NFL News Roundup: Bengals RB Chase Brown Suffers Ankle Sprain, Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard Placed on IR
The NFL preseason is underway, and with it comes the inevitable wave of injuries. Two notable running backs went down with injuries in Week 2 of the preseason, with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chase Brown suffering an ankle sprain and the Carolina Panthers’ Chuba Hubbard being placed on injured reserve with a calf injury.
Chase Brown Suffers Ankle Sprain
Brown, a rookie running back out of Western Michigan, suffered his ankle sprain in the Bengals’ preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday night. He left the game in the first quarter and did not return. X-rays on Brown’s ankle came back negative, but he is expected to miss some time with the injury.
The Bengals are already thin at running back, with Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine both dealing with minor injuries. Brown’s absence could open the door for former Ohio State star Master Teague to see more playing time. Teague has impressed in training camp and the preseason, and he could be in line for a significant role in the Bengals’ offense if Brown misses any regular season games.
Chuba Hubbard Placed on IR
Hubbard, who was expected to be the Panthers’ starting running back this season, suffered a calf injury in practice on Sunday. The injury is expected to keep him out for at least four weeks, which means he will miss the first four games of the regular season.
The Panthers are now without their top two running backs, as Christian McCaffrey is still recovering from shoulder surgery. D’Onta Foreman is expected to take over as the Panthers’ lead running back, but he has struggled with injuries in the past. The Panthers may need to sign a veteran running back to provide depth in the backfield.
Other Notable Injuries
In addition to Brown and Hubbard, several other notable players suffered injuries in Week 2 of the preseason.
- New York Giants QB Daniel Jones suffered a sprained ankle in the Giants’ preseason game against the New York Jets. Jones is expected to miss some time, but he is not expected to miss any regular season games.
- Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson suffered a shoulder injury in the Steelers’ preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson is expected to miss some time, but he is not expected to miss any regular season games.
- Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald suffered a rib injury in the Rams’ preseason game against the Houston Texans. Donald is expected to miss some time, but he is not expected to miss any regular season games.
The NFL preseason is a time for teams to evaluate their players and get ready for the regular season. Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game, and they can have a significant impact on a team’s success. The Bengals and Panthers are just two of several teams that have been hit hard by injuries in the preseason. It remains to be seen how these injuries will affect these teams in the regular season, but they are certainly something to keep an eye on.