The
Green Bay Packers' No. 1 receiver will have surgery next Tuesday to
repair a torn abdominal muscle that has kept him out for most of the
season. He would not put a timetable on his return, but said
recovery from the 20- to 25-minute outpatient procedure is not
season-ending.
"Honestly,
I'm over being bummed about it. That took place three, four weeks
ago," Jennings said Thursday. "It is what it is. I need to
take care of it to 100 percent, and that's the process I'm
taking."
The
two-time Pro Bowler was initially hurt in the closing minutes of the
Sept. 9 opener against San Francisco. He sat out the next week's
game against Chicago, and returned to play at Seattle on Sept. 24.
But he aggravated the injury against New Orleans, and came out of
the Sept. 30 game in the second quarter after a 9-yard touchdown
catch, his first of the season.
Jennings
had hoped the injury would heal with treatment and strength work.
But he continued to feel pain when he was in the weight room or
tried to run, and feared the injury wasn't improving as he'd hoped.
When he felt his groin tighten up as he ran off the field after last
weekend's game in St. Louis, Jennings knew more aggressive treatment
was needed.
"The
trainers have done a great job in the rehabilitation stages to get
me to where I am right now," he said. "But now we have to
take it a step further."
He
traveled Wednesday to Philadelphia to see Dr. William Meyers, who
specializes in abdominal and groin injuries.
"The
way he described it to me was simply two people pulling on the end
of a rope and it starts to fray. The more tugging, the more fraying,
which means the more tearing occurs," Jennings said.
"That's what I have going on."
Meyers
told Jennings he could have either an injection or surgery. But it
would take a few days to see if the injection worked.
If
it didn't, Jennings would need surgery anyway.
"The
injection would've masked most of the pain, but there was still no
guarantee I could go out there and hit that last gear,"
Jennings said. "That's the one thing I have to have ... to
create more separation. So, there's no sense to me in taking a shot
that may or may not work, may take three-days-to-a-week to actually
start to work. I could have spent the week rehabbing on a surgery
that's going to get me back perfect."
Jennings
said he'll be able to walk out of the procedure, which will be done
in Philadelphia. He joked that he'll be back in the locker room
Wednesday and "you guys will never know."
The
injury has come at the most inopportune time for Jennings, who is in
the last year of his contract.
Though
he's had 1,000-yard seasons in three of the last four years and is
seventh on Green Bay's career list with 401 receptions, some believe
the Packers will let Jennings go as an unrestricted free. The
29-year-old figures to command a contract averaging more than $10
million per season and, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, outside
linebacker Clay Matthews and defensive tackle B.J. Raji needing
extensions, there might not be enough money to go around.
The
Packers are probably deeper at receiver than any other position,
too, and Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb have all had big
performances in Jennings' absence. Nelson had three touchdown
catches against Houston, and has had back-to-back 100-yard receiving
games. Jones caught two TD passes in three straight games, tying a
franchise record. Cobb followed his first 100-yard receiving game,
against Houston, with a pair of touchdown receptions against St.
Louis.
"Free
agency will take care of itself," Jennings said.
"Hopefully, I've put on film certain plays that I'm able to
make and showcase my talents. ... Right now, I have to take care of
myself and do what's best for me."
And
that is to have surgery.
Asked
if he wishes he'd made this decision earlier, Jennings said it's
pointless to think about.
"You
always wish you'd done things differently once it didn't work,"
he said. "But the past is the past. You can't live in the past,
you can't change the past. Time keeps on ticking. So right now, the
decision and the choice that we're going with is going to get me
back to 100 percent."
Notes:
DT B.J. Raji, who has missed the last two games with a bad ankle,
was able to practice on a limited basis Thursday. "I thought he
looked good," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He was jumping
around there, looked like old self." ... McCarthy said he
thinks backup DE Mike Neal, who injured his knee against the Rams,
will be able to play in Sunday's game against Jacksonville. ... With
so many players banged up — the Packers had 13 players on
Thursday's injury report — McCarthy is cutting practices short
this week. "You don't want to stress your team while getting
ready for a game," he said.
Packers WR Nelson questionable vs Jags
GREEN BAY, Wis. - In a week when they learned Charles Woodson and
Greg Jennings are sidelined indefinitely, the Green Bay Packers will
be without at least three more starters against Jacksonville on
Sunday.
The Packers have ruled out fullback John Kuhn (hamstring), along
with linebacker Nick Perry (knee) and cornerback Sam Shields (ankle)
for the game at Lambeau Field. Perry and Shields also missed Green
Bay's last game.
Fellow starter Jordy Nelson, who has been the team's top receiver in
Jennings' absence, is questionable to play because of a hamstring
injury.
Jennings will have surgery next week for an abdominal tear and the
team hopes the receiver will be back this season. Woodson, the
team's veteran defensive back, is out for six weeks with a broken
collarbone.
