49ers will be without superstar defender vs. Seahawks

49ers will be without superstar defender vs. Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks may be without the services of several high-end defenders against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. General manager John Schneider placed outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu on IR, ruling him out for a minimum of four contests. Rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II has also been ruled out. Cornerback Riq Woolen and edge Derick Hall are also at risk of missing out after being sidelined during Tuesday’s practice.

Luckily for the Seahawks, they’re not the only ones that will be missing critical defenders for Thursday’s divisional showdown. Superstar 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga will miss approximately one month with torn ligaments in his wrist. Kyle Shanahan confirmed the news on Tuesday.

Hufanga suffered the injury in Sunday’s defeat to the Arizona Cardinals. The former USC standout played just 11 snaps before exiting with the injury. Without their game-changing safety in the fold, the 49ers blew a sizable second-half lead.

Hufanga has recorded eight tackles this season. Veteran safety George Odum and rookie Malik Mustapha are expected to play more snaps in his absence. On Sunday against the Cardinals, it was Mustapha that replaced Hufanga.

The 49ers will also be without kicker Jake Moody, who suffered an ankle sprain. Cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee), tight end George Kittle (ribs), linebacker Fred Warner (ankle), wide receiver Chris Conley (oblique) and safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) are also on the 49ers injury report ahead of Thursday.

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Why the Broncos cut RB Salvon Ahmed one week after signing him

The Broncos cut RB Salvon Ahmed one week after signing him, presumably a sign that Audric Estime is close to returning from IR.

After losing third-string running back Tyler Badie to a back injury against the New York Jets and placing him on injured reserve last week, the Denver Broncos signed Salvon Ahmed to their practice squad to add more depth at RB.

Ahmed was, apparently, just a short-term solution.

The Broncos released the 25-year-old running back on Tuesday, exactly one week after they signed him on Oct. 1. Denver moving on from Ahmed so quickly likely signals that another running back is close to returning.

Broncos rookie Audric Estime (ankle) is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and the fact that Denver has cut a running back seems like a good sign that Estime will be activated ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Blake Watson made his NFL debut in Week 5 but the Broncos clearly do not think he is ready for RB3 duties as Watson played just one snap on offense and one snap on special teams against the Las Vegas Raiders.

So with Denver moving on from Ahmed, we can only assume that Estime is close to a return.

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Broncos place practice squad OT Will Sherman on injury list

The Broncos placed OT Will Sherman (ankle) on their practice squad injury list on Tuesday.

The offensive line injuries keep coming for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos placed backup offensive tackle Will Sherman (ankle) on the team’s practice squad injury list on Tuesday, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The injury happened during practice last week.

Sherman (6-4, 300 pounds) joined the Broncos in 2022 after previously competing on the practice squad of the New England Patriots in 2021. He spent last season on Denver’s practice squad and is yet to make his NFL debut.

The Broncos also lost fill-in starting right tackle Alex Palczewski and starting center Luke Wattenberg to ankle injuries this week. Denver signed tackle Cam Fleming and center Dieter Eiselen to the practice squad to add more depth while Palczewski and Wattenberg are sidelined.

Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey (knee) will be eligible to return from injured reserve next week. In the meantime, Matt Peart (right tackle) and Alex Forsyth (center) are likely the next men up on the offensive line.

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Saints QB Derek Carr expected to miss ‘multiple games,’ including Broncos game

Saints QB Derek Carr is expected to miss multiple games with an oblique injury, including a TNF showdown with the Broncos in Week 7.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is expected to miss “multiple games” after suffering an oblique injury against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, according to a report from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

With two games on deck over the next nine days, Carr seems likely to miss both a Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a Week 7 showdown with the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football.

The Broncos are set to travel to New Orleans for a prime-time showdown with the Saints on Oct. 17. That TNF matchup will mark coach Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans, and the Saints likely won’t have their starting quarterback available.

Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler are listed as co-backup quarterbacks on New Orleans’ depth chart, but John Sigler of Saints Wire expects Haener to serve as the team’s fill-in starter while Carr is sidelined.

Carr, 33, completed 70.3% of his passes for 989 yards with eight touchdowns against four interceptions through the first five games of the season.

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49ers injury update: SS Talanoa Hufanga out with torn wrist ligaments

Talanoa Hufanga has a wrist injury that will cause him to miss time.

