5 Biggest Injuries of the NFL Preseason

There is a reason that NFL teams don’t care for what the preseason offers. Every single year we see a rash of injuries that impacts a particular team’s ability to contend moving forward. And the 2014 preseason has been no different. 

From injuries to defensive stalwarts to former top-round picks at the quarterback position going down, we have seen too many potentially season-altering injuries occur this summer.

Unfortunately for the five teams listed below, they seem to be under the proverbial eight ball as Week 1 of the regular season rapidly approaches. Let’s check in on five of the biggest injuries of the NFL preseason thus far and what they mean for the teams involved.

1. Darnell Dockett, Defensive Tackle, Arizona Cardinals

In a vacuum, the Cardinals might be able to overcome the loss of one of their defensive leaders. While Dockett has performed at a high level for a long period of time, his importance to the team has faded with the infusion of young talent on the roster. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they lost Karlos Dansby to the Cleveland Browns in free agency and are going to be without Daryl Washington for the entire 2014 regular season due to a suspension.

That’s three of Arizona’s top defenders from a season ago who will not be on the field come Week 1. The timing of Dockett’s injury also hurts. If it had happened earlier in the summer or prior to the draft, the Cardinals would have been able to find a potential replacement. Instead, they were forced to sign bottom-tier veterans Isaac Sopoaga and Ryan McBean as depth options to potentially utilize as rotational players. With Dockett out, it appears that Frostee Rucker will be called upon to start next to Dan Williams along the interior of Arizona’s defensive line. That’s a less-than-ideal scenario right there.

2. Sam Baker, Offensive Tackle, Atlanta Falcons

Baker wasn’t a long-term option as Matt Ryan’s franchise left tackle, but he was their best short-term option at that all-important position. With Baker out of action for all but four games last season, Ryan went down a total of 44 times compared to just 28 times in 2012. That’s an increase of a sack per game. Rookie first-round pick Jake Matthews, who is Atlanta’s long-term solution at left tackle, will take over for Baker on Ryan’s blindside.

It might be a small sample size, but Matthews has graded out as the Falcons worst offensive lineman through three preseason games (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required). Considering Ryan isn’t the most mobile of quarterbacks and relies a great deal on timing routes, this could be a huge issue moving forward this season.

3. B.J. Raji, Defensive Tackle, Green Bay Packers

Raji came back to the Packers on a short-term deal this past offseason in order to prove himself as a force along the interior of their defensive line. And prior suffering a torn right bicep muscle last week, Raji was having himself a heck of a training camp. With Raji now lost for the season, Mike Pennel and Josh Boyd are the Packers top two short-term options to fill in at this all-important position.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy reiterated Raji’s importance to their defensive scheme following the injury (via Fox11.com).

BJ has been such an anchor in here especially the way we approached defense this year,” Mike McCarthy said. I’m counting on someone to step up.

If neither Pennel or Boyd impress early in the season, the Packers may be able to turn to veteran Letroy Guion, who is expected to miss the first seven games or so due to an injury. Even then, he’s nowhere near the same caliber player as Raji.

4. Sam Bradford, Quarterback, St. Louis Rams

Some might expect Bradford to be higher on this list, but we have to face reality here for a second. The former No. 1 overall pick has not been anything more than an average quarterback since joining the Rams in 2010. While Bradford’s ACL injury does impact what St. Louis might do long term, it’s not necessarily going to have a major impact on its plans in 2014. Shaun Hill will take over for Bradford as a short-term option, while the Rams search for another veteran to back him up.

Moving forward, this injury may very well spell the end of Bradford’s career in St. Louis. It owes him nearly $17 million next season, but could release the former top pick with a cap hit of just $3.6 million.

With Bradford now slated to miss the entire 2014 season after sitting out the final nine games last year, there is no reason to expect the Rams to keep him around at that price tag. As to where Hill is nothing more than a short-term solution depending on how he produces in 2014, the Rams will clearly be in the market for another franchise signal caller at some point in the not-so-distant future.

As it relates to the Rams chances of contending for a playoff spot in 2014, that has pretty much been thrown out the window. Hill may not be much of a downgrade from Bradford, but there is no reason to expect the veteran to have a ton of success in the ultra-competitive NFC West.

5. Cam Newton, Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Newton is expected to be ready for Week 1 after fracturing a rib against the New England Patriots on Friday. Despite the fact that this injury isn’t considered too serious, there has to be some reason for concern in Carolina. If it isn’t 100 percent healed come Week 1 and something were to happen to Newton against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this could very well turn into a season-long injury. There is precedent for quarterbacks struggling with fractured ribs over the long haul.

Hopefully for the Panthers sake, Newton is ready to go against Tampa Bay and isn’t hit all too often in the opener. That will give him an extra week to recover from the injury. Looking at it realistically, the Panthers simply cannot afford to lose their franchise for an extended period of time. Any injury, no matter what type, is cause for alarm.

Photo: USA Today