Injury notes
***Chris Carson wasn't listed on the Seattle PUP list to start camp, suggesting he was healthy enough to practice. The team revealed this week that Carson has yet to report to the team and is working through "a couple family situations." There is still no indication Carson won't be healthy enough to practice but his reconditioning process with the team is delayed.
***The news on Sony Michel continues to be worrisome. Multiple beat writers are now questioning whether Michel will be ready for opening week. The Patriots added Lamar Miller -- who's recovering from an ACL/MCL injury -- last week, further speculation that Michel's foot surgery was more than a simple maintenance procedure.
***T.Y. Hilton was moved to the active roster last week. He has a full month to recondition and prepare for Week 1. He'll be at the highest risk of re-injury over the next 7-10 days.
***Kerryon Johnson was photographed with a large brace on his right knee last week. It's not a comforting image for a player who has struggled with leg injuries throughout his short career. There's no optimistic way to read this image. If Johnson's knee is not stable enough to play without a brace, it's not reassuring -- especially because braces cannot be expected to prevent every knee injury. If Johnson needs the brace for confidence, it's not reassuring either.
***Washington activated Alex Smith from the PUP list. It is highly unlikely Smith returns to the field in a regular-season game but there are not enough superlatives to describe the success of his recovery after his 2018 fracture and series of life-threatening complications.
INJURED PLAYERS ON ACTIVE ROSTER
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Quarterbacks Injured | On the Active Roster
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
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| Joe Flacco | NYJ | Cervical spine procedure | Apr 2020 | Active - PUP | Doubtful Week 1 | Early season return at earliest |
| Alex Smith | Was | Right tibia fixation / post-surgical infections | Nov 2018 | Active roster | Doubtful Week 1 | Inspiring progress, doubtful return |
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Running Backs Injured | On the Active Roster
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Player
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Team
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Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
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| Rashaad Penny | Sea | Left ACL reconstruction | Late Dec 2019 | Active - PUP | Doubtful Week 1 | ACL + meniscus likely |
| Sony Michel | NE | Foot surgery | May 2020 | Active - PUP | Questionable Week 1 | Required walking boot ~ 6wks |
| Lamar Miller | NE | Left ACL reconstruction / MCL sprain | Aug 2019 | Active - PUP | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Rodney Anderson | Cin | Right ACL reconstruction | Sep 2019 | Active - PUP | Doubtful Week 1 | |
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Wide Receivers Injured | On the Active Roster
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
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FBG Expects
|
Notes
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| T.Y. Hilton | Ind | Hamstring strain | Undisclosed | Active roster | Probable Week 1 | |
| Deebo Samuel | SF | Fifth metatarsal fixation | Mid Jun 2020 | Active - NFI | Doubtful Week 1 | Early season return |
| Richie James | SF | Wrist fracture | Jun 2020 | Active - NFI | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Sammy Watkins | KC | Groin strain | August | Active roster | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Alshon Jeffery | Phi | Right Lisfranc fixation | Dec 2019 | Active - PUP | Doubtful Week 1 | |
| Preston Williams | Mia | Left ACL reconstruction | Early Nov 2019 | Active roster | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Corey Davis | Ten | Toe surgery | Undisclosed | Active - PUP | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Denzel Mims | NYJ | Hamstring strain | August | Active roster | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Vyncint Smith | NYJ | Core muscle strain | August | Active roster | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Kelvin Harmon | Was | ACL tear | Mid July 2020 | Active - NFI | IR | 2021 return | Expected injured reserve |
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Tight Ends Injured | On the Active Roster
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
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FBG Expects
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Notes
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| Mo Alie-Cox | Ind | Thumb surgery | Offseason | Active - PUP | Questionable Week 1 | |
| Ryan Griffin | NYJ | Ankle surgery | Dec 2019 | Active - PUP | Questionable Week 1 | |
Injured Players Not on Active Roster
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Notable Quarterbacks on PUP or NFI or IR
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
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FBG Expects
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Notes
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Notable Running Backs on PUP or NFI or IR
