As NFL teams begin this week designating players for return from injured reserve, reserve/non-football injury/illness (NFI), or welcoming those back to practice on reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP), it’s instructive to get a handle on the number of players that resided on a team’s injured list as Week 4 concluded.
Care to take a guess? Well, no need to. That’s what I’m here for.
The number is 286 and that doesn’t include a legion of players that were placed on injured reserve in the offseason or after the start of training camp, but eventually were released with injury settlements.
That 286 includes 136 eligible to return after missing four games from injured reserve or NFI, 30 on PUP, 112 on injured reserve or NFI that can’t return, and eight on practice-squad injured. Those in the latter group must also miss four weeks before returning, but once they begin practicing, they are officially back on the practice squad.
There were another five players league-wide on reserve/suspended.
It is often said that “all teams have injuries,” but that is a tired cliché that doesn’t take into account that many have more than others and that when they strike at certain position groups, the significance is worse.
Here then is a team-by-team breakdown of those on reserve with eligible to return having the abbreviation ETR and PSI indicating practice-squad injured. Also included are players on reserve/suspended (RES/SUSP).
Arizona (9): 5 IR/ETR, 2 IR, 1 PSI, 1 RES/SUSP
Atlanta (9): 4 IR/ETR, 4 IR, 1 PUP
Baltimore (9): 3 IR/ETR, 5 IR, 1 PUP
Buffalo (6): 3 IR/ETR, 2 IR, 1 PUP
Carolina (13): 7 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 2 PUP, 1 NFI
Chicago (10): 6 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 1 PSI
Cincinnati (9): 4 IR/ETR, 4 IR, 1 PUP
The Bengals appeared to get a jump on everyone by designating punter Brad Robbins for return on Monday and immediately activating him. However, the team announced he would be waived Tuesday.
Cleveland (12): 7 IR/ETR (1 NFIllness), 3 IR, 1 PUP, 1 NFI
It’s being reported that running back Nick Chubb (PUP) will begin practicing Wednesday.
Dallas (7): 3 IR/ETA, 4 IR
Denver (8): 5 IR/ETR, 1 IR, 2 PUP
Detroit (14): 6 IR/ETR, 7 IR, 1 NFI
Green Bay (6): 2 IR/ETR, 4 IR
Houston: (10): 3 IR/ETR, 4 IR, 2 NFI, 1 RES/SUSP
Indianapolis (10): 4 IR/ETR, 5 IRF, 1 PSI
Jacksonville (8): 4 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 1 RES/SUSP
Kansas City: (7): 3 IR/ETR (1 NFIllness), 1 IR, 1 PUP, 1 NFI, 1 PSI
Las Vegas (6): 3 IR/ETR, 3 IR
L.A. Chargers (7): 2 IR/ETR, 4 IR, 1 RES/SUSP (Derwin James Jr. reinstated Monday
L.A. Rams (12): 9 IR/ETR, 2 IR, 1 PUP
Miami (14): 5 IR/ETR, 5 IR, 4 PUP
Minnesota (10): 3 IR/ETR, 6 IR, 1 PUP
New England (11): 5 IR/ETR (2 NFI), 3 IR, 3 PUP
New Orleans (8): 2 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 3 PUP
N.Y. Giants (10): 5 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 2 PSI
N.Y. Jets (11): 5 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 1 NFI, 1 PSI, 1 reserve/did not report
Philadelphia (7): 4 IR/ETR, 2 IR, 1 PUP
Pittsburgh (13): 8 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 1 PUP, 1 RES/SUSP
San Francisco (10): 7 IR/ETR (1 NFI), 1 IR, 2 PUP
Seattle (8): 1 IR/ETR, 3 IR, 3 PUP, 1 PSI
Tampa Bay (8): 4 IR/ETR, 4 IR
Tennessee (7): 3 IR/ETR, 4 IR
Washington (4): 2 IR/ETR, 1 IR, 1 PUP
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