Nick

Collins

The pick was a gift, but it’s a great sign the rookie is already starting. Pick him up in deep dynasty leagues.

He’s worked exclusively with the first team this week. The second-round pick has shown solid ball skills and has plenty of upside in IDP leagues.

Collins skipped voluntary sessions due to a “personal matter.” He lined up opposite Marquand Manuel with the first-team defense.

A tough break after an initial CT scan of Collins’ neck came back negative. Any time a neck injury is serious enough to end a player’s season, it has to also be considered career threatening. A Pro Bowler three years running and one of the NFL’s more underrated ball hawks, Collins will be nearly impossible to replace. It’s a huge blow for a Packers’ pass defense that’s been torched in each of its first two games. Charlie Peprah is first up to replace Collins in the starting lineup, likely at strong safety with Morgan Burnett at free.

Collins underwent surgery Thursday night that involved cervical fusion, having two vertebrae fused after an MRI revealed a herniated disc. Collins will wear a head collar for “several weeks,” and is expected to resume life without restrictions after that. Collins will not be allowed to do football-related activities for six months. Doctors will do a recheck after that to see if he can resume playing. Ominously for Colts fans is that this is a similar injury and surgery to what Peyton Manning is recovering from.

There’s no specific date set, but Collins wants to give the Packers a definitive answer before next month’s draft. Last September’s surgery, done with the idea of playing football again, involved taking a bone graft from his hip and placing it between the C3 and C4 vertebrae in his neck.

Collins met with the surgeon who performed his single-fusion surgery on Monday, and was expected to receive a recommendation on whether or not he should continue playing. The fact that he won’t meet with Green Bay until next week could be a sign he has some thinking to do. Both Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Collins’ agent have hinted they’ll encourage him to retire.

Collins has been optimistic that he will gain medical clearance after meeting with specialists, but the Packers aren’t comfortable with him risking his health going forward. Collins’ own agent has also questioned the wisdom of continuing his playing career. The three-time Pro Bowler started all 95 games played over seven seasons in Green Bay. Collins has not yet made a final decision on his 2012 status.

Collins’ surgeon is expected to make a recommendation on whether or not he should resume his playing career. “I think by Monday we’ll know something,” Collins’ agent said Friday. Even if Collins receives clearance from his surgeon, there’s no guarantee he’ll get it from the Packers.

McCarthy has made it clear that all parties involved must be in agreement for Collins to return to the Packers. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, not a single cervical fusion has failed among all NFL players to undergo the procedure. After a 20-year study of NFL players, assistant professor of spine surgery at Northwestern University Wellington Hsu downplays the risks and insists Collins can play “at a high level” again. This is most positive outlook we’ve seen on Collins’ football future.