NFL Player News

Goodwin (foot/ribs) was held out of practice Thursday.

This marks Goodwin's second absence in a row to kick off Week 13 prep, the result of a pair of injuries. He joined Allen Robinson (hamstring) as non-participants, leaving Darnell Mooney as the healthiest of the Bears' top three wide receivers. Friday's practice report could clarify the state of Chicago's receiving corps heading into the weekend.

Darden (concussion) was a full participant at Thursday's practice, Carmen Vitali of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

The 22-year-old picked up the head injury in Week 12 versus the Colts but appears like he will have a shot at being available for Sunday's matchup with the Falcons. He wore a non-contact jersey Thursday, so if he's able to take contact Friday, it would be an encouraging sign. Darden has operated mostly as a return specialist this season, racking up 212 kick-return yards and 87 yards on punts.

Robinson (hamstring) was a non-participant at practice Thursday.

Such has been Robinson's reality since the Bears' Week 10 bye, as he's been listed with DNP next to his name on eight consecutive injury reports in the meantime. He does have one more chance to get on the field this week, but if he doesn't he seems likely to miss a third game in a row. The Bears also held Marquise Goodwin (foot/ribs) out of practice Thursday, so Darnell Mooney is by far the healthiest of the team's top three wide receivers.

Duvernay (thigh) was limited at practice Thursday, Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

After sitting out Wednesday's session, Duvernay is trending in the right direction in advance of Sunday's game against the Steelers. He'll likely need to practice fully Friday, however, in order to avoid a Week 13 injury designation.

Hopkins (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Hopkins and quarterback Kyler Murray (ankle) have logged back-to-back limited listings on Cardinals' injury reports to kick off Week 13 prep. There's an expectation from the team that both players are slated to return to action Sunday in Chicago, barring a setback, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Hopkins has another opportunity Friday to handle every on-field rep, but no matter his activity level in that session the team may provide some insight into his ability to play this weekend. Ultimately, if he's listed as questionable, his status won't be confirmed until 90 minutes before Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.

Claypool (toe) returned to a full practice Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.

As did QB Ben Roethlisberger (pectoral/right shoulder), which sets the stage for the duo to suit up Sunday against the Ravens. After being inactive in Week 10 due to the toe issue he's still managing, Claypool has logged 91 and 98 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps over the past two weeks en route to hauling in eight of his 17 targets for 175 yards in that span. As long as he can stay healthy, Claypool is destined to see a steady flow of wideout looks alongside fellow starter Diontae Johnson.

Smith (illness) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.

According to Tim McManus of ESPN.com, Smith was spotted with a brace protecting the elbow he first hurt Week 9 against the Chargers, but neither that injury nor the non-COVID-19-related ailment that kept him out of Wednesday's walk-through will prevent him from playing Sunday against the Jets. In his return to practice, Smith took reps with the first-team offense with both backup Gardner Minshew and starter Jalen Hurts, who was limited for the second straight day due to a sore ankle. Barring a setback, Hurts still appears likely to give it a go this weekend, so Smith's outlook shouldn't change much from prior weeks.

Benson (knee) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.

Benson was limited Wednesday, but his full participation Thursday puts him on track to suit up Sunday against the Vikings. The rookie wide receiver has eight catches and is still searching for his first touchdown.

Hodge (illness) was limited in Thursday's practice.

This is a step up for Hodge, who was unable to practice Wednesday as the Lions prepare to face Minnesota on Sunday. Hodge has just six catches this season as a depth piece in the Lions' putrid passing attack.

Shepard (quadriceps) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

The limited showing marks Shepard's first recorded practice activity since suffering the quad injury in the Giants' Nov. 1 loss to the Chiefs. Because Shepard missed four weeks and three games due to the injury, the Giants will likely need to see him practice fully Friday in order for him to avoid taking a designation into Sunday's game against the Dolphins. At any rate, Shepard appears to be in a better spot in his recovery from a quad injury than fellow wideout Kadarius Toney, who was a non-participant in Thursday's session while mostly working off to the side with trainers, per Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York. Shepard, meanwhile, stretched with his healthy teammates and took part in some individual work during the open portion of Thursday's practice.