How is Welker Back So Soon?

New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker was back on the field with the Pats for team OTA’s this week. Many skeptics, including myself thought that Welker would be no where around his current level of participation at this point. Albert Breer of Boston.com writes a very interesting piece on the similarities and differences of the knee surgeries which both QB Tom Brady and Welker underwent. img Welker’s unexpected participation in OTA’s has Patriots fans overflowing with optimism, but temper those positive thoughts for right now. From Breer’s column, “A 2006 study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed that 79 percent of NFL running backs and receivers undergoing ACL surgery from 1998-2002 were able to return to the field. But the players who did return performed at just 66 percent of the level they performed at prior at pre-injury, on average.” A healthy Welker will be one of the keys to the Patriots on field success in 2010.