NFL Player News

The Saints signed Smyth to the active roster Friday.

Smythe's signing comes as no shock, as the kicker had exhausted all of his practice squad elevations. As the kicker for the rest of the Saints' regular season, Smythe will start against the Jets, Titans, and Falcons. In a corresponding move, the Saints placed wide receiver Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on injured reserve.

Mafah (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Mafah opened the season on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. He was cleared to return to practice Wednesday, and the rookie seventh-rounder has a chance to make his NFL regular-season debut Sunday after a week of limited practices. However, if he does return, then Mafah would likely be limited to special teams while serving as the Cowboys' RB4 behind Javonte Williams, Malik Davis and fellow rookie Jaydon Blue (who has been a healthy scratch since Week 9).

The Eagles elevated Jenkins from the practice squad to the active roster Friday.

This marks the second time this season Jenkins has been elevated to the active roster. In his one game against Minnesota in Week 7, the 27-year-old contributed five snaps on offense and 19 on special teams but didn't record any stats. The second-year pro will likely play a similar role for the Eagles on Saturday.

The Commanders elevated Cager from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of Saturday's game against the Eagles, Zach Selby of the team's official site reports.

Cager draws his first elevation of the 2025 season for a Saturday divisional matchup. The tight end was likely elevated due to the absence of Colson Yankoff (ankle), and he will most likely fulfill Yankoff's role as a supplementary blocker for the Commanders' offense and special teams.

Luepke (concussion) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Luepke was able to practice in full Friday, but his questionable tag for Week 16 indicates that he is still in the league's concussion protocol, so he would need to be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to play Sunday. If he's not given the green light to play, then the Cowboys may turn to tight ends Brevyn Spann-Ford or Luke Schoonmaker to play some snaps at fullback for Week 16, given that there are no other fullbacks on Dallas' active roster.

Marks (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Raiders after returning to a limited practice Friday.

Marks didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, but his return to a limited session Friday gives him a chance to face Las Vegas. Also listed as questionable for the contest is fellow RB Nick Chubb (ribs), but he seems to be trending toward returning to action after practicing fully both Thursday and Friday. Look for added context regarding both players' statuses to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday via national reporters such as ESPN's Adam Schefter or NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, but at this stage it appears as though the composition of Houston's Week 16 backfield, which also includes Jawhar Jordan and Dare Ogunbowale, will not be confirmed until inactives are posted ahead the team's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.

Taylor-Demerson (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Falcons, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Taylor-Demerson has been sidelined since he suffered an ankle injury in Week 10 against the Seahawks. The strong safety was able to log his first practices since sustaining the injury this week, stringing three consecutive limited sessions together. If the 2024 fourth-rounder can suit up, he will provide meaningful defensive back depth to a corps that has sustained quite a few injuries.

Diggs (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Diggs continues to be limited in practice by a knee injury that he has been working through since late October. His 21-day practice window opened Nov. 30, so if he's not activated from injured reserve for Week 16, the sixth-year corner would be in jeopardy of missing the rest of the 2025 regular season.

Hines-Allen (illness) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Broncos.

Hines-Allen started the week on the injury report with an illness but upgraded to full participation in practice Friday and will start against the Broncos. The 28-year-old has 40 tackles (23 solo), including 7.0 sacks, and two pass breakups in 14 games this season.

Simon (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Falcons, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Simon logged three consecutive limited practices this week. The middle linebacker's participation was not enough to avoid an injury designation, but it seems to be enough to indicate that he will likely suit up for Sunday's contest. If the fourth-round rookie is unable to play, Akeem Davis-Gaither or Zaven Collins may be asked to slide over to middle linebacker and let Owen Pappoe or Baron Browning take over another position for the corps, as other middle linebackers Mack Wilson (ribs) and J.J. Russell (concussion) are both on IR.