Z has Surgery - Out Indefinitely

[TheSkeptic]

Back surgery. I wish they were more specific.
If he is able to return, it might not be until much later in the season. According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, Smith returning this year is “not the expectation or something the team is counting on”.
https://lombardiave.com/2021/10/01/pack ... inal-snap/

[lupedafiasco]

Back surgery. I wish they were more specific.
If he is able to return, it might not be until much later in the season. According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, Smith returning this year is “not the expectation or something the team is counting on”.
https://lombardiave.com/2021/10/01/pack ... inal-snap/

Yeah saw this earlier. Pretty much sums it up as a fine deal IMO.

[kyle.mccarroll]

Weird, because I just saw a Rap report that Z should return later this year. I'd probably trust him over Huber.

[Drj820]

Weird, because I just saw a Rap report that Z should return later this year. I'd probably trust him over Huber.

I think both are guessing. Team is probably putting out optimistic propaganda, but that optimism may or may not become the reality.

[go pak go]

Weird, because I just saw a Rap report that Z should return later this year. I'd probably trust him over Huber.

I trust Bill Huber over Rap because Huber is closer to the team. You never hear Ian Rap at Packers press conferences whereas Huber is a constant regular.

[go pak go]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

[Yoop]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

doesn't sound as though the team wants out of his contract, which as has been reported non football injury's opens the door to, to me that means the team intends to bring him back either late this season or at least next year, Huber is guessing on the future of Z, as we all are, but for him to say the team isn't expecting him back is premature and without a foundation of any certainty, damn blow heart reporters.

[TheSkeptic]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

doesn't sound as though the team wants out of his contract, which as has been reported non football injury's opens the door to, to me that means the team intends to bring him back either late this season or at least next year, Huber is guessing on the future of Z, as we all are, but for him to say the team isn't expecting him back is premature and without a foundation of any certainty, damn blow heart reporters.

The team is not counting on him being able to play THIS YEAR. That means there is hope but it is not probable.

Why wouldn't they want to resign him assuming that he makes a full recovery? Its pretty much a given that the Packers are going to lose AR and Adams so they can afford him.

[go pak go]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

doesn't sound as though the team wants out of his contract, which as has been reported non football injury's opens the door to, to me that means the team intends to bring him back either late this season or at least next year, Huber is guessing on the future of Z, as we all are, but for him to say the team isn't expecting him back is premature and without a foundation of any certainty, damn blow heart reporters.

The team is not counting on him being able to play THIS YEAR. That means there is hope but it is not probable.

Why wouldn't they want to resign him assuming that he makes a full recovery? Its pretty much a given that the Packers are going to lose AR and Adams so they can afford him.

The question is how much value do you put on a player who hasn't played since January 2021 and coming off back surgery which does have a reputation of lingering and weakening players.

Right now Z Smith has a cap hit in 2022 of $28 million. I guarantee he isn't playing with that contract.

[go pak go]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

The irony of saying "we know little of the particulars but then feel the freedom to insert your own diagnosis.

Neither the Packers nor Smith, who has yet to speak to reporters this season, has said exactly what the issue is with his back, whether it’s skeletal, disk-related or muscle-related. But after so much rehab, they must be concerned about his status for the year to put him on injured reserve.

Za’Darius Smith reported to camp with the back injury and since he wasn’t suffering from it last year or from off-season workouts, it’s considered a “non-football” injury. He was placed on the reserve/NFI list upon reporting to camp and stayed there until Aug. 16.

[APB]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

doesn't sound as though the team wants out of his contract, which as has been reported non football injury's opens the door to, to me that means the team intends to bring him back either late this season or at least next year, Huber is guessing on the future of Z, as we all are, but for him to say the team isn't expecting him back is premature and without a foundation of any certainty, damn blow heart reporters.

I gotta agree with Yoop here. You’re basing a lot of your frustrations on assumption and supposition. None of us have a clue as to the extent of his injury. To then tie it to any contract issue is a stretch.

