Week 9 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

After a 2022 rule change, teams can activate up to eight players from injured reserve. That has reintroduced some strategy into how franchises proceed with their activations, and teams will again need to be cognizant of their activation counts in 2023.

The NFL had reintroduced IR-return options in the 2010s, after a period in which an IR move meant a player’s season was over. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the league to loosen restrictions on IR from 2020-21. Teams were permitted to use unlimited activations to start the decade, but roster math is again a consideration.

Players who land on IR after cutdown day must miss at least four games. Once a team designates a player for return, the activation clock starts. Clubs have 21 days from a player’s return-to-practice date to activate that player. If no activation commences in that window, the player reverts to season-ending IR.

Here is how Week 9’s IR situations look:

Arizona Cardinals

Eligible for activation:

• DL L.J. Collier
• DL Carlos Watkins

Activations remaining: 6

Atlanta Falcons

Eligible for activation:

• WR Josh Ali
• LB Troy Andersen; second-year defender uncertain to return this season

Activations remaining: 8

Baltimore Ravens

Activated:

• WR Tylan Wallace

Eligible for activation:

• LB Malik Hamm
• OLB David Ojabo (story)
• CB Ar’Darius Washington
• CB Damarion Williams
• CB Daryl Worley

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

• WR Justin Shorter

Activations remaining: 7

Carolina Panthers

Eligible for activation:

• DE Marquis Haynes
• CB Jaycee Horn (story)
• LB Shaq Thompson; ninth-year veteran not ruling out return from broken leg

Activations remaining: 7

Chicago Bears

Activated:

• DL Khalid Kareem

Designated for return: 

• LT Braxton Jones (Oct. 25)

Eligible for activation:

• CB Josh Blackwell

Activations remaining: 4

Cincinnati Bengals

Eligible for activation:

• WR Charlie Jones

Activations remaining: 8

Cleveland Browns

Eligible for activation:

• LB Jordan Kunaszyk

Activations remaining: 8

Dallas Cowboys

Eligible for activation:

• OL Matt Waletzko

Activations remaining: 7

Denver Broncos

Eligible for activation:

• OL Alex Palczewski
• CB K’Waun Williams; unlikely to return this season

Activations remaining: 6

Detroit Lions

Eligible for activation:

• FB Jason Cabinda
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson; DB aiming for late-season return
• DE James Houston (story)
• OL Matt Nelson; lineman uncertain to return this season

Activations remaining: 5

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation: 

• OL Luke Tenuta

Activations remaining: 8

Houston Texans

Activated:

• DT Hassan Ridgeway

Eligible for activation:

• C Juice Scruggs
• CB Derek Stingley Jr. (story)

Activations remaining: 4

Indianapolis Colts

Eligible for activation:

• TE Jelani Woods

Activations remaining: 8

Jacksonville Jaguars

Activated:

• DT DaVon Hamilton (story)

Designated for return:

• CB Gregory Junior (Oct. 23)

Eligible for activation:

• OL Cooper Hodges
• WR Parker Washington

Activations remaining: 7

Kansas City Chiefs

Eligible for activation:

• WR Richie James
• OL Prince Tega Wanogho

Activations remaining: 8

Las Vegas Raiders

Activated: 

• LB Curtis Bolton

Eligible for activation:

• CB Brandon Facyson (story)

Activations remaining: 7

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 8

Los Angeles Rams

Designated for return:

• TE Hunter Long (Oct. 25)

Eligible for activation:

• CB Jason Taylor II

Activations remaining: 6

Miami Dolphins

Activated:

• CB Jalen Ramsey (story)

Designated for return: 

• WR River Cracraft (Oct. 25)

Eligible for activation:

• T Terron Armstead (story)

Activations remaining: 5

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return:

• WR Jalen Nailor (Oct. 18)

Activations remaining: 7

New England Patriots

Eligible for activation:

• DL Daniel Ekuale

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

• DE Payton Turner (story)

Activations remaining: 7

New York Giants

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 8

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

• LT Duane Brown (story)
• QB Aaron Rodgers; aiming to return this season despite Achilles tear
• TE Kenny Yeboah

Activations remaining: 7

Philadelphia Eagles

Eligible for activation:

• OL Cam Jurgens (story)
• CB Avonte Maddox; slot defender uncertain to return after torn pec

Activations remaining: 7

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return:

• DL Cameron Heyward (Oct. 26)
• RB Anthony McFarland (Oct. 16)

Activations remaining: 7

San Francisco 49ers

Eligible for activation:

• DE Robert Beal
• WR Danny Gray
• CB Samuel Womack

Activations remaining: 8

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return: 

• RB Kenny McIntosh (Oct. 25)

Eligible for activation:

• RT Abraham Lucas (story)
• WR Dareke Young

Activations remaining: 8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Activated:

• RB Chase Edmonds (story)

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return:

• S Mike Brown (Oct. 30)

Eligible for activation:

• RB Julius Chestnut
• WR Kearis Jackson

Activations remaining: 7

Washington Commanders

Activated:

• DT Phidarian Mathis (story)

Eligible for activation:

• S Darrick Forrest (story)
• WR Dax Milne

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