If Derek Carr were playing as an offensive lineman or in a non-skill position, he’d likely be ready to return for the New Orleans Saints’ upcoming game against the Los Angeles Chargers despite his oblique injury. However, as a quarterback, his return is more complex. Dr. Robert Volk, a former physician for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, explained that quarterbacks need core stability and rotational function to throw accurately. He noted this type of injury is common in baseball players, especially pitchers, due to similar mechanics. If Carr isn’t fully recovered, his precision, timing, and accuracy could suffer.
The Saints have said Carr’s main obstacle isn’t pain but the injury’s impact on his functionality, which Volk confirmed as logical. This could mean that the Saints are aiming to wait another week before Carr returns, especially since oblique injuries usually need four to six weeks to heal, though Carr’s estimated timeline is three to four weeks.
Encouragingly, Carr has progressed to throwing again, which is a positive step for the Saints, who have dropped five straight games and are winless without him. So, what does Carr’s progression involve? Volk described a gradual recovery process: quarterbacks typically begin with light throws, focusing on short passes with minimal velocity to ease the body back into motion. From there, Carr will gradually increase both the speed and distance of his throws as he builds back up to game readiness.
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