NFL Player News

Taylor, who's still recovering from core muscle surgery, says he'd like to return, BuffaloBills.com reports. "Of course," said the quarterback this week. "I know the team very well. I know how close we are as a team. I know the talent that we have on the team. We can be a very special team, especially with the right leadership, and I believe we have some coaches in that are definitely ready to go out there and make us work and get things turned around. So definitely looking forward to seeing what they can bring."

We'll see if the feeling is mutual after the team got all wishy-washy on him down the stretch amid the Rex Ryan firing. While Taylor has his flaws, he did put up a lot of points with a banged-up offense and has proven to be a good protector of the ball, with 37 touchdown passes and just 12 picks over his two seasons as Buffalo's starter. Plus there may be no one else available that's any better. At issue remains his lack of size as well as troubles bringing the team back from deficits. One thing to note is that Taylor worked with new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison while he was a backup with the Ravens, and is quite familiar with the offense Dennison plans to roll out.

Hoyer (forearm) is "all set" to return to football-related activities, Crain's Cleveland reports.

Hoyer ended the 2016 campaign on injured reserve due to a broken left forearm suffered in Week 7 against the Packers. Now roughly three months removed from corrective surgery, he stated he's received clearance from his doctor to resume football activities, a fortunate development for the quarterback who's set to hit unrestricted free agency.

Siemian (shoulder) is progressing well after shoulder surgery, 9News Denver reports.

Siemian is roughly four weeks removed from minor surgery to his left, non-throwing shoulder and is currently sporting an arm sling to aid his recovery. However, he appears to have avoided any and all setbacks thus far into his rehabilitation, and should therefore be out of the sling in a little over two weeks.

Carr, whose season ended due to a broken right fibula, suffered a fractured right pinkie finger in Week 12, The Mercury News reports.

Carr's offseason focus will rightfully be rehabilitation on his right leg, but prior to the devastating injury, he was toughing out what was believed to be a dislocated finger at the time. In his first two games with the ailment in tow, he completed a measly 36 of 76 passes while averaging just short of 5.0 yards per attempt. He displayed increased comfort in his final two appearances, surpassing 60 percent passing in both outings, as he did in each of the first 11 contests of the year. After Carr went down for good in Week 16, the Raiders' fortunes were effectively sealed, losing out on the AFC West title in the regular-season finale and dropping out of the postseason, 27-14, to the Texans in the wild-card round. If all goes as planned in his recovery, he should be healthy enough to take part in the majority of the offseason program.

Stafford (finger) skipped the 2017 Pro Bowl in order to rest his injured middle finger, MLive.com reports.

Stafford dislocated his right middle finger (on his throwing hand) in Week 14 against the Bears. While he finished out the regular season and also suited up for the Lions' lone playoff game in Seattle, Stafford missed the Pro Bowl because he opted for rest over surgery as a means to recover. However, it isn't clear how much rest his finger may require, or if his treatment plan will delay the start of his offseason preparation.

Tannehill's advanced progress through rehab makes it unlikely that he'll require reconstructive knee surgery this offseason, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports.

Tannehill sustained a partial ACL tear and MCL sprain on Dec. 11 but has since improved the stability of his knee through many strength-focused exercises. In fact, the knee is doing so well that he's already able to play basketball as part of his rehab. While that has proven his knee's ability to tolerate sudden movements, Tannehill still has an MRI scheduled for Monday, at which point his outlook could be updated. As it stands, the quarterback is not believed to need full ACL surgery, but it's still possible that he could travel to Germany to undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy to promote further healing. Whether that happens or not, there's currently confidence that Tannehill's knee will be stable enough for him to be ready to start next season.

Bridgewater's (knee) agent, Kennard McGuire, told Adam Schefter of ESPN that the quarterback doesn't have a defined recovery timetable, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports. "I would not overreact to a story that has zero substance and no credibility," McGuire added.

Bridgewater suffered a devastating left knee injury on Aug. 30, tearing multiple ligaments and dislocating the joint. There has been scant reporting during his rehabilitation, likely due to the year-plus recovery that accompanies such ailments. Since the end of the campaign, head coach Mike Zimmer has reaffirmed the Vikings' company line twice, stating the team is unsure when Bridgewater will be healthy enough to contribute but wouldn't rule out the potential that he's available at some point during the 2017 campaign. Nonetheless, a report Friday from Bleacher Report said Bridgewater will likely miss a second consecutive season, as he won't be 100 percent until March of 2017. While it's certainly possible, the Vikings will continue to tread carefully with the 2014 first-round pick.

Bridgewater (knee) is projected to miss the entire 2017 season, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reports.

Bridgewater missed the whole 2016 campaign after suffering a severe knee injury during a preseason practice, and although Vikings coach Mike Zimmer recently said there's still no timetable for his return, the report relays that team doctors estimated Bridgewater would need 19 months to recover. By that timeline, he won't be fully healthy until March of next year, which would keep him sidelined for a second straight season. While it remains to be seen whether that actually happens, Zimmer said earlier this month that Sam Bradford -- whom Minnesota acquired following Bridgewater's injury -- has earned the team's starting quarterback role, so there may not be a job waiting for 2014's No. 32 pick when he eventually returns.

The Dolphins still haven't decided whether or not Tannehill will need knee surgery, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports.

It's been six weeks since Tannehill suffered the knee injury that was diagnosed as a sprain to his ACL and MCL. While it's not unusual for a decision to take a week or two as doctors wait for the swelling to diminish, a month and a half seems a bit out of the ordinary. As long as Tannehill doesn't need an ACL reconstruction, the additional wait time shouldn't change his availability for the 2017 season opener. However, if reconstruction is needed, then all bets would be off as to whether or not Tannehill would be ready for Week 1 of the 2017 campaign.

Team president Bruce Allen said Tuesday that the Redskins will do everything in their power to keep Cousins, an unrestricted free agent, in Washington next season and beyond, Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post reports. "Kirk's our quarterback," Allen reiterated. "He played well the last two years, and I know there's other speculation, but it doesn't come from the Redskins."

After he broke out in 2015, there was similar talk last offseason from Washington's brass about Cousins being "our long-term quarterback," but ultimately the franchise tag was required to ensure he stuck with the only organization he's ever known. While the franchise tag is again an option, the price will be ever steeper, meaning the bottom line will likely guide the Redskins' thinking this time around. As one of three quarterbacks to surpass the 4,900-yard threshold in 2016, Cousins' potential salary can be expected to carve out a large portion of the team's available cap.