2025 NFL Week 5 Buzz: Bucs RB Bucky Irving Out; Brock Bowers Misses Practice

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 5:

Lamar Jackson ruled out

The Baltimore Ravens announced that Jackson will be inactive for the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans due to a hamstring strain, which he suffered during the team’s Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson boasts an NFL-high 130.5 passer rating this season, but the Ravens are 1-3. Cooper Rush will start in Jackson’s place at quarterback.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels back after 2-game absence

Washington announced Daniels, out for the last two games with a knee injury, will return to action in L.A. against the Chargers on Sunday.

Daniels’ return follows a promising week of practice where the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year participated fully each day. Daniels initially suffered his injury in Week 2 against the Packers; he did not practice in Week 3 before upgrading to limited participation for two days and a DNP.

Jets RB Braelon Allen out multiple months

New York’s second-year running back will miss eight-to-12 weeks due to an MCL sprain, head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Oct. 3. Allen, who has rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown this season, suffered the knee injury during the Jets’ Week 4 loss to the Dolphins.

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving out

Two days after Irving was deemed “week-to-week” with a foot sprain, it was revealed that the second-year running back is indeed expected to miss the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Seahawks, according to ESPN. The report noted that Irving could also miss Week 6. 

Irving has rushed for 237 yards on 3.3 yards per carry this season, while totaling 19 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Tampa Bay is in first place in the NFC South at 3-1. Last season, Irving rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry, while tallying 392 receiving yards in what was his rookie season.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers’ status in doubt

Bowers has been playing through an injury since Week 1. He had toughed it out to this point, but Bowers missed practice on Oct. 2, signaling that he may have sustained a setback to his knee injury. It will be interesting to see how he progresses as the Raiders desperately need him healthy when they play the Colts on Sunday.

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin out

Washington’s top wide receiver will officially miss his second game of the 2025 season with a quadriceps injury. McLaurin hasn’t practiced in two weeks, and while the Commanders are certain he should avoid surgery, the decision to rule him out on Oct. 2 doesn’t bode well for his availability in the immediate future. McLaurin will be out for the Commanders’ game against the Chargers on Sunday, and possibly future weeks as well.

Key players for Panthers, Titans miss practice

Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard missed practice for the second straight day with a calf issue, while Titans WR Calvin Ridley didn’t practice on Oct. 2 because of knee and elbow injuries. If both miss, it would be brutal for each of their teams. The Panthers face the Dolphins on Sunday, who are susceptible to a solid run game, while the Titans are still searching for their first win of the season and could struggle without Ridley against the Cardinals.

Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. has hamstring issue

Indianapolis’ top wide receiver is dealing with a hamstring injury that limited him in practice on Oct. 2, per NFL Media. Pittman has totaled 21 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns through four games this season.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy moves to “next phase” of ankle rehab

McCarthy will begin to get “a little bit more active” but won’t be rushed back from a sprained right ankle, head coach Kevin O’Connell said on Oct. 1. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season after undergoing knee surgery, is “working his way back,” O’Connell said after practice near the team’s hotel north of London.

“He is kind of entering the next phase of his rehab where he can get a little bit more active. Looking forward to getting him back on the field practicing with the team as soon as we can,” O’Connell said. “But at the same time we want to be really smart and make sure we let that high ankle fully heal,” he added. “Then he can really start attacking it and working his technique and fundamentals and get re-acclimated, which I think he’ll do pretty quickly.”

The Vikings have their bye week next week before they host the Eagles in Week 7.

Cardinals RB Trey Benson lands on IR

Benson was placed on IR with a knee injury, putting another dent into the Cardinals’ backfield depth. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Oct. 1 that Benson will be out at least four weeks but could return later in the season. The second-year running back has 160 yards this season. Benson had just moved into the starter’s role after veteran James Conner went down with a season-ending foot injury on Sept. 21. 

Browns make QB change

Cleveland is benching veteran quarterback Joe Flacco for rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, per NFL Media. Flacco will serve as Gabriel’s backup, with rookie fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders remaining the emergency third-string QB for the Browns’ Week 5 matchup against the Vikings in London. Gabriel has thrown four passes this season, including an 8-yard touchdown pass in Week 2. Cleveland is averaging just 14.0 points per game, 31st in the NFL.

This comes on the heels of news that the Browns will be without wide receivers Cedric Tillman and DeAndre Carter for multiple weeks. Tillman is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Carter, a kick returner, recently injured his knee.

Ravens lose DT Nnamdi Madubuike; LB Roquan Smith, CB Marlon Humphrey also injured

The Ravens will go the rest of the 2025 season without defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike after a season-ending neck injury. Madubuike was named to the Pro Bowl in the previous two seasons, and logged 5.5, 13.0, and 6.5 sacks in the past three years, respectively, as well as a combined 141 tackles in that stretch. Head coach John Harbaugh also announced the team will be without two additional defensive starters for an extended time. Smith is out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, while Humphrey is dealing with a calf injury; both are expected to miss multiple weeks.

This news comes after Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson injured his hamstring last week against the Chiefs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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