Woods (groin) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Vikings.
A groin injury prevented Woods from playing in the Bears' Week 1 loss to the Panthers, but the veteran safety logged a full practice Friday, which was enough for him to avoid an injury designation for Sunday's NFC North tilt. Woods is expected start alongside rookie first-rounder Dillon Thieneman at safety, with Elijah Hicks, Skyler Thomas and Malik Muhammad all providing depth at the position.
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Bears' Xavier Woods: Limited in Wednesday's practice
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Woods (groin) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice session.
Woods popped up on the Bears' injury report last week due to a groin injury, which prevented him from playing in this past Sunday's regular-season opener against the Panthers. The Bears gave up 37 points in that game, so Woods' return against the Vikings this Sunday would be a significant boost to Chicago's secondary. The veteran safety will have two more opportunities to increase his practice participation and avoid an injury designation for Week 2.
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Bears' Xavier Woods: Inactive against Carolina
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Woods (groin) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Panthers.
Woods was injured in practice this week and won't get to face his former team after spending the 2022-24 campaigns with Carolina. The Chicago secondary is already in disarray, with Coby Bryant (knee) on injured reserve and Kyler Gordon (calf) on reserve/PUP to begin the season.
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Bears' Xavier Woods: Listed questionable for Week 1
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Woods (groin) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Panthers.
Woods wasn't listed on the injury report Wednesday but was added to it Thursday, getting in back-to-back limited sessions to end the week. Elijah Hicks and Skyler Thomas would be in line for elevated snaps on defense if Woods is unable to play.
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Bears' Xavier Woods: Departs preseason opener with groin issue
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Woods suffered a groin injury during Saturday's preseason win over Cleveland, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Woods made one tackle before he had to exit due to the issue. The extent of the injury isn't yet clear, nor is the timeline for the veteran defensive back to be ready to play again. With Cam Lewis (leg) also currently sidelined, undrafted rookie Skyler Thomas may get a larger opportunity to show off his skill set.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Placed on injured reserve
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The Titans placed Woods (hamstring) on injured reserve Tuesday, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.
Woods sustained a hamstring injury in the Titans' Week 15 loss to the 49ers, and the injury was deemed severe enough for him to be placed on IR. The four-week minimum for players placed on IR means that the safety's season is over. Kendell Brooks is currently listed as the starting free safety, but new addition Erick Hallett, recently signed from the Lions' practice squad, could also see a role in the Titans' secondary as the year ends.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Done for day
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Woods (hamstring) has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game against San Francisco, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
With both Woods and Mike Brown (ankle) done for the day, Kendell Brooks will continue to work in an expanded role in the secondary. Woods missed three games earlier in the season due to a hamstring injury, though it's unclear whether he aggravated the issue during Sunday's contest.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Questionable to return
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Woods (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup versus the 49ers.
Woods sustained the injury in the first half, leaving his status for the remainder of the game up in the air. Kendell Brooks should fill in at free safety with Woods sidelined.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Will play vs. Jacksonville
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Woods (hamstring) is active for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.
Woods has been cleared to return Sunday from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury. His return will likely result in rookie third-rounder Kevin Winston reverting to a rotational role at safety.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Questionable vs. Jaguars
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Woods (hamstring) is questionable for Tennessee's matchup versus the Jaguars on Sunday, Jim Waytt of the team's official site reports.
Woods has been sidelined for the last three games but should have a chance to make his return Sunday. However, Kevin Winston will make another start at safety if Woods ends up being unable to play.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Logs second straight LP
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Woods (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
Woods has been dealing with a hamstring issue for several weeks and hasn't played since Week 9. He's begun this week with consecutive limited practices, suggesting that he has a chance to return to action Sunday against Jacksonville. If Woods is able to suit up for that contest, Kevin Winston -- who has been starting in Woods' stead -- could return to a rotational role.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Questionable for Week 8
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Woods (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Colts, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
The veteran safety practiced in a limited fashion throughout the week after likely sustaining an ankle injury in Tennessee's Week 7 loss to the Patriots. Woods has started all seven games for the Titans this season, recording 30 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and two passes defended, with one interception. If he's forced to miss his first game of the season in Week 8, Quandre Diggs will likely start at free safety.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Dealing with ankle injury
Rotowire
Woods was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to an ankle injury.
