Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA;  Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) celebrates after breaking up a pass for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson (ankle) on IR, set for surgery

The Kansas City Chiefs placed cornerback Jaylen Watson on injured reserve Tuesday and could be without him for the rest of the season.

Watson will have surgery on a broken fibula and tibia in his ankle, ESPN reported, and while he could make it back in time for the playoffs, it’s far from a guarantee.

Watson, 26, was injured in Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers that pushed the Chiefs to 6-0. He had started all six games and recorded 32 tackles and six pass breakups.

Watson has played in 38 games (14 starts) since being selected in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He returned a pick 99 yards for a touchdown in his second career game, which remains his only interception. He also has 114 tackles, two sacks and 18 pass breakups.

Kansas City signed cornerback Keith Taylor from the practice squad to the active roster in a corresponding move.

–Field Level Media

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon (28) is shown during the team’s mini camp Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Packers RB AJ Dillon lands on IR with neck injury

Packers running back AJ Dillon was placed on injured reserve with no designation to return, ending his 2024 season before it begins.

Dillon, 26, finished last season on IR with a neck stinger, the same injury that will prevent him from suiting up as the primary backup to new starting running back Josh Jacobs this season.

Rookie third-rounder MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson are listed as the primary backups for the Packers, who parted with longtime starter Aaron Jones.

Lloyd’s availability for Week 1 has been questioned because of a hamstring injury, but he avoided starting the season on the physically unable to perform list.

Dillon had 613 rushing yards last season and was lauded for his success in short-yardage since joining the Packers as a second-round pick in 2020.

He has 2,428 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Packers.

Dillon missed the final three games of the 2023 season with a neck stinger, his second of the season. But general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the NFL Scouting Combine the Packers were planning to make an offer to Dillon.

“AJ’s done a great job for us the past four years and we’d love to have him back,” Gutekunst said.

He re-signed with the Packers in March rather than pursue a larger role elsewhere in free agency. According to NFL Network, the one-year deal was a little-used qualifying offer known as a four-year QC (qualifying contract).

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears strong safety Jaquan Brisker (9) hits Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst (81) causing an incompletion during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Panthers to put TE Hayden Hurst (concussion) on IR

The Carolina Panthers are expected to move tight end Hayden Hurst to injured reserve as he continues to battle the side effects of a concussion sustained Nov. 9 in a game against the Chicago Bears, The Athletic reported Friday.

In a Dec. 6 social media post, Hurst’s father, Jerry, said an independent neurologist had diagnosed the player with post-traumatic amnesia and added, “Slow recovery, don’t know when he’ll be back. Prayers appreciated!”

The following day, the 30-year-old Hurst added his own social media post.

“I appreciate everyone reaching out & checking on me,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I suffered a pretty nasty concussion against the Bears a few weeks ago & don’t remember up to 4 hours after the game. Scary situation but the Panthers have been incredible walking me through this process.”

In the first season of a three-year deal with the Panthers, Hurst has 18 receptions for 184 yards and one touchdown in nine games.

Hurst spent the first two seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him No. 25 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, followed by two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and a single campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals.

In 79 career games (39 starts), Hurst has 195 receptions for 1,902 yards with 15 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) reacts after Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker (7) misses a field goal attempt during the first quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 12, 2023.

Nfl Super Bowl Lvii Kansas City Chiefs Vs Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles put LB Nakobe Dean (foot) on IR

The Philadelphia Eagles placed linebacker Nakobe Dean on injured reserve Thursday as he continues to recover from a Lisfranc sprain.

Dean was injured during the second quarter of the Eagles’ 28-23 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 5. The Eagles had a bye last week.

He sustained a foot injury in Philadelphia’s 25-20 win at the New England Patriots in Week 1 and went on IR for four weeks.

NFL rules allow for a player to return from IR twice in the same season.

Dean, who turns 23 on Dec. 13, has started four of the five games he has played this season. He has 30 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a half sack. He has called the defensive signals for the Eagles (8-1) and has been part of a rotation at linebacker with Nicholas Morrow and Zach Cunningham.

A third-round draft pick out of Georgia in 2022, Dean played in all 17 games as a rookie and registered 13 tackles while mostly playing on special teams.

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) eyes the end zone after catching a pass in the second quarter of the NFL Week 6 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023.

Bengals place rookie RB Chase Brown (hamstring) on IR

Cincinnati Bengals rookie running back Chase Brown was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

Brown, who is nursing a hamstring injury, already had been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the host San Francisco 49ers. He will miss at least four games as a result of Saturday’s move.

