NFL Player News

Burns has been dealing with the groin issue for a few weeks but has been good to go by Sunday every time. He told reports earlier this week that he expects to play through the issue once again. Barring any setbacks, the Giants should have their top EDGE defender versus Jalen Hurts.

That will no be two consecutive missed games for Smith-Schuster after aggravating a hamstring injury in the team’s Week 7 game against the 49ers. The 7-0 Chiefs attempted to rectify the innumerable injuries to their pass-catchers through the acquisition of veteran DeAndre Hopkins, who is likely to see his role in the offense grow in his second game with the team.

Maye suffered the head injury in the team’s Week 8 contest but eventually gained clearance after a week of limited sessions. Maye and the Patriots are set up well to be competitive against a Titans team ravaged by injuries in Week 9.

LB Lavonte David (ankle, chest) is also expected to play despite missing practice on Thursday and Friday. Winfield Jr. practiced in a limited fashion on Friday and was added to the injury report, but he’s set to play. Bowles also said that DB Tykee Smith has cleared the concussion protocol. WR Mike Evans (hamstring), DL Greg Gaines (calf), and LS Evan Deckers (hamstring) are out for Week 9.

Ward missed practice Wednesday and Thursday. He was listed as questionable on Friday, but now that he’s cleared concussion protocol, he has the green light for the game against Los Angeles on Sunday.

He’ll miss the next four games at minimum. It’s a tough blow to the Browns defense at this point in the season. Owusu-Koramoah suffered a neck injury in Week 8 while attempting to tackle Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Cleveland elevated DT Sam Kamara from the practice squad.

Russini notes that the 49ers are looking to add help on defense and the team is aware of Godchaux’s availability via trade. While it’s unclear if anything will materialize before Tuesday’s trade deadline, San Francisco certainly fits the mold as a team that wouldn’t mind taking on Godchaux’s salary and parting with draft picks given where the 49ers are in their contention window. Russini also notes that New England is open to trading receivers Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne as well as safety Kyle Dugger.

Russini notes that it’s no secret across the league that the Lions braintrust of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell are interested in acquiring an edge rusher ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. She specifically mentioned Browns EDGE Za’Darius Smith as one of the players they’ve called about. This comes on the heels of a report earlier this week from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Smith is likely to be traded. Smith told reporters a few weeks ago that he would like to go to Detroit so he could face two of his former teams, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers.

Edge rusher is Arizona’s biggest area of need and Russini notes that the Cardinals have called the Giants about Azeez Ojulari as well as the Titans about Arden Key. After suffering multiple injuries at the position, the first place Cardinals are looking to make a move, though it’s unclear if anything will materialize before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Nacua is listed as questionable after leaving Thursday’s practice with a knee issue. It’s the same knee that sidelined him earlier this season, though it’s unclear if this is a new injury. Rams head coach Sean McVay stated earlier this week that nothing is structurally wrong with Nacua’s knee and that he wouldn’t count him out for Week 9. Now it appears that Nacua is trending in the right direction heading into the matchup with the Seahawks. As we saw in Week 8, he has to be in fantasy lineups when active.

Russini writes that she’s hearing Love will play Sunday and this comes on the heels of a report Friday by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Love “is tracking to play.” Barring a setback in the next 24 hours, Love will be under center as the Packers take on the Lions at Lambeau Field.