Credit: Mark Hoffman
Green Bay — Of the Green Bay Packers' six No. 1 wide receivers since their football renaissance began 25 years ago, just one was a great player by his ninth season.
The Packers need the seventh man on that list, Jordy Nelson, to be great in this, his ninth season.
Major knee injuries wrecked the careers of Robert Brooks in the mid-1990s and Javon Walker in the mid-2000s. Nelson is seeking to avoid their fate as he returns from a torn anterior cruciate ligament 11 months ago.
Due in part to surgical advancements and his own strong will, Nelson appears to be well ahead of the curve in his rehabilitation.