Though Percy Harvin is slated to undergo surgery Thursday, the Seahawks believe the procedure is not necessarily a season-ender as initially feared. Early estimates suggest Harvin will miss three to four months as a result of the procedure, with the Seahawks hoping he'll be available around Thanksgiving. Although his lengthy absence and uncertain health thereafter will still take him off the radar in most leagues on draft day, Harvin's potential late-season arrival as the Seahawks' "Designated for Return" from injured reserve player would provide a huge boost for the team's offense, and a nice roster addition for fantasy players as the playoffs approach.
Dez Bryant (hip) was a spectator for the first four days of Cowboys camp, but owner Jerry Jones still expressed confidence that Bryant would be on the field for Sunday's preseason opener against the Dolphins. Given his limited reps this summer, Bryant likely wouldn't play more than a series or two Sunday, but should see his typical amount of usage the rest of the preseason.
Blaine Gabbert (right ankle) was back practicing Wednesday, just two days after suffering a minor sprain. The temporary setback likely won't harm his chances of competing for the starting quarterback job with Chad Henne.
Josh Gordon (knee) sat out Wednesday but is expected to return to practice over the next couple of days. He has been held out with a patellar tendinitis issue but should still be able to gather a fair amount of preseason reps. However, keep in mind he will have to serve a two-game suspension to start the season.
Brandon Marshall returned to practice Wednesday after he was held out of Monday's activities. It was strictly a precautionary rest with the receiver coming off January hip surgery, and the Bears aren't worried about his availability for preseason games, much less the start of the regular season.
Just two days after returning to practice, Chris Ivory aggravated his hamstring and was forced to leave Wednesday's practice. The Jets aren't especially concerned with the injury, but if Ivory's durability questions remain a major issue, opportunity could knock for Bilal Powell or Joe McKnight to secure the No. 1 running back job.
In other news at Jets camp, the quarterback battle between Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith continues to look ugly. Sanchez went just 3-of-10 during 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, throwing an interception and two more balls that easily could have been picked off. Smith showed more efficiency (6-of-9) with the second team, but also took two sacks. Don't expect this messy competition to be resolved until near the end of training camp.
Sticking with AFC East quarterback battles, EJ Manuel has outperformed Kevin Kolb in the early stages of camp, according to most observers. While Manuel's assignments have been less challenging by virtue of his standing as a rookie, Manuel has grasped Doug Marrone's offense quickly and brings more athleticism to the table than Kolb. The preseason games should add an interesting layer to the two-man race.
IDP Quick Hits:
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sustained a high-ankle sprain during Wednesday's practice. It looked to be a far worse injury before the diagnosis was given, but DRC is still out indefinitely...Carlos Dunlap suffered a concussion during practice earlier this week and was on the sidelines Wednesday. He still has plenty of time to recover before the season begins, but concussions can have very volatile return timetables...DeAngelo Hall will miss anywhere from two days to two weeks after spraining ligaments in the back of his ankle......D.J. Williams suffered a calf injury in Wednesday's practice and is listed as week-to-week. He was expected to replace Brian Urlacher at middle linebacker this season...Mario Williams is dealing with a left foot injury, but doesn't believe he'll be hampered by the injury for the long haul...Nick Barnett signed a one-year contract with the Redskins on Wednesday and figures to compete for one of the starting inside linebacker spots. He racked up 112 tackles and two sacks in the Bills' 3-4 system last season.