NFL Player News

Williams (toe) didn't practice Thursday, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.

Williams missed Wednesday's practice as well, so what he's able to do Friday will be telling with regard to his chances of suiting up for Sunday's divisional-round game against the Bills. While Williams' status for the contest is cloudy for now, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) has been practicing this week and thus is trending toward a return to action versus Buffalo. In Kansas City's wild-card win over the Steelers this past weekend, Williams logged just eight snaps on offense and one carry, while Jerick McKinnon led the team's backfield with 12 carries on 51 snaps.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said Thursday that Henry (foot) has been taking more reps in each successive practice since the Titans designated him for return from injured reserve Jan. 5, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports.

Vrabel wouldn't tip his hand regarding if Henry will be available for Saturday's divisional-round game against the Bengals, as the Titans plan to reassess the running back Friday before deciding on his status. In order for Henry to be eligible to play this weekend, Tennessee will have to activate him from IR no later than 4 p.m. ET on Friday, so clarity on his availability (or lack thereof) should arrive by that point. If the Titans elect to hold Henry out for their postseason opener, D'Onta Foreman would be in line to serve as the team's lead option on the ground, as was the case for much of the second half of the regular season.

Mitchell (knee) practiced fully Wednesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Mitchell has managed an uncapped session earlier than he did the previous three weeks as he puts his bout with knee irritation further in the rear-view mirror. During the recent three-game stretch, he averaged 24 touches for 100 yards from scrimmage per game while totaling two touchdowns. Mitchell will look to keep it going Saturday in the divisional round, taking on a Packers defense that has allowed 4.3 yards per carry (17th-most in the NFL) and 14 touchdowns (tied for 20th-most) to running backs in 17 regular-season contests.

Barner netted no gain on four carries and returned six punts for 47 yards across three games during the 2021 season.

The veteran back has shuttled back and forth between the practice squad and active roster, most recently garnering active status for the wild-card win over the Eagles on Sunday but not recording any stats. Barner is essentially emergency depth for the Buccaneers, and as was evident Sunday, even injuries to the backfield's top two options far from guarantee he can see any action from scrimmage. Additionally, as long as Jaelon Darden is healthy, the speedy rookie appears to have the full-time return job secured, which cuts off Barner's primary route to even getting on the field.

Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) practiced fully Wednesday.

Edwards-Helaire didn't practice this past Thursday and Friday before ultimately being ruled out ahead of Kansas City's win over Pittsburgh in the wild-card round, but the running back's return to a full session to begin the current week presumably paves the way for him to return to the field Sunday against the Bills in the divisional round. With that in mind, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com relays that head coach Andy Reid noted that Edwards-Helaire "moved around well" Wednesday, but reiterated that the real test for the 2020 first-round pick will come Thursday.

Jones (ankle) didn't take part in Wednesday's practice.

Jones has yet to step on the practice field since injuring his ankle in the Week 17 win over the Jets. As for the rest of the Buccaneers backfield, Leonard Fournette (hamstring) remains on injured reserve, and Giovani Bernard (hip/knee) was a limited participant Wednesday, leaving Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Le'Veon Bell and practice squad member Kenjon Barner as the healthy options at the position. Until Jones joins his teammates in some drills, he doesn't seem like a candidate to be available for Sunday's divisional-round matchup with the Rams.

Clement finished the regular season with 33 carries for 140 rushing yards and six catches on seven targets for 29 yards and a touchdown.

While he suited up for all 17 games in his first season with Dallas, Clement was mainly used on special teams and saw double-digit snaps on offense only three times. He was able to score his only TD against his former club the Eagles in Week 18, however. A free agent in the offseason, Clement could return to the Cowboys but will fill a depth role in the backfield wherever he ends up in 2022.

Williams (toe) didn't practice Wednesday, while Clyde Edwards-Helaire participated in some capacity, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.

Williams played through the injury in Sunday's 42-21 win over the Steelers, but he was limited to a backup role (eight snaps) and finished with four yards and a lost fumble (which T.J. Watt returned for a touchdown). With Edwards-Helaire missing the game altogether, Jerick McKinnon was the lead back and ultimately took 18 touches for 142 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs' coaching staff hasn't revealed whether McKinnon will get the chance to repeat that workload Sunday against Buffalo in the divisional round, with Edwards-Helaire perhaps now the bigger threat than Williams.

Henry (foot) responded well to contact Tuesday and will now continue practicing throughout the rest of the week, with the Titans likely waiting until Friday to decide on his availability for Saturday's divisional-round game against Cincinnati, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

The fact that the Titans made Henry available to speak to the media Wednesday might be taken as another sign he's headed in the right direction, especially after the running back said that his surgically repaired foot didn't feel any different than it did pre-injury, despite him having a steel plate inserted a couple months ago, per Davenport. Henry will still need to make it through a couple more practices without setbacks, and he may not quite be in peak condition after the long layoff, but he should have a big role if he plays. To that end, neither player nor the coaching staff provided much hint on workload expectations for Saturday, with offensive coordinator Todd Downing merely saying Henry would be "monitored in the game" if he's "given the green light," according to Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site.

The Browns signed Kelly to a reserve/future contract Wednesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Kelly made four appearances for the Browns this season and played almost exclusively on special teams. However, he did see three offensive snaps in Week 7 and totaled two rushes for 13 yards during the game. With Kareem Hunt, Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton all under contract for 2022, it's likely Kelly will garner a similar workload for Cleveland next year.