NFL Injury Updates: Wharton, Lions, Colts
Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton suffered a hamstring injury in his Panthers debut and will miss time as a result.
Head coach Dave Canales said (via team reporter Darin Gantt) that Wharton’s absence would be “somewhere in the two- to four-week range.” That could preclude a move to injured reserve, as Wharton would be sidelined for a mandatory four week after his placement. Given the nature of his injury, the Panthers likely want to get him back on the practice field sooner as he ramps up to game readiness.
Wharton, 27, signed in Carolina this offseason for $15MM per year with the hopes of combining with Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson to upgrade the Panthers’ interior pass rush. The former Chief put up a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2024 and added two more in the playoffs.
Until Wharton returns to the field, the Panthers will lean on a backups Bobby Brown and Jaden Crumedy. Rookie Cam Jackson should also get more opportunities after sitting as a healthy scratch in Week 1.
Here are several other injury updates from around the NFL:
- Lions offensive tackle Jamarco Jones, who was placed on injured reserve before Week 1, will be out for the season with an ankle injury, per Justin Rodgers of the Detroit Football Network. Safety Daniel Thomas, meanwhile, is planning to play through a broken hand, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
- The Texans‘ offense has taken another hit with center Jake Andrews sustaining a high ankle sprain, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The veteran starter has an unclear return timeline with backup Jarrett Patterson set to take his place.
- Eagles running back Will Shipley sustained a fractured rib in Week 1, according to 97.5 The Fanatic’s Derrick Gunn, partially explaining the team’s recent acquisition of Tank Bigsby from the Jaguars. In addition to replacing Shipley as Saquon Barkley‘s primary backup, Bigsby will also be able to contribute as a returner on special teams.
- The Colts could be without multiple pieces of their secondary in Week 2, per Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. Starter Charvarius Ward is still in concussion protocol, and third-year corner Jaylon Jones could land on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Head coach Shane Steichen said that Jones would be “out for a while” and declined to put a timeline on his return.
- The Packers will be without a pair of starting offensive linemen on Thursday night against the Commanders. Left guard Aaron Banks and right tackle Zach Tom were both ruled out with 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan and rookie third-rounder Anthony Belton taking their respective places.
Jadeveon Clowney Visits Cowboys
9:23PM: Clowney departed the Cowboys’ facility today without having signed a contract. According to Anderson, the plan was just to bring the veteran pass rusher in for a visit and physical with the intention to keep in contact with Clowney as they monitor their situation at the position moving forward.
Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS is less optimistic about Clowney’s chances of landing in Dallas. Hill reports that rumors from inside the building indicate that the Cowboys are “probably not going to” sign Clowney.
9:41AM: The Cowboys are veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is visiting Dallas on Wednesday, according to Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.
Clowney, 32, will also work out for the Cowboys, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, bringing him one step closer to signing with a new team for the 2025 season. Pending a successful meeting, tryout, and medical evaluation, he could join the team right away, according to WFAA’s Ed Werder.
He was in contact with multiple clubs throughout the summer, but his known aversion to training camp was always going to delay a signing until it was close to the regular season. Clowney didn’t put pen to paper before the regular season as expected and instead let teams evaluate their needs after Week 1.
Having lost Micah Parsons just before the season, Dallas could use some help in their edge rushing room. Dante Fowler is coming off an impressive 10.5-sack season with the Commanders, but the rest of the group has combined for just 11.5 sacks in the last three years. Clowney certainly can’t replace Parsons’ impact, but he can still add experience and depth to the unit. He’s also an underrated run defender, which is sure to appeal to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
However, it’s hard to know what to expect of Clowney as he enters his 12th NFL season. His initial production was underwhelming for a No. 1 pick, but he finished the last two years of his rookie contract in Houston with 18.5 sacks. Since then, Clowney has been inconsistent. Of his last six seasons, two featured at least 9.0 sacks – including 2024 with the Ravens – while three featured 3.0 sacks or fewer. Last year’s performance in Carolina was somewhere in between with 5.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss in 14 games.
Clowney signed a $10MM APY deal last offseason, but will likely receiver lower offers after a disappointing 2024. He could have a similar market to new Eagles edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who signed a fully guaranteed $4.25MM contract for the 2025 season, per OverTheCap.
Lions Were In ‘Wait-And-See Mode’ With WR Jameson Willliams After 2024 Season
The Lions signed Jameson Williams to a three-year extension on Saturday, locking down the young wideout for the foreseeable future.
However, despite Williams’ thousand-yard effort in 2024, Detroit was still in “wait-and-see mode” regarding an extension, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The team still had questions about Williams’ maturity after serving suspensions during the 2023 and 2024 seasons for violations of the league’s gambling and performance enhancing drugs policies, respectively.
However, a strong offseason from the 24-year-old gave the Lions enough confidence to extend Williams for an additional three years off his rookie contract. That will keep him in Detroit through the 2029 season, though precise details on his contract that would better clarify the team’s commitment level remain elusive.
The Lions will be hoping that Williams can walk the straight and narrow for the rest of his stay in Detroit and continue to elevate his game every year. His four-catch, 23-yard performance in Week 1 was underwhelming (as was the entire Lions offense) given his 2024 production, offseason hype, and recent payday, but sweeping conclusions can’t be drawn from one game. While Detroit’s offense may be experiencing a post-Ben Johnson/Frank Ragnow hangover, Williams can still be a dangerous weapon both as a deep threat and a YAC weapon.
Dolphins To Sign G Cole Strange Off Browns’ Practice Squad
Amid a rash of injuries along their offensive line, the Dolphins are signing offensive guard Cole Strange off of the the Browns’ practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Miami was already without Liam Eichenberg entering the regular season. The versatile lineman was expected to be the team’s primary backup at guard but landed on the physically unable to perform list in training camp. Eichenberg was not activated during final roster cuts and will be out for at least three more games.
The Dolphins then lost starting right guard James Daniels (pectoral) and starting right tackle Austin Jackson (toe) in Week 1. Needing depth at guard, they poached Strange from the Browns’ practice squad. He lined up at all three interior spots in the preseason and could be called upon to replace Daniels right away.
Strange, 27, was a surprise first-round pick in 2022. He started 17 games at left guard for the Patriots as a rookie but seemed to lose his job entering the 2023 season. He only started two of the team’s first six games with healthy scratches for the other four, but returned to start the next eight contests before a torn patellar tendon ended his season. Strange started the 2024 season on the PUP list and didn’t return to the field until late December. He started the last two games of the year at center.
The Patriots’ offseason coaching change and offensive line additions casted doubt on Strange’s future. Rookie Jared Wilson took over at left guard with veteran Garrett Bradbury starting at center, squeezing Strange out of the starting lineup. He couldn’t carve out a backup role and was waived during final roster cuts. The Browns then signed him to their practice squad.
The Dolphins inserted Kion Smith into Sunday’s game to replace Daniels, but Strange offers much more experience with 29 career starts under his belt. Backup center Daniel Brunskill could be another option at right guard; he has 3,300 career snaps at the position, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Daniels is now on IR, according to NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. This marks the second straight season Daniels has landed on IR. An Achilles tear sustained in Week 4 of last season ended Daniels’ Steelers run. He had stayed mostly healthy during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. While this is not believed to be a season-ending injury, Daniels being out of the mix continues a run of bad injury luck for Dolphins O-linemen. Daniels also has a guarantee vesting date to monitor in 2026. He will see $3.48MM of his 2026 base salary shift to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Returning to full strength will be key for Daniels to secure that guarantee.
49ers To Waive K Jake Moody
2:40pm CT: Joseph is not expected to be the 49ers’ next kicker, according to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco. Though the veteran spent the offseason in San Francisco, the team will be looking for another option to succeed Moody.
11:50am CT: With two of his three field goals failing to split the uprights on Sunday, Jake Moody‘s 2024 struggles appear to have carried over into the 2025 season. As a result, the 49ers are moving on from the 2023 third-round pick, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Moody impressed as a rookie by converting 84.0% of his field goals and a league-high 60 extra points on 61 attempts. In 2024, he got off to a hot start with six field goals in Week 1 and a 93.9% conversion rate through five weeks before an ankle injury sidelined him for three games. The 25-year-old struggled from distance for the rest of the season, making just five of his 14 attempts from over 40 yards.
The 49ers explored other kicker options this offseason and signed six-year veteran Greg Joseph as potential competition, but new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer still expressed confidence in Moody. Joseph was cut before the preseason and Moody went six-for-seven on field goals and five-for-six on extra points to stave off any chance of a last-minute signing.
However, Moody underperformed in the 49ers’ regular season opener against the Seahawks with a 27-yard field goal clanging off the left upright and another attempt from 36 yards getting blocked. That kept the game close and forced San Francisco to score a touchdown with 1:34 remaining to win the game.
The 49ers don’t have another kicker on their active roster or practice squad, so they will need to make an addition before Week 2. Re-signing Joseph would be the team’s most obvious option. He worked out for the Bills and the Dolphins in late August but neither visit resulted in a deal. Several teams have kickers that could be poached from their practice squads – including Matt Prater in Buffalo and Riley Patterson in Miami – and a number of veteran free agents are also available.
49ers To Place George Kittle On IR
A Week 1 hamstring injury is expected to sideline tight end George Kittle for a few games, so the 49ers have opted to place him on injured reserve and open up a roster spot, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Kittle, 31 will be sidelined for a minimum of four games, making him eligible to return for San Francisco’s Week 6 visit to Tampa Bay. It’s another blow to a 49ers offense that started the season without wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee, PUP), Demarcus Robinson (suspension), and Jacob Cowing (hamstring, IR with a return designation). Robinson will be eligible to return in Week 4, while Aiyuk and Cowing will be out until at least Week 5.
The 49ers then saw Kittle and Jauan Jennings exit their regular season opener with Brock Purdy playing through shoulder and toe injuries to finish the game. Initial tests on Jennings’ shoulder indicated that his injury is not serious, but Kyle Shanahan was noncommittal about Purdy’s Week 2 status.
Kittle’s absence will lead to more opportunities for backup tight ends Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges. Both saw more playing time after Kittle exited Sunday’s game with Tonges bringing in a tough contested catch for the game-winning touchdown. Practice squad tight end Brayden Willis will likely be promoted to the 53-man roster, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.
This is Kittle’s first IR placement since 2021. He missed five games due to minor injuries over the last three years, but finished each season healthy. The nine-year veteran is coming off his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl season, which included 1,106 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, both the second-best marks of his career. He also posted career highs with 11.8 yards per target and an 83.0% catch rate. In Week 1, he caught four passes for 25 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game.
Saints Restructure Taysom Hill’s Contract
The Saints restuctured Taysom Hill‘s contract before the regular season, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
The eight-year veteran is coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season and was placed on the physically unable to perform list during roster cut-downs.
The move was not a traditional restructure that converted base salary into a prorated signing bonus. Instead, $6MM of Hill’s 2025 salary was converted into per-game roster bonuses. Since he started the regular season on the PUP list, he can receive $500K per game for up to 12 games.
The Saints saved about $3.6MM with Hill’s restructured deal, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football. It will still void on the last day of the 2025 league year, making him a free agent after the season.
New Orleans is already over the 2026 salary cap with only 43 players under contract due to their aggressive use of traditional restructures and void years. As a result, re-signing Hill may not be a priority, especially if the team’s new coaching staff wants to move in a different direction on offense. However, Hill’s age (35) and recent injuries will limit his market in free agency. He which may allow the Saints to retain their longtime gadget player on an inexpensive deal.
Steelers To Sign S Jabrill Peppers
Fresh off a Week 1 win against the Jets, the Steelers are signing veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Secondary starters DeShon Elliott (knee) and Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring) both left Sunday’s game, further depleting Pittsburgh’s already-thin secondary. The Steelers elected to carry just eight defensive backs on their initial 53-man roster – four cornerbacks and four safeties – leaving them especially vulnerable to injuries. Elliott has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain and is expected to miss a few weeks, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
Enter Peppers, an eight-year veteran with 85 starts under his belt (though only 31 have come in the last five years). The Patriots released him during final roster cuts as they transitioned to more traditional deep safeties, but Peppers’ downhill play style and box/slot versatility could allow him to step into Elliott’s role right away. (On Sunday, the Steelers inserted former Raven and Jet Chuck Clark when Elliott went down.)
Elliott’s injury does not appear to be long-term, but even when he returns, Peppers will be important depth after the Steelers traded Minkah Fitzpatrick back to the Dolphins earlier this year. Other than starting free safety Juan Thornhill, the only other safety on the Steelers’ roster is special teams ace Miles Killebrew, who has only played 177 defensive snaps over his previous four years in Pittsburgh.
It doesn’t seem like Elliott will land on IR with the Steelers targeting a Week 4 return, per Schultz. If Peppers is being added to the 53-man roster – which seems more likely than the practice squad given his pedigree – Pittsburgh will need to make another roster move to open up a spot.
