NFL Player News

Edwards-Helaire (ankle/hip) remained limited at practice Thursday.

Meanwhile, Le'Veon Bell (knee) didn't practice Thursday, which sets the stage for Friday's session to be pivotal with regard to the official status -- heading into Championship weekend -- of two key members of the Kansas City's backfield. At present, Darrel Williams is the team's top healthy running back option. Edwards-Helaire -- who led the Chiefs with 803 rushing yards in 13 regular-season outings -- last saw game action Week 15.

Jones (quad/finger) was limited at practice Thursday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Jones picked up a few bumps and bruises near the end of the regular season and prior to Tampa Bay's playoff opener at Washington. While he only played 29 percent of the offensive snaps during the divisional-round win in New Orleans, he churned out a healthy 62 yards on 13 rushes (4.8 YPC). In the same game, Leonard Fournette led the Bucs backfield, turning 22 touches into 107 yards from scrimmage and one TD. Assuming Jones is able to suit up again Sunday at Green Bay, he seems poised to play second fiddle to Fournette yet again.

Homer (knee) is one of three running backs under contract with the Seahawks for 2021, Lindsey Wisniewski of SI.com reports.

Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde and Alex Collins can all become unrestricted free agents, while Homer, Rashaad Penny (knee) and DeeJay Dallas are still on rookie contracts. Homer, a 2019 sixth-round pick, has mostly served as a passing-down specialist to this point in his career, handling a role that emphasizes blocking. He finished 2020 on injured reserve with a knee injury, but coach Pete Carroll hinted that the 22-year-old might have bene able to return if the Seahawks had made a deep playoff run. It thus stands to reason that Homer should be healthy before the start of the offseason program in April/May, though he may end up on the roster bubble anyway.

McKinnon said he won't be re-signing with the 49ers, KNBR.com reports.

McKinnon used some pretty strong language, leaving no doubt he plans to find a new team. After missing the entire 2018 and 2019 campaigns due to knee injuries, the veteran running back played all 16 games in 2020, taking 81 carries for 319 yards and five touchdowns and adding 33 catches for 253 yards and another score. McKinnon made starts in Weeks 3,4, 9 and 10, but he otherwise worked as a passing-down specialist, getting just four carries over San Francisco's final six games of the season. He can become an unrestricted free agent in March, and he'll turn 29 in May.

The Steelers could try to re-sign Conner, but they won't necessarily bring him back as their starting running back, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Conner was the team's lead back for the final three season of his rookie contract, starting with a breakout 2018 in which he piled up 1,470 total yards and 13 touchdowns in 13 games. He sunk to 715 yards and seven TDs in 10 games the next season, before putting up 936 yards and six scores across 13 appearances in 2020. The 2017 third-round pick can become an unrestricted free agent in March, two months prior to his 26th birthday. Staying in Pittsburgh might give him his best shot at a starting job, though it would depend on the team's other transactions in free agency and the draft. None of the guys behind Conner in the Pittsburgh backfield -- Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, Jaylen Samuels -- was able to make a significant impact in 2020, with the team finishing dead last in both rushing yards (1,351) and yards per carry (3.6).

Clement finished the 2020 season with 20 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown in 15 games, while adding five catches on six targets for 25 more yards.

Clement was only involved in the Eagles offense when Miles Sanders was out. Even then, it was only minimal involvement as pint-sized Boston Scott took over as the lead back in those several games. The 27-year-old former Super Bowl hero now heads into unrestricted free agency.

The Colts activated Wilkins from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.

Wilkins missed Indianapolis' final two games of 2020 after being placed on list, but he's now eligible to return to the team facility. Over his 15 regular-season appearances in 2020, Wilkins logged 84 carries for 308 yards and a touchdown while also securing 12 of 16 targets for 105 yards.

The Packers listed Williams as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report with an ankle injury.

Fellow running back AJ Dillon (quadriceps) was also listed as limited. The Packers will provide another update on Williams' condition when the team practices again Thursday, but so far, there's nothing to suggest that he's in any danger of missing Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers listed Jones as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report with finger and calf injuries.

Jones was nursing a quadriceps injury heading into last weekend's divisional-round game in New Orleans, but he ultimately suited up and rushed 13 times for 62 yards in the Buccaneers' win. Though he's now contending with new injuries coming out of that contest, the running back may just have been limited in practice for maintenance purposes ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Packers.

The Packers listed Dillon (quadriceps) as a limited participant in practice Wednesday.

Dillon was forced out of last weekend's divisional-round win over the Rams after handling just six carries (for 27 yards), so it's encouraging to see him already back on the practice field in some capacity. If the rookie running back is able to prove his health in time for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Buccaneers, he'll rank as the third option in a backfield headlined by Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.