NFL Week 1 Injury Round Up: Updates on Puka Nacua, Jake Ferguson, Derrick Brown and More

NFL Week 1 Injury Round Up: Updates on Puka Nacua, Jake Ferguson, Derrick Brown and More article feature image
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Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images Pictured: Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams

The NFL is back, but that unfortunately means we’ll see the unavoidable rash of weekly injuries.

Here’s a look several notable players who went down in Week 1, as well as the latest updates for each.

Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua

Nacua authored the greatest season for a rookie wideout in NFL history, setting records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,485). He was off to another fast start against the Lions, but suffered a knee injury in the first half and had to be carted off the field. The Rams breathed a sigh of relief on Monday when it was revealed the injury isn’t expected to be season-ending. However, head coach Sean McVay announced Nacua is heading to the Injured Reserve list, meaning he'll miss at least four weeks.

Dallas Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson

The Cowboys also got good news as an MRI revealed their starting tight end suffered a bone bruise and minor MCL sprain instead of a season-ending knee injury. Ferguson is week-to-week going forward with ESPN reporting there’s a chance he could play Sunday against the Saints.

Carolina Panthers DT Derrick Brown

Carolina wasn’t as fortunate as the Rams and Cowboys as their Pro Bowl defensive tackle suffered a potential season-ending knee injury. Head coach Dave Canales told the media that Brown will get a second opinion before deciding whether to go under the knife. Carolina signed Brown to a huge contract extension earlier this season as he was coming off a monster 2023 season, in which he led all NFL defensive linemen with 103 tackles.

Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze

Chicago’s offense looked out of sync in it’s Week 1 win, and now the Bears might be without this year’s ninth-overall pick as Odunze is undergoing an MRI on his injured knee. Head coach Matt Eberflus told the media he believes the wide reliever hurt it while blocking. Odunze had only one catch in his NFL debut for 11 yards.

Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku

The Browns not only suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Cowboys on Sunday, but they also potentially lost their Pro Bowl tight end for several weeks. Reports are swirling that Njoku suffered a high-ankle sprain, but head coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t comment on the speculation, merely telling the media Njoku was week-to-week.

Packers QB Jordan Love

Love went down late in Friday night’s loss to the Eagles. Luckily, Love avoided the worst-case scenario and was diagnosed with an MCL sprain. He’s reportedly expected to miss 3-6 weeks, but the Packers have yet to officially rule him out for this week. However, they did announce that if Love can’t go, it’ll be Malik Willis under center.


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About the Author
Ricky Henne writes for the Action Network's news team, covering all sports, events and breaking news. He also contributes to Action's NFL coverage. Ricky joined Action in 2022 with more than 20 years of experience covering professional sports. He wrote for the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Knicks and New York Rangers before entering the sports betting industry.

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