The first Friday injury reports of Week 7 are in, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their quarterback back while losing their top young receiver. Todd Bowles said Baker Mayfield looks ready to go for Sunday’s game at the Carolina Panthers, but Emeka Egbuka was ruled out. The Indianapolis Colts ruled out tight end Tyler Warren and cornerback Sauce Gardner, and in Paris the Pittsburgh Steelers said T.J. Watt is good to go against the New Orleans Saints.
- Buccaneers: QB Baker Mayfield (thumb) expected to start; WR Emeka Egbuka (concussion/foot), T Luke Goedeke and S Antoine Winfield Jr. out
- Colts: TE Tyler Warren (groin), CB Sauce Gardner (calf) and WR Anthony Gould (concussion) out against the Minnesota Vikings
- Steelers: OLB T.J. Watt (calf) has no designation; RB Rico Dowdle (knee) and S DeShon Elliott (knee) questionable; CB Brandin Echols and WR Ben Skowronek out
- Saints: G Cesar Ruiz and DT Nathan Shepherd questionable; nobody ruled out and RB Alvin Kamara has no designation
- Jets: RB Breece Hall (quadriceps) questionable; WR Adonai Mitchell will play
- Texans: RB David Montgomery (groin), S Jalen Pitre and S Reed Blankenship out against the New York Giants
- Packers: LB Zaire Franklin (shin) out against the Detroit Lions; RB Josh Jacobs on track to play
- Ravens: QB Lamar Jackson (ankle) on the field again for Friday’s practice
- Bears: TE Cole Kmet believed to have a serious, likely season-ending knee injury, with tests still to come back
Baker Mayfield is ready, Emeka Egbuka is out
Mayfield has not played since he dislocated his right thumb, but he was a full participant all week in a new protective glove, and Bowles said on Friday that he “looks like he’s ready to go.” Greg Auman reported that the Buccaneers first asked Nike, which had made a custom glove for Mike Trout, and then the Tampa Bay Rays sent an equipment staffer to the team’s facility to help design one for the thumb.
Egbuka practiced on Friday, but he is still in the concussion protocol and also has a foot injury. “Emeka, we’ll see. He’d have to have a heck of a recovery. He’s still in protocol. Right now, I’d say he’s out, too,” Bowles said. He first said Egbuka would be listed as doubtful, but the official report a few minutes later had him out. Right tackle Luke Goedeke and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will also miss the game, and for Carolina, tackle Monroe Freeling is questionable.
Colts rule out Tyler Warren and Sauce Gardner
Shane Steichen ruled out three players for Sunday’s home game against the unbeaten Vikings. Warren, one of the most important pieces of the Colts’ offense, will miss a second straight game with a groin injury. Gardner is out with a calf injury and receiver and returner Anthony Gould is in the concussion protocol.
T.J. Watt is good to go in Paris
The Steelers’ final report came from an estimated practice in Paris, where the storm earlier in the week wiped out their plans at the Stade de France. Watt was limited on Thursday with a calf problem, but he carries no designation for Sunday, as Mike McCarthy had expected. Brooke Pryor confirmed he is good to go.
Safety DeShon Elliott, who is working back from injured reserve, is questionable after the team spent a couple of weeks targeting this game for his return, Mike DeFabo noted. Running back Rico Dowdle is also questionable with a knee injury, a different one from the problem that cost him time earlier this season. Cornerback Brandin Echols (hamstring) and receiver Ben Skowronek (calf) are out.
The Saints’ report was short. Only guard Cesar Ruiz and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd are questionable, and nobody was ruled out. Alvin Kamara, who was limited with a back injury, has no designation.
Breece Hall questionable, Adonai Mitchell returns
Aaron Glenn said Hall would be limited again on Friday and listed as questionable for the New York Jets’ home game against the Miami Dolphins. Receiver Adonai Mitchell, who has missed four games with a finger injury, practiced fully and will play, Rich Cimini reported.
Texans and Packers lose key pieces
The Houston Texans will be short-handed against the Giants. Running back David Montgomery (groin) is out again, and Aaron Wilson reported that nickel defender Jalen Pitre (AC joint sprain in his shoulder) and safety Reed Blankenship (concussion) will also miss the game. Right tackle Blake Fisher, who has his thumb in a cast, is not expected to play.
In Green Bay, Matt LaFleur said linebacker Zaire Franklin is out after taking a knee to the shin in Thursday’s practice. It will be only the second game Franklin has missed in his career. Franklin was the only Packer who did not practice on Friday, receiver Bo Melton returned, and LaFleur said running back Josh Jacobs is on track to play.
Lamar Jackson practices again
Jackson came out for a third straight practice on Friday, an encouraging sign for the Baltimore Ravens before Sunday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He went through warmups but did not do much running during the part of practice open to reporters, Jamison Hensley noted. Jackson, who has missed the last two games with a left ankle injury, and backup Tyler Huntley were both scheduled to speak after practice, and his game status will be on the final report later on Friday.
Puka Nacua is “up in the air” and Cole Kmet’s news is bad
Ian Rapoport said Puka Nacua’s calf injury is believed to be minor, but that it is “very much up in the air” whether he plays on Sunday at the Las Vegas Raiders. There was better news for the Los Angeles Rams on defense, as Rapoport said edge rusher Myles Garrett is likely to return to practice next week. Thursday’s Nacua news is here.
In Chicago, Rapoport reported that tight end Cole Kmet is believed to have suffered a serious, likely season-ending knee injury in Thursday’s win over the New England Patriots, though nothing is final until his tests come back. Kmet had missed only one game in his career before Thursday. The full story of Kmet’s injury is here.
Still to come
Most teams still have to post their final reports. The Kansas City Chiefs did not have Rashee Rice (hamstring/knee), tackle Jaylon Moore (concussion) or running back Brashard Smith (hamstring) on the field during the short media window, Pete Sweeney noted, before Andy Reid’s last news conference of the week. The San Francisco 49ers practice before flying to Atlanta, with Nick Bosa, Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel to watch, and Sean McVay’s update on Nacua, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Friday report on Saquon Barkley before Monday night, and the Denver Broncos’ decisions on Pat Surtain II and Jaylen Waddle are also still to come.
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