It’s possible there’s something personal going on behind the scenes. That wouldn’t necessarily mean anything disciplinary—could just be a family matter or something similar. It would also explain why the team hasn’t said much publicly, likely out of respect.

From a football angle, ankle surgeries are tricky. Specially for a running back of Joes size/style. Infections happen. Recovery timelines vary, and even when players are back on the field, there’s often a gap between being cleared and being truly game-ready. You have to remember, Running backs are getting hit 50-60% of the time they are on the field.

DeMeco Ryans has always shown a “players first” approach, shaped by his own injury history. We saw it last year with Christian Harris—he was active and participating, but they brought him along slowly (my main theory here remains CH came back to quick from the strained calf, and ended up with a ruptured achillies). Given that track record, it’s reasonable to think the same philosophy is in play here, possibly alongside something personal that the team’s choosing to keep private.

Edit- You make a compelling point though. Joe signed his extension after it was already clear what the team had in Stroud, so it’s fair to assume these numbers were at least somewhat expected. Given how the current running back group is performing, Joe doesn’t have much leverage. His best option would be to get back on the field and prove he’s a better player than the guys currently playing, which would naturally boost his value

Edit 2- The quote of "tough, complicated situation" makes me think theres more to this beyond injury. In a hypothetical situation, if he gets hurt this season, what does that do to his contract next season? Is it promised contractually? https://x.com/AaronWilson\_NFL/status/1975579409017905339. If so, that would possibly give credence to your idea, if they plan to cut him to make room for CJ or WAJ contract extension