2025 NFL Week 3 Buzz: Brock Purdy Returns to Practice, Ladd McConkey Misses It

Who’s starting, who’s hurt, and who’s on the move? 

NFL news is nonstop, and we’re breaking it all down week by week this season.

Here’s the latest on what’s happening around the league entering Week 3:

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy misses practice 

McCarthy, who’s nursing an ankle injury, was absent from practice on Sept. 18. Minnesota is expecting to be without McCarthy for the next two weeks. Backup Carson Wentz will be the starter. Minnesota also recently signed quarterback Desmond Ridder, who has made 18 starts over his NFL career, to its active roster, NFL Media reported. 

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels misses practice again

Daniels, who’s dealing with a knee injury, missed practice on Sept. 18 for the second day in a row. There’s a good chance the 2024 Rookie of the Year misses the Commanders’ Week 3 game against the Raiders. Marcus Mariota would start in Daniels’ absence. Daniels reportedly got injured in the Commanders’ Week 2 loss to the Packers. Daniels has thrown for 433 yards and three touchdowns to go with 85 rushing yards through two games this season.

The news comes on the heels of reports that the team is returning to Washington, D.C. after their stadium site was approved. The Commanders will move back to a sprawling mixed-use development on the banks of the Anacostia River where RFK Stadium is being demolished. 

Packers TE Tucker Kraft suffers knee injury at practice

Green Bay added Kraft to the injury report on Sept. 18. It’s unclear if Kraft, who turned in a breakout game in Week 2, will miss any games, according to multiple reports; the third-year playmaker is coming off a career-high 124 yards along with a touchdown on six receptions in a Thursday Night Football win over the Commanders.

Chargers WR Ladd McConkey returns to practice

McConkey returned to practice on Sept. 18 after missing the Chargers’ session the day prior because of a bicep injury. After a breakout rookie season, McConkey has 11 catches for 124 yards through two games this season. 

Buccaneers rookie WR Emeka Egbuka misses two practices

Egbuka missed practices on Sept. 17 and 18 with hip and groin injuries. Egbuka, who was drafted 19th overall by the Bucs this April, hasn’t wasted any time making his mark on the NFL. He has 96 receiving yards and three touchdowns through two games. His production has been integral to the Buccaneers’ success, as veteran WR Chris Godwin has missed the first two games of the season and will continue to miss time. 

49ers QB Brock Purdy returns to practice

Purdy, who’s nursing both a shoulder and toe injury, sat out Week 2. On Sept. 17, he reportedly returned to practice in a limited fashion and has a “chance” to play in the 49ers’ Week 3 game against the Cardinals, per head coach Kyle Shanahan. Purdy is seemingly ahead of schedule; the 49ers had estimated a timeline of two-to-five weeks until he could return.

Chargers LB Khalil Mack lands on IR

The Chargers will be without one of their top pass rushers for a bit, but not for as long as some initially feared. Mack will be placed on IR, although his elbow injury isn’t season-ending, ESPN reported. Still, the Chargers won’t have Mack for at least four games, ruling him out for matchups against the Broncos, Giants, Commanders and Dolphins.

Jets to be without QB Justin Fields in Week 3

Fields will miss the Jets’ matchup against the Buccaneers on Sunday as he remains in concussion protocol, head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters on Sept. 17. Backup Tyrod Taylor will start in Fields’ place. Fields entered concussion protocol late in the Jets’ Week 2 loss against the Bills. After a strong Week 1 performance against the Steelers, Fields completed just 3 of 11 passes for 11 yards in the 30-10 loss to Buffalo.

Eagles lineman Jordan Mailata has something to say

Mailata had something to say to those who criticized the team for deploying the tush push seven times and crediting their success running the play for their Week 2 win on the road against the Chiefs.

“I understand the outrage,” Mailata said on Sept. 16. “What I don’t understand is them using it as an excuse to why we won the game. I think it’s incredibly disrespectful to our defense and our special teams, who balled out. My brothers on defense and special teams who balled out that game. … That kind of irks me a little bit. That pisses me off because we give so much to this game and to kind of base off a short-yardage play — that is a football play — and say that we won the game off tha but not how our defense played and not how our special teams have played … I think it’s bullcrap.I just think it’s rubbish. Absolute rubbish, man. It makes my blood boil just thinking about it.”

Homecoming for Commanders DE Preston Smith

The Commanders have re-signed Smith, according to NFL Media. Smith spent the first four seasons of his career with Washington (2015-18), who selected him with the No. 38 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In his 2015 rookie campaign, Smith tallied eight sacks and three forced fumbles, while posting eight sacks again in 2017. Smith signed with the Packers in 2019, totaling a career-high 12 sacks in said year and with whom he played through 2024 before being acquired by the Steelers. He was released by Pittsburgh in February.

Vikings place RB Aaron Jones on IR

Jones landed on IR on Sept. 16 due to his hamstring injury. He will now miss a minimum of four weeks. RB Jordan Mason will have an increased role in Jones’ absence, and the Vikings signed Cam Akers to increase their depth. 

Steelers bench rookie RB Kaleb Johnson

Pittsburgh is benching third-round draft pick Johnson from kick-returning duties in the “short term” following him not pursuing a live ball on a kickoff that resulted in a touchdown for the Seahawks in Week 2, head coach Mike Tomlin revealed. Johnson has taken just two handoffs through Pittsburgh’s first two games.

Buccaneers DL Calijah Kancey has torn pec

Kancey’s torn pectoral muscle will require season-ending surgery, according to NFL Media. Kancey, who totaled 7.5 sacks last season and was selected by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, suffered the injury during Tampa Bay’s Week 2 win on the road against the Texans.

Bengals add two quarterbacks

Cincinnati signed quarterbacks Mike White and Sean Clifford to its practice squad, according to NFL Media. These moves come after star quarterback Joe Burrow suffered turf toe and will subsequently miss at least three months. White has made seven career starts since 2021, while Clifford was a backup for the Packers from 2023-24. 

That said, Jake Browning will start in Burrow’s place. Browning, made seven starts in 2023 after Burrow suffered a season-ending elbow injury, helped Cincinnati squeak out a Week 2 win at home over the Jaguars to improve to 2-0.

Bills QB Josh Allen gives nose update

Allen was referring to himself in updating the condition of his swollen, bloodied nose by saying, “We can breathe, so it’s good,” after coasting to a win over the Jets in Week 2. A week after throwing for 251 yards in the fourth quarter, and rallying Buffalo from a 15-point deficit in the final four minutes over the Ravens, Allen could have sat this one out once he bolted to the sideline with blood gushing from his nose in the final 90 seconds of the first quarter. He was hurt when his helmet was shoved down while being stopped for no gain.

Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon lands on IR

Witherspoon has been placed on IR with a broken collarbone. Head coach Sean McVay called it “a big loss” for the team. The nine-year veteran was expected to play a major role on the Rams’ defense, but his absence is likely to create playing time for fellow veteran Darious Williams, who was beaten out for the other starting cornerback job by Emmanuel Forbes in training camp. Williams played 26 snaps in Tennessee after not getting on the field at all during the Rams’ season-opening win over the Texans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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