NFL Player News

McKinnon, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year, intends to sign with a team that will give him a bigger offensive role than he had with the Vikings, ESPN's Courtney Cronin reports. "I want to be the guy," McKinnon said. "I don't put in all the work in the offseason to come back and be in this role. I appreciate the role. It worked out well, but I want bigger and better things for myself."

McKinnon added that he's open to re-signing with the Vikings if they can satisfy his desire for a featured role, but that seems unlikely to be something Minnesota can provide after they invested a 2017 second-round pick in Dalvin Cook (knee) while having Latavius Murray under contract through 2019. It may not be all that likely that another team will afford him that chance either considering McKinnon's averaged just 3.58 yards on 309 carries over the past two seasons. The 2014 third-rounder should still have a number of suitors on the free-agent market, but it seems more probable that he enters the 2018 season as a change-of-pace runner rather than as a lead ballcarrier.

The Jaguars signed Wilds to a reserve/future contract Monday, Mike Kaye of the First Coast News reports.

Wilds is entering his third season in the league after going undrafted out of South Carolina in 2016. He didn't log a snap during the 2017 campaign after suffering a shoulder injury with the Browns in training camp and now joins a stable of Jacksonville running backs that has each of Leonard Fournette, T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory under contract in 2018.

Cook (knee) said Monday that he has started jogging but remains without a firm timetable to return to full football activities, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

The running back is a little over three months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, so his lack of extensive activity to date shouldn't be viewed as a concern at this stage of his recovery. Assuming Cook endures no significant snags during the rehab process, he should be at or near full strength for the beginning of training camp in the summer, though the Vikings will almost certainly monitor his workload carefully during practices. While Latavious Murray and Jerick McKinnon proved to be an effective backfield tandem once the rookie was shut down for the season in Week 5, a healthy Cook profiles as the clear No. 1 back for Minnesota heading into the 2018 campaign.

McKinnon carried 10 times for 40 yards and caught 11 of 12 targets for an additional 86 yards during Sunday's 38-7 loss to the Eagles.

McKinnon managed a respectable four yards per carry against the toughest run defense in the NFL, but he did most of his damage catching short passes as his team played from behind for virtually the entire game. McKinnon enjoyed an increase in his usage as a pass catcher this year, finishing with career highs in targets, catches and receiving yards. He also posted personal bests in rushing yards and total touchdowns, which could support his value on the free-agent market this offseason.

Grant caught all three of his targets for 59 yards and added a two-yard carry during Sunday's 24-20 loss to New England.

Grant caught as many passes, and for more yardage, on Sunday as he did in the entire regular season. More special-teams ace than useful back for much of the season, Grant was active in place of Chris Ivory on Sunday and ripped off catches-and-runs of 24 and 20 yards to set up Jacksonville's first touchdown of the game. Jacksonville is loaded at tailback with Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon, but with Jacksonville's potential ability to get out from Ivory's contract in the offseason, Grant might get more action in 2018.

Gillislee (knee) is inactive for Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars.

Sidelined for a third consecutive game due to a sprained knee, Gillislee will yield the backfield to Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead (knee), any of whom are viable candidates to strike against a Jacksonville defense that allowed 136.2 scrimmage yards per game to running backs during the regular season.

Gillislee (knee) isn't expected to play in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars, ESPN.com reports.

Per the report, Gillislee's knee has "not sufficiently recovered" at this stage. On the plus side for the Patriots, fellow running back Rex Burkhead (knee) is slated to be available Sunday and is on track to work in a rotation with lead back Dion Lewis and change-of-pace option James White.

Gillislee (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC championship game after practicing in a limited fashion this week.

Gillislee -- who is bouncing back from a sprained knee ligament -- may have progressed enough to be available Sunday, though he isn't a lock to play in such a scenario, with Dion Lewis and James White ahead of him on the depth chart and Rex Burkhead (knee) a candidate to return to the Patriots' backfield mix this weekend.

Gillislee (knee) was limited at Wednesday's practice.

Per ESPN's Mike Reiss, Gillislee, who last suited up on Dec. 24, is bouncing back from a sprained ligament in his knee. Gillislee isn't a lock to play in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars even if he is healthy enough to do so, with Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead (knee) -- health permitting -- also in the team's backfield mix.

Head coach Jay Gruden said Kelley (ankle/knee) was rarely healthy during the 2017 season, Stephen Czarda of the Redskins' official site reports. "Rob Kelley, his second game of the year against the Rams, he almost had 100 yards and that's when he hurt his ankle," Gruden relayed. "He never really was quite the same, but when healthy Rob Kelley was very good. Unfortunately, he played in about three or four games not healthy and he just kept returning that ankle and we had to put him on IR."

Gruden's comments don't jibe with reality, at least regarding Kelley's first issue of the campaign. In Week 2, Kelley's departure was blamed on a rib cartilage injury, which forced one DNP before a return Week 4. During the latter contest, he sustained the initial ankle sprain and continued to aggravate it until his placement on injured reserve midseason. When the Redskins ruled Kelley out for the season, two injuries were to blame: a high-ankle sprain and a Grade 1 or 2 MCL sprain. Kelley was one of many dominoes to fall in the backfield during the year, as all of Chris Thompson (fibula), Byron Marshall (hamstring), LeShun Daniels (hand) and Keith Marshall (knee) landed on IR. With Thompson, Samaje Perine, Kelley and Kapri Bibbs under contract for the 2018 season, it'll be interesting to see how the pecking order breaks down during the offseason program.