James

Daniels

Miami will likely be without Jackson and RG James Daniels, who was placed on injured reserve this week with a pectoral injury. It’s a major blow to the Dolphins offense, which struggled mightily in their Week 1 blowout loss to Daniel Jones and the Colts. Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1 was pressured on just 22 percent of his drop backs, the third lowest rate in the league. The team’s quick-passing offense should prevent Tagovailoa from facing much pressure this week against New England.

He’ll miss at least the next four weeks. The estimate from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was 3-4 weeks, so we’re not expecting a lengthy stay past the minimum required on injured reserve for Daniels. Kion Smith replaced him in Week 1 and may be looking at starter snaps in Week 2.

It’s not a “season-ending injury” but Daniels will for sure miss this week’s game. Daniels was only able to play three snaps in the opener before being replaced by Kion Smith. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler later reported the team “estimates” Daniels will miss 3-4 weeks. We’d be unsurprised if Daniels went on IR ahead of Week 2.

Daniels was questionable heading into this game with an ankle injury, but then suffered a pectoral injury at the end of the first quarter. The Dolphins have not been able to open up many holes in the running game for De’Von Achane, and losing a starting lineman certainly won’t help that in the second half.

He was a DNP on Friday after a surprise ankle injury in Thursday’s practice. That would certainly lead us to believe he’s on the doubtful side of questionable. Daniel Brunskill and Kion Smith are potential fill-ins for Daniels should he miss Week 1.

The seven-year veteran was widely regarded as one of the top interior linemen in free agency, with the Dolphins pouncing on his services after struggling mightily up front a season ago. That said, Daniels comes with risk after suffering a torn Achilles in late September of 2024. Daniels has played all three interior linemen positions throughout his career and should be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season.

Daniels exited in the first half of Sunday’s loss and didn’t return to the field. It’s a tough loss for the Steelers, who also lost rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu for the season after he suffered a dislocated knee cap before Week 3’s matchup against the Chargers. Daniels has started all 36 games he’s appeared in for the Steelers since joining them in 2022 and was having a strong season before going down. Guard Spencer Anderson filled in for Daniels following his exit and will presumably takeover at right guard for the Steelers for the foreseeable future.

Moore went down with the knee injury early in Pittsburgh’s Week 4 matchup with the Texans. He was unable to return to the contest. Fellow Pittsburgh linemen Chukwuma Okorafor and James Daniels were also sidelined for the first practice of the week. With Kenny Pickett attempting to play through a knee issue, this is the worst time for Pittsburgh lose multiple offensive linemen.

Daniels has primarily played guard throughout his career including 17 starts at right guard for the Bears last season, but he also has experience at center. Sticking at right guard makes sense with Trai Turner headed to free agency and Mason Cole added to the roster on Monday, but Daniels’ versatility will give the Steelers some options as they look to upgrade their line for new starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

He’ll miss the remainder of the season. Daniels, Chicago’s 2018 second-round pick, has started every game for the Bears this year and the team’s last 31 contests since being drafted. Alex Bars, who came in off the bench Thursday and played 31 offensive snaps, is expected to make his first career start in the interim in Week 6 against Carolina. It’s obviously an impactful loss for Chicago, which has allowed the league’s fourth-most pressures through Week 5.