NFL Player News

Robinson secured one of two targets for 23 yards during Monday's 27-9 wild-card victory against the Vikings.

Robinson was on the field for 38 of the Rams' 53 snaps on offense, eclipsed only by Puka Nacua, but he didn't garner much attention from Matthew Stafford on a slow day overall for the Rams' passing game. Robinson's lone catch came in the first quarter, and he saw only one more target the rest of the way, which falls in line with his volume in the latter half of the regular season. The Eagles, who kept Jordan Love and the Packers contained in their own 22-10 wild-card win, are up next for Robinson and the Rams in the divisional round.

Kupp caught his lone target for 29 yards during the Rams' 27-9 wild-card victory over the Vikings on Monday night.

The veteran wideout saw his playing time reduced significantly in the Rams' playoff opener, taking the field for just 29 out of 53 snaps on offense. Kupp's only catch of the contest came in the third quarter, converting a third-and-long to set up a Joshua Karty 44-yard field goal. While Kupp's quiet performance may be concerning, it came on a night in which Tyler Higbee (chest) led the team with 58 yards receiving on just 12 snaps, so the Rams' passing attack as a whole was fairly muted. Kupp will have a chance to bounce back in the divisional round against the Eagles.

The Texans waived Johnson on Tuesday.

In moving on from Johnson, the Texans appear to be comfortable proceeding with Nico Collins, Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie as their receiver group for the remainder of the postseason. Claimed off waivers from the Ravens in late December, Johnson played a total of 38 offensive snaps for the Texans across two contests, which came in Week 18 against the Titans (22) and in last Saturday's wild-card playoff win over the Chargers (16). He accrued three catches for 24 scoreless yards in the two games and was seemingly dissatisfied with his muted role on offense, as Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston relays that the 28-year-old was visibly upset following Saturday's win and needed to be calmed down by teammates. Johnson will now be looking for a fourth team this season, though it would be surprising if another playoff team added him to its roster. Assuming he clears waivers and becomes a free agent, Johnson will be seeking his fifth team in less than a calendar year after stints with Pittsburgh, Carolina, Baltimore and Houston.

Dell is expected to require multiple surgeries to address damage to his left knee, the first of which he's scheduled to undergo Wednesday, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 25-year-old will face a long road back from the severe season-ending knee injury he sustained in the Texans' Dec. 21 loss to Kansas City. In addition to tearing the ACL, MCL and LCL in his knee, Dell also dislocated the knee and suffered damage to his meniscus. Given the nature of the injury and the multiple surgeries he'll require to repair the damage, the wideout's recovery will likely extend well into the 2025 season and potentially keep him sidelined for the entire campaign. The Texans may have a clearer timeline for Dell's return by the start of training camp, when he should be a few months removed from the last of his procedures. He concluded his second NFL season with 51 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns on 81 targets over 14 regular-season games.

Coleman caught one of three targets for five yards in Sunday's 31-7 wild-card win over the Broncos.

Coleman had a disappointing wild-card performance, as his five receiving yards marked his lowest total in a contest in which he caught at least one pass. The rookie wideout played 46 of the Bills' 76 offensive snaps in the contest, the second-most snaps of any Buffalo wide receiver behind Mack Hollins (52). Next up for the Bills is a divisional-round matchup against the Ravens on Jan. 19. Coleman will look to bounce back and be more involved in what projects to be a high-scoring affair against Baltimore.

Vele failed to secure either of his two targets in Sunday's 31-7 wild-card loss to the Bills.

Vele failed to record a single catch for just the second time this season while playing just 22 of the Broncos 42 offensive snaps against this Bills, his lowest snap total of the campaign. Despite the rough ending, the wideout turned in a solid rookie season. Vele finished the year with 41 receptions on 55 targets for 475 yards and three touchdowns across 13 games. The 27-year-old should continue to develop in head coach Sean Payton's system while potentially earning an even larger role in the Broncos' passing attack in 2025.

Nacua secured five of nine targets for 44 yards in the Rams' 27-9 wild-card win over the Vikings on Monday night.

Nacua finished tied with Tyler Higbee (chest) for the team lead in catches while also setting the pace in targets, but following a 27-yard catch on the first play from scrimmage, the talented wideout had a very quiet night. The Vikings clearly prioritized limiting his ability to get downfield, but it remains to be seen if the Eagles will be as successful in Sunday afternoon's divisional-round road showdown after Nacua got to them for a 9-117-0 line on 13 targets during Philadelphia's Week 12 win over Los Angeles.

Jefferson secured five of eight targets for 58 yards in the Vikings' 27-9 wild-card loss to the Rams on Monday.

Jefferson's ordinary stat line Monday underscores how effective the Rams defense was versus Minnesota's air attack while getting to Sam Darnold for a remarkable nine sacks. The constant pressure combined with the extra attention paid to Jefferson made it difficult for the supremely talented receiver to get loose downfield for his trademark long gains, and although he finished tied for the team lead in both targets and receptions, his yardage total left plenty to be desired. Jefferson displayed plenty of chemistry with Darnold while posting the third-highest reception and receiving yardage totals of his career during the regular season, finishing with 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns over 17 games. The standout receiver, who will be entering the first season of his four-year, $140 million extension in 2025, may be operating with a new quarterback. Darnold is set to become a free agent, and the Vikings invested a 2024 first-round pick in J.J. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie campaign with a knee injury but remains a promising prospect.

Shepard, who was active for Sunday night's 23-20 wild-card loss to the Commanders but did not log any touches over 27 snaps, finished the 2024 regular season with 32 receptions for 334 yards and a touchdown on 51 targets along with eight rushes for 69 yards across 14 games.

The veteran wideout was signed partly due to his college connection with Baker Mayfield, and Shepard ended up proving he still had something left in the tank after three injury-hampered and mostly ineffective seasons to cap off his long tenure with the Giants. Shepard ended up playing a bigger role than first envisioned due to Chris Godwin's season-ending ankle injury, recording at least four catches in four games and exceeding 40 receiving yards on four occasions as well. Shepard's season-long reception and receiving yardage totals outpaced the combined 23 catches and 211 yards he'd mustered in his final two Giants campaigns in 2022 and 2023, while his eight rush attempts represented a new career high. Shepard once again will be an unrestricted free agent come the new league year in March, and it's possible the Buccaneers opt to move on considering Godwin's expected return and Jalen McMillan's emergence over the course of his rookie year.

Johnson signed a reserve/future contract with the Chargers on Monday.

Johnson signed with the Chargers in late April as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia. He was signed to the Bolts' practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp, and he made his NFL regular-season debut in Week 8 against the Saints, during which he played four snaps (one offense, three special teams) but did not show up in the box score otherwise. The 24-year-old wide receiver will have an opportunity to develop his skill set under the Chargers' coaching staff during the offseason and will look to earn a spot on the 53-man roster for the 2025 campaign.