NFL teams finalized Week 3 injury reports Wednesday, revealing one clear-cut answer at quarterback and two situations still up in the air.
The New York Giants confirmed that Jaxson Dart is out for the season after tests showed the rookie avoided ACL damage but suffered tears to his MCL, PCL and meniscus that will require surgery. Head coach John Harbaugh said the team is exploring every option at quarterback, including a possible trade, and will add another arm to the room even though he declined to name candidates.
Jameis Winston is set to start Week 3 against the Titans, with Jake Haener the only other quarterback the Giants currently control, and he’s on the practice squad. Winston hasn’t held a full-time starting job since 2019.
The meniscus tear is considered the biggest concern in Dart’s injury, similar to the one that sidelined Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy for all of 2024. McCarthy, now third on Minnesota’s depth chart behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz, has reportedly drawn trade interest from the Giants given general manager Joe Schoen’s familiarity with him from the 2024 draft process. Harbaugh did not rule out Dart returning later this season for a potential postseason push.
Bears Still Guessing on Starter
Chicago’s quarterback situation ahead of Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles remains unresolved, with Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent and Caleb Williams all still in the mix depending on health.
Keenum, 38, practiced Wednesday and is healthy, though he hasn’t played in a regular-season game since December 2023. Asked about a possible start, he said:
“I love the feeling of being nervous. I do get nervous. And it’s not a scared nervous, it’s an excited nervous, because I know I’m prepared. I’m confident in my preparation and what I’ve done. I’m confident in my teammates. I’m confident in their preparation. I’m confident in the game plan and what my coaches have put together.”
Williams is still working back from the hamstring injury that ended his day early in Sunday’s loss to Minnesota. He hasn’t been ruled out, but caution is expected given how central his mobility is to his game.
Bagent, who went 5 of 9 for 54 yards in relief before being sacked on the final play, was unexpectedly placed in concussion protocol Tuesday with no clear timeline to return. Coach Ben Johnson said the Bears have no plans to bring in another quarterback this week, calling the uncertainty an opportunity for whoever ends up starting.
Tagovailoa Cleared as Backup for Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa is cleared to play for Atlanta’s Thursday night trip to Green Bay, but as the backup. He was left off the Falcons’ final injury report of the week, and head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated Tagovailoa was trending toward serving behind Michael Penix Jr.
Tagovailoa was originally slated to start the season opener before an oblique injury during practice week sidelined him. Cooper Rush filled in for the first two games while Penix recovered from reconstructive knee surgery. With Tagovailoa now healthy, he slots in as QB2 behind Penix, who will start Week 3.
Panthers Lose Brooks to IR
The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks on injured reserve after he underwent surgery Wednesday for a core muscle injury suffered late in Sunday’s win over Atlanta. The team said Brooks is expected back later this season after a minimum six-week recovery.
“It was a pretty significant groin injury, and we got multiple opinions about what’s the best course of action,” head coach Dave Canales said. “Jonathon’s gonna have surgery to repair the injury, and the timeline of return with surgical or nonsurgical was gonna be similar.”
It’s the latest setback for Brooks, who has played just five of a possible 36 games since being drafted in 2024 due to two prior ACL tears — one at Texas and one as a rookie. Chuba Hubbard remains Carolina’s clear starting running back, and the team is reportedly bringing in veteran Austin Ekeler to round out the backfield behind him and A.J. Dillon.
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