The New Orleans Saints' offseason plan to construct a sturdy offensive line has taken another hit.
Right tackle Zach Strief is expected to miss a few weeks after exiting Monday night's game with an MCL sprain, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported. Strief will undergo more tests Tuesday to determine the extent of his injury.
The 33-year-old left Monday's 29-19 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter after suffering the injury. He was replaced by backup Senio Kelemete. Strief, entering his 12th season in New Orleans, had missed just two games since 2013.
Losing Strief for an extended amount of time is a blow to a Saints line that is already without left tackle Terron Armstead. Rookie Ryan Ramczyk is starting at left tackle and gave up a sack Monday night.
Sans their top two tackles, Drew Brees could be under siege often in the coming games. In Week 1, the Saints' offense looked like an operation that couldn't decide what it wants to be -- grind it out on the ground or high-flying aerial attack? Not having bookend tackles makes finding itself that much tougher. It could be especially difficult in Week 2 against a rested Super Bowl champion licking its own wounds.
Other injuries we're tracking on Tuesday:
- Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said his finger injury is fine, per the team's official site. "It's inside my body, so it's still attached," Watt said.
Watt briefly exited the Texans' Week 1 loss to the Jaguars with an finger injury he described to reporters as, "just busted the bone through the skin. Nothing bad."
The Texans also placed tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz (concussion) on injured reserve. Fiedorowicz signed a three-year contract extension last month worth roughly $22 million, with $10.1 million guaranteed.
- Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is headed to injured reserve and will undergo wrist surgery. Johnson is expected to miss 2-3 months in a big loss for Arizona. The Cardinals are also re-signing running back Chris Johnson, who played for them the past two seasons but was released on Sept. 1, to add backfield depth.
- Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said defensive end Stephon Tuitt (bicep) is day-to-day and might be able to play Sunday versus the Minnesota Vikings. "We'll leave the light on," Tomlin told reporters. There were initial fears that the injury was much more significant.
- The Philadelphia Eagles are placing kicker Caleb Sturgis (hip) on injured reserve, Rapoport reported. The Eagles are signing Jake Elliott off the Bengals' practice squad to replace Sturgis, Rapoport added.
- With Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Allen Robinson (ACL) on injured reserve, the team signedMax McCaffrey (who was most recently with Saints practice squad). Max McCaffrey is the older brother of Panthers rookie Christian McCaffrey.
- The Detroit Lions announced they have placed offensive tackle Corey Robinson (foot) and punter Kasey Redfern (knee) on injured reserve and signed offensive tackle Emmett Cleary and punter Jeff Locke to the active roster.
- The Chicago Bears officially placed wide receiver Kevin White (shoulder) on injured reserve. White fractured his shoulder blade in the Bears' season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He's now been on IR during all three of his seasons in the NFL.
The Bears also officially put linebacker Jerrell Freeman on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.
- Baltimore Ravens running back Danny Woodhead (hamstring) is expected to be out roughly four-to-six weeks, sources tell Rapoport. The free agent acquisition missed nearly all of 2016 with a torn ACL and was brought in over the offseason to be an all-purpose weapon.
