Preseason: Rest Starters or Return to Game Action?
Zach Wilson had a huge injury scare during the first week of preseason. Krebs’ latest Monday NFL Column looks into the concept of playing starters in preseason and how safety must be the main focus for starters.
American football includes some of the most dangerous physical tolls in all sports. In nearly every play, someone will get hit by another. There is always a concern for players during the regular season, especially players with injury histories, with those fears amplified in the preseason. Managing injuries over a season are as crucial as getting into game shape.
NFL preseason raises the question of how many reps a team’s starters should get. Preseason is not meaningless football; players on the roster bubble are playing for jobs, but for starters, preseason becomes an opportunity to re-adjust to game situations. However, for players already at game speed, the preseason becomes an opportunity for injury and causes more harm than benefit.
The New York Jets decided to play their starting Quarterback Zach Wilson in their first preseason game. Wilson looked rusty, throwing an interception to new Eagles linebacker Kyzir White. The concern out of the game was not Wilson’s performance but a non-contact knee injury on a juke. He left the game immediately and went to the locker room for further tests. While the severity of Wilson’s injury is not yet determined, Wilson tried to make a move on a defender rather than prioritize safety and go out of bounds or slide. Aggressiveness, a staple of football, has led to concern from Jets fans about their franchise Quarterback.
While in-game reps are valuable and help players get acclimated to the NFL season, making sure that players do not get hurt during preseason should be priority number one. That includes player decisions in-game. Playing it safe during the preseason, rather than fighting for that one extra yard, should be the focus of the preseason.
While injuries, especially those that are accidental in the case of Wilson, happen randomly, placing a higher emphasis on player safety should benefit players in the long run. Returning to NFL game action is exciting, but prioritizing safety over going the extra mile in preseason should be the central mindset of each player, especially starters.
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