Is this going to be the week that the Raiders get tight end Darren Waller back on the field?
Waller has been nursing a knee injury since Thanksgiving day and there has been a little curiosity in the Raiders’ building as to why he hasn’t returned yet. A lot of players on the roster have been playing through injuries and, for better or worse, Waller has not been one of those players.
On Monday, team radio host JT The Brick talked about the importance of the Raiders’ week 17 game at Indianapolis and it was hard not to connect some of his comments to Waller’s situation.
“When it comes to injuries, I’m very careful on injuries,” JT the Brick said this week on his 920 AM Raider Nation Radio show.
“Because if a player can’t go, I don’t comment on it. If he’s inactive, he’s inactive. That being said, guys gotta play this week. Period. If you are on IR, if you’re out for the year, we’re not talking about you. The guys who can go this week gotta go… this is the game that we gotta see guys really say ‘look, I’ve been hedging, I’m not 100 percent, but I’m going to play, coach.’ “
“I’ll leave it at that,” JT said.
For what it’s worth, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia sounded a little more optimistic about Waller’s status on Monday, but the team has been optimistic before now and Waller still hasn’t made it onto the field.
No one wants to see Waller come back too soon for his own good, but there are definitely some who are wondering what is really going on with him.
twitter: @raidersbeat
JT the Brick, is a talkshow host, so it’s job to offer up his opinions, but anyone who puts stock in anything he says in relation to the Raiders, or in football in general, need to take his comments with a grain of salt. I seriously doubt that he never played, coached, scouted, trained, football at any level past HS. Just last week, he was suggesting that the Raiders give up on running the football, and instead, start passing the football the vast majority of the time.
I agree with Joe. Talking head analysts with their inane drivel write or say stupid crap to get a reaction. Surprised that the Raiders would even employ this dude.
JT would suggest anyone less than 100% should play this week? That goes down as one of the dumbest comments I have ever heard. Knees and shoulders end careers JT. Waller doesn’t have a turned ankle or a jammed finger – he’s been out several weeks with a severe knee injury. The physician staff would have cleared him by now if he was ready for game speed.
Waller is our best football player on the team. Period. To have Waller possibly jeopardize next year and beyond by playing on an unsound knee is only going to set this franchise back another step. Please stop saying stupid things.
Exactly!!
Right on!
On the availability of Darren Waller. If he was not hurt he’d play. The extent of an MCL or
ACL sprain can take time. But since I experienced a MCL sprain. When you come back at that level and speed of the game. The slightest missed step, or jarring tackle can cause a full fledged MCL or ACL tear of the ligament. So, I would not count on Darren Waller for another (3) or so weeks. They say, (6) to (8) weeks on a MCL sprain. If he gets rushed back and suffers a MCL tendon tear, or a ACL tendon tear it’s (6) months on the sidelines. I would like to see
him back but the MCL or ACL sprain is an injury caused by that tendon having been under
stress prior to the collision or movement that caused the injury trainers say.
It’s not an MCL or ACL sprain. I thought it was an IT Band sprain. Totally different.
Unrelated but.. John Madden just passed away. RIP John Raider Nation
Now my Raider Nation friends, I’ve been a fan for 45 years now I have seen a lot of adversity, diversity, a lot of losing in the last 20 years. But if I can remind us Raider fans of anything and to remember that we came through a lot. This is not about our offensive line now. This is not about Derek Carr, we lost a great Legend today John Madden always represented the Raiders and if I do know anything regardless of what anybody says you can put this as sure as I am black the Raiders will beat the Colts Sunday because at the end of the day all we have to do is just win
If he doesn’t try my eyebrows will raise!