NFL Player News

Moore (knee) was a full participant in Tuesday's practice.

Moore missed the Week 16 loss to the Titans on Sunday but appears to be ready to return to the lineup Thursday against Denver. He started each of his previous two games at right tackle.

Turpin (shoulder) was limited in Tuesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Turpin produced 27 total yards on four touches on offense in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. His biggest impact comes on special teams, where he serves as the Cowboys' return man.

Mafah (shoulder) was limited in Tuesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Dallas opened Mafah's 21-day practice window last week, and he remains on injured reserve. The seventh-round rookie running back has yet to play in a game this season.

The Bears designated Newman (foot) to return from injured reserve Tuesday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

The rookie guard has been stuck on IR since Nov. 27, and his potential return for Week 17 is a great sign for the Bears as they prepare to make a deep playoff run. Newman's practice participation throughout Week 17 will be key in the organization's evaluation of his playing potential for the remainder of the regular season. As it stands, the offensive guard would need to be activated by Jan 13 or he will have to spend the rest of the 2025 season on IR.

Wagner (knee) was a full participant in Tuesday's practice.

Wagner did not practice Monday, so his upgrade to full participation Tuesday means he is trending toward playing in Thursday's game against the Cowboys. The veteran middle linebacker has yet to miss a game this season, playing 100 percent of defensive snaps in 14 of 15 games. His continued presence on the field is surely an anchor for the Commanders' defense, and his trend of game-day participation will likely not stop Sunday.

Johnson is trending toward making his first start of the season Thursday against the Cowboys after Marcus Mariota (hand/quadriceps) was a non-participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

With the Commanders shutting down Jayden Daniels (elbow) for the season and with Mariota unlikely to be ready to play on a short week, Johnson is the next man up at quarterback. The journeyman signal-caller's last NFL start came back in 2021, when he filled in for Lamar Jackson in Week 17 during his second of three stints in the Ravens organization. Johnson has flashed some upside as a runner in his limited playing time over his previous stops during his long career, but given that he's now 39 years old, he probably can't be counted on to replicate the rushing production of Daniels or Mariota.

Coach Mike Tomlin has no new updates on Watt (lung), but implied there may be participation in the early parts of Week 17, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Watt has seemed to be solely focused on recovering from his partially collapsed lung, but Tomlin's comments today implied that the coaching staff is aware of the outside linebacker's progress and that he might have a chance to participate in practice this week. If the Steelers can take the win over the Browns on Sunday, they would clinch the AFC North, and Watt would have a stress-free Week 18 to further recover before Wild Card Weekend.

Mitchell-Paden (knee) was not present during the portion of Tuesday's practice that was open to the media, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Mitchell-Paden did not play in the Week 16 over the Jets due to a knee injury he sustained in Friday's practice. The Saints play Sunday against the Titans, so the 26-year-old still has three opportunities to elevate his practice participation and dodge an injury designation ahead of the game.

Adkins (knee) did not participate in Tuesday's walkthrough practice, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports.

Adkins has suited up in consecutive games after missing five due to a knee injury, which he potentially reaggravated last Sunday against the Jaguars. The tight end left in the first half and was unable to return to the game, a report that, combined with Tuesday's practice participation, does not bode well for his chances of playing in Thursday night's game against the Chiefs. Adkins will have one more chance to increase his participation level in the hopes of avoiding an injury designation ahead of Thursday's contest.

The Patriots signed Smith to the practice squad Tuesday.

Smith was waived from the Jets' practice squad Dec. 2. The former Jet may have a chance for a revenge game this Sunday, as the wide receiver is a prime candidate for practice squad elevation with Kayshon Boutte (concussion) and DeMario Douglas (hamstring) both nursing injuries ahead of the contest.