Biggest injury questions for all 32 NFL teams
Stephania Bell is unsure on the timeline for Tyreek Hill’s return but says it could be as early as this week. (1:49)
As we enter Week 6 of the 2019 NFL season, the injuries are really starting to pile up. From those dinged up in Week 5 to those who’ve been out longer than that, here’s the latest update from our 32 NFL Nation reporters:
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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE
NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
What’s going on with the Bills’ right tackles? Ty Nsekhe missed last weekend’s game against the Titans with an ankle injury, and Cody Ford left early with a head injury. Ford will spend the bye week in concussion protocol — and one hopes, for the Bills’ sake, that’s all the time he’ll spend in it. With those two injured, Ryan Bates is the only healthy right tackle currently on the roster. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
The Dolphins look as healthy as they have all season coming out of the bye week, with no notable injured players missing practice Wednesday. That should mean the return of receiver Albert Wilson, who has been out since Week 1 with a calf injury. — Cameron Wolfe
Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (hamstring) has been ruled out for Thursday, which means more of the load falls on Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon as the top two targets, with undrafted Jakobi Meyers elevating to the No. 3 role. In addition, running back Rex Burkhead (foot) is in jeopardy of missing his second consecutive game, which means more of Sony Michel, James White and Brandon Bolden at running back. — Mike Reiss
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Quarterback Sam Darnold (mono) is back and will start Sunday, but one of his favorite targets is not. Tight end Chris Herndon, eligible to play this week, injured a hamstring during his four-game suspension and is listed as week-to-week. He’s not expected to play Sunday. It could be a multiple-game injury, meaning the tight-end production is likely to remain negligible. Middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (groin) is expected to miss his fourth consecutive game. — Rich Cimini
Tight end Mark Andrews missed his sixth practice in the past five weeks, but history says he’ll play Sunday. Andrews previously dealt with a foot injury. Now he’s dealing with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for a handful of plays last game. Andrews could be in line for a big outing against the Bengals, who have allowed an NFL-worst 15.2 yards per catch to tight ends. — Jamison Hensley
The Bengals are already thin at left tackle, so Andre Smith‘s status for Sunday’s game is in question. The team’s third-string tackle, Smith is batting an right ankle injury. John Jerry is in the mix to start if Smith is out. If Smith doesn’t play, the Bengals’ next man up at the position could be Alex Redmond, who has very limited experience at the spot. — Ben Baby
Will starting cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams finally be ready to play after missing the past three games with hamstring injuries? Both were limited participants in Wednesday’s practice, which is a positive sign. Cleveland will need all the help it can get Sunday against Seattle’s Russell Wilson. — Jake Trotter
Quarterback Mason Rudolph took a vicious hit that knocked him out of the Ravens loss, but he seems to be progressing quickly from Sunday’s concussion. He’s still in the protocol, but he was a limited participant in Wednesday’s padded practice. Mike Tomlin won’t speculate about Rudolph’s availability for Sunday night’s tilt against the Chargers, but it’s not entirely out of the question that he plays. Much will depend on his response to Wednesday’s practice, and if he can’t go, undrafted rookie Devlin Hodges will make his first NFL start on the national stage. — Brooke Pryor
Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears and Jack Del Rio break down the adjustments the Steelers will have to make with Devlin Hodges at quarterback.
Wide receiver Kenny Stills, who has a hamstring and ankle injury, did not play in Week 5 against the Falcons. Bill O’Brien said he will have a better idea on Friday whether Stills will play in Kansas City. If he is inactive on Sunday, expect slot receiver Keke Coutee to see more playing time again. — Sarah Barshop
The Colts hope their bye week will be enough time for their starting safeties to return from injuries. Clayton Geathers missed the Week 5 victory at Kansas City due to a concussion. He has to clear concussion protocol before he can return to playing. Malik Hooker, who is optimistic he’ll be back after the bye, has missed the past two games with a knee injury. — Mike Wells
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey (back) returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time in three weeks, but it was on a limited basis and he spent most of his time working with trainers off to the side. Coach Doug Marrone said the report from the back specialist Ramsey matched what the club’s medical team had determined, and the plan is to take things “step by step.” That’s an early indication that Ramsey is likely to miss his third game in a row when the Jaguars play host to New Orleans on Sunday. This will be the game where the Jaguars would miss him the most, because he would be shadowing Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who leads the NFL in receptions (45) and receiving yards (543). — Mike DiRocco
Dan Orlovsky and Marcus Spears react to Jalen Ramsey returning to practice for the Jaguars amid trade talks.
