Week 13 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

After a 2022 rule change, teams can activate up to eight players from injured reserve. That has reintroduced some strategy into how franchises proceed with their activations, and teams will again need to be cognizant of their activation counts in 2023.

The NFL had reintroduced IR-return options in the 2010s, after a period in which an IR move meant a player’s season was over. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the league to loosen restrictions on IR from 2020-21. Teams were permitted to use unlimited activations to start the decade, but roster math is again a consideration.

Players who land on IR after cutdown day must miss at least four games. Once a team designates a player for return, the activation clock starts. Clubs have 21 days from a player’s return-to-practice date to activate that player. If no activation commences in that window, the player reverts to season-ending IR.

Here is how the NFL’s IR situations look for Week 13:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Chicago Bears

Activations remaining: 0

Cincinnati Bengals

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 6

Cleveland Browns

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Denver Broncos

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Detroit Lions

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation: 

Activations remaining: 8

Houston Texans

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 1

Indianapolis Colts

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Jacksonville Jaguars

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 8

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 2

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 2

Minnesota Vikings

Activated:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 4

New England Patriots

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Jets

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

Pittsburgh Steelers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 4

San Francisco 49ers

Activated:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Seattle Seahawks

Activated:

Designated for return:

Activations remaining: 5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 5

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