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Let the healing begin, Part 1

David Boston was limited to just 512 yards and one TD this season. Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

Yes, the 2002 regular season is over. And, yes, I'm still here hacking away anyhow.

Why? Because there is no offseason in fantasy football.

Those of you blissfully unaware of that fact -- at least up until now -- will find the full explanation for that statement in a column I wrote this time last year. The rest of you already known what I'm talking about.

Either way, I'll go ahead and assume those of you taking the time to read this column already have an excellent understanding of what it takes to field a successful fantasy franchise on a regular basis.

That's right. Year-round attention to pertinent info is something I consider critical to gaining an edge over the competition. So let's quit goofing around and get to work.

We'll kick off the 2003 "offseason" with a four-part series offering team-by-team breakdowns of the current and future status of any key offensive skill players suffering significant injuries during the 2002 season.

Arizona Cardinals

It's probably worth noting that Boston, Sanders and Jenkins are unrestricted free agents. Jones, who wasn't paid for the final five games of the season after breaking his right hand, has one year left on his contract, but his future is uncertain after the team signed Marcel Shipp to a three-year extension.

The fact that the former first-round pick told the Cardinals he was hurt when he banged his hand on a counter at home while answering a telephone doesn't help. Subsequent reports indicate Jones was injured during a fight at a local night spot.

Boston underwent surgery in Dallas on Nov. 20 to repair a partial thickness tear of his right patellar tendon.

The former Ohio State star set franchise records for yards receiving (1,598) and receptions (98) last season, and became the second-youngest player to reach 1,500 yards at 23 years of age. He also led the NFL with 72 first-down receptions.

But he began experiencing periodic tendinitis during a mini-camp last spring and it came back during training camp. The problem surfaced again during the season, forcing Boston to sit out the team’s Nov. 10 game against Seattle. An MRI performed later that week revealed the injury.

However, Boston -- as well as the other three injured wideouts -- should be fully recovered in time for camp this summer.

In fact, the best indication that Boston’s knee won't be an issue this summer probably lies in the fact team officials have expressed more concern with his off-field problems than they have about his potential recovery from the injured knee.

And as Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers recently noted, the team is likely to use its franchise free-agent tag in order to keep Boston, clearly one of the most talented receivers in the league.

It's also worth noting that recent reports indicate Sanders, once thought to be a goner, might now return for one more season with the Cardinals.

Atlanta Falcons

Michael Vick will miss next month's Pro Bowl in order to have minor surgery to remove a bunion from his right foot. The injury won't have any long-term impact.

Baltimore Ravens

According to ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, specialists repaired a herniated disk, a procedure Redman and the Ravens had originally hoped to avoid, but that became necessary when non-surgical measures were ineffective in alleviating pain.

The back injury was critical, since it kept head coach Brian Billick from fully evaluating Redman as a potential long-term answer at quarterback. Questions now remain about his viability as a starter. Jeff Blake is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, but team officials have said they want him to return, and have initiated contract discussions.

Receiver Brandon Stokley (foot), who was placed on IR Nov. 27, will be ready to go in plenty of time for spring mini-camps. Although he'll become a free agent next month, Stokley isn't likely to be a hot commodity on the open market due in large part to his career-long inability to avoid injury.

Buffalo Bills

Bryson, the subject of trade talks before the season, probably won't be fully healthy until at least June or July.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers' running back missed his rookie season after suffering bruised ligaments in an exhibition. A midseason comeback attempt didn't work out, and Foster had microfracture surgery in October. That procedure has led to speculation that Foster's career could be over.

Team officials believe such speculation is premature.

"We really won't know until July or August when we get to training camp and he gets back out there and see how he does," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney told Yasinskas during Senior Bowl workouts. "It's an operation that you don't know for probably for months how it's going to turn out. We hope he's going to be fine and come back."

Yasinskas went on to note that microfracture surgery hasn't always been kind to the Panthers. Former Carolina players Patrick Jeffers, Chuck Smith and Eric Swann never were effective after the procedure and all three are out of the league. But Hurney said those aren't fair comparisons to Foster's situation, and he pointed to the 1998 return of former Panthers running back Fred Lane from the procedure as a better example.

"The doctors said it was very similar to the one Fred Lane had in May of 1998, and Fred came back in the 1998 season and gained 700 yards," Hurney said. "Now, that I think was more of an exception to the rule as far as coming back that quickly. But there was no arthritis in the knee in Fred's and there was no arthritis in the knee in DeShaun's, so we're very hopeful he can come back.

"It's just a wait-and-see thing right now."

It's also worth noting that Lamar Smith, last year's leading rusher, was suspended the final five games after he was busted for driving while intoxicated on Thanksgiving night. Smith has two years left on his contract, but given the team's desire to avoid off-the-field controversy, he's far from a lock to return.

