Sports
NFL injury tracker Week 15: George Pickens unlikely to play, Breece Hall’s status ‘promising,’ Kenneth Walker III misses practice
After being a late scratch for their Week 14 win over the Cleveland Browns, George Pickens is likely to sit out for the Pittsburgh Steelers again.
While head coach Mike Tomlin said there is an “outside chance” Pickens plays against the Philadelphia Eagles, the hamstring injury the wide receiver is dealing with is a “little bit more significant” than the team initially believed.
“We’re just in the mindset now of just getting him healthy as quickly as we possibly can,” Tomlin said. “There’s a potential for this week, but it’s an outside chance. If you press me, I’d probably say he’s out or could be characterized as doubtful as we sit here, but again, like we always do, we’ll go through the normal procedure, we’ll let participation be our guide in terms of availability and then obviously the quality of that participation.”
Pickens has recorded a team-high 850 receiving yards on 55 catches with three touchdowns.
Jets’ Breece Hall questionable with knee injury
The 3-10 New York Jets have little to play for, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Breece Hall miss a second straight game on Sunday when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But on Friday, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said that the running back “looks good” and his status to play Sunday is “promising” as Hall, who will be listed as questionable.
The second-year running back sat out last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins with a knee injury. Hall suffered an ACL injury to the same knee in 2022.
Should Hall, who has 692 rushing yards and four touchdowns, along with 401 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, not be able to go, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will step in to work again. The rookie running backs have produced with Allen rushing for 43 yards while also catching four balls last week and Davis picking up 40 rushing yards and a touchdown along with three receptions for 27 yards.
Saints’ David Carr remains in concussion protocol
Jake Haener is in line for his first NFL start should New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr be ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Carr is in concussion protocol and is also dealing with a fracture in his non-throwing hand suffered during their Week 14 win over the New York Giants. He was listed as doubtful to play by the Saints on Friday.
Spencer Rattler also has a shot to start in Carr’s place, but interim head coach Darren Rizzi said this week that he wanted to evaluate both backups in practice before making a decision on a starter.
Jaguars TE Evan Engram needs surgery on torn labrum
Evan Engram suffered the injury in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Wednesday he expected the veteran tight end to play this week, but things changed over the last 48 hours.
“Unfortunately we’re going to lose Evan for the year,” Pederson said Friday. “After more MRI results, testing and all that, he’ll have a labrum to get fixed. So, he’ll have surgery and fix the shoulder and miss the rest of the year.”
Engram played nine games this season, recording 365 receiving yards on 47 receptions and one touchdown. He’s the fourth key offensive player to be ruled out for the season, joining wide receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Kenneth Walker III remains out of Seahawks’ practice
After missing last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, running back Kenneth Walker III missed practice on Thursday. An ankle injury has been bothering him and he has not participated since last Wednesday.
The injury, according to head coach Mike Macdonald, is not a long-term concern, but Walker’s status for this week remains in question.
“He’s still day-to-day right now,” Macdonald said. “It got more kind of complicated as the week went on, so that’s why we had to do some more tests and stuff, but right now there’s positive signs. So we’ll just say day-to-day I think is fair, but it’s not long term.”
Zach Charbonnet filled in for Walker last week and ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.
Here’s the the rest of the Week 15 injury report: (Players will be added after teams release their reports.)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
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LT Orlando Brown (fibula): out
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DT Sheldon Rankins (illness): out
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WR Charlie Jones (groin): questionable
TENNESSEE TITANS
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
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LB D’Marco Jackson (ankle): out
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WR Bub Means (ankle): out
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QB Derek Carr (left hand, concussion): doubtful
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DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles): questionable
BALTIMORE RAVENS
NEW YORK GIANTS
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S Tyler Nubin (ankle): out
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LG Jon Runyan (ankle): out
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DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck, shoulder): out
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LB Bobby Okereke (back): out
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CB Andru Phillips (shoulder): out
DALLAS COWBOYS
CAROLINA PANTHERS
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LB Trevin Wallace (shoulder): out
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RB Raheem Blackshear (chest): questionable
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OLB Jadeveon Clowney (not injury related/knee): questionable
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LB Josey Jewell (hamstring): questionable
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CB Jaycee Horn (groin): questionable
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S Nick Scott (hamstring): questionable
NEW YORK JETS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
HOUSTON TEXANS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
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WR Ashton Dulin (ankle): out
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T Braden Smith (persona): out
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LB Jaylon Carlies (fibula, shoulder): questionable
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WR Josh Downs (shoulder): questionable
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C Ryan Kelly (knee): questionable
DENVER BRONCOS
BUFFALO BILLS
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CB Rasul Douglas (knee): out
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TE Dalton Kincaid (knee): questionable
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TE Quintin Morris (shoulder, groin): questionable
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S Taylor Rapp (neck, shoulder): questionable
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S Damar Hamlin (back, ribs): questionable
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OT Tylan Grable (groin): questionable
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DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist): questionable
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DE Casey Toohill (ribs): questionable
DETROIT LIONS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
ARIZONA CARDINALS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
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S Mike Edwards (hamstring): out
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S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee): out
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LB K.J. Britt (ankle): out
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WR Kameron Johnson (ankle): out
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LB Markees Watts (knee): out
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RB Bucky Irving (back, hip): questionable
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S Christian Izien (groin): questionable
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CB Josh Hayes (hamstring): questionable
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LB J.J. Russell (hamstring): questionable
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WR Sterling Shepard (foot): questionable
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LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle): questionable