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Injury Updates: Sunday

September 21st, 2014 at 8:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

The NFL is almost through another week of football, and the injuries are piling up yet again. An unfortunate reality of the league is that no team will leave healthy from week to week.

Zach Links and Luke Adams have already discussed some of the bigger names to go down. Matt Cassel‘s foot injury paved the way for Vikings‘ first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater‘s NFL debut. Dennis Pitta left the Ravens‘ win with a dislocated hip, and Chargers‘ tailback Danny Woodhead could miss the rest of the season with a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula.

Here are some other injury notes from around the NFL:

West Notes: McKenzie, Broncos, Woodhead

September 21st, 2014 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Parks

As the early afternoon games get underway, let’s have a look at some items from the league’s west divisions:

  • With the sale of the Bills for $1.4 billion to be voted on by team owners within the next few weeks, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that there is a growing sense that the Raiders could fetch at least $2 billion and wonders if owner Mark Davis would sell.
  • Citing a team source, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Raiders appear willing to let head coach Dennis Allen “coach his way out” of the team’s early struggles, at least until late in the season.
  • Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Raiders‘ GM Reggie McKenzie is in no danger of losing his job.
  • David Migoya of the Denver Post writes that the NFL has said it will not allow the Broncos‘ search for a new owner to go on indefinitely, so the Pat Bowlen Trust will have to determine within the next two years which of Bowlen’s seven children will step into his shoes. If that does not happen, the team will have to be sold.
  • Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com describes how the Chargers will go about replacing Ryan Mathews, who will be sidelined for an extended period of time with an MCL knee strain. Although Donald Brown and Danny Woodhead were expected to share the majority of the workload, Woodhead’s injury today (he was carted off the field, per a tweet from La Canfora) means that undrafted rookie free agent Branden Oliver could be seeing action sooner than anticipated.
  • Kent Somers of AZCentral.com describes how the Cardinals’ depth is being tested to an extreme degree in 2014 and how the team has overcome early-season adversity thus far.

Chargers Place Melvin Ingram On IR-DTR

September 20th, 2014 at 6:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have used the designated to return spot on their injured reserve, placing linebacker Melvin Ingram on the list, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). Ingram, who suffered a hip injury, will now miss at least the next six weeks of practices and eight weeks of games.

In Ingram’s absence, players like Jarret Johnson, rookie Jeremiah Attaochu, and perhaps Tourek Williams could be in line for expanded roles, though it won’t be easy for them to replicate Ingram’s production as a pass rusher. Like fellow starting outside linebacker Dwight Freeney, Ingram recorded a sack and 10 overall quarterback pressures during the season’s first two games, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).

The Chargers haven’t made a corresponding move to fill Ingram’s spot on the roster, so for now, San Diego is the NFL’s only team carrying 52 players, by our count.

To keep tabs on how teams around the league have used their IR-DTR spot this season, be sure to check out our tracker.

NFC Notes: Hester, Urlacher, Sproles

September 16th, 2014 at 9:11pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WFAN’s Boomer & Carton show, Lions tailback Reggie Bush said that embattled Vikings running back Adrian Peterson should be allowed to play football, writes NFL.com’s Marc Sessler. “Adrian Peterson, I’ve known for a while, and he’s a good guy,” Bush said. “... I don’t know all the details of the situation what happened, but I know me and like a lot of other guys who were born in the ’80s, and even before then, were raised differently and disciplined differently. And I was one of those kids. I got what we called ‘whoopings,’ whooped with belts and stuff like that. For me, growing up, it was normal. And not to say, not to try to downplay the situation at all, I think that this is genuine, and obviously, I’m sure there’s no ill intent against his own son.” More from the NFC..

  • Coach Lovie Smith definitely wanted Devin Hester in Tampa but the money situation simply didn’t work out in the Bucs‘ favor, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former Bears standout wound up signing with the Falcons this offseason.
  • Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher resigned his job as a broadcaster job at FOX Sports 1 Tuesday and the Bucs have an injury to starting middle linebacker Mason Foster. Some may be wondering if Urlacher would be a fit for Tampa Bay but if it does happen, it won’t be this week, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Bucs plan to go with backup middle linebacker Dane Fletcher in Thursday night’s game at Atlanta.
  • Former Eagles president Joe Banner tweeted that he tried to sign Darren Sproles when he a free agent after his time with the Chargers. However, the speedy tailback badly wanted to reunite with Drew Brees in New Orleans and wound up with the Saints. Sproles’ presence in Philadelphia years earlier might have made a big difference for the team, Banner writes.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap gives his thoughts on Robert Quinn‘s extension with the Rams. The contract is similar to what Fitzgerald envisioned for J.J. Watt initially – it underpays him for his production, but it gives him a window for another mega-contract in just a few years. Quinn also gets a decent guarantee package from St. Louis.
  • The Peterson case shows a lack of leadership on the NFL’s part, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press. The Vikings said they’ll let things play out in court for the running back but Powers notes that defensive back Chris Cook, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, and running back Caleb King were never given the same benefit of the doubt when they were in hot water.

