Six most devastating NFL preseason injuries in Week 1

When the NFL preseason gets underway, teams have one important mission, stay healthy. Of course, that never happens. Injuries are common in the NFL and while the results of preseason games don’t count, the injuries suffered in them do.

With Week 1 of the NFL preseason in the books, what are the most devastating injuries suffered around the league?

1. Mario Edwards Jr., defensive end, Oakland Raiders

Edwards was carted off of the field in Oakland’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals. While the injury looked a lot more serious than it ended up being, the Raiders could still be without Edwards for four-to-six weeks.

After a promising rookie season, Edwards missed the final games of 2015 with a neck injury. While the two injuries aren’t related, two injuries in barely over a season can point to a player being injury prone.

But even if that’s not a concern, the play in which Edwards was hurt shows just what this team will be missing.

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Edwards shed his blocker easily, forcing running back Chris Johnson to change direction. Then, Edwards made the tackle.

That kind of play will not only be helpful in Oakland’s run defense, but in its pass rush as well whenever he does return. When Edwards attracts that much attention, he can either shed the blocks and rush the quarterback himself or keep the blockers on him occupied while the Raiders’ elite pass rushers attack the passer.

Oakland still has plenty of talent, but losing Edwards is a blow.

2. Carson Wentz, quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles

Before Wentz ever took the field in Philadelphia, it was a rough preseason opener for the Eagles. Guard Brandon Brooks suffered a biceps injury early in the game. While Brooks appears to be okay, the status of second overall pick Carson Wentz is unclear after he suffered a hairline fracture in his ribs.

The injury will reportedly keep him from throwing hard for between two-to-three weeks. Wentz was likely going to spent a good portion (if not all) of 2016 on the bench anyway. Even so, this is a frustrating injury.

First of all, no team ever wants to see a quarterback taken with the second overall pick hurt. There’s just no way to positively spin a top pick getting hurt in his first preseason game.

But more importantly, this is a hiccup in the development of Wentz. Even if he was never going to play in the 2016 regular season, the 2016 preseason was important for his overall development as an NFL quarterback.

An injury to Wentz means no reps in games and very little during practices. Whenever he does return to action, the rookie will be behind the eight ball.

3. IK Enemkpali, outside linebacker, Buffalo Bills

A dismal offseason for Buffalo carried right into the preseason. An injury to Reggie Ragland cost him his season before it began. Enemkpali — who himself was starting because of other injuries — is out for the year with a torn ACL.

This is a crushing blow.

First off, this is not a team that can afford injuries, especially to edge rushers. They were already razor thin in this department. Shaq Lawson will not be back until October. Manny Lawson is questionable for the beginning of the season.

The injury to Enemkpali will put even more pressure on Lawson to return soon. If he does not, the Bills could be looking at a frightening set of starters in Week 1.

On a personal note for Enemkpali, who has played sparingly over his first two NFL seasons, this was devastating. The injuries to Shaq and Manny Lawson offered a chance for him to show that he’s more than just the guy who punches teammates.

Now, that will have to wait until 2017.

4. Jon Bostic, linebacker, Detroit Lions

Much like Enemkpali in Buffalo, Bostic was only starting because another player (in this case, DeAndre Levy) was out of action. Now, Bostic is out with a leg injury that was described by head coach Jim Caldwell as “not a couple day thing, that’s for certain,” per Justin Rodgers of The Detroit News.

Not good.

Detroit’s defense in 2015 was best described as mediocre. As much as anything, the effort on that side of the ball explains the dropoff the team had from 2014’s playoff season.

Levy’s status remains a great mystery in Detroit. But even if he’s back in a big way, defenses are rarely great because of the 11 starters. For a defense to be great, it needs to have depth.

We don’t know exactly what Caldwell means when it says that the injury is “not a couple day thing,” but it certainly seems like Bostic will be sidelined for a while.

5. Malcolm Mitchell, wide receiver, New England Patriots

Mitchell was turning heads at training camp before the preseason began. Once the preseason opener against the Saints got underway, it was more of the same. Then, he dislocated his elbow.

The news is not terrible for Mitchell or the Patriots, but he’ll still be out for at least four weeks.

If Mitchell had a few years in New England under his belt, this wouldn’t be such a problem. Then, he’d theoretically know the offense and be experienced with both Jimmy Garoppolo and Tom Brady.

But Mitchell is a rookie who’s still relatively inexperienced with this offense. He’s also in an important role. Nobody will ever confuse Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola for models of durability. A promising rookie receiver would almost certainly see plenty of snaps in that offense.

That won’t happen for at least four weeks, which takes us into the season. Once it does happen, who knows how much this injury will halt Mitchell’s progress?

6. Jeff Janis, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers

Janis will always be remembered in Green Bay for his tremendous catch in the playoffs against the Cardinals last season.

As far as this season goes, his injury thins out a group of receivers that wasn’t exactly deep to begin with. The Packers’ wide receivers struggled in 2015 without Jordy Nelson leading the way. Nelson is back now, but is also coming back from a serious injury. It’s plausible that he’ll be rusty, at least in the early going. That will put even more pressure on Randall Cobb and Davante Adams.

If nothing else, Janis’ injury costs Green Bay an receiver that knows the offense and is familiar with Aaron Rodgers. Janis has even publicly stated that his injury “doesn’t help” his chances.

A broken hand is definitely not the news that Janis or his team wanted to see this week.