The biggest injury question this week surrounds outside linebacker Cameron Wake‘s hamstring. He didn’t practice at all last week, and was ruled out against the Bills. The best thing for a hamstring injury is time. Wake missed practice once again on Wednesday. He and tight end Delanie Walker (knee) rode stationary bikes during practice. The Titans got a boost from Reggie Gilbert (one sack vs. Bills) while Wake was out. — Turron Davenport
With cornerback De’Vante Bausby, who suffered a neck injury in the win over the Chargers, having been moved to injured reserve and cornerback Bryce Callahan still shelved with a foot injury (he hasn’t played this season), the Broncos are thin in the secondary. They would prefer Kareem Jackson to play safety in their defense — he’s had to play at nickel corner in three games this season because of the team’s injuries — but to do that, they’ll have to be confident Isaac Yiadom and Davontae Harris, who was signed just before the start of the regular season, can split the snaps Bausby was getting with the starting defense. Bausby had replaced Yiadom in the lineup and Yiadom has been targeted plenty by opposing quarterbacks (he was called for two defensive holding penalties against the Chargers). — Jeff Legwold
The Chiefs could be without both starters on the left side of their offensive line in Sunday’s game against the Texans. Neither tackle Eric Fisher (core muscle injury) nor guard Andrew Wylie (ankle) practiced on Wednesday. Newly signed veteran Stefan Wisniewski could be starting at guard against the Texans. Cam Erving has replaced Fisher since he left the lineup in Week 2, and had his worst game of the season last week against the Colts. This is a less-than-ideal scenario against Whitney Mercilus, J.J. Watt and the Texans. — Adam Teicher
The Chargers lost another starter due to injury when center Mike Pouncey was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a neck issue. That makes seven projected starters missing time for the Chargers so far this season with injuries. Pouncey had been the Bolts’ most reliable and experienced offensive lineman, with the co-captain serving as the team’s anchor up front. However, with Pouncey out, Dan Feeney will move from left guard to center, and Forrest Lamp will move into the starting lineup at left guard. — Eric D. Williams
With Oakland enjoying a 3-2 record after last week’s defeat of the Bears, Raiders coach Jon Gruden is hoping the bye week will see the return of right guard Gabe Jackson, who injured a knee in a training camp joint practice with the Rams. “I’ve been getting videos from the trainers while I’ve been in London and Indiana about Gabe’s progress and it’s exciting,” Gruden said this week. “This guy has clearly worked hard. He looks better, I think, than he’s ever looked. He’s really gotten himself in great shape. We’ll be smart about it. We hope if it’s not this coming game, hopefully it’s the next. He’s a valuable member of our team. Certainly he’ll give us a jolt when he comes back.” — Paul Gutierrez
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The Cowboys aren’t sure they will have either starting offensive tackle, Tyron Smith or La’el Collins, against the Jets after both players missed Wednesday’s practice. Smith did some rehab work on the field for his high right ankle sprain, but Collins was not spotted. If neither can play, then Cameron Fleming will replace Smith and Brandon Knight will replace Collins. Facing a Gregg Williams’ defense that likes to attack, that could compromise the Cowboys’ ability to get the ball down the field. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch did not practice because of an illness, but that does not appear to be a long-term issue at the moment. — Todd Archer
Running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) is out. He wanted to play Thursday night against the Patriots but didn’t get clearance. It’s probably the smart move for the Giants, as it gives Barkley another 10 days to heal. He’s still less than three weeks removed from suffering a high ankle sprain. — Jordan Raanan
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson is expected to miss his fourth straight game with an abdominal strain. He’s hoping to return Week 7 at the Cowboys, but that will depend on how his rehab goes between now and then. The return window for Jackson is believed to be Week 7 and Week 9 against the Bears. — Tim McManus
Right guard Brandon Scherff, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, was limited Wednesday — but that’s a positive sign, as it is the first time he’s practiced since the injury. Tight end Vernon Davis, who missed last week with a concussion, was also limited. The Redskins could use his return, especially with Jordan Reed still sidelined with his own concussion. Davis’ speed provides a mismatch down the seam and can result in big plays. The Redskins’ tight ends have combined for only eight receptions this season, which partly explains their offensive struggles. — John Keim
The Bears released reserve quarterback Tyler Bray on Wednesday; a clear indication that starter Mitchell Trubisky (dislocated left shoulder/labrum tear) could possibly return following Chicago’s bye week. Head coach Matt Nagy sounded optimistic about Trubisky facing the Saints in Week 7 when he spoke to reporters in London the day after the Bears lost to the Raiders. “I felt like the last couple days he’s been in a good place,” Nagy said. “He’s been a part of all the meetings, a part of practice mentally. Because that’s just as important, staying involved mentally with your guys and with us. And now we’ll just kind of see here, again the bye comes at a unique time.” Look for Chicago to re-sign Bray to the practice squad and move Chase Daniel back to No. 2 to make room for Trubisky’s return. — Jeff Dickerson
