Week 3 is set to kick off Sunday around the AFC East! The weather is getting cooler and wetter while the injury reports grow in length. Each team in the division is navigating the injury report pitfalls differently as they look to field the best roster each and every week.
Below are the injury reports for each team in the division.
Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets | Buffalo Bills
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Miami Dolphins
DOUBTFUL
RB Salvon Ahmed (Groin)
Ahmed did not play in the second half of the Week 2 win over the Patriots due to a groin injury. Looking back at the film, his last plays were with 1:49 and 1:44 left in the second quarter where he got pushed out of bounds going to the left. There wasn’t anything notable on film to suggest what happened, but the tweet below further supported his night was done.
He was unable to practice all week and is officially doubtful. Rarely do doubtful players play which means his absence will provide an increase in snaps for rookie De’Von Achane and veteran back Raheem Mostert.
QUESTIONABLE
WR Jaylen Waddle (Concussion)
Waddle took a brutal hit to the back of his head from S/LB Marte Mapu late in the fourth quarter on Sunday night. He was unable to protect himself from the hit as he was trying to haul in the pass, getting his head struck from behind before slamming his head to the turf.
Regrettably, he was unable to practice Wednesday and Thursday before getting a limited practice in on Friday. While the Dolphins do play at home this week against the Denver Broncos, it is possible he could play Sunday should he clear protocol.
He was seen catching passes in a red non-contact jersey from Tua Tagovailoa Friday, though that does not indicate he’s cleared.
I don’t believe he had enough time to clear protocol, but things may change by Sunday.
DT Raekwon Davis (Wrist)
Davis was limited all week with a wrist designation without really any additional information at this time. I would expect that he may wear a brace on the affected side and at times be limited with hand fighting and blocking, but still stay engaged in plays and become a space eater should he play.
TE Tyler Kroft (Back)
Kroft was limited all week due to a back designation and only played in three offensive plays last week. It’s unclear what his specific issue is at this time.
DE Jaelan Phillips (Back)
Phillips suffered a back injury the Friday before Week 2 and was forced to miss his first game in his NFL career. The hope is that this is some type of minor back sprain within the vertebrae or a muscle strain, but he was limited before getting a full practice Friday and officially questionable for Sunday. However, the coaching staff is optimistic he is able to play.
OT Terron Armstead (Right knee/back/ankle)
CB Elijah Campbell (Knee)
TE Julian Hill (Ankle)
All three have missed the last two weeks due to their respective injuries. Armstead is expected to make his season debut.
ACTIVE
LB Andrew Van Ginkel (Ankle)
Van Ginkel was limited on Wednesday due to an ankle injury but returned to practice in full on Thursday and Friday with no gameday designation.
WR Tyreek Hill (Ankle)
Hill had his reps limited on Wednesday due to an ankle issue but returned to full on Thursday, suggesting that while the injury is present, Wednesday may have been more of a veteran rest day. There are minimal concerns for Hill moving forward.
New England Patriots
QUESTIONABLE
DT Christian Barmore (Knee)
Barmore is once again back on the injury report with a knee injury. He has battled a knee injury every season he has been in the league. This first started just prior to the playoffs in 2021 and then suffered yet another knee injury in Week 6, forcing him to miss a total of seven games, four spent on injured reserve. Last year it was his right knee, but he’s not clear if this is the same one.
He is an excellent player when healthy, but this knee injury continues to be a thorn in his side, preventing him from progressing as a player.
OT Sidy Sow (Concussion)
Sow returned to practice on Wednesday and was limited before downgrading to DNP on Thursday. He was able to practice on Friday with a red non-contact jersey. While he was limited on Friday, I do not expect him to play Sunday due to not clearing protocol.
Update: Both have been downgraded to OUT.
CB Jonathan Jones (Ankle)
Jones missed last week’s game with an ankle injury in practice on Thursday. He has since returned to practice, getting in limited reps throughout the week and is expected to play, especially with the absence of Jack Jones who is on IR with a hamstring injury and Marcus Jones on IR with a right shoulder labrum tear.
OT Mike Onwenu (Ankle)
OT Cole Strange (Knee)
ACTIVE
OT Trent Brown (Concussion)
Brown made his way through the concussion protocol, getting in limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday before practicing in full on Friday.
WR DeVante Parker (Knee)
Parker returned to play last week after missing Week 1.
INJURED RESERVE
CB Marcus Jones (Right labrum tear shoulder)
Jones suffered two injuries in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game with the first one being very brief, but the second one late in the quarter left him lying on the turf. Looking back at the film, he attempted to grab Jaylen Waddle as he ran by, falling by the wayside. With his arm outstretched, he was unable to protect his arm and he tore his labrum. A common mechanism to tear is landing with an outstretched arm which shears the humeral head against the labrum, tearing the tissue.
He is heading to injured reserve for at least four games and depending on the severity, could return later after rehab and wearing a shoulder harness. If he undergoes surgery, his season is over.