According to various reports out of team headquarters this month, John Kasay, who was placed on injured reserve with an injured groin on Sept. 22, will try to return from his third major injury in four years. However, the veteran kicker will have to beat out Shayne Graham to regain his job this summer.

Chicago Bears

In an article published Tuesday, Miller, who underwent surgery to repair his rotator cuff two weeks ago, told Chicago Sun-Times staffer Brad Biggs that if he knew then what he knows now he would have had the operation in October, when he was sidelined with tendinitis in his right shoulder and elbow. The situation turned out to be much more serious, a 95 percent tear of the rotator cuff.

Instead of shutting it down, he returned to play in five more games, posting 13 touchdown passes and a 77.5 rating for the season.

"Had I known, I would have had the surgery right then," Miller told Biggs. "Things are what they are. The labrum was completely intact, and that's the most important part. They said that my shoulder is very elastic, and that's a good thing. I need to get back and shake that [snake bitten] label."

Miller's arm remains in a sling, and he is doing exercises. He vows to be ready for training camp, but head coach Dick Jauron hasn't been willing to commit to him as the starter. Miller isn't getting much support from general manager Jerry Angelo, either.

In fact, Angelo isn't sure any of the quarterbacks on the 2002 roster -- Miller, Chris Chandler or Henry Burris -- are going to be on the roster next year.

"We're not counting on any of our quarterbacks for the '03 season," Angelo recently told reporters. "They've all had major durability concerns, and we'd be foolish to think we can count on them for the '03 season."

I'll keep a close eye on developments surrounding Chicago's situation under center throughout the spring and update you as circumstances dictate.

In an article published Jan. 20, Pro Football Weekly reported that all the talk about the team possibly looking for a new running back in this year's draft is just that. Insiders have told PFW that team officials intend to give Thomas another shot to run behind a healthy offensive line, and he will enter training camp as the starter this summer.

Terrell accounted for just nine catches in five games before fracturing a bone in his left foot. But three of those catches were good for six points and two of those were game-winning receptions.

The good news? Terrell claims he'll be ready to return with more intensity than ever.

"It's been a learning experience, something I've never been through," the former Michigan star recently said. "I've never had a losing season, never been hurt, never missed any games. It was just something I had to go through this year."

According to Chicago Tribune beat writer John Mullen, Lyman, who tore an ACL graft Dec. 1 during what appeared to be a breakout performance (seven catches, two TDs), will return this summer after signing a two-year contract extension earlier this month.

Mullen went on note that Lyman, who has good speed and a good work ethic, will enter camp as one of the team's top two tight ends along with Frank Gilmore

Cincinnati Bengals

A 2001 third-round draft pick who has yet to catch a pass in an NFL game, Brewer hurt his groin in training camp last year and spent the season on injured reserve. He played in the first three games this season, then tore cartilage in his left knee and had arthroscopic surgery.

He returned to practice in mid-October, but experienced pain in another part of the same knee. A medical exam found another tear in a different part of the cartilage, and he had more surgery on Oct. 28.

The good news here is rookie Matt Schobel played effectively enough in Brewer's absence to nail the top spot down heading into camp this summer.

Cleveland Browns

As Associated Press sports writer Tom Withers noted early this month, Couch's injury means the team heads into 2003 facing what might be best described as a full-blown quarterback controversy after backup Kelly Holcomb passed for 429 yards and three touchdowns in just his fourth start as a pro in the team's wild-card playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to Withers, Holcomb didn't just show he could play. The six-year veteran directed Cleveland's offense better than Couch has in four years while posting the third-highest passing total in NFL playoff history.

Only Bernie Kosar (489) and Dan Fouts (433) had more prolific postseason games.

"Look at the numbers he put up," Cleveland cornerback Corey Fuller said. "There's going to be a lot of controversy all offseason about Kelly Holcomb and Tim Couch."

Or as Sports Illustrated insider Peter King wrote on Jan. 30: "I think what would worry me most if I rooted for the Cleveland Browns is this: Tim Couch has just completed his fourth regular season in the NFL, and the Browns, if they're human, probably have no idea if he's their long-term quarterback. Couch's four-year totals: 57 touchdowns, 60 interceptions, a season quarterback rating that has never exceeded 78. I know his weapons have been lousy, but Couch hasn't been the accurate chain-mover I thought he'd be when he came out of Kentucky."

Shea's future is equally uncertain.

The third-year man, who hurt his ankle during a Nov. 11 practice, caught seven passes for 49 yards while starting three games in 2002, but he has been hampered by an assortment of injuries during his career. Last season, he missed the final four games with a shoulder injury.

Don't be surprised if the team looks for a replacement in free agency although head coach Butch Davis reportedly likes what he's seen of rookie Darnell Sanders.

Next week: We'll review injury situations of interest in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Kansas City.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications.

 

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