The NFL 2023 season is in high gear! Every squad has kicked off the season with guns blazing, and the gridiron is sizzling. But, as we all know, where there’s gridiron glory, there are also those pesky injuries. Week 5? Well, the NFL turf has witnessed more injuries than a popcorn machine at the Super Bowl, leaving NFL fans and squads in a serious dilemma. 

Before we dive into the official injury reports from the teams, let’s do a quick rundown of who made an unexpected pit stop in the infirmary this week.

NFL Insider’s huge update

NFL guru, Ari Meirov, took to the social media battleground to dish out the inside scoop on all the gridiron mishaps, providing us with a sneak peek of player statuses right before the official injury reports drop.

His caption was the cherry on top, saying, “Today in the NFL: – #Vikings will place WR Justin Jefferson on IR – #Dolphins RB DeVon Achane will miss time, could go on IR – #Rams trade WR Van Jefferson to Falcons – #Cardinals place RB James Conner on IR – La’El Collins visits Jets, has Giants next. – #Vikings work out QB Colt McCoy. – #Chargers RB Austin Ekeler said he’ll be back this week after missing the last 3 games. – #Jets exploring possible Mecole Hardman trade. … Scroll @MySportsUpdate timeline for more NFL.” 

Talk about a double whammy for the Minnesota Vikings! Not only did they fall to the Kansas City Chiefs in a 27-20 showdown, but they also bid farewell to their star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, for the season. WR Justin Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury near the end of the game and couldn’t return. He made a brief appearance on the sideline, draped in a towel, after a pit stop in the medical tent, but his gridiron return? Not happening. 

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The reigning supremes, Kansas City Chiefs, also suffered a few chinks in their armor. Their star tight end, Travis Kelce, decided to take a “slip ‘n slide” action at the U.S. Bank Stadium while chasing down a pass, giving his right ankle a bit of a beating. But you can’t keep a good Chief down, because Kelce roared back in the third quarter with a touchdown. However, the post-game report showed that Kelce was on the injury report, tagged as a non-participant on Monday. But hold onto your helmets, because injuries seem to be making a tour of the league, like an unwanted guest overstaying its welcome at a tailgate party. 

Alijah Vera-Tucker- WR New York Jets

The NY Jets‘ Alijah Vera-Tucker started off with what seemed like a minor calf hiccup.  But, as they say, never judge a playbook by its cover. In a twist of cruel fate, early reports hinted that AVT’s injury wasn’t anything to lose sleep over. The MRI delivered the dreaded news: a torn Achilles, the same misfortune that befell his fellow gridiron pal, Aaron Rodgers.  It’s a bitter pill to swallow, folks, as it now appears that AVT might be sitting out the entire season. Ouch, that’s a tough blow for Gang Green.

Anthony Richardson- QB, Indianapolis Colts

Ah, the NFL’s budding superstar, Anthony Richardson, just can’t catch a break, can he? This young gun is facing his second setback. The Indianapolis Colts‘ dynamic QB found himself on the wrong end of a grade 3 AC Joint sprain in his shoulder. While Richardson was off for an MRI on Monday morning, it looks like the consensus is that the ever-ready Gardner Minshew is about to don the QB crown for the Colts in the coming weeks. 

Matt Milano- OL, Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills, with a treasure trove of talent, have been hit hard by the injury bug, and it’s leaving their defense feeling like a battered fortress. Linebacker Matt Milano didn’t just make an exit; he took the express route to the ER, courtesy of a fractured knee in their bout with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sadly, Milano won’t be making a comeback this season. 

Emmanuel Moseley- CB, Detroit Lions

The NFL’s dealing with what feels like an ACL apocalypse and poor Emmanuel Moseley is stuck in this injury nightmare. The Detroit Lions CB finally made his 2023 comeback after battling back from the ACL tear that haunted him last season. But wouldn’t you know it, lightning struck twice on a fateful Sunday, and he tore that ACL again! 

Juju Smith-Schuster- WR, New England Patriots

The New England Patriots had one of those games that’s the stuff of nightmares. They got handed a big ol’ goose egg on the scoreboard, losing 34-0 to the New Orleans Saints.  But to make matters worse, their trusty wide receiver, Juju Smith-Schuster, took a nasty hit and ended up with a head injury. It’s like someone turned the lights out on the party, and Juju never returned to the dance floor, not even for Monday morning practice. The Pats are feeling the sting of that loss in more ways than one. Tough break, indeed! 

Zay Jones- WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have snagged the ‘W’ in their showdown with the Buffalo Bills, but it came with a price tag. Zay Jones, who’d already been MIA for the Jags’ last couple of games due to a nagging knee problem, hobbled off the field during the London faceoff. 

Leighton Vander Esch- OL, Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys were riding high as the hotshots of the season, second only to the Chiefs in the power rankings.  But just when everything was smooth sailing, they ran headlong into the San Francisco 49ers and got handed a whopping 42-10 reality check. To make matters worse, their defense took a hit too, as they bid farewell to linebacker Leighton Vander Esch with a brutal neck injury. It’s like the shield got a dent, and it’ll take time to fix. 

James Conner- RB, Arizona Cardinals

Now, we’ve got a bit of a rollercoaster ride with James Conner and the Arizona Cardinals. First, Conner made a surprise return to the sideline after a second-quarter knee scare, showing us all his true grit. But just when we thought he might stage a comeback in their bout with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cardinals officially benched Conner by placing him on Injured Reserve on Tuesday.  

Daniel Jones- QB, New York Giants

Well, it was like a ticking time bomb with Daniel Jones. He’d been dancing with the defenders in the backfield, getting sacked a whopping 16 times in just two weeks. You do that kind of dance long enough, and sooner or later, you’re bound to get a party injury. On Sunday, it finally happened. The NY Giants QB took a blindsided hit from the Miami Dolphins‘ pass rusher, Andrew Van Ginkel, and just like that, he had himself a brand-new neck injury.  No comeback for him in that game. The football gods can be pretty unforgiving.

Tank Dell- WR, Houston Texans

The Houston Texans had themselves a shiny new star in Tank Dell, a rookie sensation that was making waves in the NFL. But, you know how it goes in this hard-hitting league. In the blink of an eye, he caught himself a concussion on Sunday. Before he had to take an early exit from the game, Dell had already done some damage, hauling in three passes for a solid 57 yards. Now, the big question is, will he get the green light for Week 6?  

Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson- RBs, Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears finally got their 2023 victory groove going on Thursday night, but it was like winning the lottery and losing your wallet at the same time. In a classic twist of fate, they ended up waving goodbye to their top two running backs during the game. That’s like winning the race and then tripping on the finish line! Khalil Herbert got hit with the dreaded high ankle sprain diagnosis, and the rumor mill is buzzing about a potential stint on injured reserve (IR). That’s football’s version of a timeout. And, rookie sensation, Roschon Johnson, caught himself a concussion against the Washington Commanders on TNF. Now, he’s got 10 days to play the recovery game and hopefully get the green light for the Bears’ Week 6 showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.

Davante Adams-  WR, Las Vegas Raiders

We’ve got a Monday Night Football special with Davante Adams, the man of the hour!  Last Sunday, the LV Raiders’ wide receiver was nursing a shoulder injury and had the entire Cheesehead Nation holding its breath. No practice on Thursday or Friday, and even on Saturday, it was a limited show. 

But did you seriously think Adams would miss a sweet revenge game against his former team, the Green Bay Packers?

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