Ryan Williams

[oaken1]

Why wouldnt we see something from williams this year? He may not be 100% but he can get close to it, plus hes young and its not like hes going to get 30 carries a game, probably more like 8-15

traditionally after a majot knee injury it takes about a year to physically recover....then about ten games to psychologically recover. Next season will be a better indication of what we have in lil sweetness....

of course... McGahee was a freak and broke all those rules....maybe Williams can do the same.

 

[Duckjake]

One thing to note. It wasn't the coaches who were saying week 3 or 4 was more realistic but the medical staff.

 

[JeffGollin]

Mixed Reports Out of Cardinal Hq...

Interesting give & take on the Cardinal website. A reader reported what Ryan supposedly said about not being ready til Week 4. Darren Urban indicated he'd heard nothing about the 4th week comment, expressed skepticism about the source (i.e. "these folks tend to report what they read and not what actually happened"). But he then requested a link, got it and then replied that "it's kind of surprising if he said that", but Darren still had received no corroborating news out of Cardinal HQ.

My three pearls of wisdom regarding things like these are: (1) Knees are tricky and, until we see Williams balling at full max on the playing field, we shouldn't breathe easy. (2) The good news is that there's been impressive progress in recent years treating knee injuries and (3) Trust no one.

Bottom Line - If I'm a GM (& not totally sold on what A. Smith, LSH or James can do in support of Beanie), I'd cover my butt by bringing in a veteran RB as "insurance."

 

[kerouac9]

If the medical staff isn't going to clear Williams for full contact until Week 4, do the Cards put him on PUP for training camp? If he participates in training camp, he can't go on PUP. He has to go to IR for the year or stay on the 53 man roster. If he stays on the 53 man roster, that's a guy who can actually play who doesn't make the team, and we'd have to carry an extra running back on the active roster to spell Beanie.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

If the medical staff isn't going to clear Williams for full contact until Week 4, do the Cards put him on PUP for training camp? If he participates in training camp, he can't go on PUP. He has to go to IR for the year or stay on the 53 man roster. If he stays on the 53 man roster, that's a guy who can actually play who doesn't make the team, and we'd have to carry an extra running back on the active roster to spell Beanie.

They've decided to change the IR rules, last I heard, allowing a temporary IR designate that must comeback by the sixth or eighth week of the season; not certain of the last point.

 

[WildBB]

Williams being available in week 4-5 is no big deal. Wells will handle the bulk of the carries early on anyway.

Early on, spot on.

 

[Bobcat]

http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/05/...g_azcardinals.html?blockID=737534&feedID=3702

The good: The guy's confidence is something special. I have no doubt that he's putting as much into his rehab as humanly possible.

The bad: He's trying to come back by the start of the season, but coaches have told him that Week 3 or Week 4 is a more realistic goal. If that's the case, adding another RB probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

Bring in Cedric Benson now as a stop gap. the guy can still run.

 

[Bobcat]

Bring in Cedric Benson now as a stop gap. the guy can still run.

Better yet go after the RB from the Ravens. Whiz once said that we were considering Drafting the guy, he would fit in great.

 

[kerouac9]

Bring in Cedric Benson now as a stop gap. the guy can still run.

There are a handful of problems with this plan:

1) Cedric Benson doesn't play special teams. A 3rd or 4th RB is going to have to play special teams, meaning coverage teams on punts and kicks. Benson has no experience doing that, and probably little desire to. Call it the Joey Porter Conundrum.

2) Cedric Benson is a vested veteran. That means that if you sign him to a deal and he makes it to Week 1 of the regular season on the roster, his entire salary is guaranteed. Benson would probably rather wait for someone to get injured than sign a minimum salary deal. That being the case, you'd have to sign Benson to a deal that's maybe one-year, $1.5 million. Do you want to guarantee all of that? When we're tight against the cap?

