NFL injury tracker Week 9: Drake Maye clears concussion protocol, Lamar Jackson will play, T.J. Hockenson to make season debut

The New England Patriots announced on Saturday that quarterback Drake Maye has cleared concussion protocol and will play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Maye was injured on a hit to the head in the second quarter against the New York Jets last week. Linebacker Jamien Sherwood chased down Maye on a scramble and made helmet-to-helmet contact on a hit from behind as Maye slid.

Maye went to the sideline medical tent after the hit and then to the Patriots’ locker room. Jacoby Brissett took over at quarterback on New England’s next possession.

There were Maye sightings at practice this week, but as he was still in protocol he was a participant in a limited capacity.

Lamar Jackson will play after missing practice

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice on Friday and told reporters he’ll be ready to play on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” Jackson said. “That wasn’t in doubt. Just resting the body, you know. It’s a long season. That’s all.”

Jackson missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday and appeared on the Ravens’ injury report with a back and neck issue. Head coach John Harbaugh labeled the quarterback’s absence on Wednesday as a rest day.

Through eight games this season, Jackson has thrown for 2,099 yards and 17 touchdowns with two interceptions for the 5-3 Ravens.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson returns

The Minnesota Vikings will get tight end T.J. Hockenson back on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. It will mark the first time Hockenson will play since suffering a knee injury on Dec. 24, 2023.

Hockenson tore both his MCL and his ACL in the Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions and began the season on injured reserve.

Saints’ Derek Carr set to return after missing three games

Quarterback Derek Carr will be back under center for the New Orleans Saints against the Carolina Panthers after sitting out three games due to an oblique injury.

Jake Haener will serve as his backup despite the fact that rookie Spencer Rattler started the last several games in Carr’s absence.

Carr went down in the Saints’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month after he took a hard hit near the end of that game. He hasn’t played since, which marks the longest stretch of time he’s missed since he broke his ankle in 2017 when he was with the Raiders.

The Saints, who started the season 2-0 with a pair of blowout wins, have not won a game since.

Here’s the rest of the Week 9 injury report.

Dallas Cowboys

• CB DaRon Bland (foot): out

• DE Micah Parsons (ankle): out

• DT Jordan Phillips (wrist): out

• CB Trevon Diggs (calf): questionable

• DT Linval Joseph (back): questionable

• LB Eric Kendricks (shoulder): questionable

• G Zack Martin (shoulder): questionable

• LB Nick Vigil (foot): questionable

Atlanta Falcons

• LB JD Bertrand (concussion): out

• DE Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle): out

• C Drew Dalman (ankle): out

• LB Troy Andersen (knee): questionable

• G Chris Lindstrom (knee): questionable

Miami Dolphins

• DL Zach Sieler (fractured orbital bone): out

• TE Julian Hill (shoulder): out

• CB Kader Kohou (neck): out

• WR River Cracraft (shoulder): out

• S Jevon Holland (knee): doubtful

• CB Storm Duck (ankle): questionable

• FB Alec Ingold (hand/ knee): questionable

Buffalo Bills

• FB Reggie Gilliam (hip): out

• WR Amari Cooper (wrist): questionable

• WR Curtis Samuel (pectoral): questionable

• CB Christian Benford (wrist): questionable

Las Vegas Raiders

• C Andre James (ankle): out

• G Dylan Parham (foot): questionable

• LB Robert Spillane (knee): questionable

• RB Zamir White (quadricep): questionable

Cincinnati Bengals

• WR Tee Higgins (quad): doubtful

• LT Orlando Brown (knee/fibula): doubtful

• RB Zack Moss (neck): doubtful

• S Geno Stone (shin): questionable

• WR Charlie Jones (groin): questionable

Los Angeles Chargers

• CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring): out

• WR Brenden Rice (shoulder): out

• TE Stone Smartt (ankle): doubtful

• WR D.J. Chark (groin): questionable

• LB Joey Bosa (hip): questionable

• LB Denzel Perryman (toe): questionable

Cleveland Browns

• LB Jordan Hicks (elbow, triceps): out

• LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck): out

• LB Khaleke Hudson (ankle): questionable

• CB Denzel Ward (concussion): questionable

New England Patriots

• CB Alex Austin (ankle): questionable

• S Kyle Dugger (ankle): questionable

• LB Christian Elliss (abdomen): questionable

• G Mike Jordan (ankle): questionable

• T Vederian Lowe (ankle, shoulder): questionable

• DT Jaquelin Roy (neck): questionable

• LB Sione Takitaki (knee): questionable

Tennessee Titans

• CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad): out

• T Andrew Rupcich (triceps): out

• RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring): out

• QB Will Levis (right shoulder): questionable — Levis will reportedly not be ready, so Mason Rudolph will start again.

