Packers Await News On Finley

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Jermichael Finley neck injury
Finley’s status remains uncertain after he was taken off the field on a stretcher against the Browns

Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley suffered a neck injury and was taken off the field in a stretcher during Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns at Lambeu Field.

We don’t have any update on Finley’s status other than that the Packers have confirmed that it was a neck injury, he does have feeling in all extremities, and that he remains in a local hospital for more testing.  As of early Monday morning, ESPN is reporting that Finley remains in the intensive care unit at the hospital.

After catching a pass in the second half, Finley was met by Browns safety Tashaun Gipson.  Gipson appeared to hit Finley’s shoulder area with his helmet as Finley was ducking in anticipation of contact.

Immediately after, Finley lay motionless on the field as he was tended to by trainers.  He was carted off the field on a stretcher and the Packers will now await more information on the severity of the injury.

From here the Packers are once again faced with game planning to be without one of their top offensive weapons.  After losing starting receivers James Jones and Randall Cobb last week, the team bumped receiver Jarrett Boykin into the starting lineup and promoted practice squad receiver Myles White.

Both Boykin and White saw time with the team’s offense against Cleveland, but neither come close to replacing what was lost.  Boykin made a few nice catches and seems to improve with increased playing time.  White fumbled an onside kick attempt during the fourth quarter and that would have given the Browns the ball, were it not for a Cleveland penalty to negate the play.

Without Finley, that leaves the Packers with Jordy Nelson, Boykin, White, Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick and Jake Stoneburner at receiver and tight end.  It is possible  that James Jones could be available next week.  He was a game-time decision this week and was held out.  Tight end Ryan Taylor had knee surgery this past week and will be out at least a few more games.

It seems like a weekly theme around here as more and more is needed from the young and inexperienced on the Packers roster.  The team has to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

While many remain cautiously optimistic that Finley will be OK and can return to the team soon, this does conjure up memories of Nick Collins and his neck injury back in 2011.  Collins was taken off the field on a stretcher and was eventually released from the hospital to accompany the team on their flight home.  It seemed as though Collins may have dodged a bullet, but as we know, he did not.

That’s not to say that I think Finley has suffered any type of career-threatening injury to his neck.  That is for the team doctors to determine.  But I’ll steal a Mike McCarthy-ism and say I’m merely taking the “high side of caution”.  The Packers don’t tend to return their injured players quickly at all.  To say that Finley most likely won’t play next week at Minnesota seems like a safe bet, based on the team’s history.  We will have an update as soon as one becomes available.

 

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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com

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41 thoughts on “Packers Await News On Finley

  1. No one has dogged Finley harder than I have, but after what happened to him on Sunday, all I can do is commend him for rising to the challenge and hope that fortune smiles on him.

    One has to wonder at what point the concept of ‘overcoming adversity’ becomes insurmountable. It’s irksome to contemplate playing two normally beatable divisional foes at such diluted strength. The Packers need something, maybe some divine intervention, for at least a couple of weeks to allow the ranks of the injured to stabilize. We all accept that injuries are a part of football, but this is getting nuts.

    Before it can be ‘next man up’ it has to be ‘next man down’, and it has gotten out of control.

    If this ability to plug in players and just keep on rolling is the trait that powered the Packers to their latest SB win, I see that as the only upside to these current trials.

    1. Well said, Savage.

      In terms of context, Malcom Floyd of the Chargers took a significant neck injury earlier in the year (many of us saw that game) and is done for the season. I sincerely hope that’s not the case for J-Mike.

  2. I first and foremost hope JMike can return to be a healthy husband and father. My distant second hope is that he can return soon to the gridiron.

  3. It is simply time for Ted Thompson to stop with what has become a pathological stubbornness and go get some players. And he needs to cease with the DIII and arena league tryouts and find some NFL talent. He’s a genius at finding talent in places no one else can, but just spend a few dollars or a fourth round draft choice and get some people who are talented now. This season is still up for grabs, and we don’t have time to develop every single replacement.

