Cayden Green injury update: Eli Drinkwitz updates status entering Alabama week

Missouri spent some time watching others play across the country on Saturday, taking a bye week. This allowed for a few players to get healthy, mainly starting left tackle Cayden Green. After missing the South Carolina and UMass games, the hope is that Green can play against Alabama.

A few days before kicking off, Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz provided the latest on Green. We do not have to wait for the Wednesday injury report to hear Green’s initial status. But how he feels on Thursday and Friday is the real test in determining if he is ready for game action.

“Cayden Green will be listed as questionable this week,” Drinkwitz said during a Tuesday press conference. “He did get some rehab reps yesterday. Really, the challenge is to see where he is today, to see how that progresses. Won’t know for sure or for certain until the end of the week. So, follow along closely with the SEC availability report.”

Playing left tackle is still relatively new for Green. He spent all of 2024 one spot over at left guard. But right before the season opener vs. Central Arkansas, Green slid over and has been considered a success ever since.

According to Green’s official bio on the Missouri website, he did not allow a pressure or a sack in the Border War. Pretty impressive when facing a solid Kansas defensive unit. Of course, the Tigers won a game everyone involved with the program desperately wanted to, renewing a rivalry in the right way.

However, a different kind of test is coming with Alabama. Kalen DeBoer‘s squad is one of the hottest in college football since losing to Florida State to start out the year. Back-to-back wins against Georgia and Vanderbilt set up this incredible matchup in Columbia. A hungry front is coming after Mizzou quarterback Beau Pribula.

Green is hoping to be out there, protecting Pribula’s blindside. If not, Jayven Richardson is who started in his place the past two games. Results were just as good, not seeing too big a drop off. Which, more than anything, speaks to the depth Drinkwitz built along the offensive line.

Getting Green out there is still a priority, though. It’s one of the many storylines leading into Saturday’s 11 a.m. CT kickoff. Drinkwitz gave us the initial information and will let people rely on other resources to put the entire puzzle together.