The San Francisco 49ers will once again have to navigate life without former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters in a press conference that Hufanga has torn ligaments in his wrist and will miss about a month, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Hufanga injured his wrist in the first half of the 49ers’ Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He left to the locker room and was quickly ruled out – an indication that the injury might be at least semi-serious.

It’s been a rough go for the 2022 All-Pro over the last couple of years. He tore his ACL in Week 11 last season and wasn’t able to return during training camp. He wound up missing the 49ers’ first two games this season.

Hufanga made it through his Week 3 debut healthy, but rolled his ankle in practice in the lead-up to Week 4 and wasn’t able to play in the team’s win over the New England Patriots. He returned in Week 5 where he hurt his wrist early.

Now he’ll miss a month, which could mean he’s out only three games. The 49ers face the Seahawks on Thursday, then host the Chiefs on Oct. 20 and the Cowboys on Oct. 27. Then they have a bye week and return on Nov. 10 against the Buccaneers in Tampa, which would be the earliest he’s able to come back.

In the meantime it’s likely that rookie Malik Mustapha will fill in as the starter after snagging that job away from veteran George Odum. Odum was the starter throughout camp and in the first two weeks. Mustapha took all the defensive snaps for San Francisco after Hufanga’s Week 5 injury.

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Saints announce inactive players for Week 5 game vs. Chiefs

The Saints ruled out five starters prior to Monday. Who else will be inactive as they face the Chiefs on ‘Monday Night Football?’

The New Orleans Saints are once again the more injured team entering the game. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, enter the game without Rashee Rice. That is the biggest loss to the Chiefs. The Saints, on the other hand, already ruled out seven players before the game.

The Saints will have to take on Chiefs defensive tackle without two-thirds of their interior offensive line. Cesar Ruiz will miss his second consecutive game, and Erik McCoy is on injured reserve. To make matters worse, Shane Lemieux started at center last week and is already on injured reserve himself.

Demario Davis returning is the best injury news the Saints have received, but it came at the price of losing Pete Werner and Willie Gay.

Here is the full list of inactive players for the Week 5 game versus the Chiefs:

New Orleans Saints inactive players:

  • G Cesar Ruiz (knee)
  • LB Pete Werner (hamstring)
  • LB Willie Gay (hand)
  • DE Payton Turner (knee)
  • TE Taysom Hill (rib)
  • DT Khristian Boyd
  • QB Spencer Rattler (emergency third quarterback)

Kansas City Chiefs inactive players:

  • OL C.J. Hanson
  • OT Ethan Driskell
  • DT  Marlon Tuipulotu
  • DEE Cameron Thomas

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Who can replace Boubacar Traore for Notre Dame?

Here’s who may replace Boubacar Traore.

Notre Dame has lost another key defensive lineman to injury. Now the Fighting Irish will have to look for a replacement.

End [autotag]Boubacar Traore[/autotag] is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. The defensive end was injured in the first half of the Fighting Irish’s 31-24 win over the Louisville Cardinals. Traore had 11 tackles, five tackles for loss, and led the Irish with three sacks. He was also tied for second on the team for most quarterback pressures with eight — Howard Cross III has the most at 9.

With Traore joining Jordan Botelho on the injured list, who’s next?

[autotag]Junior Tuihalamaka[/autotag] seems the most likely replacement. Thus far the junior has seven tackles, two tackles for loss, and a half of a sack.

Freshman [autotag]Loghan Thomas[/autotag], who played 14 snaps versus Louisville, seems likely to see a lot more action.

Head coach Marcus Freeman also pointed to Josh Burnham, who is returning from injury, RJ Oben, and Bryce Young, as possible replacements.

Sep 21, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka (44) celebrates after an interception in the first quarter against the Miami Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

“Josh is a guy that could play either field end or Vyper for us. RJ Oben and Bryce Young, obviously, have done a good job at the field end position, and Junior has done a really good job stepping up at the Vyper position, as well as Loghan Thomas getting some reps,” Freeman said. “And so you have five quality individuals that can play the end position for us. And we’ve got to have guys step up, just like Junior has done. And I’m confident that if something would happen again that we’ll have to have another guy step up.”

Vyper is another term for rush end.

Burnham and Young each have four tackles and 1 quarterback hit, and Young has blocked a kick on special teams. Thomas has one tackle and 1 quarterback hit, while Oben has eight tackles — four solo and four assisted.

