Jordy Nelson went down prior to the 2015 NFL season with a torn ACL and the Green Bay Packers have been missing him in a huge way. Aaron Rodgers has looked a bit lost without his favorite target and there are major concerns about the offense moving into the postseason. That being said, good news is coming out of Green Bay.
According to a report from Jason Wilde, Nelson has been doing ladder drills in practice and is making progress in his recovery from the injury.
Injured #Packers WR Jordy Nelson (ACL) doing ladder drills. pic.twitter.com/UPEQ4OI2VE
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) December 31, 2015
Obviously he will not be returning this season, but it doesn’t hurt for Packers’ fans to be excited about seeing this news. He will be back next season and the Packers will need him to come through with a big year.
There is always concern about wide receivers coming back from ACL tears. Things have gotten much better over the past few years thanks to medical advances, but they still aren’t guaranteed to come back at 100 percent. Nelson is back on the field and appears to be doing very well in his rehab process.
Last season with the Packers, Nelson was the deep threat that Rodgers went to on many occasions.
Nelson ended up catching 98 passes for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns during the 2014 season. This year, the Packers’ leading receiver is Randall Cobb who has just 73 receptions for 792 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers show just how far the Packers’ offense has fallen without Nelson around.
Green Bay is still a team to watch in the NFC, but beating either the Arizona Cardinals or Carolina Panthers isn’t expected. They still have Rodgers on their side, but it has become obvious that he cannot power the Packers to another Super Bowl without his supporting cast.
Expect to see Nelson come back in 2016 looking to dominate opposing defenses and prove that he is still a star caliber receiver even after the injury.