Injury Updates: Monday

September 15th, 2014 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest updates and timelines on a number of notable injuries suffered during Week 2’s slate of games:

  • Robert Griffin III told reporters today, including Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter), that an MRI showed no fracture in his injured ankle. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that the Redskins continue to be optimistic about RGIII‘s recovery timetable, suggesting that he may just miss four or five weeks.
  • Saints running back Mark Ingram is expected to miss about a month due to the hand injury he suffered during the club’s game against the Browns yesterday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson figure to receive the majority of the backfield touches in Ingram’s absence.
  • Another running back may be sidelined for the next month, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Ryan Mathews has an MCL sprain that could keep him out for four or five weeks. Mathews is hoping to return to the Chargers sooner than that.
  • Giants nickel corner Walter Thurmond suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the Cardinals, and will miss the rest of the season, a source tells Pro Football Talk. Thurmond signed a one-year contract with the team in the offseason, so he may have played his last snap for the Giants.
  • There’s uncertainty about the timeline for Jamaal Charles‘ return, according to Schefter, who says (via Twitter) that the Chiefs running back has a sprained ankle. How soon Charles can play will depend on how well he’s able to move on it, and how it feels.
  • Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson woke up “sore” after sustaining a shoulder injury yesterday, but it appear he avoided any major structural damage, per Cole (via Twitter).

Major Injuries: Week 2

September 14th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Rory Parks

Here at Pro Football Rumors, we tend to stay away from injury news and report instead on issues concerning player movement, transactions, etc. However, when there is a major injury to a star player, the potential roster impacts of such an injury are readily apparent. As such, we will update this post with those injuries from Week 2 that could significantly alter a team’s personnel decisions going forward.

  • Chiefs‘ star players Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry were both ruled out of today’s 24-17 loss to the Broncos (via Twitter). Head coach Andy Reid said both players had suffered ankle injuries, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). Charles will have an MRI tomorrow to test the seriousness of his injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • Earlier, we saw that Bengals‘ receiver A.J. Green went down with a toe injury. Green said after the game that his toe is not broken and that he hopes to play next week, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Pro Football Talk reports that a league source believes Green should Dr. Anderson in Charlotte to rule out a Lisfranc injury (via Twitter).
  • Chargers‘ running back Ryan Mathews suffered a sprained MCL in the team’s impressive 30-21 victory over the Seahawks, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego. He will undergo further tests to see the extent of the injury.
  • The Rams‘ versatile playmaker Tavon Austin exited today’s 19-17 win over the Buccaneers with a knee injury, reports Nick Wagoner of ESPN (via Twitter). The extend of the injury is unknown, and Austin will have more tests tomorrow.
  • Buccaneers‘ defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was also injured in that game, reportedly breaking his hand, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). It has yet to be determined whether or not McCoy will be able to play through the injury.
  • Bears‘ star cornerback Charles Tillman left the Sunday Night Football game with a triceps injury, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune notes that it was a right biceps injury just like this one that forced Tillman to miss a huge chunk of the 2013 campaign (via Twitter).
  • Giants‘ cornerback Walter Thurmond suffered what is thought to be a strained pectoral muscle in the team’s 25-14 loss to the Cardinals, reports Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Post (via Twitter). He will receive an MRI tomorrow to confirm.
  • Another key piece to the Giants‘ defense, Jon Beason, suffered a toe injury, according to Vacchiano (via Twitter). Vacchiano notes that the team is worried considering a toe injury on the same foot caused him to miss nearly the entire offseason.

Earlier Updates

  • Dolphins RB Knowshon Moreno has suffered a dislocated elbow and is expected to miss four to eight weeks, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
  • We learned earlier today that Griffin suffered a dislocated ankle and could miss the remainder of the season, depending on the severity of the injury.
  • Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III suffered an injury to his left ankle, and Washington receiver DeSean Jackson injured his shoulder in today’s game against the Jaguars. The team announced (Twitter links) that neither player will return to the game.
  • Meanwhile, Bengals receiver A.J. Green suffered a toe injury in today’s game against the Falcons and will not return, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com.

