The injury report coming out of Sunday of Week 7 of the NFL season has some big names at the top of it and some potentially season-altering injuries for several teams throughout the league.
Several NFL stars, including Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and San Francisco’s Brandon Ayiuk all left their games early on Sunday with injuries, and the Buccaneers lost wide receivers Chris Godwin (who’s out for the season) and Mike Evans after Monday night’s game.
Here’s a look at some of the news and notes coming out of Week 7.
Chiefs reportedly finalizing trade for WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Kansas City Chiefs are finalizing a trade for Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, ESPN reports. Hopkins, 32, will help strengthen a receiving corps that has lost Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to injuries.
The Chiefs are expected to send a fifth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder to the Titans for Hopkins.
Chris Godwin to undergo surgery, Mike Evans to receive MRI
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without two key wide receivers for the near future after both suffered injuries during Monday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Chris Godwin, whose ugly injury turned out to be a dislocated ankle, will undergo surgery on Wednesday and miss the rest of the season. Godwin’s ankle reportedly looked generally OK ahead of surgery, meaning that recovery time might not be as dire as originally thought.
Mike Evans will have an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of his hamstring injury suffered Monday. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that Evans was likely to miss at least four weeks with the injury.
Deshaun Watson suffers torn Achilles
It’s another crushing injury for the Browns quarterback, whose career has been marred by scandal, suspension and long-term stays on injured reserve. Watson was carted off the field during Cleveland’s 21-14 loss to the Bengals after going down with a non-contact injury.
On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that an MRI confirmed Watson has a torn Achillies which will cost him the rest of the 2024 season, at the very least. In his three seasons in Cleveland, after signing a five-year, $230 million contract, Watson has played in only six games in each of the three years. Jameis Winston will reportedly start in Watson’s place.
Brandon Aiyuk out for the year with ACL, MCL tears
In another crushing blow to the 49ers offense, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL in San Francisco’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Aiyuk held out of camp this offseason and just before the regular season began, signed a four-year, $120 million extension with $76 million in guaranteed money. The 49ers offense has been decimated by injury this season, with George Kittle having missed a game and Christian McCaffrey not having played at all in 2024 because of Achilles tendonitis.
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Chiefs reportedly finalizing trade for Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins in action against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 30, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) The Kansas City Chiefs are finalizing a trade for Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, ESPN reports.
Hopkins, 32, will help strengthen a receiving corps that has lost Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to injuries.
The Chiefs are expected to send a fifth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder to the Titans for Hopkins.
Hopkins has 15 catches for 173 yards this season for a Titans team that has won just one game and struggled at quarterback. Hopkins had a knee injury in training camp that didn’t require surgery. He had 75 catches for 1,057 yards last season with Tennessee.
Hopkins is the third prominent receiver over the past eight days to be traded. Last week, the Las Vegas Raiders sent Davante Adams to the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns traded Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. The Los Angeles Rams have also reportedly initiated trade discussions with teams for former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.
Read the full story here.
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Browns’ Jameis Winston will reportedly start at QB1 after season-ending Deshaun Watson injury
With Deshaun Watson out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, the Cleveland Browns will reportedly turn to Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Watson suffered the injury during the Browns’ 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, the Browns had designated Winston as its emergency quarterback behind Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Now, with Watson out, Winston has been promoted, with Cleveland giving the start to the veteran quarterback.
Winston, a 10-year veteran of the league, signed a one-year contract with the Browns in March after stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints.
Read the full story here.
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Mike Evans to undergo an MRI on Wednesday to determine severity of hamstring injury
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans will have an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of his hamstring injury suffered during Monday Night Football. Regardless of the result, Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Tuesday that Evans is probably out for at least a month.
It’s likely to be a tough blow for the Bucs, who are already without Chris Godwin after the receiver was injured on the same night.