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
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FBG Expects
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Notes
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| Damien Williams | NE | COVID opt-out | July 29 | 2021 return | ||
| Brandon Bolden | NE | COVID opt-out | July 28 | 2021 return | ||
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Notable Wide Receivers on PUP or NFI or IR
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Player
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Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
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| Albert Wilson | Mia | COVID opt-out | August 4 | 2021 return | ||
| Allen Hurns | Mia | COVID opt-out | August 5 | 2021 return | ||
| Devin Funchess | GB | COVID opt-out | July 28 | 2021 return | ||
| Marquise Goodwin | Phi | COVID opt-out | July 29 | 2021 return | ||
| Marqise Lee | NE | COVID opt-out | August 2 | 2021 return | ||
| Geronimo Allison | Det | COVID opt-out | August 2 | 2021 return | ||
| Quincy Enunwa | FA | Cervical spinal stenosis | Chronic | Released Aug (NYJ) | Career-ending injury | Doubtful 2021 return |
|
Notable Tight Ends on PUP or NFI or IR
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Player
|
Team
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Injury
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Date
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Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
| Matt LaCosse | NE | COVID opt-out | August 2 | 2021 return | ||
DECIPHERING THE ALPHABET SOUP OF INJURY LISTS
Players not ready for camp practices are placed on one of two lists – Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) or Non-Football Injury/Illness (NFI).
Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)
Active/PUP – Preseason only list. Once a player participates in any part of a scheduled training camp practice, they are ineligible for this list. Players can be activated from this list at any time. This list is commonly used for veterans still recovering from injury and those who fail conditioning tests before camp begins.
Reserve/PUP – Regular season only list. Players still on Active/PUP at the end of camp are eligible to move to Reserve/PUP. Players cannot practice with the team until after Week 6. Teams then have six weeks to evaluate the player before moving to the active roster or to season-ending injured reserve.
Non-Football Injury / Illness (NFI)
Active/NFI – Preseason only list. Once a player participates in any part of a scheduled training camp practice, they are ineligible for this list. Players can be activated from this list at any time. Only veterans with a non-football related injury or rookies injured before the NFL draft are eligible for this list.
Reserve/NFI – Regular season only list. Players converted from the Active/NFI list to the Reserve/NFI list are out for the entire season.
Injured Reserve – Return Designation
Each NFL team can return two players to the active roster from injured reserve. Teams are not forced to designate this player at the time of the move to injured reserve. Players designated to return can begin practicing six weeks after being placed on injured reserve and are eligible to return to the active roster eight weeks after being placed on injured reserve. This rule allows a team to continually evaluate the rehab and recovery of their injured players and provides roster flexibility should teams have multiple key injuries early in the season.
Inseason injury coverage
Footballguys will again provide comprehensive injury coverage during the regular season.
My writing and podcast schedule will include:
Monday Injury Rounds > Published as soon as complete Sunday night and updated through Tuesday morning, this feature will review all the major injuries from the weekend's games, provide follow up analysis on injured players who have yet to return to play, and project when every injured player will return.
Waiver Wire Podcast > Tuesday morning release reviewing all injuries at the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end positions with Cecil Lammey and Sigmund Bloom heading into your weekly waiver run.
Midweek Injury Expectations > Published late Wednesday night after the first weekly practice participation report and updated through Thursday's practice report, this feature will detail the current practice participation of every listed player and project the likelihood each player will play in the coming week.
Thursday Live Audible podcast > Joining Cecil Lammey, Sigmund Bloom, and Matt Waldman at 9:00 ET every Thursday night for a comprehensive Q&A updating all player injuries.
Gameday Injury Expectations > Published Saturday, this feature will review the practice status of every injured player, provide analysis on player/coach/beat writer comments throughout the week, and discuss how likely and how effective each injured player will be on Sunday.
Sunday Live Gameday podcast > Joining Sigmund Bloom and Matt Waldman at 10:00 ET every Sunday morning to discuss and interpret the week's practice participation reports and breaking weekend injury news.
Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis.