What happened: Deebo Samuel remains off injured reserve after injuring his hamstring Sunday in Seattle. Shanahan said a four-game IR stint was under consideration. The Week 8 bye allows reassessment without using the designation.

Why it matters: A multi-week absence thins the receiving rotation. Avoiding IR preserves roster flexibility instead of locking a mandatory four-game absence. The bye removes one game week from the recovery window.

What to watch: Practice participation next week and after the bye will show progress. If the hamstring has not improved, IR remains an option.