NFL Player News

The Falcons announced Wednesday that Cousins will take over as their starting quarterback beginning with Sunday's game at New Orleans after a second opinion confirmed that Michael Penix (knee) will require season-ending surgery to address a partially torn left ACL, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.

Cousins already looked to be in line to start at least four games after the Falcons relayed Monday that Penix would be headed to injured reserve, but now that the 25-year-old quarterback has been confirmed to need season-ending surgery, Cousins' run atop the depth chart will be extended. Per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com, head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday that Easton Stick will be signed to the 53-man roster to work as Cousins' backup, while Kyle Trask will replace Stick on the team's practice squad. Cousins hasn't been productive in limited opportunities this season, as the Falcons have scored just one touchdown across the 17 offensive drives he's led so far (not counting kneel-downs). Though he draws a favorable matchup for his second start of the season against the 2-8 Saints, Cousins will have to make do without one of his top pass-catching options in Drake London (knee), who is week-to-week with a PCL injury.

With Gabriel still in concussion protocol, per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Shedeur Sanders will draw the start at quarterback for the Browns on Sunday against the Raiders.

When asked what the Browns' QB plans are after Week 12, coach Kevin Stefanski noted that at this stage he won't look beyond Sunday's contest. In any case, Gabriel is not in line to practice Wednesday, while Sanders is poised to make his first career regular-season start this weekend.

The Falcons confirmed Wednesday that Penix sustained a partially torn ACL in his left knee during the team's Week 11 loss to Carolina, and he will require full reconstructive surgery to address the injury, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports. Atlanta officially placed Penix him on injured reserve.

Penix will face, at a minimum, a nine-month recovery upon going under the knife. As a result, Penix is unlikely to be a full participant in the Falcons' offseason program, and his status for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign could also be in jeopardy. In addition to damaging his ACL, Penix also aggravated the pre-existing bone bruise in the knee. Even before going down with the injury Sunday, the 2024 first-round pick already had a checkered medical history, as he required surgeries to repair the ACL in his right knee in 2018 and 2020, and he also had college seasons end early in 2019 and 2021 due to shoulder injuries. Kirk Cousins will lead Atlanta under center for the remainder of the 2025 season, and the team will likely enter the offseason with additional incentive to secure a capable backup option behind Penix. The 25-year-old will finish his second professional campaign having completed 166 of 276 pass attempts (60.1 percent) for 1,982 yards (7.2 YPA), nine touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 70 yards and another score on 21 carries over his nine starts.

The Bengals announced Wednesday that Gesicki (pectoral) has been designated to return from IR.

Gesicki will now kick off a 21-day window wherein he can practice without counting against the active roster. He can be added to the 53-man roster at any point in that span, making him tentatively eligible to retake the field as early as Sunday's game against the Patriots, health pending. Once fully healthy, Gesicki is expected to reclaim the No. 1 tight end role in Cincinnati from Noah Fant.

Sanders will draw the start at quarterback for the Browns on Sunday against the Raiders, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, coach Kevin Stefanski noted Wednesday that Dillon Gabriel remains in concussion protocol, which sets the stage for Sanders -- who stepped in at QB after Gabriel exited the Browns' Week 11 loss to the Ravens -- to make his first career NFL regular-season start this weekend. When asked whether Sanders might hold on the the starting assignment beyond Week 12, Stefanski said that he won't look beyond Sunday. In any case, Sanders represents a lineup option for those in need of signal-caller help, especially with four teams on bye.

Palmer (knee/ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and does not carry an injury designation for Thursday's game against the Texans.

Palmer was limited due to knee and ankle injuries Monday and Tuesday, but he'll be available Thursday to potentially take advantage of absences elsewhere in Buffalo's receiving corps. Top tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) will not suit up on the road versus Houston, while depth wideouts Curtis Samuel (elbow/neck) and Mecole Hardman (calf) will also be unavailable. Palmer returned to action from a three-game absence Week 11 versus Tampa Bay, securing two of five targets for 17 yards.

Njoku (knee) is not expected to practice Wednesday, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Njoku previously dealt with a knee injury in October, which forced him to sit out Week 7 versus Miami, but it remains to be seen whether his current issue is related. If Njoku isn't able to suit up Sunday versus the Raiders, added reps will be available for rookie tight end Harold Fannin in what is expected to be the first start for quarterback Shadeur Sanders. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Njoku is "day-to-day," per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Latu went without a target on his lone snap on offense and played 17 snaps on special teams in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Lions.

Latu has been active for every game since Week 2 but remains buried on the depth chart at tight end behind Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra and Kylen Granson. He's yet to play double-digit snaps on offense in any of his nine appearances and has yet to draw a target.

Granson played 15 of the Eagles' 72 snaps on offense and recorded a four-yard reception on two targets in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Lions.

Though he saw two more targets than fellow tight end Grant Calcaterra, Granson's 21 percent snap share placed him well behind Calcaterra, who was on the field for 47 percent of snaps. Granson has played in all 10 of the Eagles' games to date, but he's played more than half of the snaps on just one occasion and has recorded three catches for 10 yards on four targets throughout the campaign.

Calcaterra went without a target while playing 34 of the Eagles' 72 snaps on offense in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Lions.

Though he was on the field for nearly half of the Eagles' snaps, Calcaterra ran just three routes on the night. So long as top tight end Dallas Goedert stays healthy, Calcaterra looks like he'll be limited mostly to a blocking role on offense.