Rounding Up Biggest NFL Injuries at Start of Training Camp

Injuries are a part of life in the NFL, and unfortunately, they don't always wait for the regular season to occur. 

Though training camps have only recently opened around the league, we have already seen a number of injuries that could affect the coming season. Over the next few pages, we'll take a closer look at recently injured players, the severity of their injuries and the potential ramifications for their respective teams.

The list only includes the latest news on players who were injured shortly before or since the opening week of training camp. Therefore, players who were hurt much earlier in the offseason and who won't be returning, like Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Dante Fowler, will not be included.

Redskins CB Bashaud Breeland

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Washington Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland suffered an MCL sprain late last week. According to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times, his recovery will take at least a month.

“I think we got the best-case scenario for probably what we thought,” head coach Jay Gruden said, per Boyer. “When he was withering in pain there, we thought it was pretty bad, but it looks like it will probably be four to six weeks. He’s a fast healer."

A four-to-six-week recovery means that Breeland may not be ready for the start of the 2015 season. However, he wouldn't be appearing in Week 1 anyway. The second-year corner has been suspended for one game for violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.

Breeland started 15 games as a rookie in 2014 and was part of a secondary that was rated as the league's worst in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus.

According to John Keim of ESPN.com, Justin Rogers will get the first shot at replacing Breeland in the lineup. 

Steelers WR Martavis Bryant

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant racked up 549 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2014, and it's going to be exciting to see what kind of leap he can make in Year 2.

Unfortunately, Bryant is going to have to wait to show what he can do in 2015, at least for a little while. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bryant will likely miss next weekend's preseason opener after undergoing a surgical procedure Sunday to treat an elbow infection.

Bryant isn't expected to miss a significant amount of time and should be ready for the start of the regular season.

"[He] should be back to us sooner than later,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of Bryant, per Dulac. “But it will be a couple days to make sure that’s behind him.”

Starters don't usually spend much time on the field in the Hall of Fame Game, so the Steelers probably won't miss having Bryant available much. If anything, it will allow the team to give a little more work to rookie receiver Sammie Coates. 

Chiefs DT Dontari Poe

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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe suffered a series of back injuries earlier this offseason, eventually undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk.

The long-term outlook for the Pro Bowl defender is more than a little uncertain.

According to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, Poe will miss all of training camp, but may be back in time for the regular season.

"I think he stands a reasonable chance [to play] in the early part of the season there, whether it's the beginning or somewhere early in the season for his return,” Reid said, via Pete Sweeney of KCChiefs.com. “You just have to see and see how he recovers there."

However, former NFL physician David Chao seems to believe that Poe's recovery could take anywhere from six weeks to three months, as he told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star:

"

My guess is, the first month (of rehab)—and I haven’t examined him—is more about pain (control), swelling and edema control and trying to maintain a little bit of baseline fitness. And the next month is more transitioning into some good, hard rehab. And perhaps the last month, the third month, is (working on) football muscles, football shape, field work.

"

If it looks like Poe is going to be out for three months, there's a strong chance he will begin the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, or even on short-term injured reserve.

This would obviously be a huge blow to the Chiefs, as Poe is the anchor of their defensive front. 

Bears WR Kevin White

Nam Huh/Associated Press

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Kevin White was injured more than a month ago and opened training camp on the PUP list. The only real update we have on his shin injury at this point is that there is no real timetable for when he could return.

“I’m looking at it day to day,” Bears head coach John Fox said earlier this week, per Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I can’t predict. Sooner rather than later is what I hope, but it’s just a hope.”

The Bears must certainly hope that they can get White back into the fold sooner than later. The rookie out of West Virginia is expected to play a big part in Chicago's offense in 2015, especially since the Bears sent former starter Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets in an offseason trade.

According to Jahns, White has been doing cardio work in the water. If White isn't in game shape by the start of the regular season, the Bears may be forced to move Eddie Royal over from the slot or run with a guy like Marquess Wilson on the outside across from Alshon Jeffery.

Bengals DE Michael Johnson

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Cincinnati Bengals have lost defensive end Michael Johnson for at least a little while after the veteran pass-rusher suffered an MCL sprain at the start of training camp. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport (via NFL.com's Conor Orr), Johnson suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain.

ESPN's Josina Anderson recently reported that the Bengals expect Johnson to "be good in a few weeks."

