Tag: hamstring injury

Giants TE Darren Waller listed as questionable for Week 1 Cowboys clash

From @ToddBrock24f7: The big-bodied tight end was expected to revamp the Giants’ passing game, but a hamstring issue may keep him sidelined on Sunday.

The Giants could be without the top receiving target for quarterback Daniel Jones when the Cowboys come to call on Sunday, though reports are he’ll be able to play.

Tight end Darren Waller was a surprise add to Friday’s injury report, listed as questionable for Week 1’s divisional game with a hamstring issue. He participated on a limited basis in the team’s final practice of the week.

While some reports out of the Giants’ camp say the team isn’t overly concerned about Waller’s availability come gametime, his absence would put a major crimp in New York’s plan to air out the ball and subsequently allow the Cowboys defense to lean into shutting down Saquon Barkley and the run.

The 6-foot-6-inch Waller had apparently been experiencing tightness in his hamstring over multiple days and did not necessarily suffer an injury on a single play in practice.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also reports that the injury is “not believed to be serious.” The hope is that Waller will be able to go versus Dallas.

There are high expectations for Waller in New York; the former sixth-round draft pick was acquired via trade for the cost of a third-rounder and spent the summer developing a promising connection with Jones.

“He’s a big target,” the quarterback said per Giants Wire. “He runs good routes, creates separation, he’s an easy guy to find. So, yeah, he’s a talented player, smart guy, understands defense, understands where we’re trying to use him and how to get open. He’s extremely versatile.”

But he’s only a threat if he’s on the field. Daniel Bellinger and Lawrence Cager are the other tight ends on New York’s active roster. Tyree Jackson and rookie Ryan Jones are on the practice squad.

Over an eight-year NFL career with the Ravens and Raiders, Waller has played in 74 games, amassing 3,572 yards and 19 touchdowns on 298 catches. He lost a large chunk of his 2015 rookie season to a hamstring injury, and missed some time last year with another hamstring strain.

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Tyron Smith rehabs at Cowboys practice, inches toward 2022 debut

The 8-time Pro Bowler has not had his 21-day practice window activated yet, but is trending toward a return to action before season’s end. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Tyron Smith has taken an important step closer to his return from a nasty preseason hamstring injury, though he’s still several weeks away from making his 2022 debut.

The eight-time Pro Bowler was seen working on resistance cords with Britt Brown, the Cowboys’ director of rehabilitation, on Thursday. He’s not yet been activated to officially practice with the team, but the development shows good progress in that direction for the veteran, who will turn 32 next month.

Just before the start of the season, Smith suffered an avulsion fracture of the knee. That means the hamstring tendon that sits at the back of the knee was ripped off the bone. Early reports suggested that he might be available for a December return, a timeline that now seems to be playing out as accurate.

Once the Cowboys open Smith’s practice window, they’ll have 21 days to move him to the active roster, but, as ESPN’s Todd Archer points out, it seems unlikely that would happen until after Thanksgiving, given the abnormal practice schedule surrounding the holiday.

The team has no real need to rush the former first-round pick back, as rookie Tyler Smith has played very well at left tackle. It’s not known how the return of the elder Smith will impact the assignments along the offensive line, but the younger Smith had spent most of training camp at left guard- alongside Tyron- before his injury.

And the Cowboys are adding even more depth at the position. On Wednesday, they signed two extra tackles to the practice squad.

George Moore is an undrafted rookie who was in training camp with the Packers before being one of the team’s early cuts. A six-foot-six-inch 312-pounder out of Oregon, Moore was a two-year starter for the Ducks and saw plenty of practice reps in Eugene against the Giants’ fifth overall pick this year, Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Alex Taylor is a raw prospect out of South Carolina State with intriguing physical measurables. He stands nearly six-foot-nine and has a massive arm length of over 36 inches. PFF’s Marcus Mosher points out that, since 1990, only 16 offensive lineman in the league have had that kind of wingspan, and three of them are currently on the Cowboys’ payroll: Taylor, the injured rookie Matt Waletzko… and Tyron Smith.