The Lions won’t release their first official injury report until Thursday, but the fact that Damon Harrison was not at the media portion of practice Wednesday was intriguing and worth monitoring considering how much he means to Detroit attempting to stop the run. Tight end T.J. Hockenson appears to be close to recovered following a concussion against Kansas City, and practiced Wednesday. Another player to watch is safety Quandre Diggs, who didn’t do much Wednesday after injuring his hamstring against the Chiefs. If he can’t go Sunday, the Lions will likely use a combination of Will Harris and Tavon Wilson to take his place in the lineup. — Michael Rothstein
Davante Adams couldn’t go last week against the Cowboys because of a turf toe injury. He didn’t even attempt to practice. We’ll see on Thursday if Adams will try to do that as the Packers begin on-field preparation for the Monday night game against the Lions. Without Adams in Dallas, the Packers had just four catches by receivers. It was the Packers’ fewest receptions by receivers in a win since 2001, and just the third time this season that a team has won with so few catches by wideouts, according to ESPN Stats & Information. — Rob Demovsky
Nose tackle Linval Joseph missed practice Wednesday for non-football injury-related reasons while a concussion kept linebacker Ben Gedeon on the sideline. One week after clearing concussion protocol, right guard Josh Kline did not practice, due to a foot injury. Three starters missing practice ahead of a pivotal matchup against the Eagles is concerning, but things appear to be heading in the right direction for cornerback Mackensie Alexander (elbow/groin), who was back practicing on a limited basis after sitting out the Week 5 win over the Giants. — Courtney Cronin
Julio Jones was held out of Wednesday’s practice at Arizona State University, and was listed as having a hip injury. Whenever Jones is on the injury report, it’s a concern. Typically, he fights through whatever is ailing him. And sometimes, he just needs a veteran’s day off. But Jones is the last person the 1-4 Falcons can afford to lose for any significant amount of time. — Vaughn McClure
Starting left tackle Greg Little missed the last game with a concussion, but the rookie has progressed enough in the protocol that he’s traveling with the team to London. Whether he’ll play or not remains to be seen. If he can’t, look for rookie Dennis Daley to make his second straight start. That’ll be key because Tampa Bay’s Shaq Barrett had three sacks over the left tackle in a Week 2 win over Carolina. — David Newton
No. 3 receiver Tre’Quan Smith‘s status is in doubt again after he suffered another ankle injury when he returned to the lineup last Sunday. Smith, who missed Weeks 3 and 4, did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. That should mean another heavy dose of Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr., plus tight end Jared Cook and running back Alvin Kamara in the passing game this week at Jacksonville. — Mike Triplett
The Bucs will have both starting inside linebacker Devin White (knee) and cornerback Jamel Dean (ankle) back this week after missing the last three games. But Coach Bruce Arians indicated that they’d be without starting right guard Alex Cappa (arm) and likely starting right tackle Demar Dotson (hamstring). “It’s ‘next-man-up,'” Arians said. “You can’t make excuses, so we’ll have a new right side of our line probably this week.” Earl Watford is expected to step in for Cappa and Josh Wells — assuming there are no issues with his wife having a baby, which forced him to miss Wednesday’s practice — will step in for Dotson. The Bucs leave for London Thursday evening. — Jenna Laine
Will running back David Johnson‘s back will be healthy enough for him to play Sunday against Atlanta? The Cardinals planned on testing him Wednesday to see where he was. Coach Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t want to rush Johnson back, and will wait until after Wednesday’s practice to get a better read on Johnson’s health. “I like the progress he’s made, and hopefully that continues throughout the week,” Kingsbury said. — Josh Weinfuss
Stephania Bell provides an update on David Johnson’s ailing back as his playing status for Week 6 remains unclear.
Todd Gurley II did not practice Wednesday because of a thigh contusion in his left quadricep, and is considered day-to-day ahead of a Week 6 NFC West matchup against the 49ers, Sean McVay said Wednesday. When asked if he expected Gurley to be available Sunday against the undefeated 49ers, McVay responded: “It’s hard to say. He’d be better in tune to say exactly how he feels.” Gurley, who was sidelined for the final two regular season games of 2018 because of a left knee issue, carried a majority of the load against the Seahawks, but otherwise has been periodically spelled throughout the season by backup Malcolm Brown.The Rams also have rookie backup Darrell Henderson who they could turn to if Gurley is unable to play. — Lindsey Thiry
The 49ers and Mike McGlinchey were taken aback Wednesday when they found out that the second-year right tackle would miss four to six weeks because of a right knee injury that requires arthroscopic surgery. McGlinchey’s injury is the latest in a string of injuries to 49ers starters that is serious enough to miss extended time but not to end their season. With McGlinchey joining left tackle Joe Staley (broken fibula) on the sideline for the time being, the Niners must turn to first-year offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill to step in on the right side. Brunskill and rookie Justin Skule are now the 49ers’ bookend tackles, and the duo charged with slowing the Rams’ pass rush and keeping the Niners’ running game rolling. It’s fair to expect veteran Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to test San Francisco’s unproven tackles early and often in a key NFC West showdown. — Nick Wagoner
Right guard D.J. Fluker suffered a hamstring injury last Thursday against the Rams that has his status for Sunday’s game at Cleveland in doubt. Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Fluker, who didn’t return to the Rams game, isn’t yet able to practice six days later. Jamarco Jones drew rave reviews from Carroll for the way he stepped and held his own against Aaron Donald, so there’s at least some evidence that the Seahawks can withstand Fluker’s absence. — Brady Henderson