Zachary Engberg
2 min read • August 01, 2022
Posted in
2021 record: 12-5, won Super Bowl LVI | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 10.5
On their way to winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history, the Rams endured significant injuries to Cam Akers, Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Jordan Fuller, Tyler Higbee, and Sebastian Joseph-Day, among others.
After some roster shuffling, including the signings of Bobby Wagner and Allen Robinson II, the Rams come in once again with one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, and one of the healthiest, with an NFC West high SIC score of 93.3.
Akers entered camp last week with no limitations after suffering a torn Achilles tendon late last July. The dynamic back made a miraculous return for the playoff run and was ineffective, but will be closer to his end-of-season 2020 form after a full offseason of rehab.
The retirement of Andrew Whitworth shook up the offensive line, but Joe Noteboom was re-signed for $40 million to take the left tackle spot. Noteboom ended last season on IR with a pectoral injury but comes into camp fully healthy, as does Rams’ veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein.
The man they will be protecting, Matthew Stafford, played through a turf toe and multiple left ankle sprains in the playoffs and reportedly underwent an injection to address elbow inflammation ahead of OTAs in late May.
Their receiver situation is the most concerning as it is suddenly up in the air: Van Jefferson Jr. will see a specialist on Monday as he is reportedly considering a second surgery to address a lingering knee issue.
Jefferson, who sat out practice ahead of the NFC Championship Game with an unspecified knee injury, brought in 50 receptions for 802 yards and two touchdowns in his second season.
On defense, Aaron Donald will once again anchor a defense that enters the title defense with few health concerns.
Starting safeties Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp each suffered injuries in Week 18, but neither Fuller’s ankle sprain nor Rapp’s concussion will linger into 2022.
Lockdown versatile cornerback Jalen Ramsey is on the PUP list for camp while he recovers from June shoulder surgery, while depth linebacker Travin Howard will miss significant time after suffering a groin injury that will require surgery.
Ramsey said that he played most of last season with AC joint sprains in both shoulders and was hoping to avoid surgery, which is why he didn’t go under the knife until June.
The 27-year-old perennial All-Pro will still be ready for Week 1, according to the Pro Football Docs, as his ailing shoulder will be fully healed after the 6-to-8 week recovery period.
Since he arrived in Los Angeles mid-way through 2019, Ramsey has 141 tackles, 11 TFL, and 6 INT in 46 combined regular season and playoff games and has graded out as one of the best defensive players in the league.
Stafford suffered a turf toe fracture, high ankle and MCL sprain, and low ankle inversion sprain over the Rams’ last five games of the season and still threw for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns while putting together three game-winning drives in the Super Bowl run.
The veteran quarterback’s ability to play through injuries continues to impress the Pro Football Docs, who also said that the elbow injury is minor and won’t linger into the regular season.
Akers’ 2021 return only six months after his ruptured Achilles was remarkable, but he will be much more effective in 2022.
Unlike fellow third-year backs J.K. Dobbins and James Robinson, Akers will be fully healthy to open 2022 and his SIC score will rise as he regains strength in his lower right leg.
After fighting through minor injuries and timeshare to start his career, Akers rushed for 424 yards and two touchdowns and added eight catches for 96 yards in his last five games of 2022.
2021 record: 10-7, lost NFC Championship | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 9.5
The 49ers came within a dropped interception from going to their second Super Bowl in the last three years with Jimmy Garropolo as quarterback but are handing the reins to the raw and athletic Trey Lance.
The perennially-beat-up 49ers bring several injury questions into the Trey Lance era and enter training camp with one of the 10 lowest SIC scores in the league at 89.8.
A large part of the current concern comes from the defense, specifically the defensive line: Former No. 14 overall pick Javon Kinlaw was cleared but is still limited as he recovers from October 2021 ACL reconstruction, Arik Armstead suffered a knee injury in camp that will sideline him for a few weeks, and Maurice Hearst suffered a torn biceps that could keep him out for the season.
The 49ers also released much-maligned edge-rusher Dee Ford who made only 22 tackles and 9.5 sacks in 18 games for the 49ers since coming over in 2019.
The top-end linebacking trio of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, and Azeez Al-Shair all missed time in 2021 with a high ankle sprain, core muscle injury, and elbow and knee injuries, respectively. Al-Shair reportedly underwent surgery and Greenlaw spent most of the offseason rehabbing a playoff hamstring injury, but all three are full participants at camp and should be healthy for Week 1.
Cornerback Jason Verrett is returning on a one-year deal alongside free agent Charvarius Ward one year since tearing his ACL in Week 1 and was placed on the PUP list.
On offense, Lance is clear of the finger injury that reportedly plagued him in his rookie season, running back Elijah Mitchell underwent offseason knee surgery to cleanup a December MCL sprain, and Deebo Samuel signed a massive three-year, $73 million contract the day before San Francisco
The new-look offensive line sandwiches three new starters between Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey, who are each returning from injuries and will be tasked with protecting the edges for Lance.
Lance has already been through the media ringer this offseason, and some of that attention came from a right finger pointer injury and an uncorroborated report that he was suffering from “arm fatigue” during OTAs after adjusting his throwing motion.
While the arm fatigue rumors appear to be overblown, the Docs asserted that the right finger injury that Lance said hampered him all season and forced him to adjust his grip was somewhat of a “welcome to the NFL” moment for the 22-year-old, who is fully healthy now but will certainly have to fight through his fair share of injuries in the future.
The rookie back took over for Raheem Mostert after he underwent season-ending surgery and went on to gain 1,100 total yards in 11 games.
Mitchell suffered a shoulder injury, fractured finger, concussion, and MCL sprain in 2021, but is fully healthy ahead of his sophomore season and prepared to take over as the unquestioned No. 1 back in Shanahan’s dominant rushing attack.
Samuel signed a huge extension on July 31 after reportedly demanding a trade earlier in the offseason. One of the reported issues for Samuel was his overuse in the rushing game, which has contributed to the variety of injuries he’s suffered in the last two years, including a hamstring strain, groin strain, and knee injury.
Williams suffered an elbow, shoulder, and high-ankle sprain in 2021, but the 34-year-old played in 15 games and produced the highest single-season PFF score ever.
The veteran carries some injury concerns as he progresses in age – coming into his 12th season after an injury-riddled career and a cancer diagnosis – but he remains one of the best left tackles in football.
McGlinchey missed most of 2021 after tearing his quadriceps tendon, but should be clear of the injury this season and should see a gradual increase in production as he approaches the anniversary of his surgery in early November.
Bosa, who will reportedly rush from both sides after the release of Dee Ford, made 15.5 sacks and a league-leading 21 TFL in his first year back from suffering a torn ACL in September 2020. He should be even better in 2022 after a full offseason of training instead of rehab.
Kinlaw carries significant concerns after a strange injury saga ended in ACL reconstruction and an explosive confrontation with a 49ers’ reporter about the health of his knees.
The massive defensive tackle suffers from arthritis in both knees that will have to be managed, and will likely be ineffective for a portion of the year as he recovers from the procedure.
Hurst, meanwhile, has reportedly been ruled out for the season after suffering a torn biceps, although the Pro Football Docs believe that he could return in December for the stretch run.
2021 record: 11-6, lost NFC Wild Card | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 8.5
The Cardinals started 2021 8-0 before injuries to Kyler Murray, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, and DeAndre Hopkins turned the season on its head.
After a disappointing end to the season, the loss of all-time franchise sack leader Chandler Jones and a shocking Draft Day trade for Marquise Brown, the Cardinals come in moderately healthy with a 91.9 SIC score.
Murray suffered an ankle sprain that hampered him for the second half of the season even after returning, marking the second straight season that a mid-season injury lingered and had a part in the team’s breakdown.
A hope of another 8-0 start is likely out the window as All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins was suspended for the first six games. Hopkins’ season ended with an MCL injury in mid-December, and he won’t make it back on the field until October 20 against the Saints.
His new speedster teammate, Hollywood Brown, opened camp on the active/NFI list (he is placed on the NFI instead of the PUP because he came over in a trade) after suffering a hamstring injury and is expected back at practice next week.
