As the NFL regular season approaches, this article will cover IDP-relevant news and topics from training camps and preseason games. We'll examine injuries, contract situations, camp battles, rookie buzz, and other pertinent IDP topics.
The plan is to have this article ready for your viewing every Thursday until the start of the season. Thanks for tuning in; let's get to it!
IDP News: DT Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh
Cameron Heyward wants a new deal and hints he could be willing to miss games.
Last year, Heyward signed a two-year, $29 million contract extension, making him a Steeler through the 2026 season. At age 35, Heyward posted 71 tackles and eight sacks after signing the extension, earning first-team All-Pro honors last season. Injuries contributed to a down 2023 campaign, but Heyward showed he's healthy and still has juice in the tank last year. And now he wants to be compensated for his play, as the average annual value of his current contract ranks him 22nd among interior defensive linemen.
Heyward has hinted at missing games, extending his holdout or hold-in into the regular season. His potential absence is significant in both IDP true-position leagues and DL-grouped formats. If the veteran big man does sit out games early in the year, Pittsburgh could lean on first-round pick Derrick Harmon to pick up the slack. Still, it's another messy contract situation to monitor.
IDP News: LB Tyrice Knight, Seattle
Tyrice Knight is almost over his knee injury, but is dealing with a separate “medical issue”.
Tyrice Knight has been dealing with a knee injury but is reportedly also dealing with a separate “medical issue”, per head coach Mike Macdonald. Knight's knee injury sounds almost behind him, but the other undisclosed medical issue will keep him out for a couple more weeks. However, Seattle's expectation for him to be ready for the start of the regular season is a positive sign.
Knight looks primed to take a step in his second season as the Seahawks' LB2 alongside Ernest Jones IV. The Seahawks' linebacker unit is thin after Jones and Knight, leaving Drake Thomas as a possible beneficiary if Knight misses extended time. Rookie hybrid safety Nick Emmanwori is also a candidate to bang in the box if needed.
IDP News: S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Houston
C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a knee injury during a scrimmage last week.
Initially, it was feared that Gardner-Johnson's knee injury was going to end his season. However, further examination showed his ACL wasn't torn, and while the injury will keep him out for a while, it doesn't appear to be season-ending. With Gardner-Johnson's timetable unknown and Jimmie Ward dealing with off-the-field legal issues, Houston brought in veteran Jalen Mills. Mills, Russ Yeast, and M.J. Stewart are among the safety options if Gardner-Johnson and Ward are unavailable. Not an overly exciting group for us IDP gamers.
IDP News: EDGE Chop Robinson, Miami
Chop Robinson has an injury scare at practice.
Miami has already had a brutal camp dealing with injuries and had another serious scare with young pass rusher Chop Robinson, who was carted off during joint practice with Detroit on Wednesday. Robinson later took to social media saying he was “good”, but the extent of the injury is still unknown. Robinson showed promise as a rookie last season, leading to intriguing potential as he heads into his second year. Let's continue to monitor the injury news surrounding Robinson as it comes out.
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