This mean's that Johnson, who was re-signed this offseason after spending a year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will likely miss all of training camp, but he should be back for the regular season. This is good news for the Bengals, who will be counting on Johnson to help improve a pitiful pass rush.

In 2014, Cincinnati finished last in the league with a mere 20 sacks.

Johnson had just 4.0 sacks last season with the Buccaneers, but he registered 21.0 sacks between 2011 and 2013 during his last stint with the Bengals. 

Steelers CB Senquez Golson

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Rookie cornerback Senquez Golson began Steelers camp on the PUP list with a shoulder injury and may not make it back this season. According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers are considering Golson's options, which could include season-ending surgery.

Golson, a second-round pick (56th overall) in this year's draft, wasn't necessarily expected to compete for a starting job as a rookie. However, he may have been a regular contributor for a secondary that is looking to improve on a disappointing 2014 campaign.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Steelers were the seventh-worst team in terms of pass coverage last season. 

With Golson's status up in the air, Pittsburgh worked a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire cornerback Brandon Boykin. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles will receive a conditional 2016 fifth-round pick that could become a fourth-rounder  

Adding Boykin doesn't lessen the sting of potentially losing Golson for the season, but it does give the Steelers some flexibility heading into the preseason.

Broncos WR Kyle Williams

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Denver Broncos wide receiver Kyle Williams hasn't had the best of injury luck during his NFL career. He suffered a torn ACL in 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers, and another in 2013 with the Chiefs.

At the beginning of Broncos camp, he suffered yet another significant injury. This time it was a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Williams released a statement via his Instagram account that read, in part: 

"

Unfortunately, today I suffered an injury to my Achilles and will consequently be missing this season. It's hard for me at this point to make sense of all of this but at the end of the day I understand and trust God's plan for me. My determination to get back and my work ethic will not diminish and I will eventually get back to full strength.

"

Williams wasn't expected to be much more than a depth receiver and a special teams guy in 2015, so this isn't a sizable loss for the Broncos. However, it is certainly disappointing to see the former Arizona State standout miss out on another opportunity because of injury.

Browns RB Duke Johnson

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The Cleveland Browns are hoping that rookie running back Duke Johnson can be a big part of their offense in 2015. Unfortunately, it is likely to take some time for Johnson to actually get on a playing field.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, Johnson could be out awhile with a pulled hamstring. This is worrisome, as Johnson has a lengthy history of hamstring issues, and that kind of injury can linger.

"I'll be all right,'' Johnson said, per Cabot. "I've experienced much worse.''

With journeyman Josh McCown at quarterback, the Browns are expected to lean heavily on the running game this season. Johnson, who rushed for 1,652 yards and 10 touchdowns at Miami last season, can be vital piece of the running back rotation.

However, it is going to be difficult for Johnson to carve out a role if he cannot get on the field.

Running backs Terrance West and Glenn Winston also have injuries, which, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com, has caused the team to add a pair of backs to the roster.

Ravens S Matt Elam

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It appears that the Baltimore Ravens have lost starting strong safety Matt Elam for the entire 2015 season.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, Elam suffered a torn biceps over the weekend and will undergo surgery with a four-to-six-month recovery.

"I haven't heard on the MRI yet, but I'm not real optimistic right now," head coach John Harbaugh said, per Wilson. "I haven't heard a final word, but it wasn't very optimistic talking to the doctors. He was reaching, the receiver ran by him and kind of reached for him and caught him."

Elam was a first-round pick for the Ravens in 2013, but he hasn't quite lived up to expectations. He was ranked just 172nd among all safeties by Pro Football Focus for the 2014 season.

With Elam out, the Ravens will likely turn to veteran safety Will Hill, who actually played more snaps than Elam a season ago.

Jets WR Devin Smith

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Former Ohio State wideout Devin Smith is expected to be part of a much-improved New York Jets receiving corps in 2015. However, it appears that Smith is going to have to wait a bit before getting his opportunity to make an impact.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Smith is expected to miss at least four-to-six weeks with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

"Hopefully, he comes back sooner than that," head coach Todd Bowles said, per Cimini. "These types of things happen. It was a freak accident. We'll try to get him back as fast as we can, but we want him to be healthy."

If Smith's recovery approaches the six-week mark, he could miss the team's regular-season opener against the Browns on September 13.