Every NFL Team's Most Costly Injury Thus Far

Injuries may be a part of the game but that doesn’t mean teams are prepared to deal with the absence of a key player. And even if they are, those contingencies don’t always work out.

Some clubs have been able to overcome an injury—the next man up filling in admirably—because they are loaded with talent elsewhere. Others….not so much.

Still, each team has one player whose injury has cost them dearly.

In some cases, the injury may be season-ending, in others, it may have resulted in missing a game or two, and in some situations, the injury hasn’t cost the player to miss even a single start, but they have definitely been hampered by the ailment. 

Buffalo Bills: Aaron Williams, CB

Injury: Chest

Games Missed: 2

Granted he's a rookie and he wasn't a key piece of their defense (yet), but the Bills will be much better equipped to handle the remainder of their schedule with the talented corner on the field: they have New England at Foxborough, Dallas and San Diego still to play. 

And it's probably not a coincidence that since Williams was carted off the field in Week 3's win over New England, the Bills have dropped two of three games: in those two losses, to Cincinnati and the Giants, the two opposing quarterbacks passed for just under 600 total yards. 

Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne, QB

Injury: Shoulder

Games Missed: 2

If you're a Dolphins fan, I suppose the silver lining in Henne's season ending shoulder injury is the fact that the team a) has a good excuse not to re-sign him this offseason and b) improved its chances for landing Andrew Luck.

Still, for the organization and the fans who actually have pride and want to see their team play well, this injury was fairly devastating. Sure, Henne was by no means an elite passer, and this team has holes throughout the roster.  

But he had pretty strong outings in two of the first three weeks of the season, and Matt Moore has struggled in the two starts since Henne went out. It's going to be a long season for Miami....but probably not for Tony Sparano.

New York Jets: Nick Mangold, C

Injury: Ankle sprain

Games Missed: 1

He may have only missed one game, the Sunday night debacle against the Ravens, but considering where the Jets stand in the AFC East, that one loss could prove to be the game that keeps them on the outside of the playoffs, looking in.

That night in Baltimore, we saw just how valuable Mangold is to the Jets offense as the offense could do nothing right, not even snap the ball. 

Sure, Mangold returned the next week against New England, but the Jets offense has been in such a funk since that game, that you'd have to look at Mangold's injury as opening up Pandora's Box. 

New England Patriots: Dan Koppen, C

Injury: Ankle, Tibia

Games Missed: 5 games (out for season)

It's fitting that both the Jets and Patriots most costly injuries have come to their centers.  And it's also fitting that, on the whole, the Patriots have been far less impacted by the injury to their center: is there a team in recent memory who has done a better job of replacing a player with another and not skipping a beat?

Still, Koppen has been (and will continue to be) missed. He provided stability up the middle and was probably a more effective run blocker than his replacement, Dan Connelly. 

Baltimore Ravens: Lee Evans, WR

Injury: Ankle sprain

Games Missed: 4

At first, I though rookie Jimmy Smith deserved this spot: he has such remarkable athleticism and if he was on the field in Week 1, playing significant minutes, then the coaching staff thought he was ready to play and contribute. 

But, since Smith sprained his ankle in Week 1 against Pittsburgh, the Ravens defense has continued to be dominant, so it's hard to say that his absence has been extremely costly. 

The same can't be said about Evans, who also has missed significant time because of an ankle injury. Baltimore's passing attack has been woefully inconsistent this year: great one week, awful the next. 

They brought Evans in this summer because they really felt his speed would aid Joe Flacco, who is great at throwing the deep ball. But he hasn't been on the field since Week 2, and Flacco epitomizes the Ravens lack of offensive consistency. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Dontay Moch, OLB

Injury: Broken Foot

Games Missed: 5 

The Bengals are among the most overachieving teams this year, and their defense has been especially sound. So I'm not sure how costly the absence of Moch, the team's third-round pick has been. 

