It looks like Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is about to miss a lot of time, but with Washington sitting at 3-6 on the year and with no real upgrade over Marcus Mariota available via the trade market, it looks like that injury won't really have much of an impact on the trade deadline.
However, there are some key injuries from Week 9 that will impact how teams operate ahead of Tuesday's deadline. Whether it's a contender now needing to replace a key piece or a team that now can't really afford to make a deal because it now has to use potential trade fodder to replace that player, here are five big injuries from Week 9 that will change what happens on Tuesday.
Joe Alt, T, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are 6-3 on the season and sit second in the AFC West, one game back of the first-place Broncos and one ahead of the third-place Chiefs. Denver has won six in a row, but I'm still not ready to say the Broncos are AFC West favorites. Los Angeles probably looked to be in the best position to win the division until Sunday, when a key player suffered a high-ankle sprain.
Chargers LT Joe Alt is believed to have suffered another high ankle sprain, only this time it could require a procedure to repair, per sources. Alt will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis on the same right ankle he injured earlier this season at the Giants. pic.twitter.com/pyt12XwncQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 2, 2025
Losing your starting left tackle to an ankle injury is bad, especially if that injury is bad enough to require surgery. Los Angeles doesn't have great offensive line depth, so it might have to look to the trade market.
One name the team could go after? Braxton Jones, who the Bears benched earlier this season. He's no Joe Alt, but Los Angeles needs someone who can step in and play until Alt returns, and Jones could be a low-cost way to acquire that kind of player.
Michael Hoecht, DE, Buffalo Bills
A torn Achilles has ended Michael Hoecht's season after just two games. After missing the first six contests due to a suspension of performance enhancing substances, Hoecht made this Bills debut against the Panthers, recording 1.5 sacks and forcing a fumble. He looked like the answer for a defense that needed help up front.
Instead, it's back to the drawing board. Safety was probably the biggest concern before this injury and likely remains atop the list, so I wouldn't expect a splash move for an edge rusher, but the team could try to grab a solid lineman via a late-round pick swap. So, no Trey Hendrickson, but maybe someone like Tyree Wilson from the Raiders, a player who has struggled a bit early in his career but could benefit from a move to Buffalo?
Christian Mahogany, G, Detroit Lions
Week 9 was a very bad week for the Lions offensive line, with four linemen suffering injuries. Guard Christian Mahogany's knee injury appears to be the worst of those, with head coach Dan Campbell saying "Mahogany’s going to be out for a while," suggesting that while it might not be a season-ender, it's unlikely we see him until December.
The Lions' Super Bowl window feels uncertain. The team is 5-3 this season, but doesn't look quite as good after losing its offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason. The team can't afford to waste its current level of talent in a competitive NFC North, so trading for a guard at the deadline feels like a priority now.
So, who are the options? The Giants have clearly given up on Evan Neal, but is he worth the risk? Maybe not. Jackson Powers-Johnson? Maybe, but he might cost too much to just be a fill-in. Brandon Coleman from the Commanders could be a fit here.
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers
I don't think the Packers really have a path to replacing Tucker Kraft in the trade market. I mean, Chig Okonkwo and David Njoku stand out as options, but Kraft was playing some of the best football in the league. Those guys would be okay solutions if Kraft did, indeed, tear his ACL, but I think this injury is most notable not for what it mean the Packers will do but for what it means they won't do.
Green Bay has a glut of wide receivers, especially with Christian Watson back. There'd been plenty of speculation that someone like Romeo Doubs could be traded to either bolster the roster elsewhere or land a mid-round draft pick for 2026, but with Kraft out, can Green Bay afford to trade away pass-catchers? Even if they trade for one of the available tight ends, that player won't replicate what Kraft did, so they'll probably want to hold on to Doubs for now.
Mykel Williams, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Rookie defensive end Mykel Williams was having a solid first season for the 49ers, but it appears that he tore his ACL on Sunday.
Adding to the defensive front already felt like a priority for the 49ers, who sit at 6-3 on the season despite backup quarterback Mac Jones having to start seven of the team's games. This is a team that can emerge as a surprise contender, but it needs to beef up a defense that ranks in the middle of the road in most stats.
Luckily for San Francisco, there are plenty of pass rushers available. Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson is the obvious name, but if the team wanted to go for someone who'd be a bit cheaper, it could look at Tennessee's Arden Key or New England's Anfernee Jennings.