NFL Week 7 injury updates on Jimmy Garoppolo, David Montgomery, Kyren Williams
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NFL Nation, ESPN
Just one game into Week 7 of the NFL season, and already a key player who was a game-time decision because of an injury has delivered a clutch performance.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence battled through a sprained left knee to make the 41st consecutive start of his NFL career, and he led the Jaguars to a 31-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome. Lawrence passed for 204 yards and a touchdown and despite the knee led the Jaguars in rushing with 59 yards on eight carries.
While the Jaguars didn’t have to turn to their backup quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears will. Jimmy Garoppolo (back) has been ruled out for Sunday, meaning a second missed game for him this season, and Justin Fields (thumb) also will sit.
The news was better for the Cleveland Browns, who are hopeful starter Deshaun Watson (strained right rotator cuff) will return to the lineup after missing the past two games. He made it through his first full practice since Sept. 22 on Friday.
Here are more injury updates from our NFL Nation reporters as we head toward the Sunday matchups:
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Injury: Back
With Garoppolo expected to miss his second game — he sat out Week 4 at the Los Angeles Chargers with a concussion and left last week’s New England Patriots game at halftime in an ambulance to get scans on a possible internal injury — who do the Raiders turn to, rookie Aidan O’Connell or 15-year veteran Brian Hoyer? O’Connell started against the Chargers and threw for 238 yards in completing 24 of 39 passes with an interception while getting sacked seven times and losing two of three fumbles. Hoyer, meanwhile, has lost 12 straight starts but was efficient against the Patriots, completing 6-of-10 for 102 yards, including a 48-yard pass to rookie Tre Tucker that was the Raiders’ longest play of the season.
— Paul Gutierrez
Injury: Thumb
Fields was ruled out of the Las Vegas Raiders game after not practicing this week with a dislocated right thumb. The Bears waited until the end of the week to make a designation on the quarterback, and they’re pleased with the progress he has made and don’t plan to put him on injured reserve. Coach Matt Eberflus said things are trending in a direction where Fields will not need surgery, but the team would not officially make that declaration just yet. Rookie Tyson Bagent will start in Fields’ place.
— Courtney Cronin
Injury: Oblique; shoulder
McCaffrey is considered day-to-day after injuring an oblique last week. He did not practice the first two days of this week, but there is hope that he’ll be available Monday against the Minnesota Vikings. Earlier this week, McCaffrey told coach Kyle Shanahan to make sure he remains in the game plan, declaring his intent to be ready to go. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s a sign of optimism on his part. If McCaffrey can’t go, expect Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell to get the carries.
Like McCaffrey, Samuel is considered day-to-day and also did not participate in practice Thursday or Friday. But the Niners hope Samuel can play, too, as the pain in his shoulder will have more time to subside because the game is Monday night. If Samuel is unavailable, the Niners will turn to Ray-Ray McCloud and Jauan Jennings to take the snaps, with rookie Ronnie Bell also an option.
— Nick Wagoner
Injury: Ribs
Montgomery missed a full week of practice and is out for the game against the Baltimore Ravens. He suffered the injury last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Montgomery, the Lions’ leading rusher, is likely out “for a little bit,” per coach Dan Campbell. There’s no timetable for Montgomery’s return, but the Lions will give rookie Jahmyr Gibbs a heavy workload in his absence. “At his position, that’s not an easy thing to deal with, so we’ll just take it as it comes,” Campbell said.
— Eric Woodyard
Injury: Ankle
Coach Sean McVay said Williams will not play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that the Rams are still deciding whether he will need to go on injured reserve. With the injuries to Williams and backup running back Ronnie Rivers, the Rams added Darrell Henderson Jr. and Myles Gaskin. McVay said Henderson, who was drafted by the Rams but waived last season, will be active against Pittsburgh. All four of the team’s available backs could be active.
— Sarah Barshop
Injury: Hamstring
While it appeared the Steelers were on track to have a fully healthy complement of offensive players after their bye, the tight end aggravated his hamstring injury in practice Thursday. He didn’t practice Friday and won’t play Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. That means another week of an expanded role for rookie tight end Darnell Washington, who has only one reception for 10 yards on three targets this season.
— Brooke Pryor
Injury: Neck
He still hasn’t been cleared for contact but is listed as questionable vs. the Washington Commanders. Jones didn’t take any team reps this week so it would be a surprise if he makes it in time. He at least has “a chance,” per coach Brian Daboll. But is it worth it behind an offensive line without LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (shoulder) and OT Matt Peart (shoulder) and with RT Evan Neal (ankle) questionable?
— Jordan Raanan
Injury: Ankle
After being limited in Wednesday’s practice due to an ankle injury sustained in last week’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Stevenson was a full-go in Thursday’s practice and relayed that he will be playing Sunday. “It would have to be falling off for me not to play,” he said. Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott as a 1-2 combination could represent the Patriots’ best chance to spring an upset against the Buffalo Bills‘ 31st-ranked run D (allowing 5.4 yards per carry).
— Mike Reiss
Injury: Hamstring
At this time two weeks ago, it looked like Jones was on track to play despite dealing with a hamstring injury but a last-minute setback kept him out of the Week 5 game against the Las Vegas Raiders — the third full game he has missed this season. Even with a bye week to rest, Jones still isn’t a sure thing. He was one of nine players listed as questionable for Sunday at the Denver Broncos. “He looked pretty good,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Jones. “He was limited, so we’ll see how he’s feeling.” In all, the Packers had 10 players on Friday’s report.
— Rob Demovsky
Injury: Ankle
There was initial concern he would be sidelined for a bit after exiting the New York Jets game last week, but Johnson practiced in full Friday and is on track to start against Miami. The Eagles are expected to get CB Darius Slay and DT Jalen Carter back as well. Meanwhile, their banged-up secondary will be down both S Reed Blankenship and CB Bradley Roby as it contends with the top offense in the NFL.
— Tim McManus
Injury: Ribs, hip
The Seahawks list their leading receiver as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Metcalf has been playing through a rib injury since Week 2, but coach Pete Carroll said a hip injury suffered last week vs. the Cincinnati Bengals is the bigger issue. “He’s pretty sore still,” Carroll said. “He’s still working at it. It’s going to be all the way up to game time.”
— Brady Henderson