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Report: Cowboys lose OL Matt Farniok for ‘about six weeks’ to torn hamstring

The offensive lineman was injured on the Cowboys’ first PAT attempt Sunday; he will be placed on injured reserve with a chance to return. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys came into the 2022 season with concerns about thinned-out offensive line numbers. Now even those numbers are dwindling fast.

Backup guard Matt Farniok reportedly suffered a torn hamstring in Sunday’s win over Detroit and could miss “about six weeks,” according to a Michael Gehlken tweet citing sources familiar with the situation.

The injury occurred on the Cowboys’ first extra-point attempt in their 24-6 win over the Lions at AT&T Stadium. The second-year man out of Nebraska is expected to be put on injured reserve and would be eligible to return to action once he sits out at least four games.

Farniok played extensively over the Cowboys’ first three games but was in on just three snaps (one offensive, two on special teams) Sunday before the injury. He was down on the turf for a time and had to be assisted off the field by trainers, unable to put weight on his left leg. He left the locker room on crutches and had been expected to get an MRI on Monday.

In addition to being a reserve guard and backup center, the former seventh-round pick has also acted as a lead blocker out of the fullback position in certain goal-line plays.

Rookie lineman Matt Waletzko was lost for the remainder of the season after re-injuring a shoulder last week during practice. Perennial Pro Bowler Tyron Smith has yet to play this season as he deals a hamstring injury of his own.

Veteran Jason Peters was signed in early September. A tackle by trade who has transitioned to guard, he has played sparingly in just four games so far but may find himself pressed into more frequent service while Farniok heals.

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Report: Tyron Smith to undergo surgery Friday; Cowboys hopeful for ’22 return

The left tackle will have his hamstring re-attached to the bone. The Cowboys hope he’ll be back late in the season or postseason. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Tyron Smith is set to undergo surgery Friday to reattach his left hamstring to his knee, according to both Todd Archer of ESPN and Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

While an exact timetable for the eight-time Pro Bowler’s rehab will not be determined until after the procedure, the Cowboys are reportedly operating under the assumption that Smith will be able to return to play before the end of the season.

It may well be the very end of the season.

“Multiple months” was the early word on the 31-year-old’s expected absence after he went down during practice Wednesday night with what was later diagnosed as an avulsion fracture of the knee. That means a small chunk of bone attached to the hamstring tendon was pulled away from the bone right at the back of the knee. That injury typically carries a recovery time of at least three to four months.

That would put Smith’s best-case return in December, confirming what was first specified by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Thursday morning.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was eyeing a timeframe even later than that as he spoke on ESPN’s First Take, which was shot Thursday morning from the outdoor plaza at The Star in Frisco.

“We’ll have him at the right time,” Jones said. “We’ll have him in that San Francisco [playoff] game- or the equivalent of it- that we had last year, and maybe we won’t fall short.”

But, as Smith is a 12-year veteran who has not played a full season since 2015 thanks to a litany of injuries, it must also be considered that the former first-round draft pick may not return to the field at all.

Smith’s surgery will be performed by noted specialist and Cowboys team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dan Cooper, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder.

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Report: Tyron Smith’s injury worse than feared; could spell end of Cowboys career

An avulsion fracture of the knee means “it’ll be December” before Cowboys legend Tyron Smith returns… if he returns to the field at all. | From @ToddBrock24f7

What was already a worst-case scenario for Cowboys fans somehow turned even gloomier Thursday morning.

Smith experienced what was first thought to be a hamstring tear during Wednesday’s night’s practice. But NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is now reporting that Smith actually suffered an avulsion fracture of the knee.

In a tweet early Thursday, the NFL insider explains that “the hamstring tendon that sits at the back of the knee pulled off the bone.” Smith will need surgery to repair the condition, say Rapoport’s sources.

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News adds that the Cowboys will send Smith to noted specialist Dr. Dan Cooper Thursday “for a final determination” on the injury and when surgery is needed.

Early word was that Smith was out “indefinitely” and could miss “multiple months,” but Rapoport’s report concludes with an even starker prognosis. “If he’s back at all, it’ll be December,” he writes.

It’s the first part of that sentence that obviously carries the most significant weight.

The 31-year-old and former first-round draft pick was about to start his 12th season in the league, all with Dallas. He has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and has not played a full regular season since 2015.

Tulsa rookie Tyler Smith was drafted in this year’s first round, with many expecting him to replace the eight-time Pro Bowler in the future. It is not known whether the team will shift its current personnel around to cover Tyron’s lengthy absence or look to acquire outside help, either through free agency or a trade.

But with Tyron Smith’s legendary career now hanging in the balance, it appears as though the future for the Cowboys offensive line may be coming much sooner than anticipated.

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Jourdan Lewis injures hamstring, could miss remainder of Cowboys camp

The sixth-year CB limped away from Wednesday’s practice, but expressed hope that he’ll be ready to go Week 1 versus Tom Brady and the Bucs. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Many Cowboys fans have been eager for Kelvin Joseph and rookie DaRon Bland to see more significant playing time at cornerback.

They may get their wish over the next few weeks.

Sixth-year veteran Jourdan Lewis suffered a hamstring injury Wednesday, limping off the field toward the end of the Cowboys’ joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. He did not return.

The 2017 third-round draft pick out of Michigan is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, with the team joining the Chargers for another scrimmage.

Reports indicate that Lewis could miss the rest of training camp, but the player himself told reporters that he is hopeful he’ll be good to go for the Week 1 opener versus Tampa Bay in Dallas.

“I should be back for the first game,” Lewis said, according the Dallas Morning News.

Anthony Brown slid over to cover for Lewis for a game last season, but the team also has several young corners it has been collecting over the past few seasons to provide depth at the position. Joseph is in his third year and looking to make an impression that goes beyond his off-the-field troubles. Nahshon Wright came to Dallas in the same draft class as Joseph but is still learning how to use his impressive size at the pro level. Bland was a fifth-round selection this past spring and has created some buzz this offseason. Fellow rookies Isaac Taylor-Stuart and Quandre Mosely were signed as undrafted free agents.

The Cowboys have already cut one cornerback from the camp roster. Kyron Brown was waived last week with an injury designation.

How the team now proceeds at cornerback with Lewis shelved will be of particular interest, as the looming 2022 season opener brings 15-time Pro Bowl passer Tom Brady to town, with last year’s Super Bowl runner-up Joe Burrow to follow.

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Chiefs designate DE Alex Okafor to return from injured reserve

The 21-day practice window has now opened for Chiefs DE Alex Okafor.

The Kansas City Chiefs have some help along the defensive line coming soon.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report from Wednesday, the Chiefs have designated DE Alex Okafor to return from injured reserve. This opens the 21-day practice window during which Okafor will be allowed to practice. The team will have to make a decision during that period on whether they’ll activate him to the 53-man roster or leave him on injured reserve.

Remember, the rules are a bit different this year with an unlimited number of players allowed to be returned from injured reserve. The Chiefs have already returned a number of players from injured reserve including Khalen Saunders and Mike Danna. Rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed was also recently designated to return from injured reserve.

Okafor has now suffered two hamstring injuries this season, but the second one which occurred in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills was the one that landed him on injured reserve. The Chiefs happen to be short-handed at the DE position after Taco Charlton suffered an ankle fracture in Week 9.

The eight-year NFL veteran has played in just 14-of-29 possible games since his arrival in Kansas City in 2019. During that span, Okafor has recorded 28 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, a forced fumble and a pass defended.

Hopefully, Okafor can stay healthy for the remainder of the season and make an impact with the Chiefs. He restructured his contract ahead of the 2020 NFL season, effectively making him a free agent in 2021.

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Cowboys CB Chidobe Awuzie activated from injured reserve

The veteran cornerback makes his return- in a contract year- just as rookie Trevon Diggs is set to miss 4-6 weeks with a foot injury.

The football gods giveth, the football gods taketh away.

On the same day that rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs was announced to have suffered a broken bone in his foot, the Cowboys defensive backfield saw another player return from injury.

Fourth-year cornerback Chidobe Awuzie has been activated by the team after missing the previous seven games with a bad hamstring. The former second-round pick logged an interception in the Cowboys’ season opener against the Rams, but was hurt on a special teams play against the Falcons in Week 2.

Awuzie’s 21-day practice window began on October 22; he’ll have the benefit of the team’s bye week to prepare for a return to action November 22 when the Cowboys travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings.

The Colorado alum makes his comeback just as the team’s promising rookie Trevon Diggs begins an expected absence of four to six weeks as he recovers from a broken foot sustained late in last Sunday’s Pittsburgh game.

For Awuzie, the final seven games of the season will be of critical importance as he closes out a contract year. The Dallas front office will have an offseason decision to make regarding the versatile DB’s future with the club; the remaining games of 2020 will help coaches evaluate Awuzie’s play… and give Awuzie a chance to drive up his asking price.

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Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott remains limited in practice with hamstring injury

Ezekiel Elliott showed up on the injury report on Wednesday with a hamstring ailment. Mike McCarthy said on Thursday that isn’t serious.

The Dallas Cowboys have had more injuries than they’d like to talk about in 2020. On Wednesday, star running back Ezekiel Elliott showed up on the injury report and was limited in practice with a hamstring injury.

The 7-0 Pittsburgh Steelers come to town Sunday, and they’re bringing with them the league’s fifth-ranked run defense. Fortunately for the Cowboys, Elliott’s injury isn’t believed to be serious according to head coach Mike McCarthy even though he was limited again in practice on Thursday. DE Aldon Smith (knee) was also limited for a second straight day.

When Elliott hits the field on Sunday, he’ll be looking to recapture the magic of his only game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh in 2016 which was arguably the best of his career. Elliott gained 114 yards on 21 carries and adding another 95 yards receiving and scored three touchdowns in the Cowboys 35-30 victory.

The two-time rushing champion won’t have as strong of an offensive line to block for him this time around though. All-Pro Zack Martin is the only member of that unit that’ll be on the field Sunday. Tyron Smith (neck) and La’el Collins (hip) are out for the season which has forced multiple undrafted rookies, Terence Steele, and Brandon Knight, to get significant playing time.

With either Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert set to start on Sunday the Cowboys best bet, albeit difficult, will be to establish Elliott to take some of the pressures off of the quarterback position.

As for the Steelers, defensive lineman Tyson Alualu missed his second day of practice with a knee injury.

Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report Thursday, November 5
QB Ben Roethlisberger (NIR) – Full
CB Mike Hilton (Shoulder) – Limited
S Jordan Dangerfield (Quadriceps) – Full
C Maurkice Pouncey (NIR) – Full
OL Stefan Wisniewski (Pectoral) – DNP
DE Tyson Alualu (Knee) – DNP
DE Isaiah Buggs (Ankle) – DNP
DE Cameron Heyward (Quadriceps) – Full

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Chiefs DE Alex Okafor suffers hamstring injury vs. Bills

Okafor is questionable to return to the game.

Alex Okafor has once again seen his day ended early for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Okafor suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 against the Houston Texans and was ruled out of the game. That injury kept him out for a few weeks and he wouldn’t make his return to action until Week 4 against the New England Patriots.

Now it appears as if Okafor has reinjured his hamstring against the Buffalo Bills. The team announced that he is questionable to return to the game with a hamstring injury and ruled him out shortly after. One can only suspect that it is the same hamstring that has ailed him all season long.

This leaves the Chiefs fairly thin at the defensive end position. The team has Frank Clark, Tanoh Kpassagnon and Taco Charlton available to play at the position. Demone Harris was made inactive this week and Mike Danna is on injured reserve.

Okafor has been oft-injured during his tenure with the Chiefs. He suffered a season-ending pectoral injury making a sack on Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock in 2019. He’s only appeared in three games this year due to injury, notching a half-sack and five total tackles on the year.

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