    No, a trade does not get us someone for this week, but we are out of bodies.

    1. This seems a little close to slamming your hand on the panic button. Who should the Packers trade a 4th rounder for?

      Ted seemingly snagged a great TE/H back cross-over at the end of last week from the 49er’s roster. Chris Harper, was cut by the 49ers to make room for a D-lineman, TT snagged this guy up off waivers, sounds very promising. Didn’t cost us a draft pick.

      Is their a free agent WR or OLB that the Packers need to go get?

    2. My guess is Colts will acquire WR Hakeem Nicks to replace R Wayne. Nicks is only 25 years old. Why TT won’t do this is unfathomable to me.

  4. I agree TT needs to give up a 4th rounder for Nicks. He’s gotta be stupid to not give GB a serious consider to stay on after this season. Finley gets hurt way to much and should consider just retiring. Everyone also says Moss is to old but when a team has him he always torches us. Why not give him a shot? DO SOMETHING!

    1. How does duplicating what Jordy Nelson already excels at help the roster? Where are the Packers hurting? They need underneath/slot/possession types and they already get Jones back either next week or the week after to help address that need.

      Nicks doesn’t give the Packers anything they don’t already have and complicates things because his contract is up after the season. Why give a 4th for him when you’ve already got better that you don’t know whether you can resign?

      1. Obviously a trade would be in conjunction w/ the Packers being able to negotiate a new contract w/ Nicks as the trade is consummated. All it would take is for the NYG to allow another team to negotiate a new contract for 24-48 hrs before the trade. That way if a new contract can’t be agreed upon the trade doesn’t happen.

        Trading for Nicks makes some sense since James Jones is a FA after this year too. While Jones might come slightly cheaper, he is also less talented than Nicks.

        I don’t think it will happen, but it won’t be because the Packers would only have him under contract for the rest of the year.

        1. The Packers would have to judge Nicks to be a suitable–and cheaper–replacement for one of those guys (or a better player in general). He’s shown an ability to be a big play receiver, but inconsistent. In the end, he has to be: 1. worth the draft pick and 2. worth the contract.

          1. Obviously. Nicks is inconsistent at times, but I think the Packers have shown an ability to work a player through that. Nicks is a playmaker… Would he be worth a 4th rd pick? IMO he would, again depending on the contract he wants. I like his physicality and playmaking ability. A WR corps of Nelson, Cobb and Nicks would be outstanding. Much better than Nelson, Cobb and Jones or Boykin. He would be the more expensive alternative tho.

            IIRC Nicks has a Pro Bowl on his resume.

            But I don’t think it’ll happen regardless.

        2. To say Nicks is better than Jones is insane. I would love to get some help this years injury bug is by far the worst. We just need to simplify the offense a little and get these new guys up to speed.Next 6 games are very winnable with what we have. I do not want to give up any draft picks for next year. We need to use them for some O-line help and a sleeper wide receiver.We have a favorable schedule coming up JOnes will be back and hope after Thanksgiving Cobb can come back at 80%

          1. James Jones is not a better player than Hakeem Nicks! Jones is made better by the talent around him and Nicks is a bonafide #1 WR about the same as Nelson. If his asking price isn’t too high, which it very well may be, I would trade a 4th for him in a heartbeat. Nicks is this years version of Marshawn Lynch.

            I don’t know if a trade happens but Nicks would make the Packers better than James Jones does, no doubt about it!

          2. Like I said Jones is a FA after this year too. So we are likely to lose him anyway. Nicks would step right in for Jones, he would probably be slightly more expensive tho.

            But like Lynch I don’t see Thompson doing whatever it takes to get him.

      2. The Packers will never trade for Nicks this year because of his contract status. Nicks wants a big-long term deal and the Packers have a boat-load of their own FA’s to sign next year. Plus you’d have to get in a bidding war with draft picks.

