San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is in concussion protocol, putting his status for this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals in doubt.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy reported symptoms on the flight home after Monday night’s loss in Minnesota and was placed in the protocol.
Purdy is feeling better Wednesday and will be able to take part in a portion of San Francisco’s walkthrough practice but still must clear several protocols in order to play on Sunday against Cincinnati.
“He definitely has enough time,” Shanahan said. “He just has to go through the process.”
Shanahan said Purdy could play without practicing this week if he clears the concussion protocol, pointing to his performance in a Thursday night game last season against Seattle when he didn’t practice because of injured ribs.
Shanahan said he was uncertain when Purdy took the hit that led to the concussion, but said it might have happened on a quarterback sneak attempt midway through the fourth quarter. He said he didn’t see any signs on film that Purdy was hampered by it down the stretch but he did throw interceptions on his final two drives of the 22-17 loss.
If Purdy can’t go on Sunday, the Niners will turn to Sam Darnold, the 2018 No. 3 overall pick who signed with San Francisco as the backup this season.
COLTS: Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will rehabilitate from season-ending shoulder surgery in Indianapolis, Colts Coach Shane Steichen.
Team owner Jim Irsay used his social media account to announce Richardson had undergone a long, successful procedure in Los Angeles. Steichen said Richardson will remain on the West Coast for “a little bit.”
“Just to confirm, Anthony’s surgery went well yesterday,” Steichen said. “I had a chance to talk with him last night. He’s in good spirits, doing well, looking forward to getting him back in the building, getting him rehab, getting him ready to go this offseason and next season.”
Irsay wrote doctors found what they expected — and no additional damage. He also said Richardson was doing well and that there was not yet a scheduled return date to Indy, where the former Florida star now lives.
EAGLES: Jalen Hurts is expected to start for the Eagles on Sunday against Washington while playing through an injury to his left knee.
In the second half of a 31-17 victory over Miami, Hurts played with a brace on his left knee yet still led the Eagles on a go-ahead drive. Hurts clearly hasn’t been himself this season. The game-breaking runs have been kept in check and his eight interceptions are two more than he threw a season ago.
Hurts didn’t specify when he was injured except to say it wasn’t in the game against the Dolphins.
CHIEFS: Nick Bolton had surgery in Los Angeles on his fractured wrist this week, though Coach Andy Reid said he was not sure whether the linebacker would land on injured reserve or how long he might be out.
Reid said there was no need during the procedure Tuesday for metal to be put into the wrist to support it, and that could help Bolton return to the field quicker. He already has missed three games this season because of an ankle injury.
Bolton, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, has become one of the league’s best playmaking linebackers. He made 180 tackles with two sacks and had two interceptions last season.
He was hurt while making a tackle during the Chiefs’ 31-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
BROWNS: Quarterback Deshaun Watson will not play again this week with a strained right shoulder, a nagging injury that has already cost him three games and lingered much longer than expected.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said P.J. Walker will start for Watson on Sunday when the Browns (4-2) visit the Seattle Seahawks (4-2)..
Stefanski said Watson, who started last week at Indianapolis but left after just 12 plays, did not sustain any additional damage to his shoulder in the brief outing against the Colts. He initially hurt it on Sept. 27 against Tennessee.
SEAHAWKS: The Seattle Seahawks are reuniting with defensive end Frank Clark, bringing the veteran back to the team he started his NFL career with.
Seattle Coach Pete Carroll said Clark was en route to the Pacific Northwest with the intent on signing with the Seahawks. Carroll said the plan is that Clark will play on Sunday when the Seahawks host Cleveland.
Clark became a free agent after he was released by Denver earlier this month. It appeared that a reunion in Kansas City could be on the horizon for Clark, but he instead opted for a return to Seattle. The need for the Seahawks arose after Uchenna Nwosu was lost for the season to a pectoral injury suffered last Sunday against Arizona. Carroll said Nwosu will have surgery for the injury.
Clark, 30, spent his first four seasons with Seattle before being traded to Kansas City ahead of the 2019 season.
GIANTS: Tyrod Taylor moved a little closer to making his third straight start for the Giants with Daniel Jones still not cleared to play in the New York rivalry game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
For the second straight week, Jones was throwing at the practice facility, but team medical officials have not cleared him for contact. The 26-year-old quarterback hurt his neck in the fourth quarter of a loss to Miami on Oct. 8 and he has missed games against Buffalo and Washington.
A 13-year-veteran, Taylor started those games and he has played well, considering New York’s offense has scored the fewest points in the league (85). He had two touchdown passes in a 14-7 win over the Commanders on Sunday, and had the Giants (2-5) in the red zone five times in a 14-9 loss to the Bills.
Giants Coach Brian Daboll indicated Jones’ status might change.
“I think any time you’re talking about the neck you’ve got to understand the risk of re-injury and what would happen if you were to re-injure it so yeah, that’s certainly a component of it,” Jones said.
PACKERS: Cornerback Eric Stokes’ comeback from a foot issue that sidelined him for nearly a year lasted only four plays before he got knocked out for multiple weeks again.
Stokes went back on injured reserve after hurting his left hamstring three days earlier in a 19-17 loss at Denver. The 2021 first-round pick from Georgia was playing his first game since injuring his right knee and foot last November in a 15-6 loss at Detroit.
He’s joined on injured reserve by safety Darnell Savage, the latest setbacks for a Packers secondary struggling with depth issues because its top players can’t stay healthy. Savage suffered a calf injury in the Broncos game.
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