This is terribly unfortunate. We expect him to be placed on injured reserve soon, and we do not expect him to return until 2027. The Ravens brought in Pinter and C Ethan Pocic, who is coming off a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture, to compete for the starting center role after losing C Tyler Linderbaum in free agency to the Raiders. Pocic, 31, has been a reliable NFL starter since earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2017. He earned a 62.3 PFF pass-blocking grade and a 63.2 PFF run-blocking grade before injuring his Achilles in Week 14 last year.
Shakir was sidelined from Tuesday’s special practice at Highmark Stadium and hasn’t suited up since. Coach Joe Brady did not divulge the nature of the injury. Like most ailments this time of year, it’s probably a minor issue where the team is opting for caution, but it’s good to “timestamp” these things, so to speak. Barely going in the WR5 range, 26-year-old Shakir could easily outproduce his ADP, though probably not to the extent he cracks the top 36.
Smith will undoubtedly only play a series or two, but it’s confirmation he’s over the “soreness” that held him out last weekend. Smith would have reportedly played through the “injury” during the regular season, so it was never believed to be serious. Any injury is worth noting for a 35-year-old player coming off a rough, rough year, but this one is in the rear-view mirror.
We try not to go daily with training camp injuries, but Nacua has now missed the Rams’ entire slate of Saints sessions. Coach Sean McVay had previously said he would return this week. That still does not suggest anything other than standard summer caution, but it’s of course worth noting. For now there is no reason to alter course when it comes to selecting Nacua in the first round of fantasy drafts.
LaPorta mysteriously missed practice on Wednesday. Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters Thursday that the 25-year-old tight end is dealing with a hip injury. They’re letting him rest. Campbell told reporters he doesn’t believe it’s a long-term injury and that LaPorta could be ready for the start of the regular season, but he isn’t sure. Already coming off a back injury that required season-ending surgery last year, LaPorta has picked up another red flag with a preseason injury.
Mauigoa left practice Thursday with members of the Giants medical staff. Leonard reports that the rookie offensive lineman is dealing with a stinger. While it doesn’t appear to be a significant injury at this time, it’s worth keeping an eye on until more information becomes available.
Lemon was back at practice for the first time in weeks. The first-round receiver missed most of minicamp and training camp up to this point with a hamstring injury. While Lemon is playing from behind, there’s plenty of time for him to work his way into the offensive game plan ahead of the Eagles’ Week 1 matchup against the Commanders.
Steichen adds that the team will be cautious with Warren’s recovery, but chose not to share details regarding the injury’s severity beyond that. If healthy, the second-year tight end is a candidate to lead the team in targets this season after racking up 106 as a rookie. The Colts’ pass-catching corps is in a tough spot, with WR Alec Pierce (ankle) still sidelined. If Warren cannot play in Week 1, WR Josh Downs would presumably handle a sizable target share, operating as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 target earner. Stay tuned.
Just a few hours ago, ESPN’s John Keim reported that Newton was visiting a specialist today. Apparently, the decision to undergo surgery was made fairly quickly. This is a tough loss for the Commanders’ defensive front. Newton ranked fourth on the team in quarterback pressures (27) and third in sacks (six) last year. Commanders edge rushers, OLB Odafe Oweh (calf) and OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (knee), are also nursing injuries at the moment.
Triplett was apparently surprised to see reporters wondering whether the Saints should bring a veteran receiver aboard. According to him, the Saints had nine legitimate wide receiver candidates to make the final roster, with rookie WRs Bryce Lance and Barion Brown leading the charge. Per Triplett, Lance “is coming on faster than anyone else,” though Brown notably surged early in camp. Lance does not play on special teams, which could make him an ideal No. 3 wide receiver. Triplett also believes the Saints should design a package of plays for the speedy Brown, who WR Chris Olave said is “basically the same player” as former Saints WR Rashid Shaheed. For deep league fantasy managers, Lance could be worth a late-round dart throw. Both players should be rostered in dynasty.
Nacua is entering the final year of his contract. Atkins writes that it is only a matter of time before “Nacua lands a monstrous extension,” but whether it comes from the Rams or another team, presumably via free agency or a trade, remains a question. Both the team and player reportedly “hope” that Nacua remains a Ram long term, and the team is “encouraged by some of the steps he’s taken this offseason.” The superstar wide receiver still has a civil suit that must be dealt with and the league has not yet clarified whether it intends to suspend him. For now, Nacua is a member of the Rams’ explosive offense and can be treated as a locked-in WR1, albeit with some suspension risk.