But Moch blew everyone away at the combine, running a 4.4, and it would have been nice to see him on the field by now. Since he missed just about the entire preseason and the first 6 weeks of the regular season, he's probably so far behind that any contribution (even on special teams) this year is unlikely. 

Cleveland Browns: Eric Steinbach, LG

Injury: Back Surgery

Games Missed: 6

Peyton Hillis is a very big and talented running back, but since the Browns running game hasn't been nearly as good this season as it was in 2010, a ton of the credit should go to guard Eric Steinbach, who was didn't miss a game last year and is now sidelined all season because of a herniated disk.

Last year, Hillis was a pro bowler who averaged nearly 4.5 yards per carry and kept the Browns offense on schedule. This year, without Steinbach, the Browns rank 30th in the NFL in rushing and Hillis' numbers are way down. 

With Steinbach out, Joe Thomas is being asked to do too much, and that could be the reason why Cleveland's offense has taken a big step back. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Willie Colon, OT

Injury: Torn Triceps

Games Missed: 5

Over the past two years, no team has dealt with more issues regarding their offensive line than the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems like every week a new starter (or even his replacement) goes down for a significant amount of time. And the best example of that is Willie Colon, who missed all of last season with an Achilles tear only to return for 2011 and tear his triceps in the season opener. 

Since the Steelers still opted to give him a new long-term contract this offseason despite the Achilles injury of 2010, it's been costly in terms of dollars, but because they had to again shuffle an already shaky offensive line, it's been even more traumatic to the makeup of that group. 

The replacements for Colon at right tackle (mainly Trai Essex) haven't been bad in the running game, but they continue to have problems protecting Ben Roethlisberger—and most of the pressure has come from the edges. 

Houston Texans: Andre Johnson, WR

Injury: Hamstring sprain

Games Missed: 2 

Mario Williams torn pectoral muscle may prove to be costlier in the long run, but as of right now, you'd have to say that Johnson's injury has been far worse: they've lost both games he's been unable to start. 

He's easily one of the league's top pass catchers and, although Matt Schaub and Arian Foster have put up stats, they haven't had the redzone threat they need to capitalize. 

And, since it seems that Johnson won't be available for their key AFC South showdown with the Titans this weekend, the injury continues to be costly. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Aaron Kampman, DE

Injury: Knee surgery

Games Missed: 5

Presumably, one of the reasons why the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't go out and sign a top notch defensive end in the free agent market or spend their first round draft pick on one is because they thought Kampman (who they are paying a ton of money) is capable of being a consistent threat off the edge. 

But, since he's been sidelined all season following ACL surgery last fall, they cannot even test that theory, and, once again, the Jags pass rush has been one of the worst in the NFL. 

When the season started, this team was already one of the league's least talented from top to bottom,  but at least they brought in free agents Paul Posluszny and Dawan Landry. Without Kampman, Jack Del Rio's staff has not been able to use all of it's weapons and it's showed up in the standings. 

Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning, QB

Injury: Neck surgery

Games Missed: 6 

....Obviously.

Look, I was of the belief earlier this season that even with Manning the Colts were't a playoff team: their running game is still below average and their secondary needs work.

But, removing Manning from the equation has turned them from a 7-9, 8-8 team, to a winless club in line for the overall top pick and Andrew Luck.

Not much more to say. 

Tennessee Titans: Kenny Britt, WR

Injury: Torn ACL

Games Missed: 2 

The Titans may have split their two games since Britt tore his ACL against Denver, but with their lack of offensive firepower (especially in the passing game), his is easily the most troublesome injury this first-place club has endured. 

Nate Washington and Jared Cook have had good games since Britt's injury, but neither posses the ability to repeatedly find openings in the defense: against the Browns, no receiver caught more than two passes. 

Denver Broncos: Demaryius Thomas, WR

Injury: Achilles, Finger

Games Missed: 6

Thomas showed tremendous potential as a rookie last year, but since he has yet to play in 2011, that promise has been put on hold. 

