Tag: injury news

Top Commanders’ starter misses Friday’s practice: Questionable vs. Saints

Could the Commanders be without a key defensive starter vs. Saints?

This time of year, every NFL team has several players battling various injuries, bumps, and bruises.

There are no exceptions; the truth is that some teams have more injuries than others. In the last two games, the Commanders have lost running back Austin Ekeler and wide receiver Noah Brown for the remainder of the regular season.

During his weekly Friday press conference, head coach Dan Quinn was asked if anyone would be listed as out or questionable for the game. Quinn responded, “Noah [Brown], and then yeah, we’ll have the rest of it later, but Noah will be the one.”

Actually, on Friday, there was one more name worth mentioning that Quinn did not say. Starting defensive tackle Daron Payne (injured back) did not practice, and he was, consequently, listed as “questionable” for Sunday’s game in New Orleans against the Saints.

Slightly injured players are most often given a day off/rest day earlier in the week. They then practice on Friday in preparation for the upcoming game. Consequently, Payne’s not practicing on Friday raises questions about Sunday.

The former Alabama DT had his best year in 2022 when he registered 64 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 11.5 QB sacks, and 20 QB hits. He was rewarded with a four-year deal in March of 2023.

In 2023, those numbers decreased to 53 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks, and 11 quarterback hits.

Thus far, Payne has played in all 13 games this season and recorded 33 tackles, three tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, and five quarterback hits.

Brown was listed as “out” for the Saints game. The prevailing thought is that the Commanders will place Brown on injured reserve if they decide to make a roster addition on Saturday.

Will Nate Hobbs play this week? Injury updates for Raiders CB

Raiders CB Nate Hobbs has been dealing with an ankle injury. Here are the latest updates.

The Raiders have been shorthanded for a few weeks now at the cornerback spot. Starters Jakorian Bennett and Nate Hobbs have been out. And this week, they may get one of them back.

CB Nate Hobbs injury update

Hobbs returned to practice on Thursday. He was limited.

“He’s trending in a really good direction,” head coach Antonio Pierce said of Hobbs Friday morning. “Practiced all day yesterday. He did really good, very fluid. Had a good walkthrough right here. We’ll see how he comes out today, but I’d anticipate him playing, starting and giving us that boost we really need in the secondary.”

How long has been Nate Hobbs been out?

The team’s standout slot cornerback was lost to an ankle injury in Week nine and has missed the past four games. The equivalent of a trip to injured reserve which means he was out longer than the team initially expected.

Raiders cornerback depth chart

In his absence, Darnay Holmes has started at the slot cornerback spot.

Positive injury update on Commanders DT Jonathan Allen

The Commanders could get Jonathan Allen back before the end of the season.

When Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen suffered a pectoral injury in Washington’s Week 6 loss at Baltimore, almost everyone believed it would be season-ending.

Allen underwent surgery, and things were quiet regarding his status.

On Friday, ahead of the Commanders’ Week 15 game at New Orleans, John Keim of ESPN reported there’s a chance that Allen could return before the conclusion of the 2024 season.

From Keim’s report:

Allen suffered the injury in a Week 6 loss at Baltimore, but during surgery doctors discovered that his muscle was only partially torn, sparking the initial hope for a late-season return. Further checkups have at least helped him maintain the belief that a return is possible, sources said.

Since being sidelined, the Commanders have used rookie Johnny Newton, Phidarian Mathis and Sheldon Day in Allen’s place alongside Daron Payne. Allen’s potential return would be a big boost for a defense that has struggled to stop the run in 2024.

Washington will have cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the field for the first time Sunday since acquiring him via trade last month.

Allen, 29, is a two-time Pro Bowl selection with 41 career sacks. As Keim noted, there’s no guarantee of a return this season, but Allen is working toward a potential return.

 

Commanders vs. Saints injury report: Latest updates, news for Thursday

Will Alvin Kamara play on Sunday vs. Commaders?

The Washington Commanders were back on the practice field Thursday as they continued to prepare for Sunday’s Week 15 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Only one player did not practice for the Commanders: Wide receiver Noah Brown. Brown suffered an internal injury in the Week 13 win over the Titans and will likely miss the remainder of the season. Washington will likely place Brown on injured reserve by the weekend.

