Can Simms Come Back This Year?

[Itchalot]

Simms says he will come back to the team and start working as soon as he can.   He's weak right now because he couldn't eat for a week.   He says he can't hurt his spleen anymore, and that is a good point. How many football injuries do you get to just remove the affected body part?  Well two I guess so far:  Chris Simms and Ronnie Lester.

Even despite the severity of his injury and blood transfusion, what is involved in the recovery other than building up strength and letting the stitches heal?  Everybody says "Oh be careful!  Don't come back too soon!"  But as long as things are healed up why not? He can't reinjure his spleen because its gone.  We haven't heard about any broken ribs.

If there are some medical people on this board, please tell why he can't come back in say six weeks?

[caradoc]

He didn't have it scoped, he had the muscles cut.  He's done for the year.  They take a long ass time to heal, and then rehab on top of it.  An injury that affects the abdominal cavity is tricky, things can still be leaking into it, it'll be a week before they know for certain that everything inside is OK (may still be a small leak or sensitive area that tears if he stands up to quick) before he can do much more than lay in bed and walk to the head.  Once he clears that he'll need a few more for the muscles to heal enough to start light rehab.  He'll have to be monitored as he rehabs as they may tear if he pushes them too far.  He won't be ready for NFL level hits and activity before December at the most incredibly earliest.  And if he does come back he's a Damn fool -- he's got a new baby to worry about, he needs to be 100% sure.  It isn't gonna help his carreer to come back in December and it may hurt it.

[Boid Fink]

Simms says he will come back to the team and start working as soon as he can. He's weak right now because he couldn't eat for a week. He says he can't hurt his spleen anymore, and that is a good point. How many football injuries do you get to just remove the affected body part? Well two I guess so far: Chris Simms and Ronnie Lester.

Even despite the severity of his injury and blood transfusion, what is involved in the recovery other than building up strength and letting the stitches heal? Everybody says "Oh be careful! Don't come back too soon!" But as long as things are healed up why not? He can't reinjure his spleen because its gone. We haven't heard about any broken ribs.

If there are some medical people on this board, please tell why he can't come back in say six weeks?

Hard to say when he will be ready.

Could be six weeks.  Could be a year and a half.

Recovery from a spleen removal (or any organ removal) is different from person to person, obviously.

That guy who got his spleen removed in the NHL said he should be ready in three to 4 weeks...a year later, he was back on ice.

So you never know.  But I wouldn't waste time thinking about it.  His season is most definitely over.

[Itchalot]

The Forsberg injury had more to it than just the spleen.

"After Forsberg underwent that spleen removal, doubling over in pain in a Denver restaurant hours after the dramatic series-clinching victory over the Kings and then being rushed to the hospital, he was an uncomfortable man on the outside as the Avs won the Stanley Cup.

He underwent ankle surgeries in Denver over the summer, and then didn't like how he felt -- physically and, perhaps more important, emotionally -- during the Avs' training camp in Stockholm. There is absolutely no doubt that if Colorado had held its training camp in Denver, as usual, the story would have played out differently. But the pain, and the confusion over both personal and professional situations, had an effect. He wasn't entirely thrilled with the Avs' organization, and the post-September 11 world even played a factor. He declared he was taking the leave of absence -- significantly, without pay.

So rather than come back to Colorado and put himself in the hands of the Avalanche medical staff, he stayed in Sweden and then underwent another surgery under the supervision of a Swedish surgeon. Later, it was retroactively billed as a cooperative effort, with the team being consulted. Then came the recharging of the batteries and his resolve, and his return to Denver in mid-January before the shocking announcement that his physical had turned up evidence of a foot tendon problem that required surgery. The compromise agreement between Forsberg and the team quickly followed: He would be paid for the rest of the season, and he agreed to a one-year extension of his contract."

[mjs020294]

If there are some medical people on this board, please tell why he can't come back in say six weeks?

He could recover and rehab before the end of the season but I doubt he will be game ready in six weeks.

[TURBO]

we weren't winning with him at 100%, why on earth would we want him leading this team at any less than 100%?

He needs to chill the rest of the season and see what happens in the off-season.  I am just hoping Grads can make us proud and forget all about the nightmare this season has been to this point.

[rocketspeed]

I agree, Simms should just let it go this season. I still say he'll be a Buc in 07

[OpTiOnMaStA]

His season is done guys. Seriously, as others have already mentioned, surgery at minimum requires 6 weeks to heal. That is pretty much the minimum too. He had an organ removed so it isn't just like a knee scope which would take 6 weeks to heal. After the 6 weeks you are looking at rehab as well. He is going to take a lot of time off to just rest and try to regain his strength. He lost 10 lbs according to the story on the site here. That is a big, big deal when you look at the significance of the injury. This injury was nothing minor and he really needs to step back and just take the season off.

