NFL Player News

Doctors are almost certain that Nicks has a mere bone bruise and no real damage in his knee. He’ll miss practice due to swelling, but he still has a chance to play against the Rams Monday night if the knee loosens up. Either way, Nicks’ injury is not a long-term concern, and the extra day to heal should help his chances. It’s still early in the week, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Nicks is a game-time decision in Week 2. His availability is going to come down to swelling reduction, which can be unpredictable.

Pittman played through most of the season with his back injury. It should come as no surprise that he turned in the worst season since his rookie year as a result, but Pittman still posted a respectable 69-808-3 line over 16 games in a season that proved challenging for all Colts pass catchers. It sounds like some rest and rehab will be all Pittman needs to return healthy for a 2025 season that is already setting up to be a do-or-die year for Anthony Richardson, head coach Shane Steichen, and Ballard.

Things felt as if they were trending in this direction after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised McCarthy’s efforts late in the year despite the lost season. The fact McCarthy wasn’t dismissed by Jones immediately after the season ended was also a good sign for the veteran head coach. McCarthy’s contract with the team is set to officially expire on January 14th, giving the Cowboys little time to get a deal done before McCarthy is free to speak with other teams. McCarthy has led the Cowboys to a 49-35 record during his first five seasons, but had three-straight 12-win seasons from 2021-2023. The team has work to do on the defensive side of the, but with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb under long-term deals, the offensive weapons are there to make the Cowboys a contender again in 2025.

Ryans spoke highly of Johnson, who caught 2-of-4 targets for 12 yards in the Week 18 finale against the Titans. Ryans said he was “really impressed with this last week of practice” from Johnson and praised him for picking up the offense quickly. It’s been a trying season for Johnson, who caught 30 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games with the Panthers before a brief stint with the Ravens in which he caught 1-of-5 targets for six yards before being suspended by the team after refusing to go on the field in a game. With a big offseason coming up in free agency, a strong playoff performance would benefit Johnson, who has some brand rebuilding to do after being one of the league’s premiere target hogs through his first five years in the league.

Rakestraw suffered a hamstring injury in November and hasn’t played since Week 11. The rookie second-rounder has appeared in eight games this season but has only played on 46 defensive snaps while earning a PFF coverage grade of 41.0. There’s a chance he could see more snaps in the postseason, however, as the Lions are dealing with multiple injuries on defense.

The Raiders fired general manager Tom Telesco on Thursday, so that interview could take place before a new GM is put into place. Carroll completed an interview with the Bears on Thursday, and the 73-year-old appears invigored to return to the NFL after his long tenure with the Seahawks ended in 2024. The Raiders are also expected to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

The news release states that officers “observed objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment” from Robinson after they spotted him driving more than 100 mph on US-101 back on November 25. The 30-year-old wideout wasn’t suspended at the time, but could face discipline from the league — likely in the 2025 season — after the charge was filed.

The Jets made the announcement on social media Thursday night. Glenn turned down a chance to interview with the Patriots, and he’s also scheduled to interview with the Raiders, Jaguars and Saints in the coming days. The 52-year-old has been a big part of the Lions’ transformation into one of the best teams in football, and seems likely to get a head coaching gig in the coming years if not 2025.

The game is being moved to the horrific events in the Los Angeles area involving fires with the league calling it a public safety issue. The game will still take place at 8:00 ET but instead will be played in State Farm Stadium; the home of the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a disappointing development for fans of the Rams, but a necessary one.

Jones getting the limited designation is likely more about maintenance for his quad injury than anything that suggests he won’t be able to play in the Wild Card Round against the Rams. It’s still something to monitor for those considering using him over the weekend.

All three of the interviews will take place virtually. It’ll be a busy day for Spagnuolo, who has long been one of the best defensive coordinators in football. To say it didn’t work out as a head coach his first time around is quite the understatement as seen in a 10-38 career record, but he would be far from the first coach to fail in his first attempt only to find success. It would not be a surprise at all if Spagnuolo was leading one of those three teams by the start of the 2025 campaign.