Patriots’ Welker sets sights on season opener
The New England Patriots placed their leading receiver Wes Welker on the active physically unable to perform list Tuesday, as he continues his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery.
The Patriots made the move days before they open training camp on 29 July at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Welker had surgery in February after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee at Houston in the 2009 regular-season finale.
Welker was unable to compete in the playoffs and his presence was utterly missed as New England’s hunt for their fourth Super Bowl this decade came to an end when they lost 33-14 at home to the Baltimore Ravens.
But exactly four months after undergoing knee surgery, the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver participated in agility drills and caught passes while wearing a protective brace on his knee during organized team activities.
"I didn't think it'd be that big a deal," Welker said after a similar session five days later. "I've been pushing it and trying to get ready and get out there with my teammates, get a few reps and try and get better as much as we can."
New England is being extremely cautious and do not want to rush Welker’s recovery time table, so the club opted to place him on the active/physically unable to perform list before Wednesday’s veteran training-camp reporting date. Once Welker practices, he comes off that list.
A player cannot go on that list once he practices. If a player is put on the reserve PUP, he must miss a minimum of the first six games of the regular season.
But no one in the Patriots organization expects Welker to land on that list and miss six weeks. Or, for that matter, a single game.
The plan since day one in rehab has been and continues to be centered around getting Welker ready for week one when they open the 2010 regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Folks in New England, including Welker, are expecting to see the slot receiver in uniform on september 12 and hauling in passes from quarterback Tom Brady.
The Patriots added some reinforcement at the receiving position, by signing free-agent wide receivers Torry Holt, who had 51 catches with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, and David Patten, who played in New England from 2001 through 2004 but sat out the 2009 season after being released by the Cleveland Browns during training camp.
But veterans Randy Moss and Wes Welker remain the starters and the newly acquired players will be called upon for a limited number of snaps.
Welker was often overlooked due to his quiet demeanour and for the sheer fact that not many guys would get attention playing on the same team as Brady and Moss. With that in mind, he has been putting up steady numbers throughout his years in New England and is a fan favorite.
He has great hands and is a threat in the short passing game averaging close to 10 yards a catch. He will continue to work on developing a rapport with Brady as his knee continues to heal.
He says he wants to be back in the lineup, well he is surely on the right track. Time wil tell if his knee can hold up with his elusive style of running after making spectacular catches, which often creates problems for opposing teams.
Many questions surrounding the Patriots are starting to surface. Will Tom Brady and Randy Moss, who are both intent on landing lucrative contract extensions, top the record books once more? Will they finish what they started in 2007 and have a perfect season? With Wes Welker in the lineup, anything is possible.
Tags: