Injury Rumors: Evans, Pringle, Linderbaum, Savage, McKethan
As practices start to ramp up leading into the preseason, injuries are starting to rear their ugly heads. Here are a few rumors on injuries we’ve seen so far:
- It appears that Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has suffered a minor hamstring injury, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Laine reports that, despite a history of nagging hamstring issues, this minor injury will be no threat to Evans’ Week 1 status. Hamstring injuries caused Evans to miss a game last season and forced him to injured reserve in Week 14 of the 2019 season. Evans has shown incredible resiliency, as the 13 games played in 2019 were the least he’s ever played in a season. He’s had a strong history of never letting injuries keep him out for long and never keeping him from reaching the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
- Wide receiver Byron Pringle joined the Bears after a bit of a breakout season with the Chiefs last year. Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters that, unfortunately, Pringle’s debut with the Bears may be a little delayed, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The fourth-year receiver out of Kansas State suffered a quad injury that Eberflus says will cause him to “be out for some time.” Pringle’s only history with injuries in the NFL came two years ago when he spent three weeks on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
- One of the Ravens’ two first-round picks, center Tyler Linderbaum suffered a lower leg injury this week that should hold him out for a short time, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “It’s not a serious thing,” head coach John Harbaugh explained after Friday’s practice. “It’s going to be probably at least a week…It could be two weeks. We’ll see.” Linderbaum, the first ever center that Baltimore has utilized a first-round pick on, is expected to take the starting job as a rookie and will play a large role in a comeback season for a Ravens team that saw their 2020 season derailed by a litany of season-ending injuries.
- While trying to cover wide receiver Amari Rodgers in one-on-ones yesterday, Packers safety Darnell Savage suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to sit out the rest of practice, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Savage downplayed the severity of the injury when talking to reporters. “I don’t think it’s a concern,” Savage said. “It’s a fast-people injury. Some of those things you can’t avoid. I’ll just handle it the right way…and I’ll be alright.”
- Giants fifth-round pick Marcus McKethan suffered an ACL injury yesterday and will be out for his entire rookie season, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The offensive guard out of North Carolina was a reserve depth piece on New York’s line and was not expected to have much of an impact during his first NFL season, but a season-ending injury to any of a team’s players is never good news.
Packers Promote Jon-Eric Sullivan
- The Packers promoted Jon-Eric Sullivan recently. The veteran executive is now serving as the team’s VP of of player personnel. A Packers staffer since 2004, Sullivan has worked his way up from the regional scouting ranks. When Brian Gutekunst was hired as GM in 2018, Sullivan became the team’s co-player personnel director alongside John Wojciechowski. Green Bay also promoted Chris Gaines and Sean Linton to college scouts.
NFL Workouts: 7/29/22
Here’s a list of minor players who visited or worked out for an NFL team today:
Carolina Panthers
- CB Quenton Meeks, CB Isaiah Johnson, CB Duke Dawson (signed)
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
- DE Chris Odom, DB KiShawn Walker, DT Lorenzo Neal, DB Antoine Brooks
Jacksonville Jaguars
- K Elliott Fry (signed), K Chase McLaughlin, K Matt Ammendola, K Brandon Aubrey
Las Vegas Raiders
- LB Curtis Bolton, LB Omari Cobb
New York Giants
- RB Devontae Booker (story)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Jordan Howard, RB Josh Adams, DT Mike Panasiuk, DT Hauati Pututau
Washington Commanders
- OT Tyree St. Louis, OT Alex Akingbulu, OT Rashod Hill
Howard had recently also worked out for the Saints, along with Bo Scarbrough, according to Nick Underhill at New Orleans Football Network. Howard has bounced between Philadelphia and Miami with limited success since averaging 1,123 rushing yards per season and totaling 24 rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons with the Bears. Injuries and limited productivity have really hurt Howard’s success over the past three years.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/22
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Duke Dawson
Chicago Bears
- Activated from active/PUP list: DL Sam Kamara
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Jets): S Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Quandre Mosely
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Randy Ramsey, OL Rasheed Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Caeveon Patton
- Released: DE Bryan Cox Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
- Waived: K Andrew Mevis
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Trey Ragas
- Waived/injured: RB Xavier Jones
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Josh Hammond
- Activated from active/PUP list: C David Andrews, P Jake Bailey
New York Jets
- Waived: LB Javin White
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Bug Howard
- Waived: P Sterling Hofrichter
- Activated from active/PUP list: G Sadarius Hutcherson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Shakur Brown
Signed as a UDFA shortly after the draft, Mevis fared rather poorly in a Thursday workout. The rookie kicker missed badly on three warmup kicks, one of which drilling ex-Cowboys HC Dave Campo (of Hard Knocks 2002 fame), per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. Mevis had struggled during the start of Jaguars camp. This is Fry’s seventh NFL team since he entered the league in 2019. The workout-circuit regular has played in three regular-season games — one-offs with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs. The Jags also have kicker Ryan Santoso on their roster.
