Finally, Jerricho Cotchery is back on the football field.
After five months of laborious rehabilitation from back surgery, the New York Jets' wide receiver received full medical clearance to practice routes with quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Which is exactly what Cotchery did last week on a New Jersey high school field, according to The Star-Ledger.
"When you hit a field, you're out there in open space and you've just got to turn it on," Cotchery told the newspaper. "I was able to do that and not be cautious. It felt good to be able to go out there and make cuts and not think about anything."
Cotchery also told the newspaper that the back specialist who performed his surgery gave him the green light last week to fully participate in training camp once it begins. That's good news for the Jets, who figure to have a dilemma on their hands at wide receiver, with Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith all due to become free agents once the NFL lockout is lifted.
Cotchery, who had 41 catches for 433 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games last season, has been a staple in the receiving corps during his seven seasons with the Jets. He revealed to The Star-Ledger that his back had been an issue for some time.
"The past couple years, I've been dealing with the back, and you get used to your body not working the right way," said Cotchery, who underwent a microdiscectomy to shave off part of a troublesome herniated disc. "But little things make a huge difference. I’m better equipped moving forward."
Cotchery said he feels physically rejuvenated and is prepared to get back to form.
"The way the season went last year for me, I'm driven to get back on the field and play the way I'm capable of playing," Cotchery said. "Not having experienced something this significant and not knowing how to battle through it, through the course of a year, was draining for me. I spent a number of hours getting ready physically for the games, and the mental part suffered."
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