Kyle Orton may not be the greatest quarterback in the world, and ultimately he lost his starting job because of his poor play. But the Broncos receiving corps has not produced nearly as much as it did a year ago: they rank 30th in the NFL in pass yardage.

If they had Thomas on the field starting in Week 1, they wouldn't be on par with the Packers or Patriots passing attack, but they would have had more opportunities to stretch the field with the big, athletic receiver. 

Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry, S

Injury: Torn ACL

Games Missed: 4

Jamaal Charles torn knee is more costly to fantasy football owners—how many people saw his 2010 totals and spent their first round pick on him?—but in terms of the Chiefs entire team, Berry's injury has been far worse.

That's true partly because the Chiefs still rank sixth in the league in rushing. But more so because Berry was such a versatile player, and since his injury in Week 1, the Chiefs have struggled at times this year against both the run and the pass.

Without Berry on the field, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel really has his hands tied behind his back in terms of what coverages to run and when to blitz.

Oakland Raiders: Jason Campbell, QB

Injury: Broken Collarbone

Games Missed: 0 

In the very strictest definition of "costly" the injury Jason Campbell suffered last Sunday is arguably the worst in the NFL this season. Just look at what they spent to acquire a replacement, Carson Palmer: one first-round pick and a second rounder that will turn into a first if Oakland makes the playoffs. 

That one injury landed the Raiders a ridiculously huge bill, which they have to pay to Cincinnati. 

Only time will tell if they made the right decision, but anything short of Palmer producing a Jim Plunkett-esque Super Bowl title for the Silver and Black probably will mean the deal was a colossal bust.

San Diego Chargers: Antonio Gates, TE

Injury: Foot

Games Missed: 3 

The Chargers haven't suffered that much without Gates—they are 4-1, in first place in the AFC West, and their defense is among the best in the league against both the run and the pass.

But it is worth mentioning that Phillip Rivers has not been quite as efficient lately as he was the previous few years: in the last three weeks, he's thrown more picks than touchdowns. The absence of Antonio Gates probably has a lot to do with that fact. 

That entire offense seems to be built around Gates' size, speed and the mismatches he creates in the secondary. Without him, the Chargers offense is good, but not great. 

Dallas Cowboys: Miles Austin, WR

Injury: Hamstring strain

Games Missed: 2

Sure, Austin only missed two games, and when he returned last week he didn't seem to skip a beat. 

But look how the Cowboys offense performed when he was sidelined. 

They barely beat the Redskins (failing to score a single touchdown in the process) then followed that up with their epic collapse at home against the Lions, blowing a 24 point second-half lead.

Dez Bryant is probably the greatest "playmaker" for Dallas' offense, and Jason Witten is Tony Romo's security blanket, but Austin is able to be both a safety valve and a deep threat, so it's no wonder that Romo struggled with him on the sideline. 

New York Giants: Terrell Thomas, CB

Injury: Torn ACL

Games Missed: 6

No team has suffered more injuries than the Giants, so there are many to choose from, but when you take away a starting cornerback from a team in the NFC—where the passing attacks are so powerful—it's such a devastating loss. 

Thomas wasn't a star but he was a capable defender and, given the earlier injury to Prince Amukamara, it was even more costly for Perry Fewell's unit. 

Just look at New York's two losses this season and the quarterbacks who had fine performances against the Giants: Rex Grossman threw for 305 yards in Week 1 and, in relief of Tarvaris Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst completed 11 of 19 passes and threw the game winning touchdown in the final three minutes.

With Thomas on the field, that might not have happened. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Vick, QB

Injury: Concussion, Hand 

Games Missed: 0

Vick hasn't missed a game yet this season, but his health has still been a major issue for the Eagles. 

The concussion he suffered in Week 2 kept him out of the end of the game against Atlanta (which they lost) and an injury to his hand the following week against the Giants also had him on sideline during that loss as Mike Kafka again had to close out the game. 

The cumulative effect of those injuries might be one of the reasons why he's thrown five interceptions in the last two games, and why the Eagles offense has gone through so many inconsistent stretches. 

