Biggest need for each NFL team for Week 12: Texans weakened on D-line, Dak Prescott officially added to IR

The NFL season is well over halfway complete and injured reserve designations are getting more serious. If a player is added to the list, then they are required to miss at least four games and teams will only have five or six regular season games remaining after this week. 

Packers offensive guard Jordan Morgan, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Bengals cornerback DJ Turner and Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones were some of the notable names added to the injured reserve this week. 

Here is the most pressing need for each team entering Week 12:

AFC North

Bengals: Cornerback

Cincinnati is not where they want to be at this point in the season. The bye week may be better for them mentally more than anything else. Daxton Hill and DJ Turner are on the injured reserve and the play of others has been volatile. 

Ravens: Secondary

Baltimore is relatively healthy and playing well although last week’s game against Pittsburgh may not have been the best indicator. Cornerbacks T.J. Tampa and Trayvon Mullen remain on the injured reserve. Veteran Arthur Maulet did not practice Wednesday. 

AFC South

Colts: Offensive line

The Colts offensive line is working through some injuries. Guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly are on injured reserve while left tackle Bernhard Raimann has not practiced this week. Quarterback Anthony Richardson is coming off potentially his best game as a professional behind three rookies starting on the offensive line.

Jaguars: Cornerback

Former first-round pick Mac Jones was thrust into the starting lineup as quarterback Trevor Lawrence has missed time with a shoulder injury. 

Darious Williams was a casualty of the franchise’s search for salary cap health. He was replaced by 30-year-old Ronald Darby. The team has the highest passer rating allowed (111.5), according to TruMedia. Tyson Campbell did return to the lineup recently so the hope is that the unit can gain some upward mobility during the second half of the season. 

Texans: Defensive line

Houston defensive tackles Denico Autry and Foley Fatukasi did not practice Thursday. The status of those two players for Sunday’s game against the Titans is unknown. 

The interior offensive line has been leaky and that is why they were linked to the position at the trade deadline.

Titans: Edge rusher

Cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary and Justin Hardee were all absent from Titans practice Thursday. 

The fate of Tennessee’s pass rush is in the hands of Harold Landry III and Arden Key. The unit needs to find a more consistent way to generate pressure after finishing in the bottom five in team pressure rate a year ago, per TruMedia. The operation is currently fifth-worst in the NFL in terms of pressure applied (29.5%).

AFC East

Bills: Pass catchers

Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman have been struggling with injuries in recent weeks, as have others. The team has also been missing star tight end Dalton Kincaid. They are entering a bye this week so that is a much needed opportunity to get healthy for the home stretch. 

Dolphins: Secondary

Cornerback Kendall Fuller did not practice Thursday. The rest of the secondary has been getting healthy in recent weeks. Nearly half of the roster was on the injury report, but most should be available for this weekend’s game. 

Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips is on injured reserve and Bradley Chubb has not yet made his 2024 debut. 

Jets: Wide receiver

New York’s issues have less to do with who is available and more to do with what is being said and choices being made in that building. Mike Williams was traded at the deadline and Allen Lazard is on injured reserve. The Jets rank second in the NFL with 24 drops, according to TruMedia. 

Patriots: Offensive tackle

Drake Maye has arrived in New England, but the supporting cast does him zero favors. It all starts up front with the offensive line. If that is not solidified, then the rest hardly matters. The team is allowing pressure on 40.6% of dropbacks, which is the second-highest rate in the NFL, according to TruMedia. The longest-tenured lineman, center David Andrews, was added to injured reserve. Recent draft picks Jake Andrews and Caedan Wallace are also on the list. 

AFC West

Broncos: Offensive guard

Denver is one of the healthiest teams in the league right now. Offensive guard Ben Powers did not practice Thursday so that is a position that could be tested. Quarterback Bo Nix is coming off one of the best games in his young career and the wide receivers are coming along as well. 

Chargers: Cornerback

One can not look at Los Angeles’ roster and make judgements on their needs solely on the names listed, because they are getting the most out of players new and old. Cornerback Cam Hart did not practice Wednesday as he deals with a few injuries and Asante Samuel Jr. remains on the injured reserve. 

Chiefs: Wide receiver

Outside of the wide receiver position, Kansas City is in pretty good health. Hollywood Brown, Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice are all on injured reserve. Newly acquired DeAndre Hopkins has been a revelation and that takes pressure off Xavier Worthy to do what he does best. Worthy had one of his most productive games since the opener last week. 

Kicker Harrison Butker was added to the injured reserve this week. 

Raiders: Cornerback 

Cornerbacks Jakorian Bennett, Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones were all held out of practice Thursday. It had already not been a position of strength. Opposing quarterbacks have averaged an 100.6 passer rating against Las Vegas this season, which is the eighth-highest, according to TruMedia. 

Once Davante Adams was traded to the Jets, the Raiders were thin at receiver. Jakobi Meyers is available this week. Tre Tucker, DJ Turner, Alex Bachman, Tyreik McAllister and Ramel Keyton are the only other receivers on the roster. 