Brown, 23, has three catches for seven yards and two carries for six yards while appearing in five games this season. He also has appeared on special teams with the Bengals, who selected him in the fifth round of the this year’s NFL Draft.

Joe Mixon remains the starting running back in Cincinnati, with Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans expected to serve as backups.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz (86) reacts after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Cardinals TE Zach Ertz (quad) headed to IR

The Arizona Cardinals are putting tight end Zach Ertz on injured reserve, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Ertz will miss a minimum of four games because of a quad strain, but the plan is for him to return this season, per the report.

He suffered the injury in Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The earliest Ertz could return is Nov. 26 against the Los Angeles Rams.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz has 27 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown on the season.

This is the second straight season that Ertz has landed on IR. Last season, Ertz tore his ACL and MCL in Week 10 during a game against the Rams on Nov. 13.

Ertz, 32, had 47 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games, all starts, in 2022.

In 11 NFL campaigns, he has caught 709 passes for 7,434 yards and 46 touchdowns.

The Cardinals (1-6) host the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Jul 28, 2022; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich (80) during training camp at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Broncos TE Greg Dulcich to be activated vs. Chiefs

Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich will be activated from injured reserve prior to Thursday night’s road game against the Kansas City Chiefs, per multiple reports.

Dulcich had his 21-day practice window opened earlier this week and is listed as questionable. He was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice and turned in a full session Wednesday.

Dulcich, 23, had two catches for 22 yards before sustaining the injury in Denver’s 17-16 season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 10.

The Broncos selected Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He tallied 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games (six starts) during his rookie season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead before playing against the Buffalo Bills  in a NFL wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Dolphins to put LT Terron Armstead (knee) on IR

Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead will be placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury, NFL Network reported on Friday.

Armstead sustained the injury during Miami’s 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The four-time Pro Bowl selection will miss the Dolphins’ next four games and be eligible to return for the team’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 5 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Armstead, 32, signed a five-year, $75 million contract — including $43.37 million guaranteed — in March 2022. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee in the offseason.

Armstead started both games in which he has played this season. He has started 108 of his 112 career games with the New Orleans Saints (2013-21) and Dolphins.

–Field Level Media

Jul 27, 2023; Latrobe, PA, USA;  Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) participates in drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Surgery to shelve Steelers DE Cam Heyward for up to 8 weeks

Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward underwent surgery for a groin injury he suffered in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers and likely won’t return from injured reserve until November.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said he would offer a further update “on the other side of surgery.” NFL Network reported Thursday that Heyward is out eight weeks.

Heyward, 34, was injured on a play in the second quarter. He briefly left the game, returned for one play, and was helped off the field.

The six-time Pro Bowl selection is a defensive captain for the Steelers, and his versatile skill set makes him a difficult player to replace.

“Obviously, losing Cam is significant. But that’s what team is about,” Tomlin said. “Replacing Cam is not a one-man job. It’s a multiple-man job and a coach’s job because it changes your schematics when you lose significant players. And so are we all acknowledged that, and we all run to that, not away from that. That’s an opportunity for us to show what team is about. Things that we hold near and dear, like next man up. We have an opportunity to make that real when we’re faced with the adversity that comes with attrition in this game. And so that’s our mindset, that’s our plan. Multiple people, schematics included.”

Isaiahh Loudermilk or Keeanu Benton could be tasked with the responsibility of replacing Heyward in the starting lineup.

A three-time All-Pro, Heyward was a first-round draft pick (31st overall) of the Steelers in 2011 out of Ohio State. He has played in 184 NFL games (149 starts) and has 78.5 sacks and 614 tackles.

Heyward, a Pittsburgh native, has missed only two games since the beginning of the 2017 season.

-Field Level Media

Jun 14, 2023; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp (10) during minicamp at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rams WR Cooper Kupp (hamstring) placed in IR

The Los Angeles Rams put star wide receiver Cooper Kupp on injured reserve Saturday because of an ongoing hamstring problem, meaning the earliest he can play is Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tight end Hunter Long (thigh) also was placed on IR.

Rams coach Sean McVay already had ruled Kupp out for Week 1 against the host Seattle Seahawks. Kupp has been seeing a specialist for the hamstring condition.

Kupp, 30, was first injured in a training camp practice Aug. 1, leaving the field 30 minutes into a workout. He was originally expected to be out one to two weeks but he missed all three preseason games. He returned to practice before the Aug. 26 preseason game against the Denver Broncos before having a setback with the injury.

Kupp won the receiving triple crown in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 catches, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He was limited to nine games in 2022 with a high ankle sprain.

Long, 25, appeared in 16 games (two starts) over the past two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He has one 8-yard catch in his career.

–Field Level Media