Pearsall is set to undergo season-ending knee surgery while Gardner-Johnson was injured during Saturday’s Bills practice
•
4 min read
NFL training camp is typically a time for optimism. Hope abounds that all the changes a team made during the offseason — whether hiring a new coach, signing players in free agency, acquiring them via trade or selecting them in the draft — will lead to a better season than the year before.
The one thing every team needs to avoid for that to happen, of course, is injuries. A major injury can derail plans for the entire year, especially if it happens to a key player. Alas, injuries happen every year, and it’s important to keep track of who’s hurt, when and how the injury happened, and how long they might be sidelined.
With that in mind, consider this your one-stop shop for all the injury news coming out of NFL training camps during July and August.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers
Pearsall is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his ongoing PCL injury that has been an issue since last season. Niners general manager John Lynch said that Pearsall is expected to make a full recovery.
Cyrus Allen, WR, Chiefs
Allen, who had been enjoying a strong start to his first NFL camp, was carted off the field on Saturday after colliding with Kaiir Elam on a special teams drill. ESPN later reported that test conducted on Allen revealed a shin bruise. Nothing was torn or broke, so he appears to have dodged a bullet.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S, Bills
During Saturday’s practice, Johnson went down and was unable to put any weight on his right leg as he was aided off the field. He was also seen clutching the area around his Achilles. Despite being carted to the locker room, ESPN reports that Gardner-Johnson merely suffered a lower calf strain, so he avoided any serious injury.
Johnson, 28, was enjoying a solid start to training camp. A seven-year veteran, Johnson’s NFL accolades includes a Super Bowl win with the Eagles and leading the NFL in interceptions back in 2022.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Falcons
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski that Tagovailoa is working through an injury and will the early portions of training camp. With Tagovailoa sidelined, the Falcons have signed veteran backup Cooper Rush.
Regarding fellow quarterback Michael Penix’s status, Stefanski recently said that he still hasn’t been cleared for full team activities. Penix is still working his way back from a torn ACL that was sustained during Week 11 of the 2025 season.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Panthers
The Panthers placed Scourton on injured reserve after he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee on the first day of training camp. Scourton was reportedly in tears as he left the field, and his teammates came over to hug him as he exited.
Head coach Dave Canales said at the time that Scourton would undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, and the results confirmed the second-year edge rusher had torn his ACL.
Bryan Bresee, DT, Saints
The Saints were hit with awful news on Wednesday as it appears that Bresee suffered a season-ending ACL tear during Wednesday’s practice. A former first-round pick, Bresee has quietly become one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen. The Saints will now look to try to find his replacement for the upcoming season.
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Bengals
The 2025 first-round pick’s Wednesday practice came to an abrupt end after his leg buckled. Stewart — who played in just eight games during his rookie season — was carted off the field shortly after sustaining the injury. According to ESPN, Stewart suffered a hyperextended knee with no ligament damage, which seems like best-case scenario given the initial reporting around the injury.
Chris Brazzell II, WR, Panthers
While the initial plan was for Brazzell to recover without surgery, a second opinion determined that a procedure to repair the moderate LCL tear in his left knee is the best course of action, according to The Athletic. The surgery will force Brazzell to miss his entire rookie season, which is a much longer timeline than the eight weeks that was presented in the immediate wake of his injury. The LCL tear does not appear to be related to the knee issue the third-round pick dealt with leading up to training camp.
Jordan James, RB 49ers
James is expected to miss time after he suffered a rib fracture during Monday’s practice. The 49ers have yet to offer a timeline for his possible return.
Malik Mustapha, S, 49ers
Mustapha sat out Wednesday’s practice as he is dealing with a hamstring strain. Like James, Mustapha’s injury occurred during Monday’s practice.
Alim McNeill, DL, Lions
McNeill left Friday’s practice with a neck injury suffered in a pile-up during 11-on-11 drills, according to the Detroit Free Press. The Lions are already shorthanded in the secondary and can scarcely use an injury up front. McNeil wasn’t himself last season after returning from a torn ACL and it’s not a great sign to see him banged up early in camp this year.
