Franklin May Be Done for Good

[vince]

First I've heard of the seriousness of Franklin's injury...

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/10539/nick-perry-other-green-bay-packers-missing-valuable-time

Perhaps the biggest concern is about Franklin, the fourth-round pick from UCLA who finished his rookie season last year on injured reserve following a neck injury. The Packers are worried that Franklin's neck injury might be career-threatening. According to two people with knowledge of his situation, the Packers are putting Franklin through more tests to determine whether it's safe for him to continue playing.

[Guiness]

Necks. The new hamstring.

[MadScientist]

That's 4 neck injuries for the Packers over the last year - Finley, Franklyn, Jolly and Richardson. Only Richardson has come back from it.

Packers are introducing a new helmet to combat neck injuries:

[pbmax]

Connect the new helmet to this:

[pittstang5]

Yikes!

I wonder if other teams are having as many neck injuries as the Packers. Is it the equipment (pads, helmets) or something else?

[Guiness]

Yikes!

I wonder if other teams are having as many neck injuries as the Packers. Is it the equipment (pads, helmets) or something else?

Can't see it being the equipment, it's pretty standardized across the league. Of course, ill-fitting equipment would matter, but that would be a hell of an oversight.

Unlike hamstrings, where it's possible conditioning or something the training staff might be causing, I have to think these are more of a fluke than anything else.

[Fritz]

I do wonder, too, if this neck injury thing is affecting the Packers more than other teams.

[hoosier]

Yoga is the solution.

[Fritz]

To many, many issues.

[Brandon494]

Yoga is the solution.

[Brandon494]

As much as it sucks at least we are deep at RB so it should really have no effect on the team. I didn't see him making the team over Harris anyway unless we went with 4 RBs.

[Guiness]

As much as it sucks at least we are deep at RB so it should really have no effect on the team. I didn't see him making the team over Harris anyway unless we went with 4 RBs.

Agreed, but more bodies to choose from is always better. Franklin did show something in his the one game he got significant reps, and it seemed like the Pack might have a one-two punch, but then he put the ball on the ground. I wouldn't say it was a certainty that he was going to get beat out by Harris and Starks.

[texaspackerbacker]

Maybe it could be considered selfish as a Packer fan, but I'd rather he was done than come up 4th for the Packers, get cut, then go on to have a good career for somebody else. Ditto that for Finley.

[Joemailman]

Maybe it could be considered selfish as a Packer fan, but I'd rather he was done than come up 4th for the Packers, get cut, then go on to have a good career for somebody else. Ditto that for Finley.

Yep, that would be considered selfish.

[MadScientist]

Some food for thought:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/c...vention-070313

Although specifically mentioning concussions, other things I have read suggest neck strengthening can reduce neck injuries. The article says a lack of neck strength is more of a problem for incoming players than veterans, but that may vary somewhat by position.