        Just ain’t gonna happen. Nor should it.

      3. “Nicks doesn’t give the Packers anything they don’t already have and complicates things because his contract is up after the season. Why give a 4th for him when you’ve already got better that you don’t know whether you can resign?”

        Are you nuts or just don’t know football? Nicks, when 100%, is a legitimate impact player #1 WR.

  5. Ok let’s all relax some Pack fans, ok?
    If I wanted one QB that can take a team to a ‘W’ every week (no matter who is out of action), it’s ‘our’ QB A-Rod…. he is on a mission to get this team IN the Playoffs…and he will do it… let’s just keep him on his feet and in the games up coming. Staying Positive in Packer land!

  6. No disrespect to Finley, but my guess is he will never play football again. You could see his neck shaking involuntarily and that folks is never a good sign. Wish him the best.

    1. The fact that he’s still in the ICU this morning, and not just under observation, speaks volumes.

      This is scary-ass stuff.

    2. His neck wasn’t shaking involuntarily. He was talking and shaking it. A neck/spinal injury would only affect him below where the injury occurred and he would still be able to move his head.

      1. You never know if there’s spasming, shaking due to heavy or labored breathing, or something like that going on…but I agree with you on this.

    3. I think you are right. And even if he come out of this alright, What can he say to his son? Is it worth it for him to risk so much for both him and his loved ones?

      I will be surprised to see Finley back on the field again this year, or maybe ever.

      Hope for the best either way.

      1. Last I read, Finley had babies with various baby mamas and refused to give a nickel of child support to any of them. Hard for me to feel sympathy for a guy like that.

  7. My thoughts are with Finley. As for the currently depleted roster, I’m concerned, but think we have enough talent to pull us through while some of the players heal up.

    Keeping calm,

    Jim

  8. From twitter feed of GB Press Gazette 5 minutes ago:

    “Finley isn’t expected to require surgery. Word so far all sounds positive”.

    “However, it will probably be weeks before Packers know if/when Finley can get back on the field. Still under evaluation right now”.

    Go to website for more updates as they are posted.

  9. I’ve always been Finley’s biggest supporter. Hope he finds good news from the Dr’s and all is well very soon for him. God Speed J-Mike!

  10. It is always hard to see players go down with injuries. It puts a stain on this win just like when Cobb went down. Hopefully he gets well soon and be able to continue on having a healthy life.

  11. My thoughts are with Finley and his family. It was scary stuff.

    None of us are the medical people involved in this case. Let’s not jump to any conclusions one way or another until we know more.

  12. I think Finley is done regardless of what the doctors tell him. Obviously, this is nothing more than my wild speculation.

    Understand that I am not blaming him for this (if in fact I’m even right). Every player needs to weigh the risk and ask himself the hard question, “Is it worth it?”

    When Finley had his concussion a few weeks back, you’ll remember that there were the stories about how his kid said, “Daddy, I don’t want you to play football anymore”, and Finley commented on how seriously it affected him to hear his kid talking like that. I thought already back then, “There’s his answer to the question. He’s done. In his mind, the risk is not worth the reward.”

    Like I said, just my wild speculation from a few weeks back. But that’s what I thought even before this last injury.

    And again, if he decides to hang ’em up, I can’t say I blame him.

    We’ll see…

    1. I read the same thing between the lines from MM today. I don’t expect to see Finley play another down in the NFL regardless of his prognosis.

  13. Lets hope the report of Finley not needing surgery is true. This would be significant as there is no spinal cord compression that requires immediate action. He is walking and even joking around in the hospital. This doesn’t mean he’s clear of all possible obstacles, but its positive news.

    1. Um, no. Do you realize that the mighty Jarrett Boykin just had the same number of catches and almost 50% more total yards IN ONE GAME than Driver had all of last season?

      Please… let Donald retire with dignity.

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