NFL Player News
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Aaron Jones RB | MIN
Vikings' Aaron Jones: Ruled out for Week 18
Jones (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Packers, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Jones dealt with a slew of injuries this season and ultimately played just 12 games, finishing with a career-low 4.2 YPC while posting his lowest marks since his rookie year for rushing yards (548) and receiving yards (199). He was still reasonably effective when poor QB play didn't crater Minnesota's entire offense, so he could be back next year for the final season of a two-year extension. Jones turned 31 in December and is scheduled for a $9 million base salary in 2026, with $2 million already guaranteed and another $2 million kicking in on the third day of the new league year. In other words, the Vikings likely will trade/release Jones before mid-March if they don't plan to keep him around for the 2026 season.
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Carson Schwesinger LB | CLE
Browns' Carson Schwesinger: Missing season finale
Schwesinger (quadriceps/ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Bengals, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Schwesinger didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday due to quadricep and ankle injuries, and he's now in line to miss his first game of the season Sunday. The 2025 second-round pick from UCLA had a stellar rookie campaign, finishing with 156 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks, and three passes defensed, with two interceptions, over 16 appearances. Jerome Baker will likely have an expanded role in the Browns' linebacker corps while Schwesinger is sidelined in Week 18.
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Harold Landry LB | NE
Patriots' Harold Landry: Sidelined against Dolphins
Landry (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Dolphins, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
The 29-year-old didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday after missing the Week 17 win over the Jets due to a knee injury, so it's no surprise he won't suit up Sunday. Landry has been a massive part of New England's pass rush in his first season as a Patriot, recording 48 total tackles, including 8.5 sacks, and one forced fumble over 15 appearances. Expect Anfernee Jennings to start opposite K'Lavon Chaisson in the Patriots' linebacker corps while Landry is out Week 18.
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Matthew Stafford QB | LAR
Rams' Matthew Stafford: Will start regular-season finale
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Friday that he will play his starters, including Stafford, during Sunday's regular-season finale against the Cardinals, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.
Los Angeles' postseason position may already be locked into place by the time Sunday's matchup against Arizona kicks off, as the team will be guaranteed the No. 6 seed on the NFC side of the playoffs if the 49ers emerge victorious over the Seahawks on Saturday night. Should Seattle win that contest, however, the Rams would have a chance to earn the No. 5 seed by defeating the Cardinals. That said, and though McVay has confirmed that the Rams' starters will play in either scenario, it's entirely plausible that Stafford and other key veterans won't be tasked with playing a full assortment of snaps Week 18, especially if the outcome of Sunday's game doesn't have any impact on playoff seeding.
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Josh Allen QB | BUF
Bills' Josh Allen: Clear for Sunday
Allen (foot) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's game against the Jets.
Allen has played through discomfort in his right foot the last two games, a span in which he completed 35 of 54 passes (64.8 percent) for 392 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing 14 times for 44 yards and two TDs and fumbling twice (one lost). After sitting out practice Wednesday and Thursday, he returned to a limited session Friday, which was enough for the Bills to clear him ahead of the weekend. It remains to be seen how much, if at all, Allen plays this weekend, but he does have a 121-game starting streak on the line, and based on results this weekend the Bills can climb from their current No. 7 seed in the AFC to either No. 5 or No. 6. Backup QB Mitchell Trubisky is on hand for any reps that don't go to Allen on Sunday.
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J.J. McCarthy QB | MIN
Vikings' J.J. McCarthy: Named as Week 18 starter
McCarthy (hand) will start Sunday's game against the Packers, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
The Vikings won't have RB Aaron Jones (hip) or TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), potentially placing more of the offensive burden on WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Neither has done much with McCarthy under center this season, but things were even worse with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer making starts. The Packers, meanwhile, are expected to rest a lot of key players in preparation for the postseason.
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Robert Spillane LB | NE
Patriots' Robert Spillane: Won't play Sunday
Spillane (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Dolphins, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
Spillane sustained an ankle injury in the Week 14 win over the Giants and is now in line to miss his fourth consecutive contest. The veteran linebacker is a crucial part of the Patriots' defense, tallying 97 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, five passes defensed, with two interceptions, and one forced fumble over 13 appearances this season. While he's sidelined Sunday, expect Jack Gibbens to have an expanded role in New England's linebacker corps.
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Rome Odunze WR | CHI
Bears' Rome Odunze: Questionable after practicing
Odunze (foot) returned to practice Friday as a limited participant and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions, Chris Emma of 670TheScore.com reports.
The practice was Odunze's first since Dec. 12, which seemingly makes him a long shot to actually play this weekend. The Bears and Lions are scheduled for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
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Philip Rivers QB | IND
Colts' Philip Rivers: Uncertain to be active Week 18
Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Friday that the team has not yet decided whether Rivers will be active for Sunday's season finale against the Texans, and that recent practice-squad signee Seth Henigan will operate as the No. 2 quarterback behind Week 18 starter Riley Leonard, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Rivers' post-retirement return for Indianapolis has officially come to an end with the team having been eliminated from playoff contention, so the Colts are opting to allocate available reps to younger signal-callers to close out the 2025 campaign. It's possible, though, that Rivers could be active in the No. 3 role or operate as the team's emergency third QB. Per Boyd and Jordy Fee-Platt of The Athletic, Rivers has already confirmed that he will retire for a second time after Sunday's season finale, bringing his playing career in the NFL to a permanent end.
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Khyiris Tonga DT | NE
Patriots' Khyiris Tonga: Out for Sunday
Tonga (foot) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Dolphins, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
The 29-year-old is now in line to miss his second game in a row due to a foot injury sustained in the Week 16 win over the Ravens. Across 14 appearances this season, Tonga has tallied 24 total tackles and two passes defensed while serving as one of the Patriots' top nose tackles. Expect Eric Gregory to have an expanded role on New England's defensive line while Tonga is out Sunday.