Bostick says 'timing perfect' with leg injury

Brandon Bostick thought it was just a routine tackle.

Even after peeling himself from the turf in St. Louis, when the Green Bay Packers tight end first felt the pain in his right leg, Bostick wasn't worried. He returned to the huddle, ready for the next play.

"Next play, I tried to push off of it, and I was like, 'No,'" Bostick said. "I couldn't go. So I just had to come out of the game."

Bostick hasn't played – or practiced – since. For 10 days now, he's gone through treatment while trainers continue to chart his recovery.

It's been a frustrating process. Bostick, who missed the last five games of 2013 with a broken foot, was in line to be the Packers starting tight end. Now, he has to wait while others get his reps.

Regardless, Bostick is glad the injury didn't happen later in the season.

"I actually think the timing is perfect," Bostick said. "I still have a couple weeks to go, a couple days to go, before the season starts. So I'm just trying to get back healthy. For tight ends, it's a good opportunity for other guys to show what they can do while I'm not practicing or playing. Whenever I get healthy, I'll definitely get back out there.

"It's been frustrating. It's been very frustrating. I just got back going, I was playing well, and then I got this. But hopefully this is my injury for the season, I won't get injured again, and I'll be ready to go for the season."

Bostick has set a lofty goal for his return. He wants to be back for the Packers opener Sept. 4 against the Seattle Seawhawks, less than two weeks away.

He admitted the target date may be unrealistic. The pain in his leg has decreased, but it's still sore. His leg is still wrapped. When Bostick finally returns, he said he'll have to regain confidence in his ability to push off the leg.

There are several steps in the process between him and the field.

But Bostick is optimistic. He said a scan last week showed the leg was healing.

"I would say I've had a lot of progress," Bostick said. "It's not as sore. I walk without crutches. I just ran today a little bit on the treadmill. So I'm just trying, I guess, to let a little bit of the soreness go away."

-rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood