolis.
Since the Colts wanted strengthening of the receivers' position, Avery proved fitting the need and showed through the performance in the Vikings game.
Pagano said:
"Since he's gotten here, he's been 100 mph. He's completely healed. From a mental standpoint, confidence, running routes, driving, breaking, from a defensive back's perspective or a wide out's perspective. He's 100 percent."
So with backing from first-year head coach Pagano, Avery must hope he does not suffer another injury, or at least not as serious as the previous one, because otherwise it all looks set and clear for his career to take off.
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