Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to tell if this is has been a particularly brutal opening to NFL training camps, or if this is just another year. We are only about a couple weeks into camp and already a slew of colossally important players have fallen to serious injury.
Percy Harvin and Dennis Pitta are just two of the key players that will miss most or all of the 2013 regular season because of injuries in the opening practices of camp. For a little while on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers fans were in a terrifying position as Patrick Willis had left practice injured. Granted, this wasn’t quite as important as his hip, but the hand injury that knocked him out had to be worrisome.
As it turns out, this slight fracture should not keep Willis out for San Fran’s regular season opener, and does not appear to be all that serious.
NFL Network’s recent update on the Willis situation:
Coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn’t confirm if Willis suffered a broken hand, saying Willis is “working through something,” per The Associated Press. Harbaugh did say, however, that Willis will be back before the Niners’ Week 1 contest versus the Green Bay Packers.
Willis has played through injuries before at an extremely high level. He’s the type of player who can remain an All-Pro even with limited strength in his hand. It’s nice that the hand issue wasn’t anything worse, and it sounds like Willlis should continue in the form that earned him the distinction of being the best inside linebacker over the past five years from Pro Football Focus.
This defense is loaded with greats and potential greats like Justin Smith and Aldon Smith, but Willis makes the Niners defense tick right now more than anyone.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
