Chairshot NFL News Report (9/16/2026): Jets Lose Fitzpatrick, Dickerson Hits IR & Cleveland Loses Sampson

The Jets lose Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper, Philadelphia puts Landon Dickerson on IR and Cleveland loses Dylan Sampson.

Week 1 is over, and Tuesday became the day teams started paying the actual injury bill.

The Jets are preparing to play without Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper Jr., Philadelphia placed Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve and Cleveland lost running back Dylan Sampson for at least four games.

Thursday Night Football is also already approaching, which means Detroit and Buffalo barely had time to process Week 1 before beginning another game week.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for September 16, 2026!

Jets Lose Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper

The New York Jets expect safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and receiver Omar Cooper Jr. to miss multiple games after both were injured during Sunday’s victory over Tennessee. Fitzpatrick suffered a groin injury after playing only six defensive snaps, while Cooper is considered week-to-week because of an ankle sprain.

Neither player is currently expected to go on injured reserve, which suggests New York believes both can return before the four-game minimum absence required by an IR move. That still leaves the Jets immediately testing depth they hoped would remain theoretical for much longer.

Cooper’s absence also pushed New York to add veteran Sterling Shepard to the practice squad. Shepard spent eight seasons across town with the Giants and gives the Jets an experienced receiver who can potentially contribute once he gets comfortable with the offense.

Eagles Put Landon Dickerson on Injured Reserve

Philadelphia placed Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve Tuesday, meaning he will miss at least four games. Drew Kendall is expected to receive the first opportunity to replace him, while the Eagles also promoted Britain Covey and added tight end Josiah Deguara.

Dickerson openly admitted after Week 1 that he had been a liability while trying to play through physical issues. Philadelphia still managed to beat Washington, but the team clearly decided continuing to push him through the problem was not sustainable.

The Eagles built one of the league’s strongest offensive identities around line play, so this becomes a meaningful test of their depth. Losing one guard does not break the system, but replacing a three-time Pro Bowler is not something that disappears simply because the next player steps into the same position.

Browns Lose Dylan Sampson

Cleveland placed running back Dylan Sampson on injured reserve because of the knee injury he suffered while returning a kickoff during the loss to Jacksonville. Sampson will miss at least four games, with Raheim Sanders expected to serve as the primary backup behind Quinshon Judkins.

The Browns also promoted Jaleel McLaughlin to the active roster and added additional depth to the practice squad. Cleveland already left Week 1 dealing with questions about Deshaun Watson and the offense as a whole, so losing another skill-position piece only complicates the recovery.

Sampson was not the focal point of the offense, but Week 2 depth charts are rarely about stars alone. The first month of the season has a way of turning rotational players into important ones extremely quickly.

Chiefs Await MRI on Mansoor Delane

Kansas City cornerback Mansoor Delane underwent further testing Tuesday after injuring his shoulder during Monday night’s victory over Denver. Initial X-rays were negative, but the Chiefs scheduled an MRI to determine whether the injury will cost him additional time.

The Chiefs came out of the opener with plenty to celebrate after Kenneth Walker transformed the offense, but Delane’s status adds another issue for a secondary already required to handle increasingly aggressive passing attacks around the AFC.

An encouraging X-ray does not guarantee a short absence. Kansas City has several days before playing Indianapolis on Sunday night, which gives the team time to determine whether the rookie can realistically return or whether the secondary needs another configuration.

Dolphins Rookie Kyle Louis Has an MCL Sprain

Miami rookie safety Kyle Louis suffered an MCL sprain during his NFL debut and is expected to miss multiple weeks. Head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed Louis will not play Sunday against San Francisco, although the Dolphins have not yet established a complete recovery timeline.

Louis played mostly on special teams during the opener, but his injury matters because Miami’s defensive depth already faces a much more difficult test in Week 2. San Francisco controlled Los Angeles physically in Australia and now gets an opportunity to attack another defense dealing with early-season attrition.

Rookie injuries can be especially frustrating because September is supposed to be the period when developmental players begin establishing their roles. Louis instead has to shift immediately from earning snaps to rehabilitation.

Houston Places Henry To’oTo’o on Injured Reserve

Houston placed linebacker Henry To’oTo’o on injured reserve Tuesday, making him unavailable for at least the next four games. The Texans made the move after their 36-31 loss to Buffalo, joining several other teams already using short-term IR slots after only one week.

Houston’s defense was already asked to play an exhausting opener against Josh Allen, and losing another rotational defender reduces flexibility before the schedule gets any easier. The Texans face Cincinnati in Week 2, giving the defense another offense capable of forcing linebackers into difficult coverage and pursuit situations.

This is the part of September that rarely gets much attention during the offseason. Teams spend months talking about ideal starting lineups, then injuries immediately start determining how much of those lineups actually survive.

Detroit and Buffalo Already Turn Toward Thursday Night

Detroit and Buffalo meet Thursday night in Orchard Park, giving both teams only four days between their Week 1 games and the start of Week 2. Detroit enters after surviving New Orleans in overtime, while Buffalo comes off Josh Allen’s late comeback victory over Houston.

Detroit is already operating without Isiah Pacheco for an extended period, while Buffalo opened the week with several players limited in practice, including Ty Johnson, Terrel Bernard and Cole Bishop. Neither team has the luxury of a normal recovery week before facing another opponent capable of scoring quickly.

Thursday therefore becomes as much about recovery as preparation. The Bills and Lions both played emotionally draining openers, and the team that handles the short turnaround better may gain an advantage before scheme becomes the deciding factor.

Tuesday’s NFL Transactions

Teams used Tuesday to respond to the first round of regular-season injuries, with several players moving to injured reserve and multiple practice-squad adjustments following Week 1.

• Cleveland Browns – Placed RB Dylan Sampson on injured reserve
• Philadelphia Eagles – Placed G Landon Dickerson on injured reserve
• Houston Texans – Placed LB Henry To’oTo’o on injured reserve
• Los Angeles Chargers – Placed WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith on injured reserve
• New York Jets – Signed WR Sterling Shepard to practice squad
• Cleveland Browns – Promoted RB Jaleel McLaughlin to active roster
• Philadelphia Eagles – Promoted WR Britain Covey to active roster

Week 1 gave us the first look at what teams built during the offseason. Tuesday gave us the first look at how quickly those plans already need to change.

The Jets, Eagles and Browns all lost players who mattered to their expected rotations, while Kansas City is waiting to learn whether Delane joins that list. Detroit and Buffalo now have even less time to adjust because Thursday night arrives before most of the league has completed its first full Week 2 practice.

That is the real transition after opening weekend. The league stops asking what teams intended to be and starts measuring how effectively they react when the original plan no longer exists.

This report includes information from: Reuters.com, NFL.com, BleedingGreenNation.com, New York Post reporting, team transaction wires, and league injury reports.