New York Jets
OUT
S Tony Adams (Hamstring)
Adams was forced to exit the game with a hamstring strain with 6:32 left in the second quarter after he hit CeeDee Lamb in the air. He was forced to go under Lamb to get the hit and potentially tried to slow up at the end to avoid an illegal hit. The slowing up possibly tweaked his hamstring which required medical attention by training staff before he limped off the field.
He was unable to practice all week and will miss Week 3.
G Wes Schweitzer (Concussion)
Schweitzer was a late addition to the injury report Friday with a concussion, potentially suffered Thursday in practice. The recency of the injury led him to be ruled out prior to game time on Sunday with this injury affecting the depth. I would expect the Jets to call an offensive lineman up from the practice squad as depth.
QUESTIONABLE
DE John Franklin Myers (Hip)
JFM was working through a hip injury, missing Wednesday’s practice before returning on Thursday and Friday with a limited designation. Head coach Robert Saleh expected Myers to play Sunday which means this may have been more of a maintenance issue.
OT Duane Brown (Left shoulder/hip)
Brown missed practice all week with a new hip injury. Prior to this week, he was on the injury report for his left shoulder as he continued to rehab from rotator cuff repair in the off-season. Brown did not have any in-game designation from what I could find but had multiple missed practices in a row this week. Brown was having his hip examined by team doctors to determine how to move forward, suggesting this is more than a minor injury.
We may get more information in the coming weeks as to the specifics of this latest injury.
Update: Brown has been downgraded to OUT.
Update: Brown has been placed on IR.
K Greg Zuerlien (Right groin)
Zuerlein missed last week’s game after a late-week groin strain, forcing the Jets to sign Austin Seibert for the game. He did not practice on Wednesday before getting some work in on Thursday and practicing fully on Friday. He is still officially questionable in the event that he tweaks his groin during warmups.
ACTIVE
LB Quincy Williams (Right knee)
Williams appeared to tweak his right knee while trying to tackle Jake Ferguson with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter. As he took Ferguson down, his right leg appeared to stick in the turf before standing up and then sitting down. At best, this may be a minor sprain that he required rest and rehab to get through. He has no gameday designation for Sunday.
CB Michael Carter II (Elbow)
Carter stayed in the game towards the end of the first half after he broke up a play on CeeDee Lamb to the left side with 2:54 left in the second quarter. He did not appear to be in any notable discomfort coming up but I did not see him with the red zone defense after this. Carter was later deemed questionable with an elbow at the same time that Tony Adams’ hamstring injury was announced by the team, suggesting that they looked at the injury during halftime. Fortunately, he had a full practice on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and will play.
OT Mekhi Becton (Left knee)
Becton continues to be limited throughout the week to manage his workload so as to not aggravate his surgically repaired left knee.
RB Breece Hall (Left knee)
Hall continues to have a limited workload during the week to keep himself fresh for Sundays.
Buffalo Bills
S Micah Hyde (Right hamstring)
Hyde left the game with a right hamstring strain after trying to avoid a late hit on DaVante Adams and a collision with Christan Benford. On Wednesday, he was seen at practice with a lot of kinesiotape on his posterior right leg walking around and briefly jogging.
After not practicing on Wednesday, he trended in the right direction to limited on Thursday and then in full on Friday. He has no designation and will start on Sunday.
LB Terrel Bernard (Knee/quad)
Bernard is back on the injury report with a knee/quad designation after initially the injury described as lower leg. Looking at this as a whole, it sounds like the injury is affecting several areas which could suggest more of a contusion with swelling present rather than a strain or sprain.
There wasn’t any specific instance in the game where Bernard required assistance from training staff, but his physical style of play does open up the possibility of getting dinged up. He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday but practiced in full on Friday without a gameday designation. If Bernard has a setback during the game, the team has Tyrel Dodson available and AJ Klein if they call him up.
DT Jordan Phillips (Illness)
Phillips came down with an illness and was not able to practice Wednesday. Fortunately, most players who work through an illness during the week end up playing so while Phillips may not feel 100 percent, he will be able to play and contribute.
LB Leonard Floyd (Right ankle)
Floyd appeared to have sprained his right ankle on Sunday when he got pushed out of the play and lost his balance in the backfield early in the fourth quarter. He was seen with the training staff on the sidelines and walking up the tunnel with his right shoelaces undone. While he said he was okay, he was unable to practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday, but practiced fully on Friday.
He has had a history of right ankle issues the last two seasons including surgery which makes the injury noteworthy. But this may be a more acute on chronic injury that allows him to bounce back quicker.
TE Dawson Knox (Back)
Knox is the true mystery injury that there isn’t any information on. He played in 71 percent of offensive snaps and didn’t appear to require any attention from the training staff. While he did take numerous hits through the game, nothing stood out that could be a concern. He appeared to require more maintenance, suffering from generalized muscle soreness/strain in the area.
Knox did work through a back complaint last year heading into Week 4 and played. In addition, most players who have a back designation do play with, and collectively, only six games missed since 2017. After two DNPs this week, Knox practiced in full on Friday and has no game designation.
OT Spencer Brown (Shoulder)
Brown appeared to have suffered a shoulder injury in practice on Thursday, limiting his ability to finish. He practiced in full on Friday without any additional concerns.
Top Photo Credit: Phinsider.com
