re: Armstead has a high ankle sprain

Terron Armstead frustrated by injury, but thankful for support... LINK

The New Orleans Saints are going to be without starting left tackle Terron Armstead the next few weeks, including Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Armstead suffered a high-ankle sprain early in Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers, and he expressed disappointment in his latest injury on social media. But he was just as quick to thank fans for their continued support, and assure them that he’s working to return as soon as possible.

“Thank you to everyone for the prayers and positivity,” Armstread wrote, “16 games was a goal of mine, so man it really hurts not being able to do that.” He made sure to note that this injury is not ending his 2019 season, and he expects to return sooner rather than later.

It continues a disappointing trend for Armstead, who has never played a full 16-game season in his seven-year tenure with the Saints. He peaked with 14 games back in the 2014 season, his first as a full-time starter, but complicated hip and quad muscle injuries kept him on and off the field and eventually sent him traveling internationally in search of treatment. He’s averaged 10.8 game appearances per season since being named a starter, a stretch that covers 25 of New Orleans’ last 36 games (including the playoffs).

Armstead has dealt with a string of issues throughout his career, ranging from lingering lower-leg ailments to last year’s torn pectoral muscle. His rare athleticism for the position is startlingly unique (his 4.71-second 40-yard dash at 306 pounds remains an NFL combine record) but that agility comes with a cost: the human body isn’t built to move at such speeds at that size, and can break under the stress of it. Hopefully he won’t suffer life-changing effects once his playing days are over.