Bucs WR Mike Evans is undergoing an MRI today on his hamstring to help determine the severity of the injury, per source. HC Todd Bowles said Tuesday that he is not expecting Evans back until after the Buccaneers’ week 11 bye.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2024
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Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on Wednesday
Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is undergoing surgery on Wednesday for his dislocated ankle. Testing showed that the injury was in relatively good shape, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and that Godwin could return before the end of the season depending on whether Tampa Bay makes an appearance in the postseason.
#Bucs WR Chris Godwin is having surgery today to repair his dislocated ankle. Going into it, tests were as good as they could’ve been, sources say.
No one knows how long TB’s season will last, but there is even an outside possibility Godwin returns. Not likely. But slight. https://t.co/L6PSA2nXho
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2024
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Cowboys’ Jerry Jones justifies not pursuing Derrick Henry
On Tuesday, Jones addressed the Cowboys run game on his weekly radio appearance with 105.3 The Fan. He did so fresh off another showcase Monday night by a Baltimore Ravens offense featuring running back Derrick Henry, who was a free agent in the offseason and available for the Cowboys to pursue.
Jones explained on Tuesday why he doesn’t believe that Henry would be a difference-maker for the Cowboys this season.
Read the full story here.
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones today on not signing Derrick Henry, via @1053thefan: “Derrick is having a career year. I don’t know if he’d be having a career year in our situation… We don’t run that type of offense at all… Derrick didn’t fit, principally due to managing the cap.” pic.twitter.com/q8QPMB0zRd
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 22, 2024
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Rams reportedly exploring Cooper Kupp trade
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams during a game at State Farm Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 41-10. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Per The Athletic’s Diana Russini, the L.A. Rams are shopping All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp and are willing to retain some of his guaranteed $9.1 million salary for this season. The Rams are looking for a second-round pick in a potential deal, per Russini, and have contacted multiple teams about the Super Bowl 56 MVP.
Kupp suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 and hasn’t played since, but is on track to return for Thursday Night Football as the Rams take on the Vikings.
Read more here.
The Rams have called multiple teams about trading former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp sources tell @mikesilver, @jourdanrodrigue, and me.
The Rams have indicated a willingness to take on some of the ‘24 salary and are seeking a 2nd round pick.— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 22, 2024
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Mike Evans to have MRI on hamstring
Evans is the second critical wide receiver the Buccaneers lost to injury Monday night.
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Bucs’ Chris Godwin to miss season with ankle injury
Tampa wide receiver Chris Godwin reportedly dislocated his ankle against the Ravens on Monday night, and the injury was so gruesome that ESPN decided not to show the replay. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Godwin will have surgery this week to repair his ankle and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
#Bucs WR Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on his dislocated ankle this week, sources say. He’ll see a doctor today to determine the damage & is expected to make a full recovery for 2025 — when he’ll be a FA.
Godwin was in a career year with 576 receiving yds — 2nd in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/UPVOqFwjXT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2024
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Saints adding WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Saints are without Rashid Shaheed, who’s out for the season following surgery on his meniscus, and Chris Olave, who remains in concussion protocol.
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Dolphins WR placed on IR after reportedly tearing his ACL vs. Colts
The Dolphins wide receiver and return specialist suffered the injury in the fourth quarter during a kickoff return in their 16-10 loss to the Colts.
An MRI today revealed that Dolphins WR Braxton Berrios tore his ACL, per source. The team has placed him on IR. There was no additional ligament or meniscus damage. pic.twitter.com/4pSIMRTvm3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2024
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49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk out for season with torn ACL, MCL
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver sustained a season-ending knee injury in their 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, tests confirmed on Monday, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Aiyuk has a torn ACL and MCL, and there may be other damage in his knee. He will have surgery in the near future.
