Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sustained a neck injury in an early-May auto accident. At the time, his timetable for a return was set at five-to-six months. Nearly a month later, that timetable remains at five-to-six months.
Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians did an interview with ESPN recently, and it didn't sound promising in regards to Pierre-Paul's prospects. Hope for his 2019 season appears to be fading.
“He’s doing good; His spirits are good,” Arians said of JPP. “You know, it’s just one of those things, you just wait and wait and wait, and make sure the thing doesn’t displace and not have to have an operation. We got our fingers crossed and are praying for him all the time.”
Asked for a timetable on JPP’s recovery, Arians replied, “I would think it’s at least five months, maybe six.”
At this point, six months would knock Pierre-Paul out until early December. Which means he’d open the season on the non-football injury list, return to practice at some point after Week 6, and return to the active roster within three weeks after returning to practice.
Based on how well, or not-so-well, the Bucs do in the first three months of the season, the team eventually may decide to just shut him down for the rest of the year.
The team's decision could have a big impact on Pierre-Paul's finances. The Buccaneers won’t be required to pay him while on the NFI list. If he believes he’s ready to return and the team chooses not to bring him back, things could ugly between team and player, who is owed $13.65 million this year.
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