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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 900 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.

Injury Rounds

Davante Adams | Right toe sprain | Week 4 | Week-to-Week | Week 6+ Return

Adams hyperextended his right big toe on Thursday night. Initially described as a turf toe injury, Adams had additional testing and a specialist visit to rule out a fracture or more severe injury to the joint. Tests were reassuring and follow up reports suggest Adams could miss a week but is not expected to miss extended time.

Toe sprains are difficult injuries for a wide receiver to overcome, even with an orthotic inside the shoe to provide extra support. Expect the Packers to prioritize their Week 6 Monday night home divisional matchup against Detroit rather than rushing Adams back sooner than he's ready.

Mitchell Trubisky | Left shoulder dislocation | Week 4 | Awaiting Information | Week 7+ Return

Trubisky injured his left shoulder early in the first quarter. Television angles showed a probable dislocation and Trubisky was quickly ruled out. If there are no associated fractures around Trubisky's shoulder joint, he will be able to return to play this season with a harness to support the shoulder. Expect Trubisky to need 2-3 weeks to rehab, though it could be longer. The Bears have a bye in Week 6 - expect Trubisky's earliest return to be Week 7.

Monday Update: Adam Schefter confirmed Trubisky dislocated his shoulder yesterday, suffering a labral tear. Schefter reports Trubisky is likely to travel with the team to London this week but unlikely to play until after the team's Week 6 bye.

Marlon Mack | Left ankle injury | Week 4 | Awaiting Information | Week 5+ Return

Mack told reporters he "tweaked" his ankle late in the first half. After two rushing attempts in the third quarter, the Colts shut him down. A single television angle was inconclusive but didn't rule out a high ankle sprain. Expect Mack to have an MRI on Monday. I'll update if the Colts provide more information.

Follow Up Appointments

Saquon Barkley | Right high ankle sprain | Week 3 | Week-to-Week | Week 7+ Return

Barkley is no longer immobilized in a walking boot and is adamant he'll return sooner than the 4-8 week estimate most expect of him.

Despite Barkley's optimism, I think beating the four-week estimate is very unlikely. To play sooner than four weeks would mean Barkley returns for a Thursday night road game in Week 6. I'm confident the Giants will not rush Barkley and risk aggravation just two and a half weeks after a mid-grade sprain.

However, I'm also confident Barkley will return sooner than eight weeks. The Giants chose not to move Barkley to injured reserve, Barkley did not elect to have surgery in attempt to speed his recovery, and he's already progressed out of the immobilization stage of his rehab.

The earliest likely target for Barkley's return is a Week 7 matchup at home. I think the latest we'll see Barkley return is the Week 9 Monday night matchup at home against Dallas.

Cam Newton | Left Lisfranc sprain | Week 2 | Week-to-Week | Week 8+ Return

Multiple reports now clarify Newton's injury as a Lisfranc sprain. An injury to a joint complex in the midfoot, a Lisfranc sprain is sometimes severe enough to require surgical fixation. Newton will not require surgery but his injury will require multiple weeks to heal.

In a YouTube video last week, Newton acknowledged he could not change directions or sprint at any point since trying to recover from his injury during Carolina's third preseason game. That's typical of players with midfoot injuries. The Panthers and Newton are unified in saying Newton will not return to play until he's no longer limited.

In most cases, a Lisfranc injury takes 6-8 weeks to rehab successfully. Local writers have suggested 4-6 weeks as a possible time table for recovery. A return in four weeks would be a very optimistic ask and it's very unlikely the Panthers will push Newton to play in Week 6 with a bye week to follow in Week 7. Even traveling to a road game in San Francisco in Week 8 may prove a difficult goal to reach but that's the earliest you should expect to see Newton return.

Tyreek Hill | Right sternoclavicular dislocation | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week 6+ Return

Hill continues to recover from his chest injury. No longer immobilized in a sling and cleared to run routes without pads, Hill is progressing as others with similar injuries have in past seasons. The most direct comparison to Hill would be Danny Amendola's injury in 2002. Amendola returned in five weeks and Hill is on pace to do the same.

Initially, I set the Week 7 divisional matchup as Hill's possible return date. If Hill's imaging studies allow him to return to contact sooner than anticipated, we may see him as soon as Week 6.

Fast Track News and Notes

***T.Y. Hilton had little chance of playing Sunday after aggravating a quad strain in Week 3. On Friday, Hilton told reporters he was ahead of schedule. It's still unclear, however, whether Hilton's optimism and continued recovery will be enough for the Indianapolis medical staff to clear him to return before their Week 6 bye.

***Devin Singletary returned to two limited practices this week but was ultimately ruled out. That suggests he'll have a chance to play in Week 5 rather than waiting through Buffalo's Week 6 bye.

***Television angles showed a probable high ankle sprain for Christian Kirk. Stiffness and swelling overnight will give the Cardinals a better idea of how long Kirk may be out, as will a Monday MRI. The rotation of the ankle at the moment of injury was significant enough to expect Kirk to miss at least one week.

***A.J. Green has been cleared to return but there's yet to be any indication he's close to returning to a full practice. Until we see Green cleared for football-related work in pads, continue to consider him at least two weeks from returning. Monday Update: Adam Schefter is reporting Green is not expected to play until Week 7 at the earliest.

***Josh Allen sustained a concussion. While the exercise and observation protocol supports returning players within seven days of injury, more and more teams are rehabbing players over a two-week period after a concussion. The Bills have a Week 6 bye. If there are any worries about Allen's condition this week, we may not see him play until Week 7.

***Sam Darnold will have another set of scans to evaluate the size of his enlarged spleen. If those scans are reassuring, Darnold has repeatedly told reporters he has maintained his conditioning despite his illness. We'll know early this week whether Darnold has been cleared. Monday Update: Adam Gase told reporters Darnold was cleared for non-contact workouts. That may not be a promising sign for his Week 5 availability. If the team medical staff is not comfortable with contact yet, Darnold is unlikely to show much interval improvement over the next 72 hours.

***The Niners expect to return Tevin Coleman to practice this week. He may return to a rotational role.

Injured Players on Active Roster