Monday Injury Rounds: Week 2 - Footballguys

Jene Bramel's Monday Injury Rounds: Week 2 - Footballguys Jene Bramel Published 09/10/2018

NOTE: During the regular season, this column is a living document through Tuesday morning. I'll be updating as needed after team press conferences, imaging reports, Monday Night Football injuries, etc. Major changes to the content will be noted in red.

Scroll to the bottom of this article for a quick look table of the week's most pressing injury situations and a review of players on injured reserve / PUP / NFI.


Footballguys will have close and detailed coverage of all injuries this season. Here's a look at my expected schedule. I will do my best to stick to this. Work and family responsibilities may sometimes cause brief delays.

Monday Injury Rounds: Posted Sunday night, updated through Tuesday AM. Detailed analysis of the week's injuries with table for quick review. Offensive injuries will be live Sunday night. Critical defensive and offensive line injuries will be added throughout the day on Monday. I'll be updating with news and analysis through Tuesday.

Midweek Injury Expectations: Posted Wednesday night. Analysis of the practice participation report with a table including my projection of each injured player's likely game status. Will include discussion of any major breaking injury news.

Sunday Gameday Expectations: Posted by Saturday afternoon, updated through Sunday morning inactives. Will include individual player blurbs with detailed thoughts on the week's injury news and my speculation on player availability and limitations. Will include table highlighting each day's practice participation, official game status, and my availability expectation.

I'll be contributing to our waiver wire podcast (Tuesday release) and our live Sunday morning pregame show (10 ET Sunday on YouTube). I will also be retweeting key pieces of news and my own reaction and analysis, so make sure you're following @JeneBramel and checking my timeline on Twitter throughout the week.


INJURY ROUNDS

Aaron Rodgers | Left knee injury | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2

Note: This entire entry was re-written on Monday night. Thanks to the readers who asked for clarification of a poorly written set of paragraphs.

Rodgers had his left leg bent awkwardly underneath him on Sunday night. Despite multiple replays, it was not clear what type of injury Rodgers had sustained. Rodgers would leave on the cart for further evaluation -- which prompted concern for a season-ending injury -- only to return in the second half and lead the Packers to a stunning comeback win.

Though Rodgers was effective during the comeback, his movement in the pocket was obviously limited. He was reluctant to rotate over his front plant foot and could not bend his knee to tie his shoes in the fourth quarter. After the game, Rodgers said he was already experiencing swelling in his injured knee. He also reminded reporters he had a procedure to clean up his left knee in 2015, the same knee he had ACL surgery on in college.

Two major injury categories are possible here -- ligament or cartilage.

It's possible Rodgers sprained a ligament in his knee, most likely the medial collateral ligament (MCL) on the inside of his knee. Players sometimes play through low-grade MCL sprains. However, even a low-grade sprain can affect the stability of the knee and put a player at risk of more severe injury. it seems unlikely that the usually conservative Green Bay medical staff would clear Rodgers to return with a ligament injury.

The other possibility is a cartilage or meniscus injury. Injuries to these shock absorbers can be aggravated by playing but won't affect the stability of the knee joint and put other major ligaments at risk of injury. These injuries also lead to stiffness and swelling. Rodgers' post-game comments about wearing a sleeve to keep the joint loose fit a meniscus or cartilage injury more than a ligament sprain. And Rodgers' 2015 surgery likely addressed some leftover meniscus or cartilage issues.

Rodgers likely had an MRI on Monday but the Packers would only say they were continuing to gather information.

It's too soon to handicap Rodgers' odds of playing in Week 2. He's been cleared to play while hobbling through calf and hamstring strains in the past and he's going to push hard to play in a home divisional matchup against Minnesota this week.

However, he's likely more stiff and sore on Monday. The Packers' medical staff was very careful with his recovery from a collarbone fracture in the past and exhibited similar caution with other key players in the past. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, Jermichael Finley, and Morgan Burnett were all kept from playing until their worrisome injuries were near fully healed.

If Rodgers has a ligament injury to his knee and shows any signs of looseness to the joint, the medical staff isn't likely to clear him. If there are no worries about the stability of his knee, he'll still have to prove he can be mobile enough to protect himself from further injury by the end of the week.

For now, I think Rodgers more week-to-week than day-to-day. While there are no indications of a season-threatening injury, it's possible Rodgers will need more than a week to recover.

