Packers' Jermichael Finley Injury Update: Could Miss Rest of 2010 Season

Greg Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting that Green Bay Packers TE Jermichael Finley is now expected to miss 8-10 weeks and could be shut down for the season following knee surgery on Tuesday.

Finley was originally expected to miss just 3-6 weeks with doctors removing his meniscus, but they decided during surgery to repair it instead. Though the decision will be better in the long run, it is not the decision that Packers fans, or Finley’s fantasy owners, were hoping for in 2010.

Though he only had one touchdown so far in 2010, Finley had excelled this season with 21 passes for 301 yards. At 23 years old, Finley was considered one of the brightest up-and-comers in the league at the tight end position. His ideal size and speed combination make him extremely difficult to defend with linebackers, safeties or even cornerbacks.

With Ryan Grant already having season-ending ACL surgery, Nick Barnett possibly missing the rest of the season with a wrist injury, Clay Matthews nursing a hamstring injury and Aaron Rodgers potentially missing time after a concussion, the Packers have some serious problems. This team will need to gel together more than ever if they hope to make a playoff run in 2010.

Though Finley isn’t the primary target of Aaron Rodgers in the passing game, he has developed into an elite tight end and is certainly one of the team’s most valuable weapons near the end zone. Receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver will need to step up their game as the Packers look to 5th round draft pick Andrew Quarless and undrafted free-agent rookie Tom Crabtree to replace Finley until Donald Lee returns.