Preseason injuries take heavy toll
With the NFL preseason drawing to a close, many teams are grateful to be emerging relatively unscathed. But for others, the preseason has yielded substantial injuries. Ahead of Thursday’s final slate of games, here is a look at the most costly injuries since training camps began and a breakdown of how each team might move forward.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS LT GEORGE FANT
An inefficient offensive line that struggled to protect quarterback Russell Wilson was the Seahawks’ biggest vulnerability last season.
Seattle thought Fant, an undrafted free agent in 2016 who played one year of college football after a basketball career at Western Kentucky, was going to make a huge leap in his development thanks to a strong offseason in which he put on about 25 pounds. But Fant suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings when center Justin Britt fell on the back of his teammate’s leg.
Now the Seahawks are searching for answers, though it appears Rees Odhiambo appears to be the favorite to start Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
CHICAGO BEARS WR CAMERON MEREDITH
The Bears offense, whether it’s with Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, needs all the help it can get. Meredith, a third-year receiver from Illinois State, was set to be the top target before suffering a gruesome knee injury Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. A torn anterior cruciate ligament is the diagnosis, according to news reports, though he apparently suffered additional structural damage.
Losing Meredith, who led the team with 66 catches and 888 receiving yards last year, leaves Chicago with more questions at receiver. Former first-round pick Kevin White is still looking to prove himself after playing in four games over his first two seasons, and former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Markus Wheaton has been sidelined with a finger injury. Can veterans Victor Cruz or Kendall Wright fill the void?
DALLAS COWBOYS LB ANTHONY HITCHENS
Hitchens’ outlook for a tibial plateau fracture is not as grim as once expected, given that the Cowboys initially feared a torn ACL. Still, the starting middle linebacker is expected to miss about eight weeks, making him a candidate for the short-term injured reserve list.
Dallas’ front seven is thin, and Hitchens has been one of the unit’s most reliable and consistent players. Look for Justin Durant, who has been eased back into work this summer after last year’s ACL injury, to slide into the starting lineup. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said the recovery plan for former secondround pick Jaylon Smith won’t be sped up by Hitchens’ injury.
KANSAS CIT Y CHIEFS RB SPENCER WARE
As the Chiefs’ top rusher in 2016, Ware was expected to lead a strong trio of backs with rookie Kareem Hunt and Charcandrick West after the offseason release of longtime starter Jamaal Charles. Kansas City’s depth will be tested right away with Ware expected to miss the season after suffering a knee injury Friday against the Seahawks.
Hunt has had an impressive training camp and preseason, especially surprising coaches and quarterback Alex Smith with his abilities in pass protection. Coach Andy Reid said the third-round pick will now be the featured back.
MIAMI DOLPHINS QB RYAN TANNEHILL NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS WR JULIAN EDELMAN
Yes, the Patriots are uniquely equipped to survive the loss of a star player, doing it last year after tight end Rob Gronkowski suffered a season-ending back injury. But losing Tom Brady’s favorite target to a torn ACL before the regular season starts is a significant blow. The Patriots have other wide receivers, including new acquisition Brandin Cooks and veteran Danny Amendola, who can step up. But Edelman’s knack for making difficult catches and rapport with Brady (his 158 targets were almost double that of the next-closest player, running back James White with 86) will make him difficult to replace. It’s odd that losing a starting quarterback in early August would rank near the bottom of this list. But the Dolphins had a good Plan B in free agent Jay Cutler, whom head coach Adam Gase lured out of retirement. Miami was disappointed to lose Tannehill to a torn ACL, but now the team can keep its playoff aspirations on track with Cutler while allowing Tannehill to fully focus on his recovery and preparation for 2018.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS C RYAN KELLY
A foot injury likely will keep Kelly, last year’s first-round pick and arguably the team’s top offensive lineman, out until midseason. Rookie Deyshawn Bond has started in place of Kelly in preseason, but can he be counted on to protect Andrew Luck and his surgically repaired shoulder with the quarterback expected to return in the near future?
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS’ VARIOUS INJURIES
A herniated disk continues to cloud the availability of rookie wideout Mike Williams, the Bolts’ first-round pick. But at least he might play. A torn ACL has ruined the rookie season of second-round guard Forrest Lamp, who was expected to bolster the spotty protection of veteran quarterback Philip Rivers. Factor in an ankle injury that likely will cost starting linebacker Denzel Perryman a few months, and it’s starting to look like the injury bug is again threatening to derail this talented team’s aspirations as it tries to woo its new L.A. fan base.
BALTIMORE RAVENS’ VARIOUS INJURIES
Few teams can match the injury setbacks suffered by this club. A back ailment has prevented Joe Flacco from practicing throughout training camp, though coach John Harbaugh says his quarterback will be ready for Week 1. Wide receiver Breshad Perriman has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, and three other contributors — running back Kenneth Dixon, linebacker Albert McClellan and rookie guard Nico Siragusa — are out for the year, with tight end Crockett Gillmore likely finished for 2017, too. Already thin at several positions, the Ravens can’t afford many more hits.
NEW YORK JETS WR QUINCY ENUNWA
He led the team with 857 receiving yards in 2016. But surgery for a bulging disk in his neck has ended Enunwa’s hopes of playing in 2017. Already stripped of veteran wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, this talent-depleted offense must hope unproven Robby Anderson and rookie ArDarius Stewart can find ways to be productive.