3) Cedric Benson is going to have to yield carries. Benson won't be the starter coming out of the preseason. Is he going to be effective with 8-12 carries a game--probably less because LSH will take Williams's touches in the passing game? What about when Williams comes back? Benson doesn't think his career is over--but he can't showcase his skills with 2-4 carries a game.

I think that the smart move for the Cards to make is wait until after Week 1 and sign a veteran of the Chester Taylor variety to a contract you can release him from whenever Williams is ready to go.

 

[gmabel830]

They've decided to change the IR rules, last I heard, allowing a temporary IR designate that must comeback by the sixth or eighth week of the season; not certain of the last point.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that this was discussed but not implemented this year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

(2) The good news is that there's been impressive progress in recent years treating knee injuries and

is this really the case with patellar tendon tears? i've yet to see someone come here with concrete evidence of one of these players coming back from that particular injury and being anything close to what they once were. I think most people hear "knee injury" and just assume they're kinda all the same. Patella injuries are MUCH more gruesome than ACLs and even with ACLs, it's usually not until year 2 coming back from it that players are really fully healthy and ready to make an impact.

 

[Duckjake]

2) Cedric Benson is a vested veteran. That means that if you sign him to a deal and he makes it to Week 1 of the regular season on the roster, his entire salary is guaranteed. Benson would probably rather wait for someone to get injured than sign a minimum salary deal. That being the case, you'd have to sign Benson to a deal that's maybe one-year, $1.5 million. Do you want to guarantee all of that? When we're tight against the cap?

I agree that Benson is not a good fit. But wasn't there something about signing vets after June 1st that was beneficial for the teams salary cap? May have changed with the new CBA, don't know.

I was just thinking about it being the Rod Graves Day holiday today and if we'd be getting Haggans back because of what I posted above regarding salaries.

Also how many backups do we need to be able to play special teams players? Do we use all our backup Olinemen (punts, PATs, FGs) LBs, RBs, WRs, and DBs on the kicking teams? Does any site list who the main players are for each club's special teams' units?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that this was discussed but not implemented this year.

It was approved in committee and, I believe, is subject to a vote at the next owners gathering. GM's are certainly in favour.

 

[Darkside]

Honestly, I don't expect anything out of Ryan Williams this year. Name me one player, just one guy, who's come back from this injury the next year to do anything significant. There isn't one. There's barely dudes who've come back from this injury to play again or play well and even then it took years. It's not going to happen.

I'm a homer and koolaid drinker like no other, believe me, but Ryan Williams...if he's not done for his career, which he probably is, if he's not, he still won't make an impact this year, will barely play and will have no impact. To the dude who said he'll get 10-15 snaps per game...dude, watch some football. I know things have advanced, but not that much.

People don't realize what a serious, significant and career-threatening injury he had. He'll be lucky to be a backup anywhere, getting 10 snaps a game. If he even plays for us next year 5 snaps a game average I will be amazed.

Dude has heart, and he has a good story, and I admire that, but football is what it is.

 

[az jam]

i know you guys don't want to hear it... but no matter how smart/driven Williams may be, expecting anything of this kid this year after the injury he suffered last year is pure folly.

Unfortunately, you are probably right on this. Very tough injury to come back from.

 

[Cardiac]

I understand where several of you who believe Williams is done are coming from based on historical data. I for one wanted us to draft a RB at some point this year because of Williams and with Beanie coming of knee surgery and his at least perceived injury history.

My concerns about Williams are more then a little reduced because we didn't do anything if FA or the draft to address the M*A*S*H unit that appears to be our current RB's.

Modern medicine is improving by leaps and bounds by the day and sports medicine is near the top of the list. What wasn't possible 2 years ago is routine today.

 

[JeffGollin]

I understand where several of you who believe Williams is done are coming from based on historical data. I for one wanted us to draft a RB at some point this year because of Williams and with Beanie coming of knee surgery and his at least perceived injury history.

My concerns about Williams are more then a little reduced because we didn't do anything if FA or the draft to address the M*A*S*H unit that appears to be our current RB's.

