NFL Week 3 injuries: Bengals' Joe Burrow listed as questionable for game vs. Rams
Editor’s note: Follow all the NFL Week 3 action with USA TODAY Sports’ live coverage.
Another week, another devastating, season-ending injury.
Exactly one week after the New York Jets lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles, Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb suffered a 'very significant' knee injury that is expected to end his 2023 season.
Chubb is believed to have torn his MCL after early tests, ESPN and NFL Network reported Saturday. With surgery set for the upcoming week, his timeline for return could range from six to eight months if his initial diagnosis remains, according to ESPN. Chubb also damaged his ACL, but doctors do not believe it is torn, per ESPN and NFL Network.
Though his was the most severe injury, Chubb wasn't the only NFL star to come away from Week 2 banged up.
Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback, said he "tweaked" his right calf muscle – which caused him to miss a majority of training camp – during Sunday’s Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
"I'm not sure how it's going to feel the next couple days," Burrow told reporters after Cincinnati’s 27-24 loss on Sunday. "It's pretty sore right now. No telling how it's going to feel. So, I think we're going to take it day by day.”
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Coach Zac Taylor said Burrow is questionable to play against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night at Paycor Stadium.
“We’ll see … we still got two days, 48 hours before the game,” Taylor said on Saturday.
Burrow was limited during Friday's practice. Cincinnati added quarterback Reid Sinnett to the practice squad on Friday, one day after losing quarterback Will Grier off the practice squad to the Patriots. The Bengals also added quarterback A.J. McCarron to the practice squad.
Burrow completed 27 of 41 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Ravens. The Bengals are 0-2 after losing to the Browns and Ravens, two AFC North rivals, to start the season.
Here are more NFL injury updates, following Week 2:
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler ruled out vs. Vikings
Justin Herbert and the Chargers will be without Austin Ekeler in Sunday's contest against the Minnesota Vikings. Ekeler, who did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, was ruled out Friday due to an ankle injury that also sidelined him in the Chargers' Week 2 overtime loss against the Tennessee Titans. Head coach Brandon Staley said there's "no timeline" on Ekeler's return. Los Angeles is looking to avoid a 0-3 start for the first time since 2017.
Odell Beckham Jr. among seven Ravens ruled out vs. Colts
After injuring his ankle during Baltimore's Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and missing the entire second half, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was ruled out for Week 3 as well. The Ravens also ruled out RB Justice Hill, C Tyler Linderbaum, OT Ronnie Stanley, CB Marlon Humphrey, LB Odafe Oweh and S Marcus Williams for their Sunday home game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Panthers QB Bryce Young ruled out; Andy Dalton to start
Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks with an ankle injury, giving veteran Andy Dalton the start.
“Docs are saying one to two weeks," coach Frank Reich said about Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. "I think Bryce has done well this week. I’m optimistic that he’s on the right path, that whatever the soonest he can get back, he will get back.” — Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports
Colts QB Anthony Richardson ruled out; Gardner Minshew to start
Indianapolis Cols quarterback Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in April, will miss Sunday's game at the Baltimore Ravens after leaving in the second quarter of Sunday's 31-20 win over the Houston Texans with a concussion. Gardner Minshew will get the start. — Scooby Axson, USA TODAY Sports
Other notable names ruled out Sunday
There will be plenty of star power on the sidelines as Sunday's Week 3 action kicks off.
First-round pick Peter Skoronski will be missing for the Titans, while the Browns will be without 2021 first-round pick Greg Newsome. Left tackle Taylor Decker will once again be out for the Lions. Jamaal Williams, 2022's rushing touchdown leader, is out for the Saints. The Packers will be without the services of Pro Bowl lineman Elgton Jenkins. Last year's No. 3 overall pick, Derek Stingley, won't play for the Texans. The Broncos will be missing a pair of former Pro Bowl players in Frank Clark and Justin Simmons. Marcus Davenport is out for the Vikings. Logan Thomas won't suit up for the Commanders. The Seahawks will be without left tackle Charles Cross again and the Jets will be missing Duane Brown. Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle is reportedly out due to a concussion.
Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs out for season with torn ACL
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs has suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Diggs, who turned 25 on Wednesday, tore his ACL during practice on Thursday, the team confirmed. Diggs went down during 1-on-1 drills and his ACL injury was later confirmed by an MRI.
The Cowboys said a timeline for his return to action has not been established, but Diggs is expected to miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
The news comes after Diggs was seen exiting Thursday's practice on crutches. — Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY Sports
Eagles CB Avonte Maddox lands on IR with torn pectoral
Philadelphia Eagles CB Avonte Maddox exited Philadelphia's Week 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings early with a shoulder injury. Head coach Nick Sirianni said Maddox will be "out for a little bit," which we now know is at least four games after he was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Test confirmed Maddox torn his pectoral muscle, ESPN reports. "Are we going to miss Avonte? Of course we are. He's a great football player who has made a lot of plays here," Sirianni said.
No. 1 pick Bryce Young not expected to play for Panthers
Bryce Young is not expected to play in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks due to an ankle injury, the Carolina Panthers said in their injury report on Thursday. Veteran Andy Dalton would replace the rookie quarterback as the starter.
Young sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday.
In speaking with the media on Wednesday, head coach Frank Reich said he didn't know which play Young was injured on during their Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He found out about the injury on Monday night.
"I do not think it impacted his performance, based on talking to him about it," he said. — Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY Sports
Patriots DB Marcus Jones heading to IR
Patriots defensive back Marcus Jones, who earned All-Pro honors as a return man as a rookie in 2022, suffered a labrum tear during Sunday's game and will be heading to IR, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.
Giants' Saquon Barkley out for 'Thursday Night Football'
What seemed inevitable is now official: New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is out and will not play against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night.
The Giants made the announcement Wednesday, and in addition to Barkley, left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) will also not play. Barkley gave it a go to be ready, but on a short week, given what lies ahead on the Giants' schedule as well, the wise move was for the Giants to declare him out.
An individual with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NorthJersey.com on Monday that the MRI and further testing here in Arizona revealed Barkley has a low ankle sprain and there were no other surprises from the scans, potentially establishing his status to return to action as week-to-week depending on his recovery. — Art Stapleton, NorthJersey.com
49ers' Brandon Aiyuk out for 'Thursday Night Football'
The 49ers announced that receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be inactive for the game against the Giants due to a shoulder/chest injury.
Nick Chubb likely out for season
Browns star running back Nick Chubb was carted off the field early in the second quarter of the team’s 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a left knee injury.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said following the loss that Chubb sustained a significant knee injury that the team expects to sideline the running back for the rest of the year.
Chubb was injured when he took a handful, ran in between the tackles and was hit low by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Chubb and Fitzpatrick were both injured on the play, but Chubb stayed down on the field in what looked like a gruesome knee injury. When the play was shown on replay at Acrisure Stadium, the crowd had an empathic reaction.
The Browns running back was eventually carted off the field as the Pittsburgh crowd cheered their support as he exited.
The Browns later ruled Chubb out for the rest of the game.
Chubb has rushed for 1,000 yards in four of his first five NFL seasons. He’s four-time Pro Bowler and one of the best running backs in the NFL.
The Georgia product also suffered a significant left knee injury while in college in 2015. — Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY Sports
Lions' Gardner-Johnson potentially out for the season
The Lions may have endured a serious blow to their prospects this season, losing starting safety CJ Gardner-Johnson to a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Network.
Gardner-Johnson was a crucial piece during the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl last season, and would have helped the Lions take the next step in the NFC North.
Now, Detroit must move forward without Gardner-Johnson, who could miss the rest of the season with his injury.
Panthers lose starting linebacker Shaq Thompson
The Carolina Panthers’ rebuild this season will go on without starting linebacker Shaq Thompson, whose broken fibula will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Panthers coach Frank Reich confirmed Thompson’s injury and surgery on Tuesday.
