Before Heap can make plays, he has to recover from the hamstring he tore in the fourth game last season, against the Cleveland Browns. Heap returned briefly for two other games but was never at full strength.
Early in this offseason, he has been a regular at the training facility, getting rehabilitation or lifting weights.
"A week after I injured it, I tried to come back in the 49ers game," Heap said. "I tried to play through it, tried to play at 70 percent, as long as I didn't extend. But as soon as the pass came to me, it was high, I tried to go get it, and I knew then there wasn't going to be a lot I could do to help this team."
Heap has dealt with severe injuries before. In 2004, he suffered a torn ligament in his ankle in Week 2 and played only six games. During that offseason, he had major reconstructive surgery on his ankle and shoulder.
He started every game in 2005 and 2006. As a matter of fact, he put up career bests in 2005 with 75 catches for 855 yards. In 2006, he had 73 catches for 765 yards.
Heap scoffs at being labeled soft, a criticism he recently heard about.
"In the last two seasons before this one, I pretty much played every down, even though I had to fight through scar tissue and the aftereffects of two major surgeries," Heap said. "If your ligament is torn, it's torn. There is nothing you can do about it until after the season."
"Soft? Are they football people or other people who say that?" Heap asked. "If somebody wants to come up and tell me I'm soft, then I'll talk to them about it. I can't really worry about it."
Heap is more concerned with his rehabilitation. When healthy, he is one of the best in the game. An offense like Cameron's can only raise his level of play.
"After my two worst injuries, including the high ankle sprain in 2001, I came back to have my two best seasons," Heap said. "I have full confidence that I'll be back on the field next year giving 100 percent and ready to go."
mike.preston@baltsun.com