A hamstring injury, sustained during a workout shortly after a flight to Green Bay, sidelined Watkins for the start of Packers camp. The veteran will try to shake a well-earned injury-prone label in Green Bay, though the former top-five pick’s roster spot may not be 100% secure. Andrews, who returned in 2020 after missing all of the 2019 season due to blood clots, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He is back for a seventh season as the Patriots’ starting center.
Injury Updates: Packers, Seahawks, Jaguars, Colts, Giants
Packers second-round wide receiver Christian Watson was placed on the PUP before training camp opened, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky writes that the rookie could miss a chunk of training camp. Watson continues to recover from minor knee surgery that took place following minicamp.
“I think there was kind of a thought process [of] do you want to try to push through the season and finish this after the (2022) season or should we just go ahead and do it now?” said Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said. “And we just did it now. So he’ll miss a little bit of time in camp, but it’s nothing long term.
“When we invest what we invested in Christian, we’re obviously looking out for the long term. We always do. He’s a young player who’s got a big career ahead of him, so we want to make sure we protect that. It’ll be how he responds through the rehab. As soon as he’s ready, we’ll get him out there.”
The Packers used the No. 34 pick on the rookie wideout. This naturally led to high expectations for the wideout, especially with Davante Adams out of the picture. The rookie has had only three opportunities to practice with Aaron Rodgers, and the wideout will miss out on chances to click with his QB during the early parts of training camp.
More injury notes from around the NFL…
- Seahawks safety Jamal Adams underwent left shoulder surgery for the second-straight year, but he also underwent multiple finger surgeries during the offseason. Adams will be sidelined for “some time” while he gets his previously-injured hand checked out, coach Pete Carroll told ESPN’s Brady Henderson (Twitter link). “Yesterday his hand just wasn’t right, so he’s getting some opinions about it,” the coach said.
- Jaguars running back James Robinson didn’t start training camp on PUP, but he won’t be a full participant right away, tweets ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter). The hope is that Robinson will be fully cleared to participate in games by mid-August, meaning he could be active for the start of the regular season. Robinson tore his Achilles in Week 16 of the 2021 campaign, putting his early-season availability in doubt. Meanwhile, DiRocco notes that linebacker Devin Lloyd tweaked his hamstring during a conditioning test and will be sidelined for a few days.
- Colts All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard (previously Darius Leonard) was placed on PUP following offseason back surgery. The intent of the procedure was to relieve pressure on nerves in his back, and there was hope the surgery would also improve “functionality issues” in his left leg. Fortunately, Leonard said he immediately noticed a positive difference following the operation, and he said he’s focused on his rehab as training camp starts. “I’m not putting a timetable on it, but when I’m ready, you’ll see me on the field after that,” Leonard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “I’m ready to continue with my rehab, I’m happy with where I’m at right now, and hopefully we’ll continue to go forward with this process.”