 

Chargers Sign Doug Legursky

September 11th, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

12:51pm: The Chargers have officially announced the signing of Legursky in a press release.

11:30am: In the wake of Nick Hardwick‘s season-ending neck injury, the Chargers will add some offensive line depth by signing veteran lineman Doug Legursky to their roster, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Legursky, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers, made 17 starts in 51 total games for Pittsburgh before joining the Bills for the 2013 season. After starting 11 contests in Buffalo, Legursky was cut loose last month when the team trimmed its roster down from 75 to 53 players. The 28-year-old worked out for the Jets earlier this week, but now has found work in San Diego instead.

The Chargers’ press release announcing that Hardwick was done for the year and would be placed on injured reserve indicated that the club planned to replace its starting center with Rich Ohrnberger, so I would assume he’ll still get the first crack at staking his claim to the job. However, if he struggles, we may see Legursky, who has played both center and guard, given the opportunity to earn some playing time.

Chargers Place Nick Hardwick On IR

September 10th, 2014 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have lost veteran center Nick Hardwick for the season, the team announced today in a press release. According to the club, the longtime Chargers center has been placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury. After starting 67 consecutive games for San Diego, Hardwick is still adjusting to the fact that he’ll miss the rest of the 2014 campaign.

“It’s hard and it’s still setting in,” Hardwick said. “I have a touch of shock I guess and I don’t really know how I feel right now. You’re programmed one way and through everything you’ve done you’ve always continued to push forward and push through to find ways to get on the field. Unfortunately for this season it’s not going to happen anymore.”

With Hardwick out of the lineup, San Diego is expected to turn to Rich Ohrnberger as its starting center. The club will also have an open spot on its 53-man roster, so a corresponding move will likely be announced soon.

As for Hardwick, who turns 33 this Friday, he had been in the last year of his contract, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back with the Chargers – or even playing in the NFL at all – next season. This isn’t the first neck injury for the former Pro Bowler, who would require medical clearance before returning to the field.

Chargers Restructure Antonio Gates’ Deal

September 8th, 2014 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have freed up some cap space by converting a portion of Antonio Gates‘ base salary for 2014 into a signing bonus, reports Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). According to McIntyre, the move creates $1.5MM in cap savings for San Diego.

Gates, who is listed as questionable for tonight’s game in Arizona with a hamstring injury, had been set to earn a base salary of $5MM this year, but that figure has been cut to $2MM. The new $3MM bonus will be prorated over the final two years of the contract, adding an extra $1.5MM to next year’s charge.

With Ladarius Green on the rise in San Diego and Gates entering his age-34 season, there’s a reasonable chance he’ll have to accept a pay cut or be released before the 2015 season. After the restructure, the veteran tight end has a cap number of about $9.76MM for next year, including a $5.9MM base salary and about $3.86MM in potential dead money.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Mathis, Bucs, Vikings

September 7th, 2014 at 3:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys won’t face tampering charges resulting from Jones’ June conversation with Adrian Peterson, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Late last month, Don Van Natta of ESPN.com reported that Jones and Peterson had spoken over the phone, and the Vikings running back expressed interest in playing for Dallas. As our Luke Adams noted at the time, if a team is contacted by a player who is under contract with another club, that team must immediately report the contact to the club which holds the player’s rights. Sources tell Mortensen that Jones asked the Cowboys’ legal team to call the Vikings after the story came out, and Minnesota agreed not to file any charges. More from the NFC:

  • An injury forced Evan Mathis from today’s game against the Jaguars, but early indications are that the Eagles guard didn’t tear his ACL, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Losing Mathis, who will have an MRI tomorrow, would be devastating for the Eagles — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him as the best guard in the league last season.
  • Buccaneers offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford will join the team for today’s game after revealing that he recently underwent a coronary angioplasty. “I had a couple stents,” Tedford told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “…It’s nice just to be up and around. We’ll see how much I can do next week and kind of ease back into it.” Quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo will call plays for the Bucs for the time being.
  • Christian Ponder was inactive as the Vikings No. 3 quarterback against the Rams today, and Jason La Canfora wonders (via Twitter) if a trade for the 2011 first-rounder makes sense for a QB-needy team.
  • The 49ers will use Lawrence Okoye, currently a member of San Francisco’s practice squad, at both defensive end and offensive tackle, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, who notes that long-limbed Okoye might fit better along an offensive line than on a defensive front.
  • In a piece for the National Football Post, Joel Corry looks some key questions heading into the 2014 season, including whether the 49ers can overcome absences from contributors like Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman, and Glenn Dorsey.
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