NFL Player News

Garoppolo (calf) will start Sunday's game against the Colts, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Trey Lance (ankle) is ruled out on the Friday injury report, while Garoppolo has no designation for the game. The veteran QB will suit up for the first time since Week 4, with Nate Sudefeld coming up from the practice squad to provide depth. Garoppolo returns to face the Colts, who have struggled against the pass this year with a 15:5 TD:INT and 7.4 net yards allowed per attempt (sixth worst).

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Mayfield (shoulder) may be ready to practice Monday, but the decision will ultimately be made by team doctors, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports. "I don't know the exact answer to that," Stefanski said, when asked if another week of rest would make a significant difference in the health of Mayfield's left shoulder. "I would just tell you we're going to continue to listen to the medical staff on this, and when he's ready, he's ready."

Mayfield saw his streak of 51 consecutive regular-season starts come to an end in Thursday's 17-14 win over the Broncos, after the Browns' medical staff determined it was best for Mayfield not to play through the complete labrum tear in non-throwing shoulder on a short week. Additionally, Mayfield disclosed to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports that he's tending to a fractured humerus bone, which has prevented him from getting full range of motion in the shoulder. Before being ruled out of the Week 7 contest, Mayfield took all the first-team reps in Tuesday's practice, but the inflammation in his shoulder didn't subside as the medical staff had hoped. With that in mind, Mayfield's ability to return to practice next week will likely hinge on how much the inflammation has dissipated following a few extra days of rest. Mayfield is eventually headed for surgery on the shoulder, but in the meantime, he's hopeful to play through the injury for the rest of the season. Next up for the Browns is an Oct. 31 home game against the Steelers.

Tagovailoa (ribs) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Falcons, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Tagovailoa never advanced beyond limited participation in practice Wednesday through Friday, but the Dolphins are evidently confident in his health coming out of last week's loss to the Jaguars in London. Making his first appearance since Week 2 in that contest after sitting out the previous three games due to fractured ribs, Tagovailoa completed 33 of 47 attempts for 329 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while carrying three times for 22 yards. Rather than any concern about his ribs issue, most of the conversation surrounding Tagovailoa this week has focused on his future in the organization, as the 23-year-old's name has popped up in trade rumors of late. For his part, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores reiterated Friday that Tagovailoa is the team's starting quarterback now and for the foreseeable future, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com.

Lance (knee) isn't practicing Friday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Jimmy Garoppolo (calf) is on track to return and start, while Lance's continued absence suggests Nate Sudfeld will need to be called up from the practice squad before Sunday's game against the Colts. The rookie QB hasn't practiced since spraining his MCL in the Week 5 loss to Arizona.

Bridgewater (foot/quadriceps) completed 23 of 33 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Broncos' 17-14 loss to the Browns on Thursday night. He also rushed twice for three yards.

Battling multiple lower-body injuries, Bridgewater turned in a reasonably effective effort, connecting with seven different pass catchers along the way. The veteran signal-caller hit each of his primary running backs on his pair of touchdown tosses, linking up with Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams from eight and 10 yards out, respectively, in the second half. Bridgewater did toss an interception for the third straight game, with all five of his picks on the season having come during that span. The hobbled 28-year-old will now have some extra rest days ahead of a Week 8 home matchup with Washington a week from Sunday.

Keenum completed 21 of 33 passes for 199 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in the Browns' 17-14 win over the Broncos on Thursday night. He also rushed four times for seven yards.

Logging the spot start for Baker Mayfield (shoulder), Keenum turned in a yeoman's effort, staying away from turnovers and allowing D'Ernest Johnson to carry the bulk of the offense on his shoulders out of the backfield. The veteran also displayed good pocket presence by taking just one sack against an aggressive Denver defense, and he undoubtedly benefited from having both Odell Beckham (shoulder) and Jarvis Landry (knee) active for the contest. Mayfield's myriad of shoulder and rotator cuff issues currently have his return timeline in limbo, so it remains to be seen if Keenum will get the call again in a key Week 8 AFC North home matchup against the Steelers a week from Sunday.

Mayfield has been diagnosed with a fractured humerus bone, in addition to a completely torn labrum in his left shoulder, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports.

Mayfield suffered what was termed at the time a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, but he revealed earlier this week that it's a complete tear. The issue became noteworthy when he aggravated it this past Sunday against the Cardinals, and now the true extent of the injury is known. Mayfield further told Glazer, "I need that fracture to heal for me to get back out there." It's unclear if this means Mayfield is due for a multi-game absence while he rehabs and recovers, but the Browns will turn over the offense to Case Keenum for at least Thursday's contest versus the Broncos.

Bridgewater (foot/quadriceps) is listed as active Thursday at Cleveland.

During the Broncos' Week 6 loss to the Raiders, Bridgewater incurred 17 quarterback hits and five sacks, emerging from the contest with foot and quad injuries. The issues combined to limit his practice reps Monday through Wednesday, but despite it all he'll be out there for Denver's first offensive snap Thursday. The Broncos appear confident Bridgewater will be able to handle everything thrown his way with the decision to make reserve QB Brett Rypien inactive. As a result, the team has only dressed Bridgewater and backup Drew Lock.

Garoppolo (calf) was limited at practice Thursday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

With back-to-back capped sessions following the 49ers' bye week, Garoppolo is making a play to take the field for the first time since the first half of the team's Week 4 loss to the Seahawks. As for rookie signal-caller Trey Lance, he hasn't practiced this week due to the left knee sprain he suffered while filling in for Garoppolo in Week 5. Coach Kyle Shanahan may determine the fate of both quarterbacks upon the release of Friday's injury report, but Garoppolo appears as if he'll be under center Sunday against the Colts.

Tagovailoa (ribs) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.

After he was listed as limited for Wednesday's walk-through session, Tagovailoa maintained that level of activity while the Dolphins held a more traditional practice Thursday. At this stage, the team hasn't suggested that Tagovailoa has experienced any setbacks in his return from a three-game absence last weekend, so he's still expected to suit up Sunday against the Falcons. Though his name has popped up in trade rumors of late amid the Dolphins' five-game losing streak, Tagovailoa appears in no danger of ceding the starting quarterback job to Jacoby Brissett so long as he's healthy and remains on the roster.