- Giants wideout Sterling Shepard was placed on PUP as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the goal is for Shepard to be ready for the start of the regular season, but it’s still unclear if the receiver will be ready by then. Offensive lineman Nick Gates is also on PUP as he recovers from a lower-leg fracture suffered last September. Duggan passes along that coach Brian Daboll was “surprisingly optimistic” about the status of the OL, revealing that there’s no guarantee that Gates will be forced to miss any time.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from reserve/NFI: TE Alex Ellis
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Darrion Daniels
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Bailey Gaither
- Placed on NFI: G Ben Cleveland
Chicago Bears
- Placed on PUP: DL Sam Kamara, LB Roquan Smith
- Placed on NFI: S Dane Cruikshank, CB Michael Joseph, WR Tajae Sharpe
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Drew Plitt
- Waived: CB John Brannon
- Activated from PUP: G Alex Cappa, RB Samaje Perine
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on PUP: WR Dontario Drummond, WR Michael Gallup, LB Aaron Hansford, CB Quandre Mosely
- Placed on NFI: LB Damone Clark
Detroit Lions
- Placed on PUP: FB Jason Cabinda
- Placed on NFI: S C.J. Moore
- Placed on non-football illness: T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: Ishmael Hyman
- Released: LB Caliph Brice
- Activated from PUP: OT Caleb Jones, DE Dean Lowry, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Placed on PUP: DE Jordan Jenkins, DB Tristin McCollum, TE Teagan Quitoriano
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from PUP: DL Tyquan Lewis, S Rodney McLeod
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released (failed physical designation): DT Cortez Broughton
- Activated from PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Tino Ellis
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from PUP: Nick Vannett
- Placed on NFI: LB Pete Werner
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Garrett McGhin
- Waived (failure to disclose physical condition designation): OT Kamaal Seymour
- Activated from PUP: TE Daniel Bellinger
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Luq Barcoo
- Waived: DB Jovante Moffat
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on PUP: DE Tyson Alualu
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Keenan Forbes, G Eric Wilson
Packers Pursued Julio Jones; Colts Did Not Show Interest
Julio Jones‘ Buccaneers agreement — a one-year, $6MM deal — became official Wednesday morning. The future Hall of Fame wide receiver joined a team that already carried one of the NFL’s best receiving groups, but he was linked to teams with question marks at the position.
The Packers were another team to pursue Jones, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). While other teams are believed to be involved here, Tampa Bay and Green Bay represent Jones’ known suitors. The Colts were not involved, with GM Chris Ballard indicating the team was not planning to add the former Falcons and Titans target (Twitter link via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson).
Green Bay represented one of Odell Beckham Jr.‘s most prominent pursuers last year, and the Jones situation unfolded similarly. After Beckham joined the Rams, Jones is set up to help another Packers NFC rival. The Pack offered Beckham the veteran minimum; the Rams came in with a better proposal to snare the talented wideout last November. It appears likely the Packers’ Jones offer came in south of the Bucs’, sending the All-Decade pass catcher to a team flush with receiver options.
The Packers are attempting to regroup at wideout, having lost their top two options from recent years — Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. They did add Sammy Watkins in free agency and North Dakota State’s Christian Watson in Round 2, before also drafting Nevada’s Romeo Doubs in Round 4. But the team’s receiving corps is light on dependable players and noticeably lacks a No. 1-type option — barring Watson breaking out quickly. Green Bay has been linked to OBJ again this offseason, but Los Angeles has shown far more consistent interest.
Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb represent the Packers’ top holdover options, with the former having an opportunity to make a major climb in Aaron Rodgers‘ aerial hierarchy ahead of a potential 2023 free agency bid. Beyond Beckham, veterans like Emmanuel Sanders, T.Y. Hilton, Cole Beasley and Will Fuller remain unsigned. But Jones moves a key piece off the board.
