Week 13 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

Teams may activate up to eight players from injured reserve following a regulation change in 2022.

As a result, franchises now have to go with some forethought when it comes to their activations, and in 2023, teams will once more need to be aware of their activation counts.

The NFL had reintroduced IR-return options in the 2010s, after a period in which an IR move meant a player’s season was over. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the league to loosen restrictions on IR from 2020-21. Teams were permitted to use unlimited activations to start the decade, but roster math is again a consideration.

Players who land on IR after cutdown day must miss at least four games. Once a team designates a player for return, the activation clock starts. Clubs have 21 days from a player’s return-to-practice date to activate that player. If no activation commences in that window, the player reverts to season-ending IR.

Here is how the NFL’s IR situations look for Week 13:

Arizona Cardinals

Eligible for activation:

• DL L.J. Collier
• TE Zach Ertz (story)
• DL Carlos Watkins
• OL Elijah Wilkinson

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Eligible for activation:

• WR Josh Ali
• LB Troy Andersen; uncertain to return this season
• DL LaCale London

Activations remaining: 8

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return:

• CB Damarion Williams (Nov. 21)

Eligible for activation:

• LB Malik Hamm
• OLB David Ojabo (story)
• CB Ar’Darius Washington

Activations remaining: 5

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

• RB Damien Harris (story)
• DT DaQuan Jones; uncertain to return this season
• TE Dawson Knox (story)
• LB Matt Milano; uncertain to return this season
• WR Justin Shorter

Activations remaining: 7

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

• LB Claudin Cherelus
• S Jeremy Chinn (Nov. 22)
• OLB Yetur Gross-Matos (Nov. 23)
• CB Jaycee Horn (Nov. 13)
• OLB Justin Houston (story)

Eligible for activation:

• TE Giovanni Ricci (story)
• LB Shaq Thompson; ninth-year veteran not ruling out return from broken leg

Activations remaining: 6

Chicago Bears

Activations remaining: 0

Cincinnati Bengals

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 6

Cleveland Browns

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return:

• TE Peyton Hendershot (Nov. 15)

Eligible for activation:

• CB C.J. Goodwin
• OL Matt Waletzko

Activations remaining: 7

Denver Broncos

Eligible for activation:

• TE Greg Dulcich (story)
• WR Brandon Johnson
• OL Alex Palczewski
• CB K’Waun Williams; unlikely to return this season

Activations remaining: 6

Detroit Lions

Eligible for activation:

• FB Jason Cabinda
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson; DB aiming for late-season return
• DE James Houston (story)
• OL Matt Nelson; uncertain to return this season

Activations remaining: 5

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return:

• S Darnell Savage (Nov. 20)
• CB Eric Stokes (Nov. 27)

Eligible for activation: 

• OL Luke Tenuta

Activations remaining: 8

Houston Texans

Eligible for activation:

• S Eric Murray (story)
• C Jarrett Patterson
• TE Teagan Quitoriano

Activations remaining: 1

Indianapolis Colts

Eligible for activation:

• TE Jelani Woods

Activations remaining: 8

Jacksonville Jaguars

Eligible for activation:

• CB Christian Braswell
• OL Cooper Hodges

Activations remaining: 5

Kansas City Chiefs

Eligible for activation:

• LB Nick Bolton (story)
• OL Prince Tega Wanogho

Activations remaining: 7

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

• CB Brandon Facyson (story)
• LB Kana’i Mauga

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 8

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

• RB Ronnie Rivers (story)

Activations remaining: 2

Miami Dolphins

Eligible for activation:

• RB Chris Brooks
• OL Isaiah Wynn; uncertain to return this season

Activations remaining: 2

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return:

• WR Justin Jefferson (Nov. 8)

Eligible for activation:

• OLB Marcus Davenport; late-season return in play

Activations remaining: 5

New England Patriots

Designated for return:

• T Riley Reiff (Nov. 15)

Eligible for activation:

• DL Daniel Ekuale
• OLB Matt Judon; uncertain to return this season
• OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

• DE Payton Turner (story)

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Eligible for activation:

• RB Gary Brightwell
• OL Joshua Ezeudu
• K Graham Gano (story)
• T Matt Peart
• QB Tyrod Taylor (story)
• TE Darren Waller (story)

Activations remaining: 6

New York Jets

Designated for return:

• TE Kenny Yeboah (Nov. 15)

Eligible for activation:

• CB Justin Hardee
• C Connor McGovern (story)
• QB Aaron Rodgers; still eyeing in-season return from Achilles injury
• OL Wes Schweitzer (story)

Activations remaining: 6

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return:

• S Justin Evans (Nov. 13)

Eligible for activation:

• CB Avonte Maddox; uncertain to return after torn pec

Activations remaining: 5

Pittsburgh Steelers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 4

San Francisco 49ers

Activated:

• DE Robert Beal

Eligible for activation:

• WR Danny Gray

Activations remaining: 6

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return:

• DB Coby Bryant (Nov. 20)
• RT Abraham Lucas (Nov. 15)

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation: none

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

• RB Julius Chestnut
• WR Kearis Jackson

Activations remaining: 6

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

• OL Saahdiq Charles
• S Darrick Forrest (story)
• WR Dax Milne

Activations remaining: 5