NFL teams are gearing up full bore for Week 14, and the first game of the week is a big one.
The Dallas Cowboys will visit the Detroit Lions on Thursday, with the loser’s playoff chances taking a big hit. The Lions might have star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report with an ankle injury he suffered last week against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving.
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Sunday will feature a showdown between the top-two teams in the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens will host the Steelers knowing they’ve locked up their all-time leading receiver for the foreseeable future. They announced Wednesday that they’ve signed tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year extension, which is reportedly worth $39.3 million.
Elsewhere, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice Wednesday after breaking his clavicle in October. Evans reportedly healed faster than expected and will have his 21-day practice window opened, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Cleveland Browns, meanwhile, are designating Deshaun Watson to return to practice. This designation opens Watson’s 21-day window for the team to decide whether or not he’s healthy enough to be activated. Since being traded to Cleveland from Houston, Watson has played in just 19 games, primarily due to an 11-game suspension handed down by the NFL following multiple sexual misconduct allegations and injuries.
The Kansas City Chiefs revealed some rough news Wednesday as left tackle Josh Simmons is going on injured reserve after having surgery on his left wrist, head coach Andy Reid told reporters. Simmons, whom the Chiefs selected in the first round of this year’s draft, previously missed four games this season because of an undisclosed family matter.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest NFL news coming out of Week 13:
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Jason Owens
After a disastrous offensive performance Sunday in a shutout loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Minnesota Vikings anticipate that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return this week from concussion protocol to face the Washington Commanders.
McCarthy was a full participant in practice Wednesday, keeping him on track to play in Sunday’s game.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters Monday that McCarthy was symptom-free after missing Week 13 and that he needed to go through a full practice to officially clear concussion protocol. He did so on Wednesday.
Andy Backstrom
Mark Andrews isn’t going anywhere. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end has agreed to a three-year extension with the Ravens, the team announced Wednesday.
Andrews’ new deal is worth $39.3 million and includes $26 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports.
Andrews became the fifth tight end to lead a franchise in receiving yards earlier this season. He passed Ravens wide receiver Derek Mason on the team’s career leaderboard, breaking a record that had stood for 15 years.
Jack Baer
The wideout did have some fun with Ja’Marr Chase, though.
Jack Baer
Jayden Daniels was a limited participant in practice in Wednesday, as he was for all of last week before missing the Commanders’ game against the Seattle Seahawks. He’s now missed three games in a row for Washington, and six total this season.
Ryan Young
Amon-Ra St. Brown may be able to play on Thursday night after all. The Detroit Lions’ star wide receiver is officially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game with the Dallas Cowboys.
St. Brown left last week’s game against the Packers early with a sprained ankle, and he’s not yet practiced this week. His status is still “up in the air,” but Lions coach Dan Campbell is confident.
“I know this, if he can play, he’ll play,” Campbell said Tuesday, via ESPN. “That’s the best way to say it.”
Andy Backstrom
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who had surgery Monday on his non-throwing hand, won’t practice Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters.
Herbert’s status for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles is up in the air.
Harbaugh noted, though, that Herbert hasn’t “missed a beat,” per ESPN’s Kris Rhim.
Criss Partee
Green Bay has signed defensive lineman Jordon Riley off the New York Giants’ practice squad, and he will go directly to the 53-man roster. Riley is a third-year pro who was a seventh-round draft pick of the Giants. He’s played in 21 career games and has 20 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 1 QB hit.
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The Minnesota Vikings are opening the 21-day evaluation window for running back Ty Chandler. The fourth-year running back has been out since suffering a knee injury in Week 1 against Chicago. Chandler was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by Minnesota and has played in 38 games, rushing for 663 yards and three touchdowns.
Minnesota has also signed undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Joaquin Davis to the practice squad.
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The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed defensive lineman Matt Dickerson to the team’s active roster from the practice squad. Dickerson has played with five teams and is now in his seventh NFL season.
Jacksonville also signed wide receiver Austin Trammell to the practice squad.
Andy Backstrom
Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons is going on injured reserve after having surgery on his left wrist, head coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday.
Simmons, whom the Chiefs selected in the first round of this year’s draft, previously missed four games this season because of an undisclosed family matter.
Additionally, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, right tackle Jawaan Taylor (left tricep) and right guard Trey Smith (right ankle) aren’t expected to practice Wednesday.
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The Green Bay Packers signed cornerback Shemar Bartholomew to the practice squad on Tuesday and released cornerback Tyron Herring and wide receiver Michael Woods from the practice squad.
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The Minnesota Vikings released quarterback Desmond Ridder from the practice squad on Tuesday. Ridder was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been designated to return to practice by the team. This designation opens Watson’s 21-day window for the team to decide whether or not he’s healthy enough to be activated. Since being traded to Cleveland from Houston, Watson has played in just 19 games, primarily due to an 11-game suspension handed down by the NFL following multiple sexual misconduct allegations and injuries.
Upon being traded to the Browns during the 2022 offseason, Watson signed a fully guaranteed five-year $230 million contract.
Sean Leahy
Aiyuk has spent all season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, which goes back to October 2024. Per The Athletic, the Niners have voided the guaranteed money in Aiyuk’s four-year, $120 million contract for 2026 over frustrations with his lack of communication and attendance while remaining out with the injury.
Aiyuk has reportedly told the NFLPA he did not want to fight the move via a grievance, clearing the way for his release after the season.
Sean Leahy
Badgley took over for Spencer Shrader, who is out for the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in early October.
Badgley was waived this week and the Colts held workouts for kickers, which included Maddux Trujillo and Justin Tucker. Grupe won the competition and was signed this week to the practice squad.
Grupe played 11 games with the Saints this season and went 18-for-26 on field goals and 15-for-15 on extra points.
Sean Leahy
Evans is expected to return to practice Wednesday after breaking his clavicle in October. Evans reportedly healed faster than expected, and will have his 21-day practice window opened, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Evans, 32, was out to a bit of a slow start prior to the injury. In four games, the veteran had 14 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. Evans also missed time earlier in the year with a hamstring injury.
Sean Leahy
Gardner suffered a calf strain during Sunday’s loss to the Texans. After undergoing an MRI, he reportedly will likely not land on injured reserve, meaning he could get back to action within four weeks.
Criss Partee
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers game on Saturday, Dec. 20, has been flexed into the primetime slot at 8:20 p.m. ET for Week 16. They’ve swapped time slots with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, who will now play at 4:00 p.m. ET that afternoon.
Chicago and Green Bay’s matchup will likely have huge division and NFC playoff implications.
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Houston has waived veteran guard Laken Tomlinson as the two sides came to this final decision on Tuesday. Once Tomlinson clears waivers, he’ll be a free agent and able to sign with any team in the league. He appeared in 10 games for Houston this season and started seven.
Tomlinson was a first-round pick for the Detroit Lions in 2015. He’s played with five different NFL teams and is a one-time Pro Bowl selection.
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Green Bay has designated defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. to return to practice after being on injured reserve since September. Cox played in the season opener against Detroit and has been out ever since, dealing with a groin injury.