Teams across the NFL are hitting the practice field for the first time this week to gear up for Week 5. As is the case pretty much every week in the league, there are a number of injury situations that are worth monitoring, especially with most teams unveiling their initial injury reports. Below, we’ll update the statuses of several players, including those who are back on the field for the first time since being placed on injured reserve before the season like Rams wideout Cooper Kupp.
Let’s now go around the league and take the temperature on a wide array of injury situations as well as look at the final injury report and game statues for the Commanders and Bears, who’ll square off on Thursday night.
All odds via Sportsline consensus
Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders (-6.5)
As expected, the Bears have ruled out wideout Chase Claypool as his relationship with the team continues to deteriorate. Claypool was not in the building with the team throughout the week. Defensive back Jaquon Brisker popped up on the injury report on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury and is officially questionable.
Washington is relatively healthy coming into Week 5. Wideout Jahan Dotson carries no designation for this game after being limited on Monday and Tuesday due to an ankle injury. He was a full participant during Wednesday’s session. Fellow receiver Curtis Samuel also will play and does not have a designation either.
Linebacker Devin Lloyd (thumb) and wideout Parker Washington (knee) were the two players missing from Jaguars practice on Wednesday. Receiver Zay Jones (knee) and pass rusher Josh Allen (shoulder) were among those limited. The club also opened up the practice window for outside linebacker Dawuane Smoot (Achilles).
Buffalo gave rest days to Leonard Floyd, Matt Milano and Micah Hyde, but were also without Grego Rousseau (foot) due to injury. Corner Tre’Davious White was also listed as a DNP, but he is dealing with a torn Achilles and will soon be moved to IR. Tight end Dawson Knox (quad), running back Damien Harris (neck), corner Christian Benford (shoulder), and safety Jordan Poyer were all limited. Pass rusher Von Miller, who saw his practice window opened after starting the year on IR, was also limited.
Carolina listed cornerback Donte Jackson as a limited participant on Wednesday after leaving last week’s game with a shoulder injury. Safety Xavier Woods (hamstring) was the only player held out of practice due to injury as outside linebacker Justin Houston was given a rest day. Linebackers Frankie Luvu (hip) and Claudin Cherelus (ankle), running back Miles Sanders (groin), defensive lineman DeShawn Williams (elbow), and tight end Giovanni Ricci (shoulder) were among those limited. Tight end Stephen Sullivan (hip) and guard Austin Corbett (knee) both had their practice windows open up and were limited as well.
The Lions held a walkthrough and listed safety Brian Branch (ankle), fullback Jason Cabinda (knee), center Frank Ragnow (toe, rest) and wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown (abdomen) as nonparticipants. Six players were listed as limited, including tackle Taylor Decker (ankle) and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (knee, hamstring).
The Ravens held out safety Daryl Worley (shoulder), outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle) and tackle Morgan Moses (shoulder), but did see a lot of key faces participant. Wideout Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) was limited as was running back Justice Hill (foot, hamstring), and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot). Receiver Rashod Bateman (hamstring), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) and safety Marcus Williams (pectoral) were all full participants.
Pittsburgh continues to get positive news on quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Steelers QB, who suffered a bone bruise in his knee last week, told reporters on Wednesday that he’ll “be ready to go” Week 5 vs. Baltimore. Pickett has been wearing a brace on his knee, but did not confirm if he’ll wear it Sunday. He was officially listed as limited on Wednesday along with linebacker Cole Holcomb (back). Tight end Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) was among the six Steelers players who did not practice and his prospects of playing in Week 5 appear slim, especially after the team promoted Rodney Williams from the practice squad.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (abdomen) was the lone Texans player missing from practice due to injury. Tackle Josh Jones (hand), guard Shaq Mason (ankle), running back Dameon Pierce (knee) and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (knee) were all limited.
Every player on the Falcons practiced fully on Wednesday.
The Saints gave rest days to tight end Jimmy Graham and tackle Ryan Ramczyk, but were also without tight end Juwan Johnson (calf), safety Lonnie Johnson (hamstring), guard Andrus Peat (concussion), and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (illness). Quarterabck Derek Carr (right shoulder) was limited along with corner Paulson Adebo (hamstring) and center Erik McCoy (knee).
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday and it’s being reported that he could miss the rest of the season due to a torn labrum. Pass rusher Matt Judon (elbow) is also going to miss considerable time (if not the year) due to an elbow injury that requires surgery. With those injuries in mind, it’s not surprising to see them listed as DNPs. Meanwhile, the team listed 10 players limited: DL Christian Barmore (knee), DB Cody Davis (knee), DL Trey Flowers (foot), DL Davon Godchaux (ankle), CB Jonathan Jones (ankle), RB Ty Montgomery (illness), OL Riley Reiff (knee), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (thigh), G Cole Strange (knee), and CB Shaun Wade (shoulder).