Linked consistently to the Colts this offseason, Hilton remains on the team’s radar. Ballard confirmed the team has not ruled out a reunion with the third-leading receiver in team history (Twitter link via Erickson). The Colts lost Zach Pascal to the Eagles in free agency and are counting on second-round rookie Alec Pierce to be a key auxiliary piece in their Michael Pittman Jr.-fronted receiving cadre. Beyond Pittman, the Colts are thin on known commodities at the receiver position. Parris Campbell remains in the team’s plans, but injuries have defined his career through three years. Second-year player Mike Strachan underwent knee surgery this summer, per The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, who adds (via Twitter) the 2021 seventh-round pick may be sidelined until the final days of training camp.
Packers LT David Bakhtiari Underwent Offseason Knee Surgery
The Packers continue to wait for their All-Pro left tackle to return to regular duty. They placed David Bakhtiari on the active/PUP list to start training camp, extending this lengthy delay. More potential cause for concern emerged Wednesday.
GM Brian Gutekunst indicated Bakhtiari underwent another knee surgery this offseason, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Bakhtiari, who has played in one game since suffering an ACL tear during a New Year’s Eve 2020 practice, did not participate in Green Bay’s offseason program.
This procedure — the third known surgery for Bakhtiari since that ACL tear — occurred just before Packers OTAs began, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette tweets. Bakhtiari, 30, underwent a second procedure — after the initial reconstruction, which occurred shortly after the tear — during the 2021 offseason.
When asked if Bakhtiari would be available in Week 1, Gutekunst said the team will not place a timetable on this situation. This is consistent with how Matt LaFleur has addressed the Bakhtiari issue throughout the offseason. The Packers spent most of last season without both their top offensive linemen, and Elgton Jenkins joins Bakhtiari on the active/PUP list to start camp. Players can stay on the active/PUP list until August 23, when they must be activated or begin the season on the reserve/PUP list — which requires a four-week absence.
Jenkins is a candidate to start the regular season on the reserve/PUP list, with the Packers — as Bakhtiari’s situation has shown over the past year and change — being one of the more cautious teams regarding returns from injury. These two Pro Bowl blockers have not played in a game together since Week 16 of the 2020 season.
The Packers brought Bakhtiari along slowly last year, placing him on the reserve/PUP list to start the season. But the decorated lineman being activated Nov. 10 and then not playing for more than a month brought some alarm bells. Bakhtiari played just 27 snaps last season, working his way back onto the field in the Packers’ meaningless Week 18 game against the Lions. That game action, however, left Bakhtiari unable to suit up for the Packers’ divisional-round game. Bakhtiari admitted (via Wood, on Twitter) he did not feel 100% going into that Week 18 contest.
Bakhtiari signed a four-year, $92MM extension during the 2020 season. His multiyear troubles dealing with the same injury mirror those of Ronnie Stanley, who inked his big-ticket Ravens extension just before going down with what has been a troublesome ankle malady. Both players earn top-five O-line money, and two franchises await their respective returns.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on NFI: WR Marquise Brown
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Allie Green, OL Willie Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on PUP: OT Jack Conklin, CB Denzel Ward
- Placed on NFI: DT Sheldon Day, LB Anthony Walker Jr.