NFC North

Bears: Safety

Chicago added safety Jaquan Brisker to the injured reserve earlier this month and Elijah Hicks has not practiced this week. Kevin Byard III will start at Brisker’s spot and Hicks’ role would likely be filled by Simone Biles’ husband, Jonathan Owens, or Tarvarius Moore. 

Lions: Edge rusher

The reality is that Detroit is healthy across the board right now. Marcus Davenport, Derrick Barnes, Aidan Hutchinson and John Cominsky are on injured reserve. Za’Darius Smith looked good in his debut for the NFC contender and coaching does a good job creating free rushes. The Lions have invested a second-round pick in Josh Paschal and need him to rise to the occasion. James Houston and Al-Quadin Muhammad are the other notable names at that spot. 

Packers: Cornerback

Jaire Alexander was absent from Thursday’s practice. Green Bay will lean on Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes against the 49ers this week. San Francisco has been dealing with injuries at the receiver position this season, but all are available outside of Brandon Aiyuk. 

Vikings: Offensive line

Minnesota is allowing pressure on 37.0% of dropbacks, which is the ninth-worst rate in the NFL, according to TruMedia. Starting offensive guard Dalton Risner has been activated off injured reserve and trade acquisition Cam Robinson has replaced the injured Christian Darrisaw. As the unit plays together more, it has shown steady improvement. 

Defensive tackle has limitations as well. 

NFC South

Buccaneers: Secondary

Tampa Bay needed its bye last week to heal. Chris Godwin’s season came to an end in Week 7 against the Ravens. Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard have all battled through varying injuries. Safety Tykee Smith and cornerback Zyon McCollum were both absent from practice Thursday as they nurse lower body injuries. 

Falcons: Edge rusher 

Atlanta has the second-lowest pressure rate this season (26.6%), according to TruMedia. Matt Judon was brought in to be the solution, but it is actually Arnold Ebiketie leading the team in pass-rush win rate (9.6%) at No. 65 in the league among players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps.  

Panthers: Edge rusher

To the surprise of everyone, Carolina is carrying a two game win streak into the bye and Bryce Young has looked improved. Pass rusher Brian Burns was traded away at a discount this offseason, so the burden falls on Jadeveon Clowney. They have applied pressure on 24.3% of opponent’s dropbacks through 10 games, according to TruMedia. For perspective, the top of the league (Cleveland) sits at 42.4%. 

Cornerback, other than Jaycee Horn, is a weakness. 

Saints: Wide receiver

Chris Olave recently joined Rashid Shaheed on injured reserve, which leaves an unusual cast of characters, led by Mason Tipton, at wide receiver. All-Pro cornerback Marshon Lattimore was traded away and Paulson Adebo remains on injured reserve, so cornerback is another position of weakness. 

NFC East

Commanders: Cornerback

Opposing passers have had a 101.2 rating against Washington this season, which is the seventh-highest in the league, according to TruMedia. They did acquire cornerback Marshon Lattimore at the trade deadline, but he has yet to suit up due to a hamstring injury. Former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes has made little impact, and the team also recently parted with former first-round linebacker Jamin Davis. 

Cowboys: Quarterback

Dak Prescott was officially added to the injured reserve this week. The quarterback competition between Cooper Rush and Trey Lance has been uninspired. There is little to be done about the quarterback position at this stage of the season and the Cowboys have fallen far off pace in the NFC. 

Edge rushers Demarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland remain on injured reserve but Micah Parsons returned in Week 10. 

Eagles: Interior offensive line

The loss of center Jason Kelce to retirement has taken a toll on the Philadelphia offensive line. It has the highest pressure rate allowed (42.9%), according to TruMedia. Landon Dickerson and Mekhi Becton are starting at guard with Cam Jurgens sandwiched between them. 

Wide receiver Devonta Smith and edge rusher Bryce Huff did not practice Thursday. 

Giants: Offensive tackle

The Giants are coming off a bye week with one of the worst records in football and now they have benched quarterback Daniel Jones to protect themselves against injury guarantees in his contract. New York has allowed pressure on 37.7% of dropbacks this season, which is a bottom-10 rate in the league, according to TruMedia. Left tackle Andrew Thomas is on injured reserve.

Brian Daboll’s team also leads the league in drops (26). 

NFC West

49ers: Edge rusher

Star pass rusher Nick Bosa was held out of practice Thursday. If he is unable to go this weekend, then it becomes the Yetur Gross-Matos and Dante Fowler Jr. show. San Francisco is already without defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. 

Cardinals: Edge rusher

The Cardinals have the fourth-lowest team pressure rate applied (29.4%), according to TruMedia. Rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson has yet to make his season debut. Defensive tackles Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones are on the injured reserve. Baron Browning was acquired from Denver, but time will tell what kind of an impact he makes on the roster. 

Rams: Offensive guard

Los Angeles is as healthy as they have been this season. Offensive guard Kevin Dotson popped up on the injury report with an illness Thursday. At the very least, they will probably give him some fluids before kickoff and he will be good to go, but that is a situation to monitor in the coming days. 

Seahawks: Tight end 

Tight ends Noah Fant and Brady Russell were held out of practice Wednesday. Veteran Pharaoh Brown was a full participant, but listed with an elbow injury. Rookie AJ Barner has seen more time and that should only continue with the injury news.