NFL roundup: Injury bug beginning to bite
By Brad Weiss
Only three weeks into the 2016 NFL regular season, and already the injury bug is beginning to bite.
The 2016 NFL regular season is in full swing, as Week 3 came to an end on Monday night. For many teams, some big name players are heading to the shelf, as the injury bug continues to bite. Some players plan on playing next week, while a few will be out for a couple of weeks, and even longer in some cases.
The San Diego Chargers have been dealing with injuries all season long, as first round draft selection Joey Bosa still has not made his NFL debut. The team lost wide receiver Keenan Allen in Week 1 to a torn ACL, and on Sunday, they lost linebacker Manti Te’o to a torn Achilles. Expected to finish at the bottom of the AFC West, the Bolts are going to need people to step up if they want to stay competitive.
New York Giants running back Shane Vereen will likely miss the rest of the season after injuring his tricep during the team’s loss to the Washington Redskins this past Sunday. Vereen will require surgery to fix the tricep, and head coach Ben McAdoo does not expect to have him back. Vereen is in his first season with the Giants after spending the beginning of his career with the New England Patriots.
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Jeremy Langford avoided a major injury to his ankle on Sunday night, but is still expected to miss some time. Langford sprained his ankle during the Chicago Bears’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3 and will miss 4-6 weeks. The Bears are already without starting quarterback Jay Cutler, though no Bears fans seem to mind.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had to leave the team’s game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday after suffering a sprain to his MCL. Though the injury is serious enough to keep him out of games, Wilson said he expects to play this week against the New York Jets. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll also thinks Wilson will be ready to go, so expect him under center when Seattle takes on the Jets on the road.
The Oakland Raiders cut Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reese on Monday, on the same day he was eligible to be activated from his suspension. Reece expected to be back with the team for their game against the Baltimore Ravens this week, but will instead be looking for work. The Raiders had been playing with only 52 of the allotted 53 players on their roster, so the release of Reece comes as a bit of a shock.
The big winner (sarcasm) of the day is Greg Hardy, who at this point, is never going to be back in the NFL. The former Cowboy and convicted domestic abuser was arrested Sunday in Richardson, Texas for possession of a controlled substance. Hardy had been hoping to get back in the NFL soon, but appears to have bigger worries on his hands at this point.