In some concerning news for the Saints, running back Alvin Kamara missed practice again on Thursday. Kamara is dealing with an illness. Meanwhile, quarterback Derek Carr also missed practice but is likely headed to IR.

Here’s Thursday’s full injury report, beginning with the Commanders:

Did not participate: WR Noah Brown,

Limited participants: S Quan Martin (shoulder), DE Clelin Ferrell

Full participants: WR Jamison Crowder (calf), Dante Fowler (groin), CB Noah Igbinoghene (thumb), LB Jordan Magee (elbow), CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), K Zane Gonzalez (left foot), TE Zach Ertz (hamstring)

Here’s the Saints’ injury report.

Did not participate: QB Derek Carr (left hand/concussion), RB Alvin Kamara (illness), LB D’Marco Jackson (ankle), WR Bub Means (ankle)

Limited participants: TE Juwan Johnson (foot)

Full participants: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles)

 

Commanders vs. Saints injury report: Latest updates, news for Wednesday

The first injury report of the week is out.

The Washington Commanders were back on the practice field Wednesday after a much-needed. The Commanders are on the road in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints.

Head coach Dan Quinn met with the media before practice and delivered some bad news. Wide receiver Noah Brown, who is third on the team in receptions, yards, and targets, is likely out for the remainder of the season with what Quinn called an “internal” injury. On the week’s first injury report, Brown was listed with a rib injury.

In other news, cornerback Marshon Lattimore was a full participant for the first time since his arrival at last month’s NFL trade deadline. Lattimore has missed all four games since the trade but looks on schedule to play for the first time, coincidentally, against his former team, the Saints.

Here’s Wednesday’s full injury report, beginning with the Commanders:

Did not participate: WR Noah Brown, TE Zach Ertz (NIR/rest), DE Clelin Ferrell (knee/rest)

Limited participants: K Zane Gonzalez (left foot), S Quan Martin (shoulder)

Full participants: WR Jamison Crowder (calf), Dante Fowler (groin), CB Noah Igbinoghene (thumb), LB Jordan Magee (elbow), OT Andrew Wylie (concussion), CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring)

Here’s the Saints’ injury report.

Did not participate: QB Derek Carr (left hand/concussion), RB Alvin Kamara (illness), LB D’Marco Jackson (ankle)

Limited participants: TE Juwan Johnson (foot), WR Bub Means (ankle)

Full participants: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles)

Good news: Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore practiced fully

All signs point to Marshon Lattimore playing against his old team on Sunday.

The Washington Commanders returned to practice on Wednesday, and Dan Quinn offered some good and bad news. First, Quinn informed the assembled media that wide receiver Noah Brown would likely miss the remainder of the season. However, in some good news, Quinn said he expected cornerback Marshon Lattimore to practice.

“I think specifically with Marshon, that’s a big deal for us to add a player of his caliber to our team,” Quinn said of Lattimore. “And so, not to make it one different than the other, but anytime you can add competition to a group, it’s a really big deal. And Marshon’s certainly trended in the right direction for us to play and so, we’ll take it through the whole week.”

Lattimore was indeed on the practice field with no limitations.

The Commanders acquired Lattimore on November 5, at the NFL trade deadline. At the time of the trade, Lattimore was dealing with a hamstring injury, and Washington has been cautious regarding his recovery. The Commanders play Lattimore’s old team, the Saints, on Sunday.

Commanders receive difficult injury news ahead of Week 15

Tough injury news for the Commanders ahead of Week 15.

The Washington Commanders are coming off a much-needed bye week. After 13 consecutive games without a break, the Commanders had Week 14 off before returning to play in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints.

Unfortunately, head coach Dan Quinn had some bad news ahead of Wednesday’s practice. Starting wide receiver Noah Brown suffered an injury against Tennessee and will be out “for a while.”

According to Quinn, Brown suffered a “significant internal injury.” Brown left the Week 13 game due to a rib injury.

Brown is third on Washington in targets (56), receptions (35) and receiving yards (453). He’s averaging 12.9 yards per reception and has played in 56% of the Commanders’ offensive snaps this season.

