NFL Player News

Hodge logged eight offensive snaps during Sunday's 37-30 win over the Packers.

After a big day in Seattle in Week 17, Hodge returned to more of a special-teams role with Josh Reynolds reinstated from the COVID list. This was nothing new for him, considering he only topped 13 percent of the offensive snaps in one game following Detroit's Week 9 bye. As a result, Hodge will finish the 2021 campaign with 13 receptions on 27 targets for 157 scoreless yards. The Alcorn State product is now set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year with no certainty that he will return to Detroit in 2022.

Benson caught 10 of 22 targets for 103 receiving yards over eight games in 2021.

The Lions acquired Benson from the Broncos in the preseason, but the 24-year-old missed nine of the final 12 games due to coach's decisions and COVID protocols. His future with Detroit seems uncertain despite Benson technically having one year left on his contract.

Reynolds caught one of three targets for 11 yards during Sunday's 37-30 win over the Packers.

Reynolds was back in the starting lineup after missing Week 17 while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. As per usual, he logged a majority of the available offensive snaps. However, Amon-Ra St. Brown remained the focal point of the passing game, while Reynolds experienced a dip from the six targets he averaged in his previous five games. Even though Reynolds had a quiet end to his season, he still proved to be a solid fit with Detroit upon being granted his release from Tennessee mid-season. He'll finish his campaign with 19 catches with 306 yards and two scores over seven games with the Lions after managing 90 scoreless yards in five games with the Titans. A reunion in 2022 seems like a mutually beneficial outcome for both Detroit and the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent.

Hill (heel) was present for Wednesday's practice, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.

The Chiefs will reveal the extent of Hill's participation later Wednesday, when the team issues its first injury report ahead of the team's wild-card matchup Sunday versus the Steelers. Based on his observation of the session, Sweeney suggested that Hill looks good to go for the postseason opener. In the Chiefs' regular-season finale against the Broncos this past weekend, Hill's heel issue limited him to just 14 snaps on offense.

Valdes-Scantling (back) didn't practice Wednesday, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.

Valdes-Scantling apparently isn't ready for practice three days after injuring his back in the second quarter of Green Bay's Week 18 loss to Detroit, but he'll have some extra time to get healthy with his team on bye in the first round of the playoffs. If Valdes-Scantling isn't ready for the next round, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb (groin) will be the top candidates to take on extra snaps and targets.

Boyd was active but didn't play a snap in Sunday's 21-16 loss to the Browns.

Boyd was one of several key Bengals players who sat out the regular-season finale, as the coaching staff wasn't keen on exposing the 27-year-old to injury in a Week 18 game that didn't have much at stake in terms of playoff positioning. As the No. 3 wideout on a talented offense, Boyd had a solid season in 2021, finishing with 67 catches for 828 yards and five scores. His 4.2 receptions per game and 51.8 yards per game were both slightly down from last season, which was mostly a result of rookie first-round pick Ja'Marr Chase stepping into a prominent role right away for Cincinnati. Week 18 aside, Boyd played more than a quarter of the Bengals' offensive plays in all but three of his 16 appearances during the regular season, so he can be expected to reclaim a near-every down role when Cincinnati opens postseason play Saturday against Las Vegas.

Sutton caught one of three targets for 13 yards while also completing his only pass attempt for 16 yards in Saturday's 28-24 loss to the Chiefs.

Sutton ended the season in underwhelming fashion, which was a common refrain through the Broncos' first 16 games. The 26-year-old finishes with 58 catches for 776 yards and just two touchdowns, with shaky quarterback play likely being a significant factor in his disappointing numbers after he inked a four-year, $60.8 million contract extension in November. The Broncos could look to free agency or the draft in order to address their quarterback woes, as neither Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock appear to be the long-term answer at the position. An upgrade at quarterback could be what helps to take this offense to the next level and make Sutton a fantasy star.

Thompson signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks on Tuesday.

Thompson was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad for five games this season and primarily played special teams. He'll remain with Seattle to begin the offseason and should compete for a roster spot in training camp.

Johnson signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks on Tuesday.

Johnson spent all but one week of the season on Seattle's practice squad and will remain with the organization to begin the offseason. The 2020 UDFA out of South Dakota State has yet to make his NFL debut.

Schwartz caught one of three targets for 13 yards and had one carry for three yards in Week 18's 21-16 win over the Bengals.

Schwartz had a drop early in the contest, but that didn't deter the coaches from giving him a season-high 36 snaps. The 2021 third-round draft pick out of Auburn finished with 10 catches on 23 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown on the season, with most of that production coming in Week 1. He also carried the ball six times for 39 yards. Schwartz took hold as the primary kickoff returner during the season and moved as high as third on the wideout depth chart after Cleveland released Odell Beckham, but a mid-season concussion quelled his momentum. The Browns ranked 27th in the NFL with 195.3 passing yards per game, so there could be further turnover in the wide receiver group. Schwartz's affordable contract and versatility will keep him rostered in 2022, but it's way too soon to tell if he gains a greater role.