NFL Player News

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.

Morris signed a reserve/future contract with the Colts.

After spending the season on the Colts' practice squad, the second-year quarterback will now be given another chance to secure a spot on the team's 53-man roster in 2017.

Vaughan signed a reserve/future contract with the Ravens.

Vaughan spent the preseason with the Steelers before breaking his thumb, which led to his release from the team. He'll look to compete for a spot on the Ravens' depth chart behind starter Joe Flacco.

Taylor was named as an alternate for the upcoming Pro Bowl, but won't be able to play in the game due to his recovery from core muscle surgery, BuffaloBills.com reports.

Taylor won't get official Pro Bowl status since he won't be able to play in the exhibition. His recovery isn't supposed to last long into the offseason, while the big question mark is whether there Bills decide to bring him back as the guy who leads the offense in Year 1 of the Sean McDermott era.

Lynch is preparing for a new system under new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, The Denver Post reports.

McCoy's hire, and new head coach Vance Joseph's emphasis on the offense fitting the players, should be welcome news for Lynch, who seldom seemed comfortable in Gary Kubiak's offense that was predicated on being under center and relying on play action. McCoy, of course, has adapted to fit the skill sets of Jake Delhomme, Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, and Philip Rivers during his career, so it would be fair to assume that he'll be willing to open it up a little more and incorporate some of what Lynch did at Memphis just as he took from Florida's playbook when playing Tebow. There will be a push for the more physically gifted Lynch to win the job over Trevor Siemian this offseason, and a key determining factor will be how Lynch adjusts to learning a new offense. Look for Musgrave, who played under Kubiak during the latter's first stint in Denver, to serve as a translator between the two systems.

Rodgers completed 27 of 45 passes for 287 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while rushing four times for 46 yards in Sunday's 44-21 NFC championship game loss to Atlanta.

The Rodgers-led Packers offense was shut out in the first half, and couldn't break the ice until he found Davante Adams from two yards out to make it 31-7 with 9:19 left in the third quarter. He later added touchdowns to Jordy Nelson and Jared Cook, but that production was much too little too late. Rodgers was intercepted by Ricardo Allen in the first half, and had another pick reversed by the replay official on his second scoring drive. While the star quarterback did a great job of running the table to get his team to this point following a 4-6 start, there's no doubt the better team prevailed Sunday.