Wednesday Media Updates
***Dalvin Cook will return from a low-grade groin strain this week. Cook had an extended media session on Wednesday and Mike Zimmer told reporters he "assumes" Cook will play. A return to full practice by the end of the week would put him in line for a full Week 8 workload.
***Aaron Jones did not return to practice Wednesday. Matt LaFleur said the decision to rest Jones last week "definitely helped him but he's got to continue to improve and get better each day." LaFleur further told reporters the team won't risk losing Jones long term and will continue to "be smart with him." Given the conservative nature of the Green Bay medical staff, the Wednesday missed practice is a concerning sign.
***Joe Mixon missed practice Wednesday. Still sidelined with a midfoot injury with a bye week looming in Week 9, it appears Cincinnati may continue to rest Mixon this week. If he does not return to a limited practice on Thursday, expect him to be ruled out on Friday.
***The Eagles continue to consider Miles Sanders day-to-day. Wednesday's missed practice is a concern, however, after earlier reports suggested a 1-2 week recovery timetable.
***Three Seattle running backs missed Wednesday's practice. Chris Carson is considered a game-time decision with a foot sprain but is likely more doubtful than questionable. Pete Carroll told reporters Carlos Hyde's hamstring strain was not major. That doesn't guarantee his availability this week but it's a reassuring start. Travis Homer has a knee contusion that held him out and leaves him questionable at best for now.
***Andy Dalton hasn't been cleared for position meetings yet, suggesting the team won't be comfortable with him participating in light exercise until tomorrow. Progress is still possible but Dalton is not trending well for this week.
***Allen Robinson, Phillip Lindsay, Breshad Perriman, and NKeal Harry are all also in the concussion protocol and yet to return to practice.
Injured Reserve additions through Wednesday transactions:
- WR Odell Beckham
- WR DeSean Jackson
Designated to return through Wednesday transactions:
- TE Dallas Goedert -- practiced in pads, trending upward, has chance to play this week
- WR Allen Lazard -- unlikely to return this week, next Thursday looking like reasonable target
- RB Tevin Coleman -- more doubtful than questionable this week
- WR Jalen Reagor -- awaiting clearance for contact, has chance to return this week
- WR Michael Pittman -- still under evaluation by team, likely needs one week to recondition before returning
- TE Jordan Reed -- unlikely to return this week
THURSDAY NIGHT INJURY EXPECTATIONS
Here are the key offensive players listed on the practice participation or game status report for Thursday Night Football:
Atlanta at Carolina
The Panthers designated McCaffrey to return from injured reserve on Wednesday. That means he's been cleared to practice but has yet to be added back to the active roster. Now five and a half weeks into his recovery from a high ankle sprain, he could be nearing a return. However, Carolina expected McCaffrey to be ready to return for any significant workload on a short week, it's more likely the team would have started his position-specific reconditioning last week. Don't expect McCaffrey back until next week.
Julio Jones was briefly limited in practice with a hip condition. He's not listed on the injury report and has now played two consecutive productive weeks with a hamstring strain that's no longer considered important enough to be listed on the practice report.
Early week practice participation and playing expectations
The Wednesday and Thursday practice participation reports are our first chance to see which players each NFL team is limiting in practice after the previous week's games. Players limited in mid-week practice aren't necessarily in danger of missing that week's game. But they all need to be watched closely.
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Quarterbacks
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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| Josh Allen | Buf | Shoulder | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Andy Dalton | Dal | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Sam Darnold | NYJ | Shoulder | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
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Running Backs
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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|||||
| Dalvin Cook | Min | Groin | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Josh Jacobs | LV | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Aaron Jones | GB | Calf | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Joe Mixon | Cin | Foot | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Miles Sanders | Phi | Knee | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Chris Carson | Sea | Foot | DNP | Likely Inactive | |||
| Carlos Hyde | Sea | Hamstring | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
| Travis Homer | Sea | Knee | DNP | Likely Inactive | |||
| DeeJay Dallas | Sea | Arm | Full | Expected to Play | |||
| Kareem Hunt | Cle | Ribs | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Phillip Lindsay | Den | Concussion | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Jeff Wilson | SF | Ankle | DNP | Inactive | |||
| Justin Jackson | LAC | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Mark Ingram | Bal | Ankle | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Adrian Peterson | Det | Abdomen | Not Listed | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| *Devonta Freeman | NYG | Ankle | *DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
| Damien Harris | NE | Ankle | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Darrel Williams | KC | Shoulder | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
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Wide Receivers
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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|||||
| Michael Thomas | NO | Ankle / Hamstring | DNP | Limited | Likely Inactive | ||
| Emmanuel Sanders | NO | COVID | COVID list | COVID list | Inactive | ||
| Marquez Callaway | NO | Ankle | DNP | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| *Chris Godwin | TB | Finger | *DNP | Inactive | |||
| Adam Thielen | Min | Shoulder | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| A.J. Brown | TEN | Knee | Not Listed | DNP | Expected to Play | ||
| Allen Robinson | Chi | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Diontae Johnson | Pit | Toe | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | Pit | Knee | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Deebo Samuel | SF | Hamstring | DNP | Inactive | |||
| Jarvis Landry | Cle | Hip / Ribs | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| DeVante Parker | Mia | Groin | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| John Brown | Buf | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Sammy Watkins | KC | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Jerry Jeudy | Den | Shoulder | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Jamison Crowder | NYJ | Groin | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Breshad Perriman | NYJ | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Julian Edelman | NE | Knee | Limited | DNP | Inactive | ||
| NKeal Harry | NE | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| *Sterling Shepard | NYG | Shoulder / Toe | *Limited | Expected to Play | |||
| Alshon Jeffery | Phi | Calf | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Bryan Edwards | LV | Foot / Ankle | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
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Tight Ends
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
|
|||||
| Noah Fant | Den | Ankle | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Tyler Higbee | LAR | Hand | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Gerald Everett | LAR | Illness | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Austin Hooper | Cle | Abdomen | DNP | DNP | Inactive | ||
| David Njoku | Cle | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Eric Ebron | Pit | Elbow | DNP | Full | Likely to Play | ||
| *Rob Gronkowski | TB | Shoulder | *Limited | Expected to Play | |||
| Dawson Knox | Buf | COVID / Calf | COVID list | COVID list | Inactive | ||
| Robert Tonyan Jr | GB | Ankle / Knee | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Marcedes Lewis | GB | Knee | Limited | DNP | Expected to Play | ||
| Mo Alie-Cox | Ind | Knee | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Cole Kmet | Chi | Back | Limited | Full | Likely to Play | ||
| Adam Shaheen | Mia | Shoulder | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
Note: Asterisk denotes Monday night players who practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.