Injuries have run rampant during NFL training camps over the past few weeks with players going down with severe injuries left and right on a daily basis.
The Oakland Raiders were able to avoid season-ending injuries to important players on both sides of the football until left tackle Jared Veldheer went down with torn triceps recently, but the injury might not shutdown Veldheer for the 2013 season.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Veldheer will need three months to recovery:
This type of surgery has a three-month recovery period, according to a medical source. The surgery is expected to ensure that he will return to full strength.
Although Veldheer’s injury was initially expected to keep him out the entire 2013 NFL season, the 26-year-old might be able to return around the halfway point with only seven games missed according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com:
If all goes well, Veldheer could return for the final seven games of the season. Regardless of the timing of his return, Oakland will be without one of their best players for a significant portion of the season.
Obviously, the return of Veldheer at the halfway point would be ideal for the Raiders with initial expectations being that he’d be out for much longer. Oakland will almost certainly struggle upfront with the offensive line taking a major blow as a result of Veldheer’s injury, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel if the veteran left tackle is only out for the first seven games.
In the meantime, the Raiders’ coaching staff will turn to Alex Barron to fill the void at left tackle. Barron hasn’t played a single game since 2010, but appears to be up to the task with the Raiders having no choice in the matter.
Oakland will likely continue search for another viable option on the offensive line with doubts surrounding whether or not Barron will be able to get the job done at left tackle.