Aiyuk caught a pass over the middle of the field late in the first half of Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium, but his knee buckled in hard as he was hit and brought down. Ayiuk remained on the field for quite some time before he eventually walked off and into the medical tent. He was eventually carted off into the locker room, and was ruled out of the game.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that the team feared he had sustained an ACL injury.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, bottom, remains on the field after being hit during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) -
D.K. Metcalf “week to week” with Grade 1 MCL sprain
Metcalf landed hard during a catch attempt in the third quarter of the Seahawks’ win over the Falcons.
“On that sideline catch, he banged up his knee a little bit,’’ said Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald. “Not sure the severity. We’re optimistic at this point, so it doesn’t look too bad.’’
The Seahawks take on the Bills Sunday in Week 8.
Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf — who left Sunday’s win over Atlanta with a knee injury — suffered a Grade 1 sprained MCL and now will be considered “week to week”, per source. pic.twitter.com/emGKx7FEJd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2024
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Commanders QB Jayden Daniels “week-to-week”
The Commanders’ rookie QB left Sunday’s 40-7 win over the Panthers early with a rib injury after taking several hard hits.
Daniels was ruled out after halftime after first being questionable to return. After the game his mother, Regina Jackson, posted on X that her son was “fine.”
The Commanders face the Bears on Sunday.
Jayden Daniels status is week to week. Rib injury. “We’re hopefully he can play but also make sure we take every precautionary step,” Dan Quinn.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) October 21, 2024
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NFL makes Sunday Night Football schedule change for Week 9
The Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts are headed to Sunday Night Football in Week 9, with the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars bumped to the afternoon.
Flex! The Week 9 Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings game will move to Sunday Night Football on NBC. The Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles game will be played at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 21, 2024
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Tua Tagovailoa returning to Dolphins’ practice on Wednesday
If Tagovailoa ends up clearing concussion protocol, he would be available to play on Sunday’s Dolphins game against the Cardinals.
Mike McDaniel said medical experts have deemed it safe for Tua Tagovailoa to return to play.
McDaniel said medical experts advised time initially. Sunday for Tua likely return will be 6 weeks since his concussion.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 21, 2024
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No QB change coming for Giants
Daniel Jones will get the start again next Monday night against the Steelers.
Jones has 1,442 passing yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games this season.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll says he will stick with QB Daniel Jones as he starter. “He gives us the best chance,” Daboll says
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) October 21, 2024
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Deshaun Watson’s season is over with ruptured Achilles
An MRI revealed that Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s Achilles is in fact ruptured, as suspected, and his 2024 season is over.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2024
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Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks
Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell now is expected to miss four to six weeks with a broken thumb, per sources. He is getting a second opinion today to confirm the initial diagnosis. pic.twitter.com/9Ag3lZko8k
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2024
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No news yet on QB Jayden Daniels’ health following rib injury
The Commanders are waiting to hear about Jayden Daniels’ health just like the rest of us. He left Washington’s 40-7 win over the Panthers early with what turned out to be a rib injury. The Athletic’s Mike Jones is reporting that it may be a few days before we know about Daniels’ status for Sunday’s game against the Bears.
Commanders are still waiting to learn more about Jayden Daniels’ health. Might not know about his availability for that meeting with Caleb Williams and the Bears until Wednesday or Thursday, I’m told.
— Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) October 21, 2024
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Mike Tomlin revels in results of Russell Wilson decision
Following the Steelers’ 37-15 stomping of the Jets on Sunday night, head coach Mike Tomlin sat at the podium and answered questions about one of his most daring decisions yet: starting veteran QB Russell Wilson over young Justin Fields.
Tomlin is perhaps the most professional coach in all of the NFL. He didn’t use the presser to soak in compliments, he used it to honestly assess the game his team played. But he did allow a moment of levity to close the affair, when retired NFL wide receiver and Pittsburgh native Brandon Marshall stopped by to ask him a question.
Brandon Marshall stops by the postgame presser and asks Mike Tomlin if it was one of his boldest decisions to start Russell Wilson.
Tomlin: “that’s why I’m well-compensated.” pic.twitter.com/fQ5bdMsOtA
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 21, 2024
