NFL Player News

Head coach Sean McDermott said that Prater (quadriceps) won't take part in Tuesday's unofficial walk-through practice, and the Bills don't yet have clarity regarding whether the veteran kicker will be available for Sunday's game agains the Eagles, Sal Capaccio of WGR Sports Radio 550 Buffalo reports.

Through the first 15 weeks of the campaign, Prater had been serving as Buffalo's kicker after Tyler Bass sustained a hip/groin injury late in the preseason to ultimately required season-ending surgery. Prater has performed capably while knocking down 18 of 20 field-goal tries and 43 of 46 extra-point attempts, but he emerged from a Week 15 win over New England with a quad injury that he's yet to fully move past. The Bills signed Michael Badgley to the practice squad and elevated him to the roster to handle kicking duties in the Week 16 win over the Browns, with Badgley nailing a 41-yard field goal but missing one of his three point-after tries.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that Allen (foot) won't participate Tuesday in the team's unofficial walk-through practice, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Allen is tending to a sore right foot in the aftermath of the Bills' 23-20 win over the Browns on Sunday, when the quarterback took a back seat as a passer (12 completions on 19 attempts for a season-low 130 yards and no touchdowns) but continued to be involved as a ball carrier (seven totes for 17 yards). McDermott noted that Allen is still hurting two days after the game, but the Bills fully anticipate that the 29-year-old will suit up this Sunday against the Eagles. For his part, Allen told Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com that he was still sore Tuesday but "feels good" and "ready to go" for Sunday, despite walking with a limp as he moved about the Buffalo locker room.

Burden (ankle) wasn't spotted on the field Tuesday during the Bears' unofficial practice, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Burden was listed as a non-participant on all three of the Bears' practice reports in Week 16 before sitting out Saturday's 22-16 overtime win over the Packers. Rome Odunze (foot) was also sidelined for a third straight game, and with neither wideout logging any activity in an unofficial session Tuesday, both could be trending in the wrong direction for Sunday's game at San Francisco. If Burden and Odunze are both held out again in Week 17, DJ Moore would have a clearer path to added volume in the passing game after he contributed a 5-97-1 receiving line on seven targets in the win over Green Bay.

Odunze (foot) isn't participating in Tuesday's unofficial practice session, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Bears won't have to submit their next injury report until Wednesday, but if his lack of activity Tuesday is any indication, Odunze looks poised to remain a non-participant in practice to begin Week 17 prep. Earlier Tuesday, head coach Ben Johnson told Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com that Odunze is in a "good spot" in his recovery and remains on track to play again this season, but the wideout doesn't look to be pushing for a return for this Sunday's game in San Francisco. Odunze hasn't taken the field for any of the Bears' last three games due to a stress fracture in his foot, which he aggravated again while warming up prior to a Week 15 game against the Browns.

Johnson (foot) was absent from Tuesday's practice, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

If it is indeed a non-participation day for Johnson, it would mark the sixth week that the offensive tackle could not participate to start the week. The left tackle missed the last five games that started with this pattern and, as such, is on pace to miss Sunday's matchup against the Bills. Even if Johnson can practice this week, he may not start Sunday's game, as the Eagles have already clinched a playoff spot by winning the NFC East.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said that Jacobs (knee/ankle) will be a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, Weston Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Jacobs played through his nagging knee and ankle injuries in this past Saturday's loss to the Bears, but the Packers ended up managing his playing time more carefully than usual. Though he still earned 14 touches and accounted for 48 yards, Emanuel Wilson saw equal usage (14 carries for 82 yards) and out-snapped Jacobs 33-28. Jacobs will have his reps managed Wednesday, but the limited session marks a step forward from his practice participation last week. Jacobs may be ready to handle a heavier workload this Saturday versus the Ravens.

Whyle (concussion) will be a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

Whyle missed the Packers' Week 16 overtime loss to the Bears due to the concussion he sustained in the Week 15 loss to the Broncos. The tight end's potential return for Week 17 comes at a perfect time, as Tucker Kraft (ACL) and John FitzPatrick (Achilles) both have suffered season-ending injuries, leaving Luke Musgrave as the sole healthy tight end on the 53-man roster. If Whyle can clear the league's concussion protocol in time for Saturday's game against the Ravens, he will likely have a spot as the tight end No. 2, set to contribute in both the passing game as a receiver and the run game as a blocker.

The Chargers signed Freeman to the practice squad Tuesday.

Freeman was waived Dec. 16 to make room for safety Marcus Maye but quickly finds himself back on the practice squad. The signing of fellow running back Jaret Patterson to the active roster due to the injury to Kimani Vidal (neck) seems to have cleared up a roster spot that the Chargers thought best used on additional depth at the position.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said that Willis (shoulder) will be a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, Weston Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

After Jordan Love (concussion) was forced out of this past Saturday's loss to the Bears, Willis completed nine of 11 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown while adding 44 yards on 10 carries. The dual-threat signal-caller appears to still be banged up after landing hard on his throwing shoulder late in the fourth quarter, however. Love appears to be making some progress through the NFL's concussion protocol and will join Willis as a limited participant at Tuesday's practice, but LaFleur noted that the presence of both quarterbacks on the field doesn't necessarily make him more confident that either will be available for a Week 17 game against the Ravens, per Zach Jacobson of 247Sports.com. For his part, Willis told Hodkiewicz on Tuesday that he expects to be ready to play Saturday, if needed to start in place of Love.

The Chargers signed Patterson to the active roster from the practice squad Tuesday.

Patterson has bounced between the Chargers' practice squad and active roster all season. The running back has played in four games, totalling 129 rush yards and a rushing touchdown on 32 attempts. With Kimani Vidal (neck) questionable, Patterson could see carries in Sunday's game against the Texans as a rotational back behind the starter Omarion Hampton.