Backup quarterback Charlie Batch said his surgically repaired broken right collarbone is feeling better, and he began his rehabilitation yesterday, hoping that he will be able to return sooner than anticipated.
"I feel pretty good right now," Batch said.
Batch, 33, was injured in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and had surgery Aug. 11 to insert a plate in his collarbone -- a procedure designed to not adversely affect his throwing motion. With Batch out, the Steelers signed veteran Byron Leftwich, a former starter with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons, to a one-year, $645,000 contract.
"I always felt I would be back before the timetable anyway," Batch said. "I always have whenever I had anything done before. But you want to err on the side of caution."
Batch said he was told he would be out nearly six weeks following surgery, meaning he could return for the third, and possibly the second, game of the regular season.
He had the surgery, rather than let the injury heal on its own, because he didn't want to be placed on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season. Batch would have been out 10 to 12 weeks if he didn't have surgery. Also, there was a chance his collarbone would "shorten" without surgery because scar tissue would form on the clavicle. Yesterday was the first time Batch had X-rays on his collarbone since the surgery.
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Interesting problem, do we put Batch on IR, or do we bring him back and try to trade Leftwich.
Me, i try to trade Bryon,because you know he's not coming back next year anyway.
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Originally Posted by AZ_Steeler
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