There are no byes this week in the NFL because three games were played on Thanksgiving. Fortunately, the rate of significant injuries has slowed down in recent weeks. Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari and Eagles pass rusher Brandon Graham were notable players added to injured reserve this week.
Here is the most pressing need for each team entering Week 13:
Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson did not participate in practice Wednesday as he recovers from a knee injury. Reserve linebacker Joe Bachie had also been a limited participant. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins was also absent from practice so the AFC North franchise could be susceptible to the run game.
Cincinnati is not where they want to be at this point in the season. The bye week may have served them better mentally than any other purpose. Daxton Hill and DJ Turner are on injured reserve and the play of others has been volatile.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was placed on injured reserve. Jordan Hicks and Mohamoud Diabate will get an extended look. Cleveland travels to Denver this week after knocking off Pittsburgh in a snow globe in Week 12. The Browns had the most drops in the league last year with 39 and already have the third-most drops (24) through 11 games in 2024. However, they have just two drops in the past two weeks.
Baltimore is relatively healthy. Leading sack producer Kyle Van Noy did miss practice Wednesday with hamstring and neck injuries. Cornerbacks T.J. Tampa and Trayvon Mullen remain on injured reserve. Veteran Arthur Maulet also did not practice.
Russell Wilson has given the offense a bit of life, but the offensive line has taken a few hits as Troy Fautanu, James Daniels and Nate Herbig are dealing with injuries. The Steelers’ pressure rate has improved but remains the fourth-worst in the league, according to TruMedia.
Edge rusher Alex Highsmith missed practice Wednesday but Nick Herbig has been stepped up in his playing exposure.
The Colts offensive line is working through some injuries. Four offensive linemen are on the injured reserve, including guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly. Tanor Bortolini, who has been starting at center, and right tackle Braden Smith were held out of practice. Left tackle Bernhard Raimann has been limited.
Former first-round pick Mac Jones was thrust into the starting lineup as quarterback Trevor Lawrence has missed time with a shoulder injury. Darious Williams was a casualty of the franchise’s search for salary cap health. He was replaced by 30-year-old Ronald Darby. The team has the highest passer rating allowed (111.5), according to TruMedia.
Houston defensive tackles Denico Autry and Foley Fatukasi did not practice Wednesday. The status of those two players for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars is unknown. Edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was also unavailable.
The interior offensive line has been leaky and that is why they were linked to the position at the trade deadline. Their 37.8% pressure allowed is the league’s eighth-highest, according to TruMedia.
The fate of Tennessee’s pass rush is in the hands of Harold Landry III and Arden Key. The latter was not at practice Wednesday. The unit needs to find a more consistent way to generate pressure after finishing in the bottom five in team pressure rate a year ago, per TruMedia. The operation is currently seventh-worst in the NFL in terms of pressure applied (30.4%). Cornerback Roger McCreary was also held out of practice.
Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman have been struggling with injuries in recent weeks, as have others. The team has also been missing star tight end Dalton Kincaid. They are coming off a well-timed bye as they aim to get healthier for the stretch run.
Starting left tackle Tyron Smith did not practice Wednesday and starting right tackle Morgan Moses was limited. First-round pick Olu Fashanu may get more opportunities this week. Mike Williams was traded at the deadline and Allen Lazard is on injured reserve. Malachi Corley has not practiced this week. The Jets rank second in the NFL with 24 drops, according to TruMedia.
Drake Maye has arrived in New England, but the supporting cast does him zero favors. It all starts up front with the offensive line. If that is not solidified, then the rest hardly matters. The team is allowing pressure on 40.7% of dropbacks, which is the second-highest rate in the NFL, according to TruMedia. The longest-tenured lineman, center David Andrews, was added to injured reserve. Recent draft picks Jake Andrews and Caedan Wallace are also on the list. Starters Vederian Lowe and Cole Strange were limited in practice Wednesday.
Denver is one of the healthiest and hottest teams in the league right now. They host the Browns on “Monday Night Football” this week. Quarterback Bo Nix is coming off the best stretch of games in his young career and the wide receivers are coming along as well. The Broncos have 19 drops this season, which is the sixth-most in the league.
