Training camp is rolling, and for a handful of former Oregon Ducks, the first weeks of the NFL grind have already turned messy.
The most notable injury situation belongs to New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sadiq spent three seasons at Oregon from 2023-2025, finishing with 80 catches for 892 yards and eight touchdowns. His college résumé also included 2025 Big Ten Tight End of the Year honors and Second-team All-American recognition.
But his transition to the NFL hasn’t been clean. Sadiq had offseason hernia surgery, and Jets coach Aaron Glenn said the rookie has now hit a setback.
Glenn told reporters that Sadiq suffered “a little setback” to the offseason hernia surgery he had, and he now will miss some time. Even so, Glenn remains confident Sadiq will be ready for the Jets’ regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 13, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James is dealing with a different kind of problem. He fractured a rib last week and has been sidelined from training camp, with no timetable yet for his return.
There has also been some speculation about when the injury happened, after 49ers linebacker Fred Warner appeared to punch at James while wrapping up a tackle during a drill. The play was posted by “OurSF49ers” win X.
James played at Oregon from 2022-2024 and piled up 2,215 rushing yards with 31 touchdowns. He also added 42 receptions for 347 yards and one score.
After declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, he went to the 49ers in the fifth round. He did not get a carry during the regular season in 2025, though he did log six carries for 26 yards in the playoffs and caught one pass for seven yards.
Chicago Bears linebacker Noah Sewell is still working his way back from a torn achilles suffered in late December of 2025. He remains on the Bears’ PUP list.
Sewell spent three seasons at Oregon from 2020-2022, where he posted 219 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and nine passes defended. He was a First-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2021 before entering the 2023 NFL Draft and being taken in the fifth round by Chicago.
Through his first three NFL seasons from 2023-2025, Sewell has totaled 72 tackles, three tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.
Noah Sewell is also the younger brother of Detroit Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell, who played at Oregon from 2018-2020 and was selected No. 7 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Penei Sewell has already put together a decorated NFL run, earning First-team All-Pro honors three times and making the Pro Bowl four times.
In Other News...
Oregon Jersey Patch Debate Feels Bigger Than Just A Sponsor
Across college football, jersey patch sponsorships are becoming the latest sign that the business side of the sport keeps pushing deeper into the game-day product. Several Power Four programs have already announced deals with various companies, and Oregon has naturally entered the conversation because of the Ducks brand strength and the kind of local reach that makes commercial partners pay attention. The school has not announced anything yet, but the idea of a patch on Oregon uniforms is drawing interest for reasons that go beyond simple advertising.
For Oregon, this is about more than following a trend. The Ducks have built a reputation as one of the sports most visible and innovative programs, and any move like this would be judged against that identity as much as against the dollars involved. With speculation already circling possible partners, the real question is not whether the market exists, but how the university wants to balance revenue, tradition and the look of a uniform that has long been part of its brand. [Read more 🡒]
Jordon Davison Looks Ready To Give Oregon Another Dangerous Weapon
Jordon Davison is entering his second season at Oregon with the kind of buzz that tends to follow backs who already look like they belong. Former Ducks star LaMichael James singled out Davison for the way he runs and the toughness he showed as a freshman, a year that ended with a team-high 15 touchdowns. For a program that keeps reloading its backfield, Davison has already carved out a reputation as more than just another young option in the rotation.
What makes the conversation around Davison more interesting is how much it goes beyond raw ability. He and James both pointed to the depth in Oregons running back room, but the real next step is Davisons growing feel for reading defenses, which should only make his physical style even harder to handle. He played through a broken collarbone in a College Football Playoff game, and if that kind of resilience pairs with a sharper understanding of what he is seeing up front, Oregon may have another dangerous weapon on its hands. [Read more 🡒]