Football is back! Every team in the AFC East is rearing to kick off their 2024 NFL season this weekend and start with a win. Looking at the matchups, the Buffalo Bills host the Arizona Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins host the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New England Patriots travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Jets head west to face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night.
Below are all the AFC East injury reports with varying levels of detail on each injury around the division.
Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets | Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
OUT
WR Malik Washington (Quadriceps)
Washington’s injury is a new injury on the report as he was limited early in the week due to a quad issue. He did go into the medical tent during the final preseason game and was later given an undisclosed designation which helps place a timeline on the injury.
After being limited both Wednesday and Thursday, it appeared he had a setback and was unable to practice on Friday, leading him to be ruled out. Him being out could certainly affect his availability on the short week against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 on Thursday as well.
QUESTIONABLE
CB Jalen Ramsey (Hamstring)
The Dolphins have been cagey about Ramsey’s injury status since he first began missing practices on August 14. The Week 1 injury report revealed that he has been working through a hamstring strain. To require three weeks off during the preseason for a hamstring isn’t necessarily too concerning but the severity isn’t known as he was unable to practice all this week.
I do understand the Dolphins not needing to report specifics during the preseason, but I don’t quite understand what they had to gain by keeping it quiet. They almost made it a bigger deal than it needed to be by keeping it undisclosed and then having Mike McDaniel talk about how proud he is of Ramsey even not practicing.
The fans deserve some more transparency than this and I don’t believe that stating that Ramsey is out with a hamstring would have been a huge issue. Maybe to the Dolphins it was, this could force the Jaguars to game plan differently, but the Dolphins being cagey on an injury status for Ramsey isn’t even the first instance from this preseason.
He was unable to practice all week until Friday when he got a limited practice in. Despite the optimism that he plays Week 1, I don’t see how he does given he hasn’t really practiced in three weeks. I understand the contract may have had something to do with his absence, but I think the best play should be letting him sit Week 1 in order to be ready for Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
ACTIVE
LB Jaelan Phillips (Right Achilles)
While it is impressive that Phillips will return to live football snaps for Week 1, the Dolphins have come out and stated that he will be on a snap count as he continues to ramp back up. He was activated from PUP in mid-August but still shows some expected deficits.
You can see in the beginning of this video when Phillips is walking away from the camera now atrophied his right calf is compared to his left. This isn’t unexpected, but this will lead to decreased power and push off.
The goal is to ramp him back up and have him be full go for midseason/playoffs rather than Week 1. My bet right now is that he lines up over the left tackle to be able to push off his left more and generate power that way.
TE Quinton Bell (Thumb)
Bell missed practice last week on August 29 with what is now known as a thumb issue.
C Aaron Brewer (Right Hand)
Brewer has been dealing with his right hand issue since August 7, missing a significant chunk of training camp. He was able to return to practice recently with Week 1 being uncertain as most recently as August 23. Based on the timeline we’ve seen, this appears to be a broken hand and is only complicated due to the fact that this is his snapping hand.
However, he came out on Thursday and stated that he was ready to go for Week 1.
DT Benito Jones (Knee)
Jones has been “day-to-day” with an undisclosed issue dating back to August 14 and returned to practice on August 29. The ailment appears to be a knee injury and for whatever reason, the team did not want to outright state that being the issue. He was limited during this week until Friday when he got a full practice in.
S Jordan Poyer (Right Thumb)
Poyer has been limited since July 30 due to a broken thumb on his right hand. This will not affect him in any way come Week 1 with his ability to play the safety position.
S Jevon Holland (Ankle)
Holland has been in and out of practice dating back to August 7 and was deemed day-to-day on August 14. No details were available at the time during the preseason but an ankle designation is what he appears to have been working through. As to the extent of the injury, it’s unclear but this finally provides some clarity on his injury.
LB Anthony Walker (Knee)
Walker missed most of the preseason, specifically since August 1 with a knee injury after being undisclosed previously. He was limited Wednesday before getting full practices on Thursday and Friday.
New England Patriots
OUT
OL Sidy Sow (Ankle)
Sow has been out of practice since the final preseason game with an ankle injury. An interesting note is that when he was talking with the press, Sow thought he had injured his Achilles but only suffered the ankle injury. This at least suggests the current injury is at least moderate and may limit him for some time. Whether this is a high-ankle or similar sprain, I do expect Sow to be limited for the next few weeks. For now, he will miss Week 1.
QUESTIONABLE
OL Vederian Lowe (Oblique)
Lowe has been out of practice since suffering an oblique injury on August 21. He was able to return to a limited role on Wednesday which is promising and given the timeframe elapsed, this may have allowed him to recover fully. He is officially questionable and considering the timeline, he could play but it may come down to how he feels during warmups.
LB Josh Uche (Foot)
Uche sat out of practice back on August 29 with an undisclosed issue that now appears to be a foot issue per the injury report. He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday before getting a full practice in. Considering he’s been dealing with the injury for over a week and got in a full practice, I would expect that he suits up Sunday.
RB Antonio Gibson (Hip)
Gibson was added to the injury report on Thursday with a hip designation. He was limited both days and while he is questionable, I don’t anticipate that he suits up due to the cutting and explosive demands needed from the running back position.
S Jabrill Peppers (Hip)
ACTIVE
TE Hunter Henry (Foot)
Henry missed practice for several days in mid August starting on August 14 and returning August 17 with an undisclosed injury, but it’s not clear if this is the same issue.
LB Christian Ellis (Concussion)
Ellis missed practice back on August 29 with what was deemed a head injury. This was later clarified to be a concussion in which he practiced in full and cleared Thursday.
LB Anfernee Jennings (Wrist)/DE Dietrich Wise (Hamstring)/LB Oshane Ximines (Ankle)/CB Jonathan Jones (Hamstring)
All were new to the injury report this week with their respective injuries with no additional context.
Jones was limited on Wednesday before being upgraded to full on Thursday.
New York Jets
OUT
OL Wes Schweitzer (Hand)
Schweitzer is a new addition to the injury report with a hand injury though it isn’t clear whether this is his snapping hand or blocking hand. Whatever the specifics of the injury is, it’s severe enough that he will be heading to injured reserve, missing at least the first four games.
LB Zaire Barnes (Ankle)
Barnes was a new addition to the injury report Thursday with an ankle injury and did not practice suggesting that he was injured on Wednesday. On Saturday, he was ruled out.
ACTIVE
CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (Groin)
JBC has been out of practice since August 19 due to a groin injury suffered in the second preseason game. Considering he practiced in full indicates he is on the mend.
OL Max Mitchell (Shoulder)/OL Xavier Newman (Shoulder)
Both Newman and Mitchell suffered shoulder injuries during the final preseason game but practiced in full.
WR Mike Williams (Knee ACL)
Williams continues to ramp back up from his ACL tear last season which is why he is on the injury report getting treatment but practicing in full.
Buffalo Bills
For a full injury analysis including details on the Arizona Cardinals, click below.
Top Photo Credit: Phinsider.com
