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With all 32 NFL training camps having started, several players have already gone down with minor and major injuries.
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart is out with a strain hamstring.
The oft-injured Stewart is expected to miss anywhere between 1-4 weeks and at least one preseason game. When healthy, Stewart and DeAngelo Williams form one of the better 1-2 backfield punches, but neither can seem to stay healthy now. Over the last two seasons, Stewart has missed 17 games and averaged just 3.65 YPC when while battling ankle and knee issues.
Panthers rookie running back Tyler Gaffney suffered a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
Gaffney will have surgery to repair the meniscus and miss the entire 2014 NFL season. Gaffney had 330 carries for 1,709 yards last season at Stanford. In 486 carries in college he never had a significant injury. With Gaffney out and Jonathan Stewart sidelined indefinitely, head coach Ron Rivera said the Panthers plan to sign a running back.
The San Francisco 49ers lost running back Kendall Hunter to a torn ACL.
Hunter has gained 1,202 yards on 262 attempts (4.6 per carry) in his first three seasons in the NFL to go with 27 catches for 268 yards (9.9 per catch). He and Frank Gore have been a nice 1-2 punch for the 49ers, but that won't be the case in 2014. With backup Anthony Dixon having departed in free agency, that means Carlos Hyde will likely be battling Marcus Lattimore for carries this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts is out for several weeks due to a hamstring strain.
The injury was suffered by Shorts on Friday. Shorts also missed most of OTAs and all of minicamp with a hamstring injury and has been limited by injuries each of the last two seasons. He missed three games last year and two games in 2012 while also playing through several minor injuries.
Indianapolis Colts running back Vick Ballard tore his Achilles and is out for 2014.
Ballard was already coming off an injury-shortened 2013 season, but he won't play at all this year. Eleven months after he tore his ACL in the season opener last season, Ballard is now out with a torn Achilles. He had a solid rookie season in 2012, rushing for 814 yards on 211 carries with two touchdowns. However, injuries may have just derailed his NFL career.
Aaron Ross won't be playing for the Baltimore Ravens this year after tearing his Achilles.
Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith are two solid starters, but there's not much behind them in the Ravens secondary. Ross was signed to provide depth behind them, but he tore his Achilles during conditioning drills. He has 11 career interceptions and 41 passes defended. Ross was with the New York Giants last year, but he was placed on the injured reserve list in October due to a back injury.