S Harrison Smith Not Traveling With Vikings
SEPTEMBER 7: Unfortunately, what was suspected a little over a week ago has been confirmed today. The Vikings relayed the news that Smith has been downgraded to out for tomorrow’s Monday night matchup with the Bears. In fact, the 36-year-old safety will not even be traveling to Chicago with his teammates.
The veteran defender returned to practice this past Friday for the first time since August 11 but only participated in a limited capacity. Head coach Kevin O’Connell seemed to imply the Smith needed a bit more time for a “physical ramp up ” when addressing the media yesterday, perhaps hinting that Smith is working himself back into playing condition still after being away from the field for so long.
AUGUST 29: By far the longest-tenured player on the Vikings’ roster, Harrison Smith re-signed with the team this offseason. The Minnesota standout is entering his 14th season with the team, but he may not be ready for Week 1.
A recent illness introduced a hiccup for the decorated defender. Smith missed the last two weeks of training camp but is expected to make a full recovery, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Smith last practiced on August 11 but has been dealing with a health issue since.
The Vikings did not transfer Smith to a reserve list – either the IR with a return designation or the non-football illness list – indicating their optimism that he will return to the field within four weeks. However, Seifert reports that an exact return timeline for Smith remains uncertain. The 36-year-old defender did not attend the Vikings’ final two preseason games, Seifert adds.
Depending on the exact nature of the illness, Smith may need some time to ramp up in practice before getting back on the field in the regular season. He likely would need to return to practice in the coming days to be available for Week 1.
The 2012 first-round pick has started 191 career games; that ranks fourth in Vikings history. With 11 starts this season, Smith can pass Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller for third on the team’s all-time list. Based on the Vikes’ decision to keep Smith on the roster, they expect him to be able (barring injury) to do so this season.
Smith was set to start alongside Josh Metellus for the third year in a row. The safety duo used to be a trio with former Viking Camryn Bynum, who signed with the Colts this offseason. Theo Jackson will be positioned to replace Smith in the starting lineup if necessary, per Seifert. Jackson has been a Vikings backup since 2022 but has never started a game.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Patriots Notes: Peppers, Woods, Wilson, Belichick
The Patriots overhauled their approach to the safety position this year by cutting Jabrill Peppers and benching Kyle Dugger, their starting duo for the past few seasons.
The two veterans are better at playing downhill than covering the deep areas of field, the latter of which is what new head coach Mike Vrabel looks for in his safeties. Those roles will now be filled by former Falcon and Charger Jaylinn Hawkins and fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson.
New England put Dugger on the trade block before roster cut-downs, but his $9.75MM guaranteed salary was likely a significant obstacle to a deal. The Patriots also looked into moving Peppers, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, but similarly received little interest despite a more tradable contract with only $4.3MM in guaranteed salary remaining.
Pepper has yet to catch on with another team, though he will have a better chance at signing after Week 1 when veteran salaries are non-guaranteed. Dugger, meanwhile, seems headed out of New England within the next year. The Patriots could try to re-bait the hook at the trade deadline if there are safety injuries around the league; if no club bites, he’ll likely be a cap casualty next offseason.
- New England was the only team to claim Rams cornerback Charles Woods off waivers, according to Reiss. He worked closely with new Patriots vice president of football operations and strategy John Streicher on Los Angeles’ special teams unit in 2024. The Patriots also claimed Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones with priority over the Bears, but they rescinded their claim after securing Woods.
- The Patriots were also the only team to claim quarterback Tommy DeVito, per Reiss, despite reports that he would receive more interest on the waiver wire.
- New England is entering the 2025 season with almost $47MM of cap space and won’t come close to hitting the ceiling this year. However, they will be able to roll over this year’s space to set up more spending next offseason, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Hearld.
- Head coach Mike Vrabel named rookie Jared Wilson as the Week 1 starter at left guard. The third-round pick out of Georgia will line up between fellow rookie Will Campbell and veteran Garrett Bradbury.
- Bill Belichick addressed his decision to ban the Patriots from North Carolina’s facilities during a recent press conference, saying (via The Athletic’s David Ubben), “It’s clear I’m not welcome there at their facility. So they’re not welcome at ours.” His dispute with his former team has continued over perceived slights on both sides, per Ubben’s colleague Dianna Russini, including a charge that a Patriots staffer was told not to wear UNC gear in the team facility.