Leonard Fournette | Right hamstring strain | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2

Fournette told reporters he could have returned to the game after a first-half hamstring strain. However, the team didn't clear him to return to the sideline until late in the second half and the way he grabbed at his hamstring coming off the field raises concern. Expect him to have an MRI on Monday to evaluate the severity of his strain. Fournette will have the benefit of a late afternoon home game in Week 2, but he should be considered questionable until we see how much he does in practice mid-week.

Luke Kuechly | Left leg injury | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 2

Kuechly was briefly in pain after hyper-extending his left leg while making a tackle. After the game, Kuechly told reporters he would be fine. It won't be surprising if the Panthers send Kuechly for imaging on Monday, however. There were hints of a low-grade LCL injury and/or a mild bone bruise on video. I'll update with anything of note on Monday.

Doug Baldwin | Right MCL sprain | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2

Baldwin was injured while blocking downfield. His MCL sprain is unrelated to his offseason left knee condition. Pete Carroll told reporters Baldwin would need further evaluation before committing to a recovery timetable. Video suggests Baldwin has a low-grade sprain but recovery from MCL sprains can be tough to predict. Baldwin could return in two weeks if he feels his joint is stable. But players sometimes need 3-4 weeks to recover from low-grade injuries. And given his recent left knee soreness, it's likely the Seahawks will err on the side of caution with Baldwin at increased risk of aggravating that injury as he recovers.

Monday Update: Baldwin reportedly has a Grade 2 MCL sprain. While technically a mid-grade injury, there's a ton of room between a Grade 1 sprain (microtears within the ligament) and a Grade 3 sprain (ruptured ligament). If Baldwin's injury is closer to the Grade 1 end of the continuum, he may still be able to return within 1-2 weeks. If the injury is anything more than that, however, Baldwin's recovery could well take 4-6 weeks. Pete Carroll told reporters the Seahawks weren't sure how long Baldwin would be out. That's not reassuring. Prepare for Baldwin to be much closer to the 4-6 week recovery timeframe than 1-2 weeks. And if Baldwin's recovery stretches to the four-week mark, Seattle's Week 7 bye week may play a role in the decision-making process.

Greg Olsen | Right foot injury | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2

Olsen stepped on a defender's foot during a route and could not finish the game. Later seen in a walking boot with crutches, Olsen's history of a 2017 Jones' fracture repair -- an injury that commonly requires revision surgery -- raises immediate concern for a recurrent foot fracture. Teammates said Olsen had yet to have an x-ray. That's unlikely, given the mechanism of injury and his history. Rivera told reporters Olsen's injury was not the same thing as last year. However, Rivera wasn't accurate when describing Kuechly's injury during his post-game remarks and shouldn't be trusted here either. If Olsen did avoid another foot fracture, he may still have suffered a multiple-week foot sprain. Expect to hear Olsen will have additional imaging on Monday. Hopefully, those reports won't be followed by a trip to see Dr. Robert Anderson, who repaired Olsen's previous foot fracture.

Delanie Walker | Right ankle fracture / dislocation | Out for Season | Injured reserve

Walker suffered an obvious right ankle fracture after getting rolled up on during a tackle. The Titans immediately immobilized Walker's leg and carted him to the locker room. Walker's injury will require surgical fixation of the broken bone and also repair of a ligament injury. Rehab and recovery will keep him out until 2019.

Monday Update: The Titans confirmed Walker suffered a fracture/dislocation of his ankle. He will have surgery and be placed on injured reserve.

Marcus Mariota | Right elbow injury | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2

Mariota took a glancing blow to the side of his arm after releasing a pass and eventually left the game. On the sideline, Mariota indicated the inside of his elbow was sore and seemed to have difficulty gripping with his right hand. There's a wide range of possibilities here -- from a less likely small fracture or ligament injury to a more likely contusion around the joint. Mariota had an x-ray after the game and could require additional imaging on Monday. If Mariota does have a contusion around the joint, it may involve the nerve on the inside of the elbow. Those injuries often recover quickly but can sometimes cause lingering tingling or weakness. The Titans will know more about Mariota's recovery tomorrow morning.