Arizona Cardinals place Budda Baker on injured reserve
Budda Baker, a team captain and the heart of Arizona's defense, will miss a minimum of four games per NFL rules after the Cardinals placed the Pro Bowl safety on injured reserve on Monday. The four games do not include Sundays' contest against the New York Giants, in which he sat out.
Baker was injured Friday in practice, the team announcing it on the injury report that day as a hamstring issue. Head coach Jonathan Gannon, speaking to reporters Monday afternoon at the team’s training facility in Tempe, Arizona, did not provide the exact extent of Baker’s injury, but did say there was no tear to the hamstring of any kind.
The earliest Baker could return would be Oct. 22 for Arizona’s game at Seattle. If he is able to play by then, he still will have missed five games – tying the total number of games he’s missed previously in his Cardinals’ career since being drafted by the club with a second-round pick in 2017.
The Cardinals also placed defensive end L.J. Collier on inujured reserve with a bicep injury. Collier, who was injured in Week 1, will miss at least three more games. — José M. Romero, Arizona Republic
Anthony Richardson’s concussion update Monday
At least five NFL players sustained concussions during their Week 2 games on Sunday, and their availability for Week 3 games could be in question.
Indianapolis Colts rookie Anthony Richardson was the only quarterback of the group, sustaining a concussion after the back of his head hit the deck when he was pushed to the ground following his second rushing touchdown, early in the second quarter of their 31-20 win over the Houston Texans.
Richardson is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, Colts coach Shane Steichen said on Monday. Center Ryan Kelly, who also sustained a concussion during the Texans game, is also in protocol.
Backup Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew was efficient, completing 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown pass as the Colts took a 31-10 lead in the third quarter of their matchup.
Indianapolis (1-1) visits the 2-0 Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Raiders’ Davante Adams 'good' after concussion
Las Vegas Raiders star receiver Davante Adams was ruled out with a concussion in the fourth quarter of their 38-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Adams is “good,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels told reporters on Monday. Adams could return to practice this week.
However, McDaniels said receiver Jakobi Meyers remains in concussion protocol following his Week 1 injury.
Meyers is “headed in the right direction,” McDaniels said.
Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle in concussion protocol
Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle was placed in concussion protocol Monday, coach Mike McDaniel confirmed to reporters.
Waddle took a hit to the back of the head from a New England Patriots defender late in Miami’s 24-17 win.
Waddle’s availability will be in question for Miami’s Week 3 game at home against the Denver Broncos (0-2).
Giants’ star Saquan Barkley has right ankle injury
The New York Giants’ comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals was spoiled when Saquan Barkley sustained a right ankle injury late in the fourth quarter.
Barkley had an MRI on Monday, and an individual with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the testing revealed Barkley has a low ankle sprain. There were no other surprises from the scans, according to the individual, who requested anonymity because the information has not been publically released by the Giants yet.
The Giants have a short week, with a Thursday night game in San Francisco against the 49ers, and Barkley will almost certainly be unavailable to play. His status to return to action will likely be week-to-week depending on his recovery.
Odell Beckham Jr. hampered by ankle injury
Odell Beckham Jr.’s NFL comeback hit a snag on Sunday as the Ravens receiver was ruled out of the second half of their Week 2 win over the Bengals with an ankle injury.
The Ravens placed running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) on injured reserve and had four others players inactive against the Bengals: offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee), center Tyler Linderbaum (ankle), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot) and safety Marcus Williams (pectoral).
Two Lions players dealing with injuries
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery left Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks with a thigh injury.
Edge rusher James Houston, who broke out with eight sacks last season, suffered a fractured ankle. NFL Network reports Houston could miss 6-8 weeks.
Washington’s Logan Thomas has concussion
Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas caught a touchdown pass in their 35-33 win over the Denver Broncos, but was laid out by Broncos safety Kareem Jackson after the catch.
Thomas was able to jog off the field and did not return. The Commanders have not yet indicated Thomas' status.
Jackson was ejected following the play, and ESPN reports he won’t be suspended for the late hit.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL injury report Week 3: Bengals' Joe Burrow questionable vs. Rams