Modern medicine is improving by leaps and bounds by the day and sports medicine is near the top of the list. What wasn't possible 2 years ago is routine today.

To add a little Kool-Aid to Cheesy's Castor Oil - some questions:

Are there various degrees of severity when it comes to patellar injuries?

Within that context, how severe was Ryan's injury?

Can rehab regimens (both type and diligence) determine how successful a patellar rehab effort will be (in terms of rate of recovery and recovering original range of motion, mobility etc.)?

Within that context, how does Williams stack up?

To me, the mixed messages about his prognosis and and speculation over why we did or didn't bring in a FA running back is fun during the offseason media "black hole", but I really want to see how Ryan looks wearing real pads going up against real opponents.

 

[Stout]

I understand where several of you who believe Williams is done are coming from based on historical data. I for one wanted us to draft a RB at some point this year because of Williams and with Beanie coming of knee surgery and his at least perceived injury history.

My concerns about Williams are more then a little reduced because we didn't do anything if FA or the draft to address the M*A*S*H unit that appears to be our current RB's.

Modern medicine is improving by leaps and bounds by the day and sports medicine is near the top of the list. What wasn't possible 2 years ago is routine today.

What did we do at MLB the year that Hayes was clearly done with the back injury? Nothing.

 

[Mainstreet]

My concerns about Williams are more then a little reduced because we didn't do anything if FA or the draft to address the M*A*S*H unit that appears to be our current RB's.

To me, the mixed messages about his prognosis and and speculation over why we did or didn't bring in a FA running back is fun during the offseason media "black hole", but I really want to see how Ryan looks wearing real pads going up against real opponents.

This is what puzzles me. The Cardinals knew about the injury situation at running back.

 

[JeffGollin]

This is what puzzles me. The Cardinals knew about the injury situation at running back.

Logical conclusions:

1. The Cardinals aren't concerned because there's no need to be concerned.

2. The Cardinals aren't concerned because they're wrong in not being concerned.

3. The Cards are concerned but aren't saying anything.

We'll know more by mid-summer.

 

[Mainstreet]

Logical conclusions:

1. The Cardinals aren't concerned because there's no need to be concerned.

2. The Cardinals aren't concerned because they're wrong in not being concerned.

3. The Cards are concerned but aren't saying anything.

We'll know more by mid-summer.

I'm leaning towards #2 at the moment. The same as last season, IMO.

 

[Cardiac]

What did we do at MLB the year that Hayes was clearly done with the back injury? Nothing.

Really? They brought in Lenon in FA and drafted Washington. So while neither were expected to replace Hayes as a thumper both are ILBers.

Nothing is what we have done at RB this year, save a couple of FA's.

 

[52brandon]

i've yet to see someone come here with concrete evidence of one of these players coming back from that particular injury and being anything close to what they once were

after extensive research (5 minutes google searching) The closest I could find is Cadillac Williams

 

[Stout]

Really? They brought in Lenon in FA and drafted Washington. So while neither were expected to replace Hayes as a thumper both are ILBers.

Nothing is what we have done at RB this year, save a couple of FA's.

Yes, and we had just lost Dansby and had absolutely no one else even remotely ready at the position. So we counted on a rookie to replace an all-pro, an injured, washed-up player to start beside him, and one FA to backup both positions. What did it get us? A 5-11 season, which we were not prepared to deal with at the linebacker position. ILBer isn't like RB. You don't need just 3 guys on the depth chart in a 3-4. The team didn't adequately prepare for the obvious loss of Hayes to injury, and it cost them.

So, while I misremembered the order of the transactions, I will stand by the fact that the team was ill-prepared for the obvious fact that Hayes would not be reliable that season.

 

[earthsci]

So we counted on a rookie to replace an all-pro...

You forgot Son of God too...oh yeah, Dansby was neither. He hasn't even made the Pro Bowl. The point is valid but praise seems to spiral out of control around here sometimes.