Share 
Some teams just can’t catch a break. The NFL throttles into the midway point of the season and one step closer to the trade deadline, and that means we get a real idea of who views themselves as contenders and who sees themselves as rebuilders. The trade deadline also gives teams a chance to bolster depth or replace injured players down the stretch. Some players are irreplaceable, though, like Lamar Jackson. The Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback suffered a thumb injury on the Ravens’ first offensive snap of the game in his return from injury, and now their season is thrust into jeopardy. But who else joins him on the Monday Medical Report?
QB – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
You simply could not write it. After spending the last three games on the sideline nursing a high ankle sprain, Lamar Jackson was back and raring to go in a huge game against the Buffalo Bills. The Ravens had lost their last two games, and having Jackson back on the field was set to give them a massive boost. At his best, Jackson can be the best quarterback in the NFL. The boost lasted one pass attempt. Jackson’s throwing hand was hit on his first pass attempt of the day, bending his thumb back. That took Jackson out of the game, and he was quickly ruled out with a thumb injury. The Ravens went on to lose the game 36-10 and were forced to play their third-string quarterback, 2026 undrafted free agent Joe Fangano, after backup Tyler Huntley suffered a toe injury.
Losing Huntley is frustrating, but the real concern comes with Jackson leaving the game injured again. The Ravens announced shortly after the game that Jackson would undergo surgery to repair the injured thumb and would be placed on injured reserve. That means Jackson will miss the next four games at the very least—and maybe even longer. And now, for the second season in a row, the Ravens’ season feels very much on life support. For clarity, the Ravens are now 4-4 after the loss to the Bills and face the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, and Houston Texans in the games they’ll definitely be without Jackson, and maybe Huntley.
The Ravens will enter the Week 9 slate at the bottom of the AFC North but still, on paper, very much in the playoff hunt. The hope within the building will be that the Ravens can find a way to stay afloat until Jackson returns, but four games is a long time, especially considering we know what the offense looks like without Jackson under center. Surviving without Jackson, while facing three teams who are all in the playoff hunt, seems like a tall order—and one that could be even trickier if Huntley misses any time. The NFL is just a better product when Jackson is playing, too, so this is a loss for everyone.
LB – Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions claimed a massive victory against their NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings, in Week 8, sneaking a 19-15 win at Ford Field while handing the Vikings their first loss of the season. Now, Detroit are 5-2, and the division is even tighter. Between now and the end of the season, all four NFC North teams—the Lions, Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears—all have justifiable reasons to believe they could win the division. For the Lions to believe they can win, they’ll need similar defensive efforts as they got in Week 8, but they’ll likely have to do it without First Team All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell, who suffered a scary injury.
Campbell appeared to suffer a neck injury when he tackled Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson on the first play of the fourth quarter, and he appeared to go limp as his body bent back awkwardly. Campbell stayed down for a long time before he was stretched off and taken away in an ambulance. There’s been no update so far, other than that Campbell is being assessed for a neck injury at a local hospital, so it wouldn’t be wise to speculate.
What is a given is that the Lions’ defense will be a worse unit without Campbell on the field. The former first-round pick has been an emotional and physical leader for the Lions’ defense over the last four seasons, amassing 456 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. The Lions’ defense sits 31st in expected points added per play, teetering close to the worst defense in the NFL, and they’re just not in a position to lose any more players. For now, all that matters is that Jack Campbell is okay, though.
RB – Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
It’s been a rough rookie season for Arizona Cardinals’ running back Jeremiyah Love. The number three overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was arguably the most talented player in the class, but has struggled to build momentum early in his NFL career. Heading into Week 8, Love had carried the ball 67 times for 245 yards and a touchdown, averaging 3.7 yards per carry. He’d also missed the last two games against the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams with an ankle injury, so Love was looking to make an impact against a Dallas Cowboys defense that ranked dead last in expected points added, per Sümer Sports.
Instead, Love’s rookie season faced another speed bump. The former Notre Dame star suffered another ankle injury on a carry late in the first quarter, was removed from the game before entering the blue tent, and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game. The good news, of which there is still little, is that it wasn’t the same ankle that Love appeared to have injured. It’s still not good news, because any injury is one that causes a headache, especially when your first-round rookie running back has just returned from a two-game absence.
Love’s running mates have eaten in his absence. Tyler Allgeier carried the ball 11 times for 147 yards and a touchdown in the overtime win against the Cowboys, and added five catches for 44 yards and a receiving touchdown, while Zonovan Knight has also had moments of productivity. Love’s status ahead of Week 9 will be up in the air until later in the week, but for now it’s another frustrating setback in a rookie season that just hasn’t set the world alight.
CB – Jaylen Watson, Los Angeles Rams
So much of the 2026 NFL season has been one step forward and two steps back for the Los Angeles Rams. Their preseason expectations were through the roof, but a beleaguered start to the season has held the Rams down. Injuries, poor play, and special team woes all have a part to play, but after a comfortable 24-9 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8, the Rams are now 4-4 and will hope to be looking to good times ahead. Even that win came with some jeopardy, as there’s no such thing as a one-way street in the NFL, and the Rams lost their starting cornerback, Jaylen Watson, with a shoulder injury.
Watson was a big-time free agent add for the Rams this offseason and has impressed alongside Trent McDuffie, his former Kansas City Chiefs teammate. But losing both of their star cornerbacks in the same game is a massive blow. And one that no team could handle. Watson and McDuffie are one of the league’s top cornerback pairings and are both extremely versatile. The Rams held on without Watson, who was ruled out, and McDuffie made his presence felt with an interception and nine tackles, but moving forward the Rams are going to hope and pray that neither is out for long—especially considering McDuffie has already missed time.
The Rams’ current depth at cornerback leaves a lot to be desired. Former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes has been a competent role player for the Rams, but teams have attacked him in the past when he’s played more snaps, and if both Watson and McDuffie miss time, the Rams will have some big questions to answer. They could be prime contenders to go and acquire a cornerback at the trade deadline.
EDGE – YaYa Diaby, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won, arguably, the weirdest game in modern NFL history in Week 8, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 without completing a single pass. Treacherous weather conditions made it hard to push the ball in the air, so the Buccaneers had to rely on the legs of Bucky Irving and an aggressive defense to get the job done. The win moves them to 3-5 and now just half a game behind the Carolina Panthers at the top of the NFC South. They’re coming for the division after a slow start, but will potentially be without one of their better defensive players, YaYa Diaby, in that pursuit.
Diaby suffered a knee injury early in the first quarter on a chop block and left the field under his own power, but entered the blue tent and did not return to the game. Not much was said about the injury after the game, so for now it’s up to an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury—but as always, no news may be good news for the Buccaneers. Diaby, like the Buccaneers, had started the season slowly but erupted with three sacks against the Panthers in Week 7. He has three sacks and 12 pressures this season, but is still one of the team’s most effective defensive stars in a contract year.
The Buccaneers have options on the edge. David Walker leads the team with 17 pressures and four sacks, but Diaby is also a menace against the run in ways that Walker hasn’t been because of his size. The Buccaneers also have rookie first-round pick Rueben Bain hoping to spring to life. More will be asked of him if Diaby is forced to miss any time.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