Others of note:

Devonta Freeman remained on the sideline with a knee injury during the second half Thursday night. Freeman told reporters he was fine and the Falcons have not given any indication the injury is serious. After recovering from a PCL sprain without surgery this offseason, any concern about Freeman's knee should be followed closely.

Marquise Goodwin suffered a quad contusion but was able to return to the game. DeSean Jackson is in the return-to-play concussion protocol. Jeremy Hill likely suffered at least high-grade MCL sprain and will miss multiple weeks.

Monday Update: Hill suffered an ACL and MCL injury. He will have reconstructive surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Offensive line and defensive notes:

Keanu Neal tore his left ACL on Thursday night and has been placed on injured reserve. Carolina offensive tackle Daryl Williams aggravated a preseason knee injury, will likely miss multiple weeks, and may need surgery. Houston offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson suffered a high ankle sprain with an associated ankle fracture and will likely have surgery and miss the rest of the season. Tennessee offensive tackle Taylor Lewan was diagnosed with a concussion. San Francisco lost starting guard Mike Person (foot strain) and backup Josh Garnett (dislocated toe).


Follow-up Appointments

Carson Wentz | Left ACL reconstruction / LCL repair | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2

The Wentz saga continues.

Last weekend, Ian Rapoport suggested it would be several more weeks before Wentz was cleared to return. On Sunday morning, Chris Mortensen reported the Eagles are now optimistic Wentz may be able to return much sooner. Philadelphia's training staff has been carefully tracking Wentz's practice GPS data and biomechanical recovery to ensure his knee will hold up to football speed and stress. Mortensen now gives Wentz a chance at returning in Week 3.

While it's important to track each update, the final hurdle for Wentz is still clearance for contact. Only when that's happened can we expect Wentz is within two weeks of returning.

Joey Bosa | Left foot injury | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2

Bosa reportedly suffered a second injury to his left foot during practice on Wednesday. He has been immobilized in a walking boot since the injury and will reportedly see Dr. Robert Anderson for a second opinion on Wednesday. Ian Rapoport is calling the latest injury a bone bruise but there are no additional details about location or severity. Second opinions from specialists often include discussions about surgical intervention; more rarely, the discussion involves a more conservative rehab approach. We'll know more by mid-week but Bosa looks doubtful at best this week.

Alshon Jeffery | Right rotator cuff repair | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2

Jeffery acknowledged he was still a few weeks away in an interview last week as he continues to strengthen his shoulder in rehab.

Marlon Mack | Left hamstring strain | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2

Mack was able to return to consecutive limited practices last week as he continues to recondition after an early preseason hamstring strain. The Colts were appropriately cautious with Mack in Week 1. Barring an aggravation, expect Mack to do more in practice this week.

Sony Michel | Knee procedure | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2

Bill Belichick was uncharacteristically revealing last week when discussing Michel's recovery from an early offseason knee procedure, telling reporters Michel was making progress but not yet game ready. After a week of limited practice, it was not surprising to see Michel on the inactive list Sunday. The rookie running back is much more likely to be active this week, as Jeremy Hill will likely miss multiple weeks with a knee injury.

Will Fuller | Hamstring strain | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2

Fuller managed three limited practices last week and traveled with the team to New England before being declared inactive. Unless there was a late-week setback, Fuller should be closer to returning in Week 2.

Others of note:

Andrus Peat and Anthony Castonzo continue to recover from preseason soft-tissue injuries. The New Orleans and Indianapolis offensive lines need them back soon. Olivier Vernon and Harold Landry are still recovering from preseason high ankle sprains.


