Washington Redskins tight end Derek Carrier reportedly tore his ACL and MCL against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport. Carrier was not the only big-name tight end to get injured on Sunday, as the Detroit Lions' Brandon Pettigrew will miss the remainder of the 2015 season after tearing his ACL against the St. Louis Rams, according to Rapoport.
Carrier had become a big piece for the Redskins this season and had already recorded 17 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. Washington is in a tight playoff race to win the NFC East, and tight end Jordan Reed will need to step up for the Redskins down the stretch. The Redskins are in complete control of their postseason future, and with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys still left on their schedule they will likely need to win out to take the division.
Pettigrew went down in the first half against the Rams on Sunday and suffered his second ACL tear since entering the league in 2009, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein. The Lions tight end was primarily a blocking tight end for the Lions this year and had 67 receiving yards and a touchdown in a down year for Detroit. Lions tight end Eric Ebron will need to continue to be an impact player with Pettigrew out for the year. Ebron has caught 34 passes for 384 yards with four touchdowns and has shown improvement since entering the league as first round draft pick in 2014.
Two teams lost crucial pieces on Sunday, and although they may not have been the starting tight ends for both teams, they will surely be missed.
