NFL Preseason Week 1: Notable Injuries and Updates

This weekend marked the start of the NFL preseason, taking place across various cities in the country. However, as is typical in this tough contact sport, injuries have already begun to affect teams and players. As teams try to keep their key players healthy for the upcoming regular season, the injuries that occurred during Week 1 may have long-lasting effects.

In East Rutherford, the New York Giants faced a setback when wide receiver Jalin Nabers suffered a mild ankle sprain not during the game, but during a practice session. Head coach Brian Daboll described how Nabers got “twisted up,” and despite being day-to-day, there are concerns it’s not a fracture. After the incident, Nabers was seen limping significantly.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Falcons placed third-round draft pick Bralen Trice on injured reserve after he tore his ACL in a preseason match. This is a tough blow for the team heading into the season.

The Kansas City Chiefs also had injury troubles. Rookie receiver Rashee Rice made a brief appearance in Saturday’s game against the Jaguars but had to leave due to a shoulder injury, with coach Andy Reid revealing he dislocated his sternoclavicular joint.

Over in New York again, the Giants’ backup QB Mark Lock is expected to be sidelined after suffering a hip pointer and strained oblique. Daniel Jones and Tommy DeVito remain the only healthy quarterbacks, with DeVito stepping in as the backup during Lock’s absence.

The Baltimore Ravens are keeping a close eye on defensive back Jalon Wiggins, who left the field with a minor shoulder sprain but remains optimistic about returning sooner rather than later.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are also dealing with injury concerns. First-round pick Alijah Fautanu left with a minor MCL sprain, but the team does not believe it’s serious after he was seen with ice on his left knee post-game.

In Cleveland, wide receiver Anthony Bell left with a quadriceps injury and was ruled questionable. The rookie running back Kendall Lloyd also suffered a hamstring strain, raising concerns about depth in the backfield.

Finally, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Amari Thomas was carted off the field following an injury to his forearm, a situation head coach Kyle Shanahan stated will require some time for recovery.

With the regular season still a month away, teams will be hoping that most of these injuries will not linger into the critical upcoming weeks.