- Placed on non-football illness: WR Javon Wims
Denver Broncos
- Placed on PUP: LB Randy Gregory, WR KJ Hamler, OL Billy Turner
- Placed on NFI : LB Christopher Allen
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Ty Clary, WR Osirus Mitchell
- Placed on NFI: WR Sammy Watkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst
- Waived: WR Kekoa Crawford, DT Caeveon Patton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DT Vernon Butler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on PUP: LB Kenneth Murray
Miami Dolphins
- Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on NFI: CB Nate Hairston
New England Patriots
- Released: C Darryl Williams
- Activated from PUP: LB Raekwon McMillan
- Placed on NFI: CB Myles Bryant
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OL Derek Schweiger
- Placed on NFI: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Signed: S Andrew Adams, WR Marcus Kemp, OT Kamaal Seymour
- Released: DB Maurice Canady
- Waived: DB Henry Black, DT Jabari Ellis, WR Travis Toivonen
- Placed on PUP: C Nick Gates, OT Matt Peart, WR Sterling Shepard
- Placed on NFI: LB Azeez Ojulari
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/PR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, OL Isaiah Williams
- Released: CB Craig James, WR D.J. Montgomery, OL Dru Samia
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jaedan Graham, DT Kobe Smith
- Waived: WR Josh Hammond
- Waived with NFI desgination: DT Noah Elliss
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Robert Nkemidiche
- Placed on PUP: CB Jason Verrett, TE Charlie Woerner
- Placed on NFI: DT Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jake Hausmann
- Waived with failed physical designation: LB Ben Burr-Kirven
- Placed on PUP: CB Tre Brown, LB Jon Rhattigan, OT Liam Ryan, OLB Tyreke Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: TE Codey McElroy
Washington Commanders
- Placed on PUP: C Tyler Larsen, C Chase Roullier, TE Logan Thomas, DE Chase Young
- Placed on NFI: OT Cornelius Lucas
NFL Workouts: 7/25/22
As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.
Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:
Atlanta Falcons
- CB DeMarkus Acy, CB Cortez Davis, CB Troy Pride
Baltimore Ravens
- RB Wayne Gallman, RB Corey Clement (signed), QB Vad Lee
Buffalo Bills
- CB Luq Barcoo, CB Donte Deayon, TE Stephen Carlson, TE Austin Fort, TE Gene Scott, S Marqui Christian, G Jamil Demby, G Jordan Simmons (signed), T Drew Himmelman, DE Damontre Moore, C Cole Toner
Carolina Panthers
- NT Danny Shelton (story)
Chicago Bears
- OL Michael Schofield (signed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB T.J. Brunson, LB Tegray Scales (signed), DT Domenique Davis (signed), DE Raymond Johnson (signed), DE Chris Odom, TE MyCole Pruitt
Green Bay Packers
- QB Nate Stanley, WR Jonathan Adams, WR Osirus Mitchell (signed), WR Ryan Wisniewski, C Ty Clary, G Denzel Okafor, CB Donte Vaughn, S Dallin Leavitt (signed)
Houston Texans
- RB Austin Walter, RB Artavis Pierce, RB Max Borghi, RB Cyrus Habibi-Likio
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst, WR Ishmael Hyman, WR Tyson Morris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB Kyle Sloter (signed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- T Evin Ksiezarczyk (signed), David Steinmetz (signed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- S Steven Parker, S Jarrod Wilson, DE Abdullah Anderson, TE Ryan Becker, TE Cole Hikutini, TE Ethan Wolf
New England
- WR Derrick Dillon, WR Terry Godwin, WR Andrew Jamiel, WR Cinque Sweeting, TE La’Michael Pettway
New York Giants
- T Kendall Lamm, TE Eric Ebron, S Andrew Adams (signed), S Jack Koerner, T Caleb Benenoch, T Kamaal Seymour, DT Darrion Daniels, TE Kahale Warring, WR Marcus Kemp, DE Nicholas Williams
New York Jets
- WR Pharoh Cooper, WR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, G Isaiah Williams (signed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- RB JaQuan Hardy, TE Connor Davis, TE Jaeden Graham, TE Farrod Greene, RB Trey Ragas, WR Lance Lenoir, C Cameron Tom
San Francisco 49ers
- DE T.J. Carter, DT Tomasi Laulile, DT Robert Nkemdiche
Seattle Seahawks
- K Brandon Aubrey, DT Jared Brinkman, DT Antonio Valentino, TE Jake Hausmann, TE Rodell Rahmaan, DE Adam Rodriguez
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE Kyle Rudolph (signed)
Tennessee Titans
- S Jalen Elliott, CB Joshua Kalu (signed)