• CB Tre Avery (hamstring): questionable

• WR Tyler Boyd (shoulder): questionable

• S Amani Hooker (groin): questionable

• RB Tony Pollard (foot): questionable

• T Dillon Radunz (foot): questionable

• DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip): questionable

• TE Josh Whyle (illness): questionable

Washington Commanders

New York Giants

• P Jamie Gillan (left hamstring): out

• K Greg Joseph (abdomen): out

• WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles): doubtful

• LB Ty Summers (ankle): questionable

New Orleans Saints

• CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring): out

• CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring): out

• WR Bub Means (ankle): out

• RB Kendre Miller (hamstring): out

• RB Jamaal Williams (groin): out

• WR Cedric Wilson (hip); questionable

• G Shane Lemieux (knee): questionable

• CB Rico Payton (back): questionable

• DT John Ridgeway (oblique): questionable

• G Nick Saldiveri (shoulder): questionable

• LB Nephi Sewell (knee): questionable

Carolina Panthers

• TE Feleipe Franks (concussion): out

• OT Ikem Ekwonu (ankle): out

• S Jammie Robinson (knee): out

• WR Adam Thielen (hamstring): out

• DT Jaden Crumedy (ankle): out

• S Jordan Fuller (hamstring): out

• RB Jonathon Brooks (knee): out

• OLB D.J. Wonnum (quad): out

• WR Xavier Legette (toe): questionable

• TE Tommy Tremble (back): questionable

• OLB DJ Johnson (ankle): questionable

Denver Broncos

Baltimore Ravens

• RB Rasheen Ali (ankle): out

• DE Brent Urban (concussion): out

• CB Marlon Humphrey (knee): questionable

• DT Travis Jones (ankle): questionable

• RB Keaton Mitchell (knee): questionable

• CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (knee): questionable

Jacksonville Jaguars

• WR Christian Kirk (collarbone): out

• DT Mason Smith (ankle): out

• LG Ezra Cleveland (ankle): out

• RB Keilan Robinson (toe): out

• S Andrew Wingard (knee): out

• RB Tank Bigsby (ankle): questionable

• WR Gabe Davis (shoulder): questionable

• RB Travis Etienne (hamstring): questionable

• G Brandon Scherff (knee): questionable

• WR Brian Thomas Jr. (chest): questionable

Philadelphia Eagles

Chicago Bears

• LT Braxton Jones (knee): out

• LT Kiran Amegadjie (calf): out

• DB Jaquan Brisker (concussion): out

• OT Larry Borom (ankle): questionable

• OG Ryan Bates (shoulder): questionable

• LG Teven Jenkins (knee): questionable

• DE Montez Sweat (shin): questionable

• CB Kyler Gordon (hamstring): questionable

Arizona Cardinals

• RT Jonah Williams (knee): out

• DL Darius Robinson (calf): out

• DT Naquan Jones (thigh): questionable

• DT Roy Lopez (ankle): questionable

Detroit Lions

• DE Josh Paschal (illness): out

• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle): out

• DT Brodric Martin (knee): out

• RB Sione Vaki (knee): out

• DT Mekhi Wingo (ankle): out

Green Bay Packers

• S Evan Williams (hamstring): out

• C Josh Myers (wrist) doubtful

• CB Jaire Alexander (knee): questionable

• CB Corey Ballentine (ankle): questionable

• RB Josh Jacobs (ankle): questionable

• QB Jordan Love (groin): questionable

Los Angeles Rams

• P Ethan Evans (illness): out

• DT Neville Gallimore (shoulder): out

• T Joe Noteboom (ankle): out

• WR Puka Nacua (knee): questionable

• S Kam Curl (knee): questionable

• WR Jordan Whittington (shoulder): questionable

• CB Charles Woods (toe): questionable

Seattle Seahawks

• TE Noah Fant (groin): out

• T Abraham Lucas (knee): out

• WR DK Metcalf (knee): out

• NT Cameron Young (knee): out

• LB Ernest Jones IV (neck): questionable

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

• LB Blake Cashman (toe): out

• DT Taki Taimani (ankle): out

• CB Akayleb Evans (hip): questionable

• G Dalton Risner (back): questionable

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• LS Evan Deckers (hamstring): out

• WR Mike Evans (hamstring): out

• DT Greg Gaines (calf): out

• RB Bucky Irving (toe): questionable

• WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring): questionable

• WR Jalen McMillan (hamstring): questionable

• S Tykee Smith (concussion): questionable

• S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot): questionable

Kansas City Chiefs

• CB Nazeeh Johnson (concussion): out

• WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring): out

• DE Mike Danna (pectoral): out

• TE Jared Wiley (knee): out