The Raiders will play their most important game of the year on Sunday and the status of Darren Waller remains very much up in the air.
Before testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, there was a good chance that Waller would be able to return from his knee injury to face the Colts.
“Raiders tight end Darren Waller had hoped to return much earlier from his IT band strain, but the problem is the injury has caused discomfort/pain in the region between his knee and hip. There’s more optimism this week about a return than in previous weeks,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday prior to the news on Waller’s positive Covid-19 test.
Now that he has tested positive for Covid-19, Waller has an uphill battle to return to the field, but he does have a chance. Because his test came so late in the week, Waller won’t be able to be “symptom free” and return to the field within five days. But he could potentially test out before the game.
“As a vaccinated player he is eligible to test out of COVID protocols before the five day quarantine period is over,” the Las Vegas-Review Journal’s Vinny Bonsignore reported on Wednesday.
Considering that Waller must have been experiencing symptoms (otherwise he most likely would not have been tested under the league’s new protocols), it would seem like a long shot that he can clear the virus in time to play. Even if he does play, Waller has been out since Thanksgiving, so we’re at a place now where his conditioning probably isn’t where it needs to be – especially factoring in that his body will be fighting a virus all week on top of everything else.
Right now the odds don’t look good for Waller to play on Sunday, but just like the Raiders’ playoff chances… there is still a possibility that it can happen.
twitter: @raidersbeat
I sure hope that Darren Waller did not have a (MCL) or (ACL) sprain because if he did. He may be coming back too soon. At the professional football level. The speed of the game, the physical contact, and the duress on the body in a healthy person is dangerous. And for a
Player with a joint injury it could be catastrophic to his career. I sure hope he follows the
Doctors and trainers directions. The Raiders will be alright.
There is very little upside to Waller playing, and the downside, in my opinion, far outweighs any reason for him to be on the field this Sunday. First of all, there are too many reasons for him not to be effective. His injury is not one to rush back from, and should be observed in a practice, and how he feels the following day. If the Raiders LONGSHOT of making the playoffs were to come to fruition, he could feasibly have two solid weeks of practice. That would be a huge boost in a playoff game.