Fans like optimism at this time of the year. But not everything is rainbows and sunshine around the NFL. Several impactful players are treating serious injuries that happened late in the 2025 season. For some, returning to the field by Week 1 is a distant thought. Others are more hopeful, and training camp is a goal.

So, let’s do an injury roundup to update you about some of the biggest injuries around the league.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes is recovering from left ACL and LCL injuries suffered late in the season. He’s dropping back and throwing seemingly well, on track to return in time to play in Week 1 for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, there are still benchmarks for the MVP-caliber quarterback to clear before his return to action.

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Micah Parsons, EDGE, Green Bay Packers

Parsons tore his ACL on Dec. 14, the same day as Mahomes did. His surgery happened in late December, and the Packers have a strict no-football rule before nine months. Parsons is expected to miss the first few games of the regular season, which would result in an early to mid-October return. He will inevitably miss training camp and the preseason, and can also start the season on the PUP list.

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Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Jones was cleared earlier this week to participate in 7-on-7 drills, marking another significant step in his comeback from a torn right Achilles. The Colts don’t have a great backup plan at quarterback with Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson being the top two options if Daniel Jones isn’t ready to go by Week 1. So it’s clear that the Colts expect their starting quarterback to be back early in the season.

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Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

Another player returning from a serious knee injury. Nabers suffered his in Week 4 of last season, but it was a severe one. He underwent surgery to repair his lateral meniscus and reconstruct his ACL. Giants head coach Jon Harbaugh hopes that Nabers will be ready by Week 1, but he acknowledged it will be hard to know more until the offensive weapon is cleared to return to football activities. Earlier this week, the Giants signed three wide receivers, including Odell Beckham Jr., So the signs aren’t great for the youngster.

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Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Charbonnet tore his ACL in the wildcard round of the playoffs, which essentially guaranteed he would miss the start of the following regular season. He should return late in the season, and that helps to explain why the Seahawks drafted Jadarian Price in the first round, after signing Emanuel Wilson in free agency. It’s a longer road ahead for Charbonnet compared to these previous players mentioned.

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Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

Nix suffered an ankle fracture during the AFC Divisional Round. The quarterback underwent a scheduled successful follow-up procedure on his surgically repaired right ankle during a routine re-check in late April. The Broncos will be conservative during the offseason program, but Nix is expected to be ready for training camp, which means he has some margin for error ahead of Week 1.

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Ed Oliver, DT, Buffalo Bills

Oliver suffered multiple injuries in 2025, including ankle, knee, and bicep issues. He re-aggravated those ankle and knee issues during his playoff return against the Denver Broncos. Oliver wasn’t present for voluntary offseason workouts for the Bills, but the expectation is that he’ll soon be practicing again and ready to go for the regular season.