Based on Freeman’s quote, Tuihalamaka seems likeliest to have the most impact with Traore out, with Burnham and Thomas following. Oben and and Young seem more likely to see most of their reps at field end.

Either way, Traore’s loss is a tough pill to swallow for the Irish.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tim on X: @tehealey

Broncos OT Alex Palczewski believed to have suffered high ankle sprain

Alex Palczewski likely has a high ankle sprain. Mike McGlinchey has to sit out one more game before being eligible to return from IR.

Denver Broncos right tackle Alex Palczewski is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Palczewski (6-6, 314 pounds) will undergo more testing on Monday. If it is indeed a high ankle sprain, Palczewski could miss multiple weeks. That would be a big blow to Denver’s offensive line as ‘Palco’ has done an excellent job filling in for Mike McGlinchey, who is still on injured reserve.

“Very impressed,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said when asked about Palczewski on Friday. “We talked about it last week. This guy started and I think he set a record for most games played in college. He just knows how to play the game. I think we kind of anticipated that he’d be able to hang in there and be productive.

“You don’t know for sure until you really see the live bullets and he’s kind of lived up to those expectations. It’s fun to watch when you have a guy that’s [a] late draft pick or a free agent who are able to come in and compete at that level and compete well. It’s very exciting.”

If the Broncos place Palczewski on IR, he would have to sit out at least four games. McGlinchey, meanwhile, will be eligible to return in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints.

In the meantime, Matt Peart is presumably the next man up against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, assuming Palczewski won’t be available.

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Broncos inactives: TE Greg Dulcich won’t play vs. Raiders

Broncos inactives vs. Raiders today: QB Zach Wilson*, WR Devaughn Vele, CB Kris Abrams-Draine, TE Greg Dulcich and DL Eyioma Uwazurike.

The Denver Broncos have announced their list of five inactive players for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson*, tight end Greg Dulcich, wide receiver Devaughn Vele, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike are inactive today.

With Dulcich a healthy scratch, tight end Lucas Krull is set to make his 2024 debut today.

*Technically, Wilson is still available to play as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback behind starter Bo Nix and primary backup Jarrett Stidham, but he’s on the inactive list and does not count against the game-day roster. Wilson can play if both Nix and Stidham are injured.

With the exception of Wilson, these inactive players are members of the 53-man roster who are not eligible to play against the Raiders. They will be reactivated on Monday.

Broncos inactives

  1. QB Zach Wilson*
  2. WR Devaughn Vele
  3. CB Kris Abrams-Draine
  4. TE Greg Dulcich
  5. DL Eyioma Uwazurike

Elsewhere on the roster front, Denver elevated linebacker Levelle Bailey from the practice squad to the game-day roster on Saturday. Bailey will revert back to the practice squad on Monday.

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox. The Broncos are considered favorites at home this week.

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Broncos now have 9 players on injured reserve or PUP list

Going into Week 5, the Broncos have seven players on injured reserve and two players on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

The Denver Broncos have nine players on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list going into Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Seven of those players will be eligible to return later this season.

Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis (ankle) was eligible to return from IR this week, and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) were eligible to return from the PUP list in Week 5. All three players apparently need more time to recover.

Denver running back Audric Estime (ankle) will be eligible to return next week, and right tackle Mike McGlinchey (MCL) and outside linebacker Baron Browning (foot) can return in Week 7.

After being placed on IR on Saturday, running back Tyler Badie (back) will be eligible to return in Week 9.

Broncos eligible to return from IR/PUP

  1. CB Damarri Mathis: Eligible to return since Week 5
  2. LB Drew Sanders: Eligible to return since Week 5
  3. DB Delarrin Turner-Yell: Eligible to return since Week 5
  4. RB Audric Estime: Eligible to return Week 6
  5. OT Mike McGlinchey: Eligible to return Week 7
  6. OLB Baron Browning: Eligible to return Week 7
  7.  RB Tyler Badie: Eligible to return Week 9

The Broncos also have two players — linebacker Alex Singleton (ACL) and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey (ankle) — who are on season-ending IR.

Broncos on season-ending inured reserve

  1. LB Alex Singleton: Out for season
  2. OL Quinn Bailey: Out for season

If he has recovered from his ankle injury, Estime will likely return to serving as the team’s No. 3 running back next week.

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