The reassertion of Jordy Nelson into Green Bay's lineup has undoubtedly been a huge boost for the Packers. He's currently on pace to gain over 1,000 yards through the air for the fourth time in his career, and he already has seven touchdowns.
But, just because the numbers are there doesn't mean Nelson has played like his old self on a weekly basis. During the 2015 preseason, Nelson tore his ACL, knocking him out for the entire year. He had enough time to recover for 2016, but he's not at full strength. Jordy has struggled with consistency, and his speed and quickness have noticeably declined compared to 2014.
Nelson admitted to as much while speaking with ESPN's Rob Demovsky. Even though the statistics look good, Jordy contends that he's not able to play to his full potential as his recovery continues:
“It's more about the level of play on the field,” Nelson said.
“To me, it's been all right. I'd like to be more consistent with what I'm doing, but I don't know if that's from having a year off and getting back or what. I'm still working at it. I'm halfway through. We'll see how it is at the end of the year.”
Usually, players who tear their ACL say that they don't feel completely up-to-speed until two years after the injury. Nelson is 31 though, so there's no certainty that he'll have a similar experience:
“Yeah, and until you experience it you probably don't know,” Nelson said this week as he assessed his comeback. “Hopefully we're having that conversation next year.”
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