Back injuries are tough to diagnose. If team doctors believed it would heal, I’d take their expert expectation as reasonable and not knock a player who has, for the most part, been worth every penny of the money the team has paid him thus far.

If I’m gonna tie his injury to anything contract related, I think it’s likely he hurt himself while training in an attempt to come into camp in the best of shape to maximize any new contract offering. That he got hurt doing the right thing is forgivable and certainly nothing to be mad about.

[lupedafiasco]

I am just mad because all of this could have been avoided.

It sounds like Z injured himself in that April - June period. I don't know if they just couldn't diagnose it yet or they though maybe "time" will heal it and he could be ready by week 1 whereas surgery would knock him out a while and he also wanted a contract extension.

It's just frustrating because if this surgery happened in June rather than September, he would have likely been back by December.

I hate it when injuries happen and the prognosis is "let's just try and get through this season and take care of it next March." Especially when the injury happens in the spring already.

we know very little of the particular's, is it a disc repair, sounds like it, why operate on something like that unless it wont heal naturally? often they do.

doesn't sound as though the team wants out of his contract, which as has been reported non football injury's opens the door to, to me that means the team intends to bring him back either late this season or at least next year, Huber is guessing on the future of Z, as we all are, but for him to say the team isn't expecting him back is premature and without a foundation of any certainty, damn blow heart reporters.

I gotta agree with Yoop here. You’re basing a lot of your frustrations on assumption and supposition. None of us have a clue as to the extent of his injury. To then tie it to any contract issue is a stretch.

Back injuries are tough to diagnose. If team doctors believed it would heal, I’d take their expert expectation as reasonable and not knock a player who has, for the most part, been worth every penny of the money the team has paid him thus far.

If I’m gonna tie his injury to anything contract related, I think it’s likely he hurt himself while training in an attempt to come into camp in the best of shape to maximize any new contract offering. That he got hurt doing the right thing is forgivable and certainly nothing to be mad about.

Too many beat reporters saying theres a little more to this for it to just be dismissed. We will likely get a little more out of this story once Smith leaves the team but Ive heard from 3 different beat guys saying that Smith was furious with the team leading up to this season between contract discussions and the captain's issue.

[Ghost_Lombardi]

If I am his agent I want him back on the field this year, showing he is healthy. He's not going to be in GB next year and needs to show out for the next payday.

[TheSkeptic]

If I am his agent I want him back on the field this year, showing he is healthy. He's not going to be in GB next year and needs to show out for the next payday.

And if he returns too early and hurts it again, even if it is a minor re-injury, then he is not going to get a payday from anyone.

But I don't get why he will not be in GB next year. It seems to me that the GB medical staff would know more about him than any other team's medical staff. So if he is 100% they would know this whereas most other teams would be guessing. I suppose the other teams could do an MRI but even though they are generally regarded as safe having a half dozen of them in a few weeks might not be the greatest idea.

[lupedafiasco]

If I am his agent I want him back on the field this year, showing he is healthy. He's not going to be in GB next year and needs to show out for the next payday.

Absolutely not. You want him getting healthy. The smart move is not rushing back from injury.

[APB]

Too many beat reporters saying theres a little more to this for it to just be dismissed. We will likely get a little more out of this story once Smith leaves the team but Ive heard from 3 different beat guys saying that Smith was furious with the team leading up to this season between contract discussions and the captain's issue.

Those same beat reporters who were all over the breaking Rodgers story this past summer?

[YoHoChecko]

For the record, we're 3-0 without Z and 0-1 with him this season

[go pak go]

MLF on Z: "We are hopeful to get him back. But we don't have a specific time period. All we know is it will be a while. We want him back because he is obviously a big part of our football team and we know Z is working hard to get back"

*Paraphrased*

[Ghost_Lombardi]

If I am his agent I want him back on the field this year, showing he is healthy. He's not going to be in GB next year and needs to show out for the next payday.

Absolutely not. You want him getting healthy. The smart move is not rushing back from injury.

[NCF]

Sounds like indefinitely might be gaining a little definition. Not sure I can handle the mystery, but if we get Z back and he can be effective… just, wow.