NFL Player News
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Dak Prescott QB | DAL
Cowboys' Dak Prescott: Remains limited Wednesday
Prescott (calf) was listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
The Cowboys held what they called a "scaled-back practice" to kick off Week 9 preparations. According to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, Prescott began the session by taking part in all pre-practice work with Dallas' quarterbacks, which was a step up from focusing on rehab before jumping into drills last week. Still, Prescott's reps remained limited, like they were a week ago as he continues to move past a right calf strain. He's aiming to miss just one game as a result of the injury, but Cooper Rush is available to start in the event Prescott's absence extends to a second contest Sunday against the Broncos.
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Sam Darnold QB | SEA
Panthers' Sam Darnold: Logs limited practice Wednesday
Darnold, who is in the concussion protocol and tending to a right shoulder injury, practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday.
Darnold was knocked out of the Panthers' 19-13 win in Atlanta this past Sunday after taking a hit to his upper right arm in the fourth quarter. He subsequently was diagnosed with a concussion, and head coach Matt Rhule termed Darnold "extremely limited" Wednesday, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press. Darnold must clear league protocols in order to suit up Sunday against the Patriots, but if he's unable to go, P.J. Walker -- who took all the first-team reps in Wednesday's session -- will be under center for the Panthers.
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Aaron Rodgers QB | PIT
Packers' Aaron Rodgers: Moves to COVID-19 list
Green Bay will place Rodgers on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Mike Spofford of the Packers' official site reports.
After playing without Davante Adams due to a positive test for the virus last Thursday in Arizona, Green Bay will be without the reigning league MVP in Week 9 for the same reason. Head coach Matt LaFleur mentioned Wednesday that Rodgers "won't be available this week" and doesn't know how long the quarterback will be sidelined. In Rodgers' place, second-year signal-caller Jordan Love will receive his first career start Sunday at Kansas City. With Kurt Benkert (undisclosed) on the practice squad COVID-19 lis, the Packers are expected to sign Blake Bortles to temporarily fill the opening on the practice squad before he's elevated to the active roster to serve as Love's backup Sunday.
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Kyler Murray QB | MIN
Cardinals' Kyler Murray: Not practicing Wednesday
Murray (ankle) wasn't spotted on the field during the media-access portion of Wednesday's practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Murray's absence isn't surprising, given that head coach Kliff Kingsbury previously noted Monday that Murray is considered day-to-day, per Urban. The quarterback's status is currently in flux for Sunday's game against the 49ers, which kicks off among the later wave of games at 4:25 p.m. ET. Colt McCoy would be the next man up for the Cardinals if Murray is unable to play this weekend.
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Aaron Rodgers QB | PIT
Packers' Aaron Rodgers: Out Week 9, could sit Week 10, too
Rodgers (illness), who won't be eligible to play Sunday against the Chiefs after informing teammates Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19, could also be at risk of missing the Packers' Week 10 game against the Seahawks on Nov. 14 due to his status as an unvaccinated player, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garofolo of NFL Network report.
Though Rodgers told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com and other Green Bay media Aug. 26 that he was "immunized," that evidently didn't equate to him being vaccinated. Per NFL COVID-19 protocols, unvaccinated players who test positive for the virus are required to complete a 10-day isolation period and aren't eligible to return until they're no longer exhibiting symptoms. Assuming Wednesday counts as the first day of Rodgers' isolation period, he won't be cleared to rejoin the team before at least Sat., Nov. 13, one day prior to the Packers' matchup with the Seahawks. While the lack of practice reps beforehand isn't an ideal scenario, the Packers would presumably still be comfortable having Rodgers start Week 10 if he does in fact clear the necessary protocols in the minimum amount of the time. With Rodgers out for at least this Sunday's game in Kansas City, however, 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love will make his first career regular-season start in place of the NFL's reigning MVP.
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Jordan Love QB | GB
Packers' Jordan Love: First NFL start on tap
Love will make his first NFL start Sunday against the Chiefs with Aaron Rodgers (illness) ineligible to play Week 9 after testing positive for COVID-19, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
After the Packers were forced to get by without All-Pro wideout Davante Adams in the Week 8 win over the Cardinals following his own positive COVID-19 test, Green Bay will face an even greater challenge Week 9 sans the reigning NFL MVP. Love, the Packers' 2020 first-round pick, has yet to see any extended regular-season action during his career, with his lone two appearances coming in garbage time of a Week 1 blowout loss to the Saints and for a trio of kneeldowns in a Week 2 win over the Lions. Expect head coach Matt LaFleur to simplify the play calls for Love against Kansas City, with the Packers potentially adopting a run-heavy approach so long as the team isn't trailing by a significant margin. According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garofolo of NFL Network, Rodgers is unvaccinated, so he'll require a longer period of time to clear the necessary health and safety protocols than a vaccinated player and won't be a lock to return to action Week 10 against the Seahawks.
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Aaron Rodgers QB | PIT
Packers' Aaron Rodgers: Positive for COVID, out Week 9
Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will miss Sunday's game against the Chiefs, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The Packers have yet to officially confirm the report, but Rodgers will more than likely be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list later Wednesday. Second-year signal-caller Jordan Love is expected to handle the first-team reps in practice this week and make his first NFL start in place of Rodgers in Kansas City.
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Russell Wilson QB | NYG
Seahawks' Russell Wilson: Throwing again after pin removal
Wilson was spotted throwing a football Tuesday, one day after having the pin removed from his injured right middle finger, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Wilson likely isn't yet throwing at full velocity, but his ability to toss the pigskin at all a day following the pin removal suggests he's progressing faster than expected after initially undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in the finger Oct. 8. The Seahawks are on bye this week, but assuming Wilson gradually increases the intensity of his workouts while experiencing no renewed discomfort while throwing, he should be on track to put an end to his three-game absence Nov. 14 at Green Bay in Week 10. While Wilson has been sidelined, Geno Smith has led the Seahawks to a 1-2 record as a replacement starter while completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 7.3 yards per attempt and a 4:0 TD:INT.
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Nathan Peterman QB | ATL
Nathan Peterman: Cut by Raiders
Peterman was released by the Raiders on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Peterman served as the Raiders' backup quarterback after Marcus Mariota (quadriceps) went down during the season opener, but Mariota is now healthy. Peterman has played well in the preseason over the past few years, though he's thrown only five pass attempts in two regular-season appearances since the 2018 campaign.
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Jake Fromm QB | DET
Jake Fromm: Placed on COVID-19 list
Fromm was placed on the Bills' practice squad COVID-19 list Tuesday.
Fromm was selected by the Bills in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft and has been working with the practice squad since. Once he is cleared to resume practicing, he will likely need at least Josh Allen or Mitchell Trubisky to be unable to play to move up from the practice squad.