Brown was signed just before the season after the Houston Texans surprisingly released him. The 28-year-old Brown immediately made his present felt for Washington and is best remembered for his ‘Hail Mary’ touchdown reception to defeat the Chicago Bears in Week 8.

Quinn expressed confidence in the other receivers. The Commanders need someone to step up opposite Terry McLaurin, with rookie Luke McCaffrey, Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown all likely to receive even more playing time in the coming weeks. Washington also opened the 21-day practice window for veteran wideout Jamison Crowder, who has been on injured reserve for much of the season.

Brown was not ruled out for the season, but it appears to be a season-ending injury with only four weeks remaining in the regular season.

Commanders expecting two injured players to return vs. Saints

The bye week was good for some injured Commanders.

The Commanders are expecting starting right tackle Andrew Wylie to be ready for Sunday’s game in New Orleans against the Saints.

Wylie suffered a concussion against the Cowboys, sat out the game against the Titans, and appears to have benefited from the extra rest during the bye week.

Cornelius Lucas filled in quite well for Wylie in the Titans game, helping the Commanders rush for 267 yards on 45 rushes, averaging 5.93 yards per attempt.

Some have suggested that Lucas’ play against the Titans was so good that Wylie’s job could possibly be up for grabs. But Wylie is valuable in the screen game and gets down the field well into the second level of the defense. Look for Wylie to remain the starter, allowing the Commanders to use Lucas as a swing tackle.

The other player who missed the Titans game due to a concussion was RB Austin Ekeler. Ekeler will definitely not be back for the Saints game because the Commanders placed Ekeler on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss four games minimum. The earliest Ekeler could return thus is the season finale in Dallas. However, if Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez continue to play well, don’t expect Ekeler back to face the Cowboys.

Defensive end Clelin Ferrell has battled an injured knee for most of the season. He picked up a sack in both of the first two games but has been slowed by the knee, but he continues to push through, playing ten games this season.

Cornerback Marshon Lattimore appears ready to make his Commanders’ debut against the Saints.

Dan Quinn told the press on Monday that Lattimore was running harder during the bye week, hitting all the markers and doing the required work. Quinn also mentioned that Lattimore has done the strength work and passed their tests thus far.

Will Aidan O’Connell play this week? Injury updates for Raiders QB

Updates on Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell’s knee injury and whether he will play week 15 vs the Falcons and the remainder of the season.

In the third quarter of Sunday’s game in Tampa, Aidan O’Connell rolled out to the right trying to convert a third and long. He completed the pass short of the sticks and was hit in the back and injured his leg on the way to the ground. His leg was put in an air cast and he was carted off the field.

After the game, Antonio Pierce said of O’Connell’s injury “doesn’t look good”

Aidan O’Connell injury update

According to NFL media’s Ian Rapoport, O’Connell suffered a bone bruise in his knee, which is positive considering initial fears.

Raiders QB depth chart

Desmond Ridder came into the game for the Raiders. They have no other QB on the active roster though, if O’Connell were OUT, the team would elevate Carter Bradley from the practice squad to back up Ridder.

Gardner Minshew is out for the season with a broken collarbone.

Doug Pederson: Jaguars TE Evan Engram hurt shoulder vs. Titans

Doug Pederson: Jaguars TE Evan Engram hurt shoulder vs. Titans

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram injured his shoulder in Jacksonville’s 10-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, head coach Doug Pederson revealed on Monday.

Pederson did not specify the severity of Engram’s injury. He finished the matchup with four receptions for 33 yards over 42 offensive snaps.

“Evan’s gonna have a little bit of a shoulder, in the game,” Pederson said while breaking down Jacksonville’s injury report from the meeting.

Engram has logged 47 receptions for 365 yards and one touchdown in nine games this season. He missed Weeks 2-5 with a hamstring injury.

In 43 games over more than two seasons with the Jaguars, Engram has caught 234 passes for 2,094 yards and nine touchdowns.

Pederson added that Jaguars starting safety Darnell Savage Jr. is “fine” after being evaluated for a concussion on Sunday. Savage was ultimately cleared to return to play.

Pederson also noted that punter Logan Cooke, who entered the game with a left knee injury that prevented him from practicing in Week 14, “made it through” the contest.

Savage had two tackles against Tennessee; Cooke punted four times with a 49.5-yard average.