One can not look at Los Angeles’ roster and make judgements on their needs solely on the names listed, because they are getting the most out of players new and old. Cornerback Cam Hart did not practice Wednesday as he deals with a few injuries and Asante Samuel Jr. remains on injured reserve.
Outside of the wide receiver position, Kansas City is in pretty good health. Hollywood Brown, Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice are all on injured reserve. Newly acquired DeAndre Hopkins has been a revelation and that takes pressure off Xavier Worthy to do what he does best. Worthy had one of his most productive games since the opener last week.
Kicker Harrison Butker was added to injured reserve last week.
Cornerbacks Jakorian Bennett and Nate Hobbs were all held out of practice Wednesday. It had already not been a position of strength. Opposing quarterbacks have averaged an 99.9 passer rating against Las Vegas this season, which is the ninth-highest, according to TruMedia.
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was added to injured reserve this week. Defensive tackle has limitations as well. The Vikings run defense is more vulnerable than ever.
Minnesota is allowing pressure on 37.5% of dropbacks, which is the ninth-worst rate in the NFL, according to TruMedia. Trade acquisition Cam Robinson has replaced the injured Christian Darrisaw.
Chris Godwin’s season came to an end in Week 7 against the Ravens. Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard have all battled through varying injuries. Safety Tykee Smith, safety Jordan Whitehead and cornerback Troy Hill were absent from practice Wednesday.
Atlanta has the second-lowest pressure rate this season (26.6%), according to TruMedia. Matt Judon was brought in to be the solution, but it is actually Arnold Ebiketie leading the team in pass-rush win rate (9.6%) at No. 70 in the league among players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps. The 2.6% sack rate is by far the worst in the league.
Carolina has applied pressure on 24.7% of opponent’s dropbacks through 11 games, according to TruMedia. For perspective, the top of the league (Cleveland) sits at 43.1%.
Cornerback, other than Jaycee Horn, is a weakness.
Chris Olave joined Rashid Shaheed on injured reserve, which leaves an unusual cast of characters, led by Mason Tipton, at wide receiver. All-Pro cornerback Marshon Lattimore was traded away and Paulson Adebo remains on injured reserve, so cornerback is another position of weakness. The offensive line is significantly more healthy than they had been a month into the season, but Lucas Patrick, Erik McCoy did not practice Wednesday.
Austin Ekeler did not practice Wednesday and Brian Robinson Jr. has been limited. The team brought in veterans for a tryout this week, which suggests that they could be down one or two at the position.
Opposing passers have had a 102.8 rating against Washington this season, which is the fourth-highest in the league, according to TruMedia. They did acquire cornerback Marshon Lattimore at the trade deadline, but he has yet to suit up due to a hamstring injury. Lattimore is inching closer toward a return. Former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes has made little impact, and the team also recently parted with former first-round linebacker Jamin Davis.
The loss of center Jason Kelce to retirement has taken a toll on the Philadelphia offensive line. It has the highest pressure rate allowed (42.2%), according to TruMedia. Landon Dickerson and Mekhi Becton are starting at guard with Cam Jurgens sandwiched between them.
Wide receiver Devonta Smith and cornerback Darius Slay were held out of practice Wednesday. Pass rusher Brandon Graham was added to injured reserve this week.
The offensive and defensive lines are battered in the Bay Area. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa was held out of practice Thursday, as was defensive tackle Jordan Elliott. If Bosa is unable to go this weekend, then it becomes the Yetur Gross-Matos and Dante Fowler Jr. show. San Francisco is already without defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
The offensive line has been a point of weakness and that is not going to be aided by left tackle Trent Williams or starting left guard Aaron Banks missing practice Wednesday.
The Cardinals have the fourth-lowest team pressure rate applied (29.4%), according to TruMedia, but they are converting 7.6% of opponent’s dropbacks into sacks. Rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson has yet to make his season debut. Defensive tackles Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones are on injured reserve. Baron Browning was acquired from Denver, but time will tell what kind of an impact he makes on the roster.
Los Angeles is as healthy as they have been this season. Offensive tackle Alaric Jackson popped up on the injury report Wednesday. Right tackle Rob Havenstein was a full participant but has been slowed by an ankle injury.
Veteran receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf were absent from practice Wednesday. Second-year pass catcher Jaxon Smith-Njigba may be Geno Smith’s best outlet among a limited receiver core this week. Seattle travels to play the Jets.
