6 NFL Injuries, Player Statuses That Could Define the Early 2023 Regular Season
They have a real shot if...
That's a popular line this time of year in the NFL. The "ifs" become more prominent as major questions linger regarding key players whose statuses are up in the air as a result of injuries or issues related to contracts et cetera.
As we officially move away from preseason action and look ahead to next week's regular-season openers, here are six particular statuses that could have a major impact on the way the 2023 campaign plays out.
The Chiefs Aren't the Same Without Chris Jones
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Few would dispute this. And while the Super Bowl favorite Kansas City Chiefs can contend with or without defensive lineman Chris Jones early on, an extended absence could make a big difference overall for a squad that will already be trying to overcome:
1. Significant changes along the offensive line and at wide receiver.
2. A target on its back as the defending champion in a league that hasn't had a repeat Super Bowl winner in nearly two decades.
3. The fact that the AFC is stacked with extremely talented teams this season in particular.
A prime Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2022, Jones sat out all of training camp and the preseason in hopes of landing a new contract on the verge of a walk year.
It appears the 29-year-old is making a legitimate stand that could linger for some time, and Kansas City has placed him on the reserve/did not report list.
Early on this season, the Chiefs have to deal with a surging Detroit Lions team, as well as offenses led by Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson before mid-October. With little margin for error at the top of the AFC, that could be a problem.
Still No Nick Bosa in San Francisco
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Meanwhile, last season's DPOY, Nick Bosa, is also holding out ahead of the final year of his rookie contract with the Super Bowl contender San Francisco 49ers.
And while there does seem to be more of a sense of optimism regarding the 25-year-old's chances of returning early in 2023, the margin for error could be tighter for San Francisco.
Unlike the Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles, the 49ers aren't a conference favorite on paper. And unlike those and several other contenders, they lack a proven starting quarterback as they roll the dice on sophomore seventh-round pick Brock Purdy under center.
That puts extra pressure on a defense that remains deep and talented but benefited substantially from Bosa's 18.5 sacks and 48 quarterback hits in 2022.
If he's either absent or rusty early this year, San Francisco could find itself in trouble in games it would be expected to win easily. That includes back-to-back road matchups with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams to start the season.
Problems there and/or against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 could sway the pecking order in the NFC.
Von Miller Already Guaranteed to Miss Time for the Bills
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But how much? That's the big question for a Buffalo Bills team that missed veteran defensive star Von Miller when things went awry in last year's playoffs and won't have him for at least the first four games of 2023 as he continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 12 last year.
Without the 34-year-old, Buffalo's No. 2-ranked scoring defense surrendered 58 points in two playoff games in January. Now, because he's on the PUP list, he won't be present for early-season matchups with the division rival New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
That alone could make it a little harder for Buffalo to finally break through in a stacked AFC, but an extended absence or rustiness for the veteran could be a death knell for the Bills.
Even a marginal knock on the Bills in the early part of the season could pave the way for the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins to make a potential run at the Chiefs and other Super Bowl contenders in the AFC.
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The Jonathan Taylor Saga Continues
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Which contending teams might offensive star Jonathan Taylor be capable of putting over the top? Considering how awesome he was during his last healthy season with the Indianapolis Colts, the answer is higher than zero.
That's why the 24-year-old's status is so crucial as he lingers on the trading block at the end of August.
Following a public quarrel between team and player, the Colts last week granted Taylor the ability to seek a trade. Per ESPN's Stephen Holder, six teams had inquired as of last Wednesday.
Now, the 2021 first-team All-Pro is on the PUP list and will miss at least the first four games of the regular season as a result.
However, that doesn't mean the Colts can't continue to entertain trade offers as Taylor recovers from ankle surgery. Somebody is likely going to realize early this year that it needs a difference-maker such as Taylor. And that somebody might make a run at the Wisconsin product in hopes of kicking it up a notch in and beyond October.
How the Colts operate, and how Taylor's ankle progresses, could have a tremendous effect on how the Super Bowl race looks from the heart of the season onward.
Baltimore a Lot Better with Marlon Humphrey
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Few teams can replace a player like Marlon Humphrey, who has proved to be a consistent standout cover man throughout his career with the Baltimore Ravens.
That's why the three-time Pro Bowler's foot injury has to scare a team that is going to be constantly challenged in the deep and competitive AFC North.
The good news is Humphrey remains on the 53-man roster rather than the PUP list and can return earlier than Week 5. The bad news is it's hard to imagine him returning to full form within 4-6 weeks of undergoing foot surgery. And replacement Ronald Darby, who is on his fourth team in a five-year span, hasn't intercepted a pass since 2019.
The depth beyond that isn't inspiring in the post-Marcus Peters era for the Baltimore defense.
On top of that, a potentially Humphrey-less Ravens defense will have to face Joe Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals and Deshaun Watson's Cleveland Browns on the road in the first month of the 2023 campaign.
The absence of the 27-year-old could easily sway those games and the AFC Super Bowl picture down the stretch.
Joe Burrow Must Be Mentioned
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How will Joe Burrow's calf feel ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals' opening games of the season? It's a fair question now that the star quarterback has missed a month as a result of a strain.
Without him, or with him at significantly less than 100 percent, the Bengals could open things up for the Ravens, Browns, Steelers and others outside of the AFC North to leapfrog them in contending pecking order.
Asked on Tuesday if the 26-year-old Pro Bowler would be able to return to practice in the week preceding Cincinnati's opener against the Cleveland Browns, head coach Zac Taylor would only say, "We'll see."
That's not exactly reassuring.
Fact is, there hasn't been much transparency regarding Burrow's status in recent weeks. That's at least unsettling as the Bengals prepare to embark on a difficult four-week stretch against the Browns, Ravens, Rams and Tennessee Titans to open the 2023 campaign.
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