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WR Emmanuel Sanders tears Achilles, on IR


Broncofan

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1 minute ago, Broncofan said:

Holy hell, this is awful news, not just now, but for 2019.   This really sets back our return-to-contention plans, I love DeSean Hamilton, but he's going to take time.  Ugh.

 

To me, this just reinforces the Chad Kelly fiasco.  We could have young guys at literally every position learning and improving together creating a great foundation going forward 

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3 minutes ago, broncofan48 said:

To me, this just reinforces the Chad Kelly fiasco.  We could have young guys at literally every position learning and improving together creating a great foundation going forward 

I actually think this may force Elway to consider going WR early again in the 2019 draft..   It's a cold part of the business - but Sanders' 2019 contract is not guaranteed for injury.  And this is an injury that if confirmed, few people at his age return to the same level of explosion.  It's a minimum 10 month, and more likely 12 month recovery time.  Wow.  I could see us going after another WR early this year, to complement Sutton/Hamilton (who is a pure slot guy).  

Ugh, ugh, ugh.  Sanders was clearly worth keeping as our top guy for 2019, and then move on afterwards.   But now, we have a HUGE gaping hole at WR1.  Sutton's eventually could be that guy - but as a move-the-sticks, beat-the-top-CB guy, not really his skill set, and certainly not now.   Ugh, ugh, ugh.

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12 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

I actually think this may force Elway to consider going WR early again in the 2019 draft..   It's a cold part of the business - but Sanders' 2019 contract is not guaranteed for injury.  And this is an injury that if confirmed, few people at his age return to the same level of explosion.  It's a minimum 10 month, and more likely 12 month recovery time.  Wow.  I could see us going after another WR early this year, to complement Sutton/Hamilton (who is a pure slot guy).  

Ugh, ugh, ugh.  Sanders was clearly worth keeping as our top guy for 2019, and then move on afterwards.   But now, we have a HUGE gaping hole at WR1.  Sutton's eventually could be that guy - but as a move-the-sticks, beat-the-top-CB guy, not really his skill set, and certainly not now.   Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Where are you getting your 10-12 month timeline? Crabtree tore his achilles in May 2013, and played 5 games that year - that is obviously a much younger player at the time.

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/261854/new-advances-in-achilles-treatment-encouraging-for-sidney-jones-nfl-players

Article goes over how advancement in medical field has made recovery very feasible, with a high recovery rate. I know he will be 32, and won't be near as explosive. We don't know the extent of the injury at this time so a lot is still in the air, but I am optimistic he will return for 2019.

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1 hour ago, Royal_VT said:

Where are you getting your 10-12 month timeline? Crabtree tore his achilles in May 2013, and played 5 games that year - that is obviously a much younger player at the time.

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/261854/new-advances-in-achilles-treatment-encouraging-for-sidney-jones-nfl-players

Article goes over how advancement in medical field has made recovery very feasible, with a high recovery rate. I know he will be 32, and won't be near as explosive. We don't know the extent of the injury at this time so a lot is still in the air, but I am optimistic he will return for 2019.

The key differences are 3-fold:

1.  Age - believe it or not, being early 20's vs early 30's is HUGE for recovery.   Fundamentally, that's the biggest problem Sanders faces.

2.  Return to activity and full baseline recovery was what I was referring, sorry if that wasn't clear - for an Achilles injury, it's not just when you can step on the field - it's when you get full return of function.  With Achilles' injuries, it's really different in those 2 categories - 10-12 months is when the maximal recovery has happened.  And in most cases, it's not back to 100 percent.   For a guy in his early 20's, it's closer - but at 31, it's a much, much worse recovery.   And for WR/RB/CB's, that loss of explosion is usually career-ending (unlike, say an OL/DL).    And keep in mind - for all the optimism - it took Sydney Jones 9 months to return to the practice field - and he didn't play until at the 10 month mark.  And that's again in a guy in his early 20's.

3.  The Achilles' problem - it's got such a poor blood supply.  Once it's ruptured, the healing is just so difficult because there's not much blood flow.  PRP, HGH, Stem cells - all work to promote healing, but the fundamental problem to why Achilles recovery is so iffy is unchanged.