Washington Redskins: Jarvis Jenkins, DE

Injury: Torn ACL

Games Missed: 6

Chris Cooley's surgery and rehab will cost them going forward, but after six weeks, the absence that has been most conspicuous is their second-round draft pick. 

The Redskins defensive line is pretty good, and rookie Ryan Kerrigan has been outstanding, but imagine how much better it could be if they had Jenkins as a rotator or third-down specialist. 

In a division with Michael Vick, you can never have enough athletic defensive lineman, and not having Jenkins last week might have been the difference between a win and a loss. 

Detroit Lions: Mikel LeShoure, RB

Injury: Torn Achilles

Games Missed: 6

Jahvid Best has done a pretty solid job as the feature runner, but the Lions could have really benefited from a duel-back system: they are ranked 25th in the NFL on the ground, and given Matthew Stafford's slew of recent injuries, the offense needs someone to slow down the pass rush.

They've been fortunate that Calvin Johnson has been so dominant, but even last week, in the loss to San Francisco, their offense looked one-dimensional: they gained just three rushing first downs and 66 yards total on the ground. With LeShoure out there as a change of pace runner, they would have done better. 

Green Bay Packers: Nick Collins, S

Injury: Neck

Games Missed: 5

Chad Clifton's hamstring is a problem for the Packers going forward, but since that offense didn't miss a beat with him on the sideline, Collins injury is far more significant to the Pack's title defense. 

The Packers may be the NFL's last undefeated team, but their pass defense has been atrocious this year, and Collins' absence has to be a major reason for the step back. 

Granted, Tramon Williams injury didn't help, but the Packers defense has been extremely vulnerable over the middle, right where Collins would be. 

Minnesota Vikings: Antoine Winfield, CB

Injury: Neck

Games Missed: 2

Despite their (many) problems right now, injuries really haven't been an overwhelming issue for the Vikings this year. 

But, Leslie Frazier's defense has really struggled defending the pass—opponents are averaging nearly 270 yards per game through the air—so the fact that their senior-most defensive player, Winfield, has been out the past two weeks with a neck injury isn't good news. 

And is there a better stat that proves the Vikings defense has suffered the past two weeks without Winfield than this: last week without Winfield in the Minnesota lineup, Jay Cutler was 21-for-31 for two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Chicago Bears: Gabe Carimi, RT

Injury: Dislocated knee

Games Missed: 4

Like the Steelers, the Chicago Bears could ill-afford an injury on the offensive line, especially at the tackle position. Last year, they surrendered a league-high 56 sacks and lost starting center Olin Kruetz to the Saints. 

They had been extremely fortunate when Gabe Carimi fell to them at the end of the first round and, although he was a rookie and wouldn't cure all the line's woes, he was expected to be a major upgrade. 

But, because he went down in Week 2 with a knee injury, that Bears offensive line continues to be a problem: they've allowed 19 sacks in just six games. 

Worse yet, the unit's run blocking—Carimi's greatest strength—has been inconsistent at best. 

New Orleans Saints: Zach Strief, RT

Injury: Strained MCL

Games Missed: 3 

As long as they have Drew Brees, the Saints offense is always going to be one of the best in the game, but the last few weeks, they haven't been as overpowering as usual: they frequently settled for field goals against the Jaguars and Panthers and, last Sunday in Tampa, they turned the ball over four times.

Maybe some of their offensive inefficiencies are due to the fact that starting right tackle Zach Strief hasn't been on the field. 

Streif might not be an All-Pro, or even one of the team's best lineman, but it's no coincidence that when he was healthy and in the lineup, the Saints were back to their dominant form, averaging 32 points in the first two games of the season. 

Atlanta Falcons: Ray Edwards, DE

Injury: Knee surgery

Games Missed: 0

Edwards is on this list for the same reason Michael Vick is: he may not have missed a start this year, but injury has greatly reduced his productivity. 