Running back James Conner is clear of his 2021 injuries and will come in as the new No. 1 after Chase Edmonds signed with Miami.
On defense, J.J. Watt comes in after a full offseason of rehab for his shoulder injury, which was his sixth major injury and surgery since 2016.
The young linebacking corps and defensive backfield – headlined by Budda Baker, Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins, and Byron Murphy Jr. – got through 2021 unscathed and come into 2022 with a clean bill of health.
Murray signed a 5-year, $230.5 million extension last week after putting up half of an MVP season in 2021.
He suffered an ankle sprain in Week 8 that kept him out for three weeks and, after returning from the absence, threw for 1,511 yards with seven touchdowns, three interceptions, and an 89.3 rating in six games mostly without Hopkins.
Murray will be fully healthy for 2022, but the Docs are skeptical if Murray can make it through an entire season unscathed and without issue as he plays a style that invites injuries and hasn’t proven an ability to play well through those injuries.
The 33-year-old has a clean bill of health as the 2022 season approaches after yet another major surgery, this time on his left shoulder and biceps.
Watt has played in 55 of 97 possible games since 2016, playing two full seasons and posting 27.5 sacks and 45 TFL; for comparison, in his first five seasons, Watt made 74.5 sacks, 132 TFL, and won three DPoY awards.
Hopkins had his worst season in 2021, making 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games and ending with a torn MCL in Week 14. Coming into the year, Hopkins had missed only two games in his first eight seasons and averaged 79.4 yards on 9.6 targets per game, a figure that dropped to 57.2 yards on 6.4 targets.
The 30-year-old tried to return for the playoffs but was well behind the three-month recovery timeline. He should be healed from that issue now, but the Pro Football Docs are concerned about his durability going forward due to his age, playing style, and the slow collection of injuries he will begin building in his 30s.
2021 record: 7-10 | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 5.5
After their first losing season in a decade, the Seahawks begin their quest without quarterback Russell Wilson.
Pete Carroll has yet to decide between Drew Lock, Geno Smith, or an unnamed Division rival quarterback, Seattle comes in with a handful of injury problems that make them the least-healthy team in the division with an SIC score of 89, the 7th-lowest in the NFL.
Seattle locked in wideout DK Metcalf for another three years after he underwent foot surgery to address an unspecified issue. Tyler Lockett comes in healthy once again after a career-best season of 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns working with both Wilson and Smith.
Rashaad Penny and rookie Kenneth Walker III will compete for rushes after veteran Chris Carson retired because of a neck injury he suffered last season. Penny has struggled with injuries in his career but is healthy as camp opens after closing 2021 with a dominant six-week stretch, rushing 102 times for 706 yards and six touchdowns.
On defense, safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs and cornerback Tre Brown all underwent surgeries after suffering shoulder and finger, left ankle, and knee injuries, respectively. Adams and Brown are on the PUP list while Diggs was cleared for training camp.
Former first-round pick Jordyn Brooks will step in as the defacto defensive quarterback after Bobby Wagner’s departure after making 109 tackles in 17 games last season, and the defensive line was replenished with multiple free agent signings who carry no injury concerns.
Adams, however, continues to struggle with his left middle and ring fingers that he has dislocated 10 and 12 times over the last two years, most recently leaving the team last week after fracturing his finger at practice.
Adams has decided not to undergo surgery, which the Docs say would have him back in 2-to-4 weeks, and will instead wear a cast on his left hand for games during the season.
Metcalf signed a three-year, $73 million contract last week and returned to practice for the first time since undergoing a foot surgery in February to remove pre-existing hardware.
Metcalf suffered a left foot fracture as a freshman in 2016 and the removed screw was likely a remnant from that surgery, according to the Docs.
The 24-year-old is healthy coming into his fourth season and shouldn’t be limited, although the Docs carry a tinge of concern that he will suffer another Jones fracture in his left foot especially considering his size and weight and the force he puts on his foot.
The 27-year-old suffered a neck injury early in 2021 and decided to undergo surgery in November that had him in line to return in time for 2022.
Carson retired last week after rushing for 3,502 yards and 24 touchdowns over five seasons.
Written by Zachary Engberg