ESPN’s John Keim expects to hear an update on White tomorrow morning. Backup RB Jeremy McNichols is dealing with a quad injury and RB Jerome Ford (hamstring) was recently placed on injured reserve. As things currently stand, starting RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, rookie RBs Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry, and veteran RB Craig Reynolds are the four healthy players. Croskey-Merritt’s reported passing game improvements have come at the right time. Allen played well on a sizable preseason Week 1 workload. He might be in line for RB2 duties if White were to miss time.
When asked for comment, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, “anytime you’re seeing a specialist, of course, there is reason for concern.” Both starting edge rushers, OLB Odafe Oweh (calf) and OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (knee), and backup LB Jordan Magee (shoulder) are also sidelined by recent injuries. The Commanders’ defensive front is tasked with corralling the Eagles’ rushing attack in three and a half weeks.
Vea also gets a $6 million pay bump for the 2026 NFL season. He was previously set to make $18 million this year, bringing his new salary up to $24 million. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported last week that Vea was seeking an extension, placing him in the top defensive tackle tier, which currently sits around $38 million annually. It looks like the two sides compromised to get a deal done. Vea ranked in the top three on the team in quarterback pressures (51) and sacks (four) last year.
Gonzalez’s release seemingly bodes well for K Riley Patterson. The two veteran kickers were competing to replace K Jason Sanders, who signed with the Jets this offseason.
This could mean that Sermon is expected to miss the 2026 season, but we will not know for sure until the Falcons make that designation official on cut-down day later this month.
Perry has not played on offense since his 2023 rookie season with the Saints. The Dolphins also worked out QB Kyron Drones, QB Chandler Rogers, LB Stephen Dix, LB Antonio Grier and WR Brenden Rice.
Williams missed the Lions’ last two practices with what coach Dan Campbell described as a minor shoulder injury. Today’s practice was padless. We should learn more about Williams’ status when the pads go back on. Regardless, Williams seemingly remains a safe WR2/3 candidate right now.
Just last week, we received word that LaPorta has been having a “terrific” training camp. He suffered a season-ending back injury last year, which ultimately required surgery. While the surprise absence is somewhat concerning, this could simply be LaPorta taking a veteran rest day in the middle of the week. This is worth tracking, but not worth worrying about at this time.
This is unfortunate. The second-year pass rusher seemingly had a chance to play right away, but the team is apparently adjusting its expectations. Williams, 22, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in November. Whenever he makes it back, he will provide a decent boost to the 49ers’ defensive line.
According to Boyd, Warren “went down” while running a route during 11-on-11 drills. He “got up clutching at his groin area” before making his way to the sideline to meet with the Colts’ training staff. FOX 59’s Mike Chappell said Warren was exhibiting a limp while leaving the field. This is not the kind of news we want to hear, but the second-year tight end still has time to rehab a minor tweak before the regular season opener. Stay tuned.
Metcalf chose not to reveal details on the injury that has kept him sidelined for a week and a half. He simply said there are no long-term concerns, and he expects to be good to go for the season opener. Hopefully, he begins ramping up before long. Metcalf is a borderline WR3/FLEX, competing for the team’s top wide receiver role with WR Michael Pittman this year.
Tate apparently took a hard hit during Monday’s practice, but coach Robert Saleh said Tate’s stiffness is unrelated. The first-round rookie wide receiver had a good showing in spring practices, but may currently be behind slot WR Wan’Dale Robinson in the target pecking order. As is the case with many rookie wide receivers, Tate’s production could be back-weighted toward the end of the season this year.
Pinter has been competing with C Ethan Pocic for the starting job. Pocic notably suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture last year. Hopefully, Pinter escapes with a minor injury and the competition can continue.
According to Cleveland’s Mary Kay Cabot, Judkins was “the object of much of the chippiness on Tuesday.” According to multiple beat reporters, Browns coach Todd Monken abruptly ended practice early yesterday because defenders were being a little too physical. The team could simply be giving Judkins the day off after taking some hits yesterday, but this is worth keeping an eye on. Browns No. 2 RB Dylan Sampson operated as the team’s starter with Judkins sitting out.