INJURED PLAYERS ON ACTIVE ROSTER

Quarterbacks Injured | On the Active Roster
Player
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
GB
Left knee injury
Week 1
Day-to-Day
Day-to-Day
Questionable Week 2
Phi
Left ACL reconstruction / LCL repair
Mid-December 2017
Week-to-Week
Week-to-Week | Week 3+ Return
Doubtful Week 2
Ten
Right elbow injury
Week 1
Awaiting Information
Day-to-Day
Probable Week 2
Running Backs Injured | On the Active Roster
Player
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Jac
Right hamstring strain
Week 1
Day-to-Day
Day-to-Day
Questionable Week 2
Atl
Knee injury
Week 1
Day-to-Day
Day-to-Day
Probable Week 2
Ind
Left hamstring strain
PS Week 1
Week-to-Week
Week-to-Week
Questionable Week 2
NE
Fluid aspiration knee joint PS Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Limited Role Week 2
NE
Right ACL / MCL sprain Week 1 Injured reserve IR | 2019 return Out Week 2
Bal
Knee injury Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
NYG
Knee injury Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Probable Week 2
Wide Receivers Injured | On the Active Roster
Player
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Sea
Right MCL sprain
Week 1
Week-to-Week 2-6 Weeks | Week 4+ return Out Week 2
Phi
Right rotator cuff repair
Mid-February 2018
Week-to-Week Week-to-Week | Week 4-6+ return Out Week 2
SF
Quad strain
Week 1
Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Probable Week 2
Was
Concussion
Week 1
Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Questionable Week 2
Will Fuller
Hou
Hamstring strain
PS Week 2
Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Questionable Week 2
NYJ
Abdominal injury
PS Week 3
Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Questionable Week 2
Mia
Finger fracture
PS Week 1
Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Questionable Week 2
Car
Cardiac procedure
PS Week 4
Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Questionable Week 2
Tight Ends Injured | On the Active Roster
Player
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Car
Right foot injury
Week 1
Awaiting Information
Week-to-Week
Doubtful Week 2
Ten
Right ankle fracture / dislocation
Week 1
Injured reserve
Injured reserve | 2019 return
Out for season
Pit
Right foot injury
Early preseason
Week-to-Week
Week-to-Week
Questionable Week 2
Bal
Foot stress fracture fixation
PS Week 3
3-4 Weeks
4+ Weeks
Out Week 2
Ari
Right Achilles repair
Late December 2017
Week-to-Week
Week-to-Week
Questionable Week 2
Offensive Linemen Injured | On the Active Roster
Tackles
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Andrus Peat NO Quad strain Preseason Day-to-Day Day-to-Day
Taylor Lewan Ten Concussion Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day
Jack Conklin Ten ACL reconstruction Early January 2018 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Anthony Castonzo Ind Hamstring strain Aggravated PS Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day
Daryl Williams Car Right MCL sprain Aggravated Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Seantrel Henderson Hou Left ankle fracture w/ high ankle sprain Week 1 Injured reserve Injured reserve | 2019 return
Andre Smith Ari Elbow injury Week 1 Awaiting information Week-to-Week
Denzelle Good Ind Knee injury PS Week 4 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
J'Marcus Webb Ind Hamstring strain Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Guards
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
D.J. Fluker Sea Hamstring strain Preseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Mike Person SF Foot strain Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Josh Garnett SF Toe dislocation Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Centers
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Travis Frederick Dal Guillain-Barre Syndrome Preseason Week-to-Week Month-to-Month | Week 4+ Return
Pat Elflein Min Ankle / shoulder surgery Offseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week | Week 3+ Return
Defensive Players Injured | On the Active Roster
Edge Rushers
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Joey Bosa LAC Left foot sprain PS Week 1 Day-to-Day Week-to-Week Doubtful Week 2
Carlos Dunlap Cin Calf injury Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day
Olivier Vernon NYG Ankle sprain / contusion PS Week 4 Day-to-Day Week-to-Week Questionable Week 2
Ezekiel Ansah Det Shoulder injury Week 1 Awaiting information Awaiting information
Emmanuel Ogbah Cle Ankle injury Week 1 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Doubtful Week 2
Markus Golden Ari ACL reconstruction Early October 2018 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Harold Landry Ten High ankle sprain PS Week 3 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Randy Gregory Dal Concussion Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day
Defensive Linemen
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Vita Vea TB Calf strain Offseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Linebackers
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says
FBG Expects
Notes
Luke Kuechly Car Left leg injury Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Probable Week 2
Deion Jones Atl Foot injury Week 1 Awaiting Information Week-to-Week Questionable Week 2
Mark Barron LAR Achilles inflammation Preseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Doubtful Week 2
K.J. Wright Sea Arthroscopic knee surgery PS Week 4 Week-to-Week Week-to-Week | Week 2+ Return Questionable Week 2
Preston Brown Cin Ankle injury Week 1 Day-to-Day Day-to-Day Questionable Week 2
Malcolm Smith SF Hamstring strain Preseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week Questionable Week 2
Rashaan Evans Ten Hamstring strain Early preseason Week-to-Week Week-to-Week
Defensive Backs
Team
Injury
Date
Player/Team Says