The Buffalo Bills hope to have All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White back from a serious knee injury sometime around the midpoint of the upcoming season, but a young NBA star’s sidetracked rehab could present a troubling sign for his return.
White suffered a torn ACL during a Thanksgiving night win over the New Orleans Saints last year, an injury that kept him out of the remainder of season and playoffs with a rehab expected to eat up a significant chunk of next season. While the Bills have high hopes that White will be able to return to his previous form, knee injuries of his sort can often be unpredictable — as Golden State Warriors fans have learned the hard way.
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Rough Sign for White
White suffered an ACL tear while trying to make a tackle against the Saints, falling to the turf in pain and needing to be helped off the field. The team later determined that it was a season-ending injury, adding that White also injured a meniscus in the knee.
It was also close to one year ago that rookie Warriors center James Wiseman suffered his own meniscus injury, leading to surgery and an early end to his season. Reports originally placed his return sometime around January, but Wiseman suffered a series of setbacks during his rehab.
Wiseman needed a second surgical procedure in December to repair some damage, then appeared on track to rejoin the Warriors again before swelling in his knee stopped the process again. The team determined this week that Wiseman’s season was over, his return pushed back to the start of next season.
Dr. Nirav Pandya, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UCSF and the director of sports medicine at Benioff Children’s Hospital, told the San Francisco Chronicle in September that the Warriors opted for a complete repair of Wiseman’s torn meniscus. That usually projected to a six- to nine-month recovery, Pandya said, which meant a more slow and steady rehab process.
As the report noted, a torn meniscus can turn into more serious problems if not treated properly.
“That’s remarkably important for Wiseman’s future, because the meniscus helps with knee stability and is ‘basically its shock absorber,’ according to Pandya. He said that when a meniscus starts breaking down, swelling, pain and arthritis can develop and shorten a player’s career,” the report noted.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, 27. ❤️💙 #BillsMafia
The Bills had not revealed the severity of White’s meniscus tear, but Wiseman’s stalled rehab could present a bad omen — knee injuries are not always easily predictable, and the potential for long-term damage means a slow recovery process. If White were to suffer any setbacks similar to the young Warriors center, it could mean a very late return in the 2022 season.
Bills Star on Track for Return
The good news for the Bills is that White appears to be on track with his rehab, and he didn’t miss any time with the team as the season ended. In late January, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that White was still around teammates and putting in work with the team’s training staff.
“I see him every day, just about,” McDermott said, via the Buffalo News. “He’s in the building working his tail off with our training staff, and as is (defensive tackle Justin) Zimmer in here, as well, and Justin’s done a great job. And so those two are working their butts off to getting back, and I just love watching them.”
Even if White is able to return on time, the Bills will likely need to add some help in the secondary. The team lost free-agent cornerback Levi Wallace, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and have yet to add any depth in their own free agency decisions.
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Bills May Have Received Troubling Sign for Tre White’s Rehab Outlook