Thursday’s injury news centered on Monday night and on two more quarterback and receiver situations that stayed stuck in protocol. Adam Schefter said Kyler Murray’s hamstring leaves his status for Bills-Vikings “at best, up in the air” and that it is trending toward Carson Wentz starting. Deshaun Watson missed a second straight Browns practice, Garrett Wilson was not seen at Jets practice, and 49ers general manager John Lynch cast doubt on Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel for Sunday against the Raiders. Thursday night’s inactives for Bhayshul Tuten, Travon Walker and Nate Wiggins are still ahead.
- Schefter: Murray’s Monday status is up in the air and trending toward Wentz starting against Buffalo
- Watson (concussion) sat out Thursday again; Shedeur Sanders took the early first-team work and is very likely to start in New Orleans
- Wilson (concussion) and Harrison Phillips (ankle) were not spotted during Jets stretching; Breece Hall was participating
- Lynch indicated Evans (Achilles) and Samuel (hamstring) are unlikely to return this week, pointing to a cautious approach
- Tuten, Walker and Wiggins remain questionable for Jaguars at Ravens; inactives usually post about 90 minutes before the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff
Vikings: Murray’s hamstring, Wentz in line for Monday
Minnesota (6-1) has not posted a Thursday injury report yet for Monday night against Buffalo (6-1), but Schefter’s Thursday update moved the quarterback story past the “full eval” language Kevin O’Connell used earlier in the week. “His status for Monday night is, at best, up in the air, and it sounds like it is trending toward Carson Wentz starting on Monday night,” Schefter said. Tom Pelissero separately said he would lean toward Wentz, describing the hamstring as legitimate but not major and noting Minnesota may not want a mobile quarterback at less than full speed.
Wentz already started the Week 2 win at Chicago after Murray left the opener in concussion protocol, and he has thrown three touchdown passes with no interceptions in limited work this season. O’Connell had said Monday he was not considering a performance benching and that Murray remained the starter when healthy, as covered in our November 2 injury story. Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, 3:15 a.m. Tuesday in Cairo, on Monday Night Football.
Browns: Watson sits again, Sanders stays on track
Watson remained in the concussion protocol and was not at Thursday’s practice in Berea, matching Wednesday’s non-participation that we logged in Wednesday’s full Week 9 reports. Mary Kay Cabot reported that Shedeur Sanders is “very likely to start” at New Orleans, and Zac Jackson added that Quincy Williams (hamstring) and Austin Barber (calf) were back at practice after sitting Wednesday while Maliek Collins stayed out.
Jets: Wilson still missing from practice
Rich Cimini reported no sign of Wilson or Phillips during Thursday stretching in Florham Park, while Hall and David Bailey were participating. Wilson has been in the concussion protocol since Wednesday’s report, so another missed day keeps his availability for Sunday at Kansas City unsettled until the club files designations.
49ers: Evans and Samuel look unlikely vs. Raiders
Lynch, speaking Thursday, referenced Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 Achilles tendinitis as a reason not to rush Evans, and Cam Inman reported it does not sound as if Evans or Samuel will be back Sunday. Matt Maiocco listed both as week to week, with Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk available in the receiver mix and Nick Bosa limited after returning to practice Wednesday.
Thursday night and the rest of the board
Nothing has changed on the final designations for Jacksonville at Baltimore: Tuten (ankle, foot) and Walker (rib) are questionable for the Jaguars, and Wiggins (stinger, illness) is questionable for the Ravens, with Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley and Jaylinn Hawkins already out. Game-time calls and the inactive list remain the next checkpoint, as noted in Wednesday’s roundup.
Elsewhere, A.J. Brown, Hunter Henry, Christian Barmore and TreVeyon Henderson were among the Patriots who sat Wednesday ahead of Green Bay, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith sat for Philadelphia, and Sam Darnold remains out Sunday in Seattle with Drew Lock next up. Those clubs’ Thursday practice reports were still arriving as this post went up.
Thursday status board
| Player | Injury | Thursday update | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray, QB, Vikings | Hamstring | First report not filed | Trending toward sitting Monday; Carson Wentz in line to start |
| Deshaun Watson, QB, Browns | Concussion protocol | Missed Thursday practice | Shedeur Sanders very likely to start Sunday |
| Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets | Concussion protocol | Not at Thursday practice | Status unsettled for Kansas City |
| Mike Evans, WR, 49ers | Achilles | Did not practice Wednesday | Unlikely for Sunday vs Raiders |
| Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers | Hamstring | Did not practice Wednesday | Unlikely for Sunday vs Raiders |
| Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jaguars | Ankle, foot | Did not practice all week | Questionable Thursday; inactives still pending |
| Travon Walker, DE, Jaguars | Rib | Limited Wednesday | Questionable Thursday; inactives still pending |
| Nate Wiggins, CB, Ravens | Stinger, illness | Did not practice Wednesday | Questionable Thursday; inactives still pending |
| A.J. Brown, WR, Patriots | Ankle, knee | Did not practice Wednesday | Thursday report still the next checkpoint |
| Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles | Hamstring, back | Did not practice Wednesday | Thursday report still the next checkpoint |
What comes next
Watch the Jaguars-Ravens inactives about 90 minutes before kickoff for Tuten, Walker and Wiggins. Friday’s final reports will settle Brown, Wilson, Watson, Barkley and Smith for Sunday, and Minnesota’s first posted report should clarify whether Murray practices and whether Wentz is listed as the starter for Monday night.
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