The Green Bay Packers are holding Jordy Nelson out of OTAs as he recovers from ACL surgery, but the Pro Bowl receiver believes he could play in a meaningful game right now.
“..if there was a game on Sunday, I’m playing,” Nelson said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
The Packers have Nelson on a structured timeline, meaning he won’t participate in live drills until at least training camp. After a season in which Green Bay’s annually explosive offense struggled without Nelson, the Packers have no interest in rushing back their top receiver before he’s actually needed on the field.
During Thursday’s open OTA practice, Nelson caught passes and ran routes off to the side.
Bill Huber of Packer Report snapped this photo of Nelson hauling in a pass during the workout:
Jordy Nelson. You might have heard of him. #Packers pic.twitter.com/dqDKfKA5r7
— Packer Report (@PackerReport) June 2, 2016
Nelson, who turned 31 earlier this week, missed the entire 2015 season after tearing his ACL during a preseason game in August. The Packers struggled to replace him, finishing 25th in the NFL in passing yards and 23rd in total yards.
It has now been nine months since Nelson’s injury, which means he’s likely getting close to 100 percent healthy. The Packers still plan on playing it safe, as no meaningful football will be played in June.
The bigger headline here is that Nelson clearly feels good about the progress of his knee. Training camp doesn’t begin for another two months, and the Packers won’t be preparing for a real game until early in August. Green Bay is ensuring No. 87 will be ready for when the important dates—and games—on the calendar get closer.