A better example than Sydney Jones - BAL's Jimmy Smith.  Age 30. Returned earlier than the 10-12 month for sure - and just is a shell of his former self.  #100 on PFF ranking (but again, those have inherent flaws - but the eye test confirms it).   It's just a horrible, horrible piece of news.  Anyone who tells you the outlook is way more promising should be factoring in Sanders' situation - if this was a HS or college guy, there's definitely more hope.  But a guy on the wrong side of 30?  Sorry, that's usually a career death sentence for a skill position player, and even if it's not, a return to prior levels of excellence are literally the needle in a haystack.  When you factor in that we can walk away from his entire 2019 salary scot-free...man, I know it's cold, but seems like a decision Elway will make.

Like I said b4...ugh.

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Sanders was limited in practice a few days ago with a "heel injury." This better not be yet ANOTHER situation where they didn't take an injury seriously, only to have it end up turning into a career destroyer. Our organization has a looooong history of doing that to its players, and it's irritating. 

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28 minutes ago, 1234567 said:

Sanders was limited in practice a few days ago with a "heel injury." This better not be yet ANOTHER situation where they didn't take an injury seriously, only to have it end up turning into a career destroyer. Our organization has a looooong history of doing that to its players, and it's irritating. 

I agree with you on the team history.  But sadly Achilles injuries don’t occur out of the blue.  They are the result of wear and tear. And usually that story is commonplace.  And not so preventable.  Because of that lack of circulation I referenced before.   It’s usually something a player works through for a whole and manages ok...and then one day...it just gives   A strong stretching and physio program helps, but sooner or later the inevitable happens unless ppl stop playing and stressing the Achilles.

Richard Sherman is another good example of on-gain off-again before being hurt for good with a rupture.  He was on the injury report for almost 1-2 seasons IIRC before it finally popped.  Also a good example of the timeline - cleared to exercise at 6 months, fully practice at 9, and cleared to play 10 months after (but not surprisingly also had cascade injuries in preseason and in-season).  And while he’s still good - he’s not the same elite shutdown guy anymore - he’s just working with more extra baseline he can lose and still be good.   HoF skill  set to now still good.  But not the same.   I love Sanders but he’s never been that level good.  So any drop off is really problematic.  

Again the only conclusion is...ugh.  Dammit. 

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3 hours ago, Broncofan said:

I actually think this may force Elway to consider going WR early again in the 2019 draft..  

It's not obvious to me that the hole needs to be filled in the draft though.  We have two promising young WRs (three, if you like Patrick) on the roster and holes to fill elsewhere.  Why couldn't Elway look for a mid-tier WR in the FA bargain bin?

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35 minutes ago, bMiller031 said:

It's not obvious to me that the hole needs to be filled in the draft though.  We have two promising young WRs (three, if you like Patrick) on the roster and holes to fill elsewhere.  Why couldn't Elway look for a mid-tier WR in the FA bargain bin?

Anything’s possible - but the FA market is usually a stopgap proposition with aging guys.  Sanders was a notable exception so many years ago but it’s proven the rule.  

The issue with mid draft guys is they take time or are pretty limited guys.  Polished guys don’t last long unless they are slot only types like Hamilton.  We won’t be looking for another Hamilton this time.   Otherwise unlike RB it’s hard to get immediate or even early year 2 impact guys later.  Now I don’t mind that but Elway rarely gives up on a year in advance of the draft.   He’s going to identify impact WR likely as a priority.  Given how much veteran guys who can be a top 2 WR cost, and who rarely meet their past #’s, well a big no thx (Golden Tate is likely the top FA guy but he’s going to cost 8 figures ugh).  Then if you want early impact you have to get high impact skill guys.  Those rarely exist in the middle rounds. 

Patrick is a great story but he’s succeeded with being unaccounted for or been working against the 3rd-4th CB.   So hard to get too excited.  

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Damn that sucks.  Even though Sanders wasn’t drafted by the organization, he’s one of my favorite Broncos of all time.  Tough as nails, hell of a player, and even with DT on the team, Sanders has been this organizations best WR since he was signed.  He was Manning’s go to player in crunch time and out performed Thomas after Manning left.

Just loved the energy and toughness he brought to the team.  Sadly, this probably ends his time here in Denver. 

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