New York saw running back Saquon Barkley on the practice field on Wednesday, albeit on a limited basis. Barkley has been sidelined since Week 2 due to an ankle injury. Joining Barkley as a limited participant in Wednesday’s session was tight end Daniel Bellinger (knee), running back Gary Brightwell (ankle), OL Marcus McKethan (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring), T Evan Neal (hand/ankle), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee). The offensive line for the Giants continues to be in shambles with OT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), guard Shane Lemieux (groin), and center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) all sidelined.
Cornerback Justin Bethel and running back Raheem Mostert were given rest days while tackle Terron Armstead (back, ankle, knee) missed Wednesday’s session due to injury. The Dolphins then listed seven players as limited: receiver Braxton Berrios (knee), offensive lineman Lester Cotton (ankle), safety DeShon Elliott (groin), offensive lineman Robert Jones (knee), cornerback Nik Needham (Achilles), linebacker Jaelan Phillips (oblique), and center Connor Williams (groin).
Tennessee did not have wideout Treylon Burks (knee), linebacker Luke Gifford (hamstring), or defensive lineman Teair Tart (knee) at practice. Meanwhile, defensive back Elijah Molden (hamstring) was limited.
Indy opened up the practice window for running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and while the club ran a walkthrough on Wednesday, he was listed as a full participant. It remains unclear if the Colts intend on activating Taylor for Week 5. Elsewhere on the roster, tight end Mo Alie-Cox (ankle), defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (back), linebacker Shaquille Leonard (groin), defensive end Tyquan Lewis (knee), guard Quenton Nelson (toe), defensive end Kwity Paye (concussion), and tackle Bernhard Raimann (concussion) all did not practice.
Joe Burrow was not listed on the Bengals injury report for the first time this season. Meanwhile, offensive tackle Orlando Brown was a new addition as a groin injury had him limited on Wednesday. Tight end Irv Smith Jr. (hamstring) was limited while linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (knee), receiver Tee Higgins (ribs), and corner Cam Taylor-Britt (concussion) were all held out.
Running back Keaontay Ingram (neck) was the lone player missing from practice for the Cardinals. Linebacker Krys Barnes (finger) and Josh Woods (ankle) were limited as were defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter (finger), cornerback Garrett Williams (knee) and offensive linemen Dennis Daley (ankle) and Hjalte Froholdt (neck).
Fletcher Cox was a new addition to the Eagles injury report and missed practice due to a back injury. Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (triceps), interior offensive lineman Cam Jurgens (foot), and receiver Britain Covey (concussion) also missed practice. Safety Sidney Brown (hamstring) was limited.
Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson (hamstring), offensive lineman Joe Noteboom (groin) and running back Kyren Williams (hip) did not practice Wednesday. The major development for Los Angeles is that the team, as expected, opened up the practice window for wideout Cooper Kupp. The Rams will now have 21 days to activate him onto the 53-man roster and that could come as soon as Week 5 vs. Philadelphia. He was limited in practice, along with wide receiver Ben Skowronek (Achilles).
The Chiefs held out defensive tackle Matt Dickerson (knee) during Wednesday’s practice. Linebacker Nick Bolton (ankle) and corner Jaylen Watson (shoulder) were limited.
The Vikings held out three — Harrison Smith, Brian O’Neill and Jordan Hicks — but they were all merely given rest days. Nick Mullens (back), Josh Metellus (shoulder), Brian Asamoah II (toe), Garrett Bradbury (back), Lewis Cine (hamstring) and Marcus Davenport (ankle) were all limited.
Cornerbacks Brandin Echols (hamstring) and D.J. Reed (concussion) did not practice for the Jets on Wednesday. Offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (knee) and offensive guard Wes Schweitzer (concussion) were among the limited participants. The Jets welcomed back OL Carter Warren and DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse to practice after each started the season on IR. They’ll now have 21 days to practice until the club will need to activate them to the 53-man roster or else revert to season-ending IR.
Broncos running back Javonte Williams (quad) did not practice Wednesday. Linebacker Baron Browning (knee), pass rusher Frank Clark (hip), center Lloyd Cushenberry (quad), linebacker Josey Jewell (hip), wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee), nose tackle Mike Purcell (ribs) and safety Justin Simmons (hip) were limited participants.
Running back Rico Dowdle (hip) and tight end tight end Peyton Hendershot (ankle) were the only players for the Cowboys sidelined from practice due to injury. Linebacker Micah Parsons (knee), linebacker Damone Clark (shoulder) and safety Malik Hooker (shoulder) were limited.
For the 49ers, center Jon Feliciano (concussion), defensive tackle Dre Greenlaw (ankle), running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (heel) did not practice Wednesday. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was limited with his knee injury.
Analysis to come.
