NFL Player News

Thomas was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report due to a rib injury.

Knee and calf issues have previously resulted in Thomas being listed on injury reports this season, and a new health concern is inhibiting him to kick off Week 11 prep. He'll have a pair of sessions to get back to full activity before the Commanders potentially tab him with a designation for Sunday's game in Houston.

Njoku (ankle) didn't practice Wednesday, Anthony Poisal of the Browns' official site reports.

Njoku, who last suited up Week 7, has two more chances to return to practice ahead of Sunday's game against the Bills. If he ends up sitting out a third consecutive game, Harrison Bryant and Pharaoh Brown would once again continue to see the majority of the snaps at tight end for Cleveland.

Bellinger (eye) didn't practice Wednesday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Bellinger has already missed two games after fracturing his left eye socket Week 7 against the Jaguars. He's in danger of missing another game this weekend against the Lions, though he expects to play again this season.

Woods (shoulder) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday.

Woods is back at practice after missing last week's win over the Raiders. His absence freed up a bit more playing time for Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox, with the former taking advantage by catching each of his four targets for 57 yards. None of the three tight ends is likely to see more than three or four targets in any given game, even if one of the group is unavailable. It's unclear at this point if Woods will be ready for Sunday's matchup with Philadelphia.

Kmet missed Wednesday's practice due to a thigh injury.

Along with quarterback Justin Fields, Kmet has been on fire the past three games, gathering in 11 of 15 targets for 126 yards and five touchdowns during that stretch. His five touchdowns on the season places Kmet tied for second among true tight ends in the NFL, trailing only Travis Kelce (eight). There's no telling if Kmet's current health concern threatens his availability for Sunday's game in Atlanta, but his status will continue to be watched as the week goes on.

Andrews (shoulder/knee) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

According to Hensley, Andrews wasn't spotted during the early portion of the session, but he apparently took the field Wednesday once practice was closed to the media. The limited showing marks his first practice activity of any kind since he suffered his injuries Week 8. With that, Andrews appears to be trending in the right direction as Sunday's game against the Panthers approaches.

Goedert (shoulder) said Wednesday that he hopes to return from injured reserve after a minimum four-week stay and play in a Dec. 18 game against the Bears in Week 15, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Though Goedert is eyeing a minimum-length stay on IR, a decision on when he's available to play again will ultimately hinge on how his shoulder responds in the coming weeks. The Eagles are left with Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra and Tyree Jackson at tight end, but none of those three players are likely to directly inherit the 5.8 targets per game that Goedert has averaged this season.

Ricci (neck) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Ricci was forced out of Thursday's win over the Falcons early due to a neck issue, and he hasn't yet managed a return to full health. The fullback will have two more chances to upgrade his practice activity ahead of Sunday's road matchup against Baltimore.

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed Wednesday that Ertz (knee) is scheduled for surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2022 season, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

A second opinion apparently confirmed that Ertz won't be able to play again this season. Rookie Trey McBride took on a three-down role following Ertz's departure from the Cardinals' Week 10 win over the Rams, but Arizona could also look to get Stephen Anderson involved down the stretch. Ertz is under contract through 2024, with $4 million of his 2023 salary fully guaranteed and another $3 million guaranteed for injury, per Spotrac.com.

Andrews (shoulder/knee) isn't practicing Wednesday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Head coach John Harbaugh expressed optimism Monday that Andrews would be ready to play after the Ravens' Week 10 bye. Andrews' availability this weekend is no sure thing, especially with the tight end missing another practice as the Ravens prepare for Sunday's game against Carolina. Rookie tight end Isaiah Likely will have a key role again if Andrews misses another game.