NFL Catchup: Sam Darnold Dodges IR; 49ers Lose De'Zhaun Stribling For 10 Weeks

As teams around the NFL begin to shift into gear for Week 2, Wednesday brought a fresh round of injury updates.

The Seattle Seahawks got some relieving news under center, while the San Francisco 49ers' receiver room deals with another injury, and two more starting quarterbacks landed on the injury report heading into Week 2.

Sam Darnold avoided a long-term absence despite being ruled out for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, while 49ers rookie wideout De'Zhaun Stribling is now facing roughly 10 weeks on the shelf after ankle surgery. Meanwhile, Joe Burrow is dealing with back tightness but sounds intent on playing through it, and Kyler Murray took a step forward in his return from concussion protocol with a limited practice.

Here's the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

Sam Darnold Ruled Out For Week 2, Avoids IR

 

Sam Darnold appears to have avoided a major, long-term setback after exiting Wednesday night's season opener with a glute injury. Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters the quarterback has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, but importantly, he will not be placed on injured reserve.

With IR off the table, the expectation is that Darnold could be back under center within a game or two once he's medically cleared. 

In the meantime, backup Drew Lock will take the reins, and he's already shown he can hold things together — Lock led a second-half comeback against the Patriots on Wednesday, completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.

Given Lock's steady showing in relief, Seattle's offense shouldn't miss much of a beat under Macdonald in the short term. Still, all eyes now turn to Darnold's recovery timeline and how quickly the Seahawks can get their starter back on the field.

De’Zhaun Stribling Placed On IR; Expected To Miss 10 Weeks

 

The San Francisco 49ers officially placed rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling on injured reserve Wednesday. Stribling underwent ankle surgery and is expected to miss at least two months as he recovers. 

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that Stribling opted for surgery, adding that the team expects him to miss roughly 10 weeks. 

Losing Stribling adds to the mounting injury list in the 49ers receiver room, which lost Ricky Pearsall to a season-ending knee injury in training camp. The offense will need to rely on the veteran trio of Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle moving forward.

Stribling initially injured his ankle late in the first quarter of the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Though he briefly returned to action, his night ended on the very next drive when he went down in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field.

He may have gone statless in Week 1, but Stribling's impressive training camp proved he belongs in this offense. If the 49ers can navigate a brutal NFC West race without him, his return late in the year could give them a major dynamic boost in time for a playoff run.

Joe Burrow Battling Back Tightness, Expects To Play Sunday

 

Joe Burrow will show up on this week's injury report, but he isn't sounding any alarms about his availability for Sunday's game against the Texans. 

The Bengals quarterback was limited during the open portion of Wednesday's practice and told reporters afterward that he's dealing with back tightness, adding that he isn't sure which play from last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay caused it.

Burrow noted he didn't feel any pain until after the game had ended, and while he wasn't certain whether he'd be able to practice for the rest of the week, he cleared the air on his playing status, calling it "ridiculous" to suggest he'd sit out.

The Bengals travel to face the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 20.

Murray Practiced In A Limited Capacity On Wednesday

 

After an emotional Week 1 comeback win, the Minnesota Vikings head to Chicago to take on the Bears. However, who will line up under center remains a major question mark as quarterback Kyler Murray remains in concussion protocol.

On Wednesday afternoon, head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Murray would practice in a limited capacity. The Vikings plan to rely on the league and medical staff before clearing Murray.

Murray did not return to the game after taking a scary hit from a Green Bay Packers defender while sliding. As he remains in concussion protocol, the expectation is that Carson Wentz will step in to start in Chicago if Murray isn't cleared.

Wentz delivered a strong performance off the bench, leading a fourth-quarter comeback to seal a 39-22 victory. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Justin Jefferson for two of those scores.