The high-priced free agent missed most of the preseason while recovering from knee surgery, and freely admitted last week that he has not been at 100% at any point this year, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “it’s getting better and better each week, and it’s starting to show in my play."

The Falcons went out and signed Edwards to help ease the pressure off of John Abraham, but because he is still on the mend, that has yet to happen. And the Falcons defense has suffered for it: they are 27th against the pass this season and really only defeated the 1-5 Panthers because of Cam Newton's mistakes. 

Carolina Panthers: David Gettis, WR

Injury: Torn ACL

Games Missed: 6

Steve Smith has defied his age and injury-toll—he should win Comeback Player of the Year for the second time—but Cam Newton really could have used another option.  After Smith, the next leading wide receivers are Brandon LaFell and Legedu Naanee, with 14 catches each. 

At times last year, Gettis seemed ready to be that type of player: he has ideal size and actually led the club in touchdown catches last year. 

But he tore his knee in the preseason, and won't be back in uniform until the 2012 season. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sammie Stroughter, WR

Injury: Foot surgery

Games Missed: 6

The Buccaneers really don't have a true No. 1 receiving option, so for Josh Freeman to succeed in the passing game, he needs a lot of depth at the wide receiver position. 

Mike Williams, Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn have done a decent job, but that offense would have been better off if Stroughter—who had a few big catches last year—was on the field. 

And, since Stroughter was a major contributor on special teams—he had a 78 yard kick return before being injured in Week 1—the Bucs are without a key part of their three-part attack: offense, defense and special teams. 

Arizona Cardinals: Ryan Williams, RB

Injury: Torn Patella Tendon

Games Missed: 6

Beanie Wells started off strong this year, averaging over 100 yards per game through 3 weeks, but now that he has been slowed a bit by his own nagging injuries, the Cardinals could have benefited from the services of Williams, their second-round choice.

After that great start, Arizona has fallen to near the bottom of the team rushing stats (24th overall) and it's cost that offense: Kevin Kolb has been forced to throw far more often than Ken Wisenhunt would like, and as a result, he's been picked off five times in the last few weeks.

If Williams was on the roster—either as a complement to Wells or simply as a change-of-pace back—the Cardinals offense could afford to be far more balanced. 

Seattle Seahawks: Sidney Rice, WR

Injury: Shoulder 

Games Missed: 2

Rice only missed the first two games of the season, and since then, he's seemingly been worth the huge salary Seattle gave him, catching 15 passes for 226 yards as the Seahawks have started to rebound from their 0-2 start.

But those first two games, they were pretty atrocious on offense, being shut out by the Steelers and losing an important divisional game at San Francisco.

Rice's absence in those two weeks greatly changed the Seahawks offensive approach, and dug them a deep hole which they are still climbing out of. 

St. Louis Rams: Danny Amendola, WR

Injury: Torn Triceps 

Games Missed: 5

With a new offensive coordinator and a shaky offensive line, Sam Bradford and the Rams weren't going to have an easy time in 2011. But the injury to Amendola—last year's leading receiver—certainly sped up their downward spiral.

Bradford has not been able to spread the ball around, and although he has three very promising rookie pass catchers in Greg Salas, Austin Pettis and Lance Kendricks, they are each still learning the system and how to play at the NFL level. Amendola was one of the few proven commodities on that roster, and without him, it's no wonder they are 29th in the league in total yards. 

San Francisco 49ers: Braylon Edwards, WR

Injury: Knee surgery

Games Missed: 4

The surprising 49ers have managed to overcome the loss of Edwads, their most accomplished wide receiver, but they'd still be better off with him in uniform, something that could happen by Week 8.

As improved as he's looked, Alex Smith can use all the help he can get, and although it may not have cost the 5-1 49ers to this point, later in the season, Edwards should start to contribute.

Ted Ginn Jr. has been a dynamic return man, but I think Jim Harbaugh would rather have his fellow Michigan alum out there....and not just because Ginn is a former Buckeye.