playJeremy FowlerCloseJeremy Fowlersenior NFL national reporterJeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com. and Dan GrazianoCloseDan Grazianosenior NFL national reporterDan Graziano is a senior NFL national reporter for ESPN, covering the entire league and breaking news. Dan also contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now.
He is a New Jersey native who joined ESPN in 2011, and he is also the author of two published novels.Multiple AuthorsOct 7, 2026, 09:45 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsIt’s already Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season! Insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and notable buzz.Injuries are starting to pile up as we hit the quarter mark of the season, and a few important players went down Sunday, including Lamar Jackson, Pat Surtain II, Ja’Marr Chase and Saquon Barkley. Which teams could be in trouble if they have to go without one of their stars? And which teams might have to make a trade sooner rather than later to either replace an injured player or quickly fix a weak spot in the roster?
The trade deadline is approaching fast — it is under five weeks out.Coaches are also under the microscope with four weeks of games behind us. Are any seats warming around the league? And have any coordinators shown enough in the early going to put themselves on the radar for head coach interviews if they keep this up? It’s all here, as Jeremy and Dan answer big questions, hand out useful fantasy football nuggets and empty their reporting notebooks heading into Week 5.Jump to: Key injuries | Teams needing a trade Warming seats | Rising coordinators Fantasy football advice More notes, intelWhich player’s Week 4 injury could be most detrimental to his team?Graziano: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the obvious answer if he has to miss time (which we don’t know for sure yet).
They’re just so different without him. Having him on the field makes things easier for running back Derrick Henry, whereas defenses can lock in on Henry when they don’t have to fear the QB run.Fowler: Can’t understate that one. The Ravens are hopeful he won’t miss time, but this week feels uncertain. I’ll go with Broncos corner Pat Surtain II, who is set to miss multiple weeks with an ankle injury.
With Denver’s offense struggling to consistently score points, it needs the defense to reestablish its dominant form. But after ripping through the league with 68 sacks last season, the Broncos have eight through four games … which heightens the importance of having a former Defensive Player of the Year such as Surtain in the secondary. Normally I would go with the star quarterback who’s hurt, but Surtain’s absence could have a sizable ripple effect for a team on the ropes.Graziano: A Saquon Barkley absence could exacerbate the Eagles’ problems. I know Barkley isn’t having the best season, but the Philadelphia offense is getting really low on good players.
It had to play Sunday without right tackle Lane Johnson (who has since retired), top wide receiver DeVonta Smith and, other than the first four plays, Barkley. It’s a thin group around Jalen Hurts right now, and even at full strength it was trying to figure out a new offense under a first-time playcaller. If the Eagles are going to pull out of this, they’re going to need as many of their stars as close to full strength as possible.play1:53Dan Orlovsky: Lane Johnson’s retirement a ‘significant loss’ for EaglesFowler: Yeah, the Eagles are depleted in the short term, and their healthiest back right now is third-stringer Will Shipley. Hamstring injuries linger, and unfortunately for Philly, their top two playmakers are managing them.
Plus, tight end Dallas Goedert has missed two weeks and guard Cam Jurgens is in concussion protocol. The Eagles could use reinforcements, so it might be worth it for them to explore the trade or free agency market for depth.An underrated absence is that of Vikings guard Donovan Jackson, who is undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He’s a good player, which Minnesota can’t afford to lose, particularly on an offense that ranks 31st in total yards. Either Joe Huber, who went undrafted in 2025, assumes the starting job, or Minnesota adds to the roster in short order.Which team most needs to make a trade — and at what position?Fowler: The Lions should make a move for a cornerback.
They were in on Joey Porter Jr. before Pittsburgh traded him to Dallas. Detroit’s secondary is swimming right now, and though safety Brian Branch is close to a return and safety Kerby Joseph should eventually be back, the Lions don’t have enough corner help to run the coverages they want. This team has elite players on both sides of the ball and must embrace its window of contention, whether it’s slipping away or not.One potential option is Kansas City’s Kristian Fulton, who is in and out of the Chiefs’ lineup. He is owed real money — $5 million of his $9.75 million base salary is guaranteed — but perhaps the Chiefs and Lions could split the bill to facilitate a deal.
Is it worth calling Pittsburgh for Jalen Ramsey? Not sure he’s available, but the Lions’ defense seems far from settled.Graziano: Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Chiefs could use another wide receiver. I’m not buying that Tyreek Hill is much of an upgrade over what they have at this point in his career. If players such as Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr., Jerry Jeudy or Calvin Ridley become available, the Chiefs should poke around.
But the other team I think should be turning over whatever rock it can to find wide receiver help is the team Kansas City barely beat on Sunday — the surprising 3-1 Raiders.Before the season, who would have thought that the Raiders could be adding at the deadline? Tight end Brock Bowers is their top receiver and likely would remain so even if they did get somebody, but Las Vegas would love to have a true X receiver so teams can’t put a top corner such as Surtain on Bowers.Fowler: Receiver is a need for the Raiders, but they’ve been inclined to preserve draft capital and develop their young receivers, and I’m not sure the 3-1 start changes that. Las Vegas operates in that space between rebuilding and contention, and with only five selections in April’s draft, Vegas could opt to lean on second-year players Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., who returns soon from injured reserve, to play bigger roles. Also, Bowers basically is a wide receiver, so him as the No. 1 and Tre Tucker as the No. 2 isn’t a bad setup.Another team to watch at receiver is the Colts, who are 2-2 with Pittsburgh and Tennessee coming up.
They could easily be sitting at 4-2 after those two games despite a depleted receiving crew, and Indy is not hiding from being all-in to win now. Perhaps there’s not a splash move that fits, but how about one that brings an upside receiver for a quality Day 3 pick? (The Sauce Gardner trade last year drained Indy’s capital.) Marvin Harrison Jr. would be an obvious fit — and not just for sentimentality — but Arizona won’t just give him away. A midseason return from Alec Pierce could assuage the need to make a move.Graziano: It’s tough to swing trades for offensive linemen, since the demand massively outweighs the supply. But teams that could/should be in the market include the Patriots, Ravens, Eagles and, of course, the Packers, who have been signing dudes out of retirement the past couple of weeks because their line has completely fallen apart.The Bengals could use help at linebacker.
The Jaguars don’t need much, but I could see them looking to add another edge rusher if the opportunity presents itself. A
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