The crappy injury news from Sunday has spilled over into the week as Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald is reporting that Jabaal Sheard has a sprained MCL and will be out 2-4 weeks. That would put his return somewhere around the season opener in Arizona on September 11th, but is there really a need to rush it? Your season isn’t made in Week 1, especially to an NFC opponent.
Now it looks like Chris Long and Trey Flowers could very well be starting against the Cardinals, which I’d kind of enjoy. I’d love to throw a young promising defensive end like Flowers into the fire like that. See what he’s got. However without Sheard I think it makes even more sense to keep Anthony Johnson. You’re going to need every pass rusher you can get and I think Johnson looks more disruptive than Geneo Grissom ever has as an interior rusher.
Granted it was just one game that Johnson flashed. He’ll need to show up this week too, but without Sheard his chances of making the roster seem slightly better.
Afternoon update – Sheard was at practice today, but with the conditioning group, not a full-go. Positive sign regardless. He should probably be ready to go for the opener.
[Read more…] about Patriots Cutting Vets, Sheard Out 2-4 Weeks