He knows he is headed for IR after McCown comes back, maybe even earlier. He is a team guy and he is just going to work out to stay in shape for a new team next year or this team if Gradkowski and McCown flop.

[Boid Fink]

He didn't have it scoped, he had the muscles cut. He's done for the year. They take a long ass time to heal, and then rehab on top of it. An injury that affects the abdominal cavity is tricky, things can still be leaking into it, it'll be a week before they know for certain that everything inside is OK (may still be a small leak or sensitive area that tears if he stands up to quick) before he can do much more than lay in bed and walk to the head. Once he clears that he'll need a few more for the muscles to heal enough to start light rehab. He'll have to be monitored as he rehabs as they may tear if he pushes them too far. He won't be ready for NFL level hits and activity before December at the most incredibly earliest. And if he does come back he's a Damn fool -- he's got a new baby to worry about, he needs to be 100% sure. It isn't gonna help his carreer to come back in December and it may hurt it.

Good post.

[Itchalot]

This all makes sense.  I'm not a doctor so I'll take your word for it.

Only one problem.   Simms is not on IR.  Why not?  If they are throwing in the towel for Simms' season he' be on IR right now so they could use his spot to get another player on the roster.  Obviously they (including the Bucs doctor who saved his life) still hold out hope that he will come back this season.

[Boid Fink]

This all makes sense. I'm not a doctor so I'll take your word for it.

Only one problem. Simms is not on IR. Why not? If they are throwing in the towel for Simms' season he' be on IR right now so they could use his spot to get another player on the roster. Obviously they (including the Bucs doctor who saved his life) still hold out hope that he will come back this season.

Can't trade a guy on IR, maybe?

I think other teams might be willing to wait till next season to get their hands on him, despite his status as damaged goods.  The Bucs might be able to get a player of some worth, or a decent (3rd roundish) type draft pick for him...

[BUCFAN4LIFE]

He didn't have it scoped, he had the muscles cut. He's done for the year. They take a long ass time to heal, and then rehab on top of it. An injury that affects the abdominal cavity is tricky, things can still be leaking into it, it'll be a week before they know for certain that everything inside is OK (may still be a small leak or sensitive area that tears if he stands up to quick) before he can do much more than lay in bed and walk to the head. Once he clears that he'll need a few more for the muscles to heal enough to start light rehab. He'll have to be monitored as he rehabs as they may tear if he pushes them too far. He won't be ready for NFL level hits and activity before December at the most incredibly earliest. And if he does come back he's a Damn fool -- he's got a new baby to worry about, he needs to be 100% sure. It isn't gonna help his carreer to come back in December and it may hurt it.

Caradoc good post.

too add to it-- As Caradoc said it's easily 6 weeks minimum to heal. Add to that he will lose the muscle mass and lean musculature of the abdominal rectus muscles during the recovery and it will take easily 6-12 weeks to rehab those muscles to restrenghten them. Add to that it will take more time to get them back to physical athlete strength where he can actually take a hit and wing a ball.

[GrudenFan63]

Personally, I don't want him to play anymore this season. I'm not judging that on his start to the year. I'm basing that on my own opinion that it will be pretty difficult to stick the man in come the end of November and expect him to perform well. Give him another year, start him anew next season, and move forward from there. I don't want to see Simms playing for the rest of this year. There's too much of a risk involved, and it's ultimately not fair for Simms in the end. There will be too much expectation.

[Itchalot]

I think other teams might be willing to wait till next season to get their hands on him, despite his status as damaged goods. The Bucs might be able to get a player of some worth, or a decent (3rd roundish) type draft pick for him...

This makes no sense.  He would be a free agent at the end of the year regardless if he is traded or not. He is not going to sign a new contract with a team just because he was traded to them.  Simms has absolutely zero trade value because he is a UFA at the end of the year.

[BUCFAN4LIFE]

This makes no sense. He would be a free agent at the end of the year regardless if he is traded or not. He is not going to sign a new contract with a team just because he was traded to them. Simms has absolutely zero trade value because he is a UFA at the end of the year.

Unless a team wanted him bad enough and Simms was agreeable to go their and sign a new contract. If a team wants him bad enough they may not want him to hit the FA market. They may rather take whats remaining on his salary here and work a new deal with him once he is traded to them. A little far fetched that you would think a team would be interested enough to give a pick when they can have him on the FA market -- all depends on how bad someone wants him or afraid they may not get him once he tests FA market or they dont want a bidding war. So it would make sense if someone wanted him that bad.