Woods may have picked up the injury during the Titans' Week 7 loss to the Patriots, when he played 43 of 65 defensive snaps (66.2 percent) and logged four tackles (one solo), including 1.0 sacks. The veteran safety will have two more opportunities to increase his practice participation and avoid an injury designation heading into Sunday's AFC South clash against the Colts.
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Titans' Xavier Woods: Signing with Tennessee
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The Titans agreed to terms with Woods on a two-year, $10 million contract Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Woods started all 17 games for the Panthers last season and didn't miss a single defensive snap, playing all 1,218 downs on that side of the ball for Carolina. He finished the 2024 campaign with a career-high 119 tackles (72 solo) and six pass breakups, including three interceptions. Woods has 111 starts under his belt in the NFL and gives the Titans a dependable veteran presence on the back end of the defense.
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Panthers' Xavier Woods: Career year in 2024
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Woods recorded 119 total tackles and six passes defended, including three interceptions, across 17 games in 2024.
The 29-year-old safety set a new career high in total tackles and tied his personal best in interceptions while appearing in every game for the Panthers in 2024. Woods was one of the few bright spots on Carolina's defense, despite the team allowing the most points in a single season in NFL history. He's now completed the final year of a three-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Panthers in March of 2022, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Expect Woods to be a hot name on the free-agent market for teams in need of a veteran safety.
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Panthers' Xavier Woods: Career-high 12 tackles vs. Bucs
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Woods finished Sunday's 48-14 loss to Tampa Bay with 12 tackles (six solo).
Woods played all 74 defensive snaps Sunday, and his 12 combined tackles were his most in a game in his eight-year NFL career. Despite the loss, Woods' efforts brought him up to 114 combined tackles through 16 games, which surpassed his previous career best from the 2021 campaign with the Vikings (108 combined tackles through 17 regular-season games). Woods will look to add to his total in Carolina's regular-season finale against Atlanta on Sunday.
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Panthers' Xavier Woods: Records six stops in Week 16
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Woods tallied six tackles (four solo) Sunday in a 36-30 overtime victory against the Cardinals.
Woods tied with three other players for third on the Panthers with six stops. The veteran safety has been very consistent throughout the campaign, notching at least five tackles in all but one of his 15 contests. Woods' six stops Sunday moved him up to 102 tackles on the campaign, marking the second time in his eight-year career that he's reached the triple-digit mark during the regular season.
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Panthers' Xavier Woods: Limited Wednesday
Rotowire
Woods (shoulder) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
The 29-year-old now appears to be dealing with a shoulder issue following the Panthers' Week 11 bye. Woods has appeared in all 10 of Carolina's games this season, recording 69 total tackles and three passes defended, including two interceptions. If he's unable to suit up when the Panthers host the Chiefs in Week 12, expect Lonnie Johnson to serve as Carolina's top free safety.
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Panthers' Xavier Woods: Gets an interception in Germany
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Woods recorded eight tackles (three solo) and an interception during Sunday's 20-17 overtime win against the Giants.
Woods played more than 70 defensive snaps for his third game in a row in Week 10, and he came up with his second pick of the year in a game where Daniel Jones threw two interceptions. He's solidly on the IDP map in most formats for the rest of the second half of the year.
Woods logged 10 total tackles (seven solo), including one tackle for loss, while also nabbing an interception during Sunday's 34-24 loss to the Bengals.
Woods was one of the few bright spots on Carolina's defense in Week 4, leading the team while racking up a season-high 10 stops. The veteran safety also picked off Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss, helping the Panthers cut Cincinnati's lead to just one score. Woods has now recorded 28 total tackles and one interception across the Panthers' first four contests, and he's expected to continue making plays as the team takes on the Bears in Week 5.
