WhoDat!656

We were told on Tuesday that Saints tight end Jimmy Graham should be able to play on Sunday despite an ankle injury suffered during a Week Five win over the Chargers. While that may indeed be the case, Graham wasn’t well enough to practice on Wednesday.

Mike Triplette of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Graham didn’t practice on Wednesday, and that he looks to be “very questionable” for Sunday at Tampa. Double-interim head coach Aaron Kromer declined to say whether Graham has a low or high ankle sprain, mentioning only that Graham “looked good” and that he was “able to run around a little.”

One guy who did practice but who probably won’t play this weekend is linebacker Jonathan Vilma. The veteran defensive leader exited the Physically Unable to Perform list with a lingering knee injury. Kromer, per Triplett, also used the “looked good” label for Vilma.

So far the Saints haven’t looked good. They’ll get a chance to look better against the Bucs. Either way, interim coach Joe Vitt returns to the sideline next week after his six-game suspension ends.

Jonathan Vilma practices, Jimmy Graham doesn’t | ProFootballTalk

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

jnormand

Why wouldn't Johnny V play? Everything I've heard says he will.

saintsfan1976

Many reasons. The most important being that he's not ready.

TheOak

The Saints have 3 weeks to decide whether they are going to put him on the field... That tells me they are using their "get out of IR" free card on Vilma. Not what I would call a good use of that card.

And as pointed out, Vilma has not played a down of football or practiced in 10 months.

Again I sometimes see contrasting view points... Drew sat out a hand full of weeks and that was why we didnt preform as well in the first 3 weeks... Vilma is out 43 weeks and no one understands why he isnt playing.

He hasn't gone full speed, has not gone full speed in pads, he has not been on the field for a snap in practice, he has not been on the field for a snap in a season game. He has not played one play in a brand new defense.

... why doesn't he START?.... Vilma being ALLOWED to play by Goodell has nothing to do with Vilma being ABLE to play or being ABLE to play as a level required in the NFL.

Rugby Saint II

Vilma is smart...........and knowledge is a dangerous thing.