CB Marlon Humphrey dealing with foot injury, will undergo surgery
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey is expected to have surgery Wednesday to repair a foot injury.
#Ravens All-Pro CB Marlon Humphrey is dealing with a foot injury and he's expected to have surgery today, sources say. The hope is he's back in a little over a month. So, out for the first couple games. https://t.co/gkCiVoGuI3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2023
Humphrey has been one of the most consistent cornerbacks in the NFL since entering the league in 2017. Last season was arguably his best as a pro, finishing the year with a 76.8 overall grade (14th out of 118 qualifying cornerbacks) and allowing zero touchdowns in coverage.
With at least a month recovery timeline, it is fair to assume that Humphrey will miss both the season opener against the Houston Texans and also Week 2 on the road against divisional rival Cincinnati. His absence leaves a huge hole in Baltimore’s secondary, one that PFF's John Kosko had ranked fifth in the NFL heading into 2023.
WR Treylon Burks carted off the field Wednesday
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was carted off the field after suffering an apparent leg injury in a joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings.
#Titans WR Treylon Burks is now leaving on a cart.
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) August 16, 2023
As a rookie, Burks appeared in just 11 games after suffering a toe injury early in the season. An injury to starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill didn’t help matters, as Burks struggled with inconsistency in a fairly limited offense for parts of 2022.
Burks looked poised for a strong sophomore season with a healthy Tannehill and the arrival of Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to take pressure off him. Should the injury prove to be serious, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (59.8 overall grade, 94th out of 113 qualifying WRs) and Chris Moore (63.2 overall, 84th out of 113) will be asked to fill the void behind Hopkins.
Christian Wilkins sitting out team drills as he awaits a contract extension
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is present but not participating in team drills as he awaits a contract extension from the team.
Mike McDaniel says Christian Wilkins is such a good player and important person and he has made it clear his play is deserving of a contact and Miami agrees. As a result he’s missing team drills. pic.twitter.com/mD34wE8b7D
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) August 16, 2023
Wilkins is next in line for a payday after fellow defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence (four years, $90 million), Quinnen Williams (four years, $96 million), Jeffery Simmons (four years, $94 million) and Daron Payne (four years, $90 million) all signed big-money, long-term extensions with their respective teams this offseason. All-Pro Chris Jones is also sitting out camp as he awaits a new deal from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wilkins has been a consistently productive force on the Dolphins’ defensive line. Since the start of 2021, Wilkins leads all interior defenders with 98 defensive stops and his 86.7 overall grade ranks fifth at the position.
WR Russell Gage carted off practice field with non-contact injury
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage was carted off the field after suffering a non-contact knee injury at Wednesday’s joint practice with the New York Jets.
Ugly looking injury and an emotional scene afterward. #Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles will address after practice. https://t.co/Jn4jBKSw6Q
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 16, 2023
The injury appears severe and will likely be a season-ender for Gage. The 27-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons before joining Tampa Bay last year.
The most productive years of Gage’s career came in 2020 and 2021, seasons in which he ranked among the top 31 wide receivers in the NFL. He lined up as a boundary wide receiver on 66.0% of his snaps in 2022 after manning the slot for the Falcons in his earlier years.
Sixth-round rookie Trey Palmer is a leading candidate to emerge as Tampa’s No. 3 wide receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.