Can Tarvaris Jackson stay healthy?

By Jonathan Mohr  |   Friday, August 22, 2008  |  Comments( 7 )

Minnesota Vikings
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The sprained medial collateral ligament Tarvaris Jackson suffered in Minnesota’s second preseason game of 2008, a 23-15 victory, was the fifth injury the Vikings quarterback has experienced since the team used a second-round pick on him in 2006.

For a player who’s only appeared in 16 NFL games, the number of injuries Jackson has suffered during his professional career has now become troubling.

Some are starting to wonder whether Minnesota’s No. 1 quarterback is injury prone; as a result, they're questioning the 25-year-old's durability. In an ESPN.com article concerning Jackson, Kevin Seifert, the former Vikings beat writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, wondered if Jackson has had a string of bad luck, or whether he’s just fragile.

It’s a question Vikings head coach Brad Childress has also pondered, saying in an interview last November “…you ask yourself is this one particularly bad year? Is it the fact that he is a China doll? Somewhere you have to have some durability and resilience.”

Those comments came after the Vikings were routed 34-0 at Green Bay, a game Jackson missed because of a concussion suffered the prior week against San Diego. Jackson also missed games in 2007 because of a broken finger and a groin strain. The latter injury came against NFC North rival Detroit and Jackson pulled himself out of what ended up being an overtime loss.

He also came out of a game against another division rival, leaving in the fourth quarter of a Dec. 17 game against Chicago because of leg cramps when Minnesota was facing a third-down play in the Bears’ red zone.

Ultimately, Seifert concluded, it doesn’t matter if Jackson has been unlucky or injury prone, because whatever the cause, the result is still the same: He’s not on the field helping Minnesota win.

Minnesota has been slow this week to rule Jackson out for the team’s third preseason game. Jackson has been in uniform, wearing a knee brace, but reporters have only been allowed to watch the team stretch and have not been around to see whether he is actually getting in any meaningful physical work.

While it would seem unnecessary to rush Jackson back and risk more serious damage to his knee, it may be that the Vikings want Jackson to treat this week of preparation like he would during the regular season to get him used to doing what it takes to overcome the nicks and dings an NFL player will always accumulate over the course of a season. But though they may make Jackson push his comfort zone, it’s not likely they’ll actually send him out against Pittsburgh in the next contest.

And his absence could hold a hidden benefit.

Because while it’s true Jackson’s injury will slow his maturation as an NFL starter, it may well be beneficial to get backup Gus Frerotte some quality work with the starters in a game situation. The veteran, now entering his 15th season, doesn’t need the experience to learn more about playing the position. But given Jackson’s track record, it’s likely Frerotte will see some action this year (possibly plenty). And although he played with the Vikings in 2003 and '04, getting a head start on fine-tuning his timing with the 2008 squad can only help -- at least until Jackson proves he can be counted on to play week every week.

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About Jonathan Mohr

A lifelong Vikings fan, I live in the Twin Cities area (about a mile from Winter Park) and work as an editor at a boating magazine. As with all long-suffering Vikings fans, I patiently look forward to the day when Minnesota finally breaks through and wins a Super Bowl. Until then I eat my...
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