NFL Player News

Smith will miss another game for personal reasons. Rookie swing tackle Matt Goncalves has made starts at both left and right tackle this year. He will take Smith’s place in the lineup versus Denver.

This news comes directly from the team. Steelers spokesman Burt Lauden added that Watt will not practice on Thursday and his status for Monday’s game is in question. Head coach Mike Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time. It’s a scary update for one of the best defenders in the league. The hope will be that this is a short-term issue, but it’s too early to say anything definitively. We don’t expect Watt to suit up versus the Dolphins on Monday.

LaFleur told reporters, “We’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow & go from there.” He isn’t ruling Jacobs out yet, but it’s safe to say the veteran back is on the wrong side of questionable after missing the first two practices of the week. Jacobs previousy missed Week 12 with the knee issue. Backup Emanuel Wilson racked up 28 carries, which he turned into 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wilson would push for an RB1 ranking if Jacobs sits in Week 15 versus the Broncos.

Hendrickson underwent core muscle surgery to deal with the injury earlier this week. It is expected to sideline him for six weeks. With only a month left in the season, even a miraculous playoff berth by the Bengals wouldn’t guarantee Hendrickson a shot at playing again this year. It’s safe to assume Hednrickson’s season is over. His time with the Bengals could also be at an end. Hendrickson has been stuck at a contractual standstill with the Bengals for years. The 2024 sack leader has been eying a new deal for a while and Cincinnati’s front office has refused to meet his demands while also throwing shots his way in the media. He is set to hit free agency in the offseason and will command a massive contract on the open market.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later scooped the contract details, noting that Jones is getting $25 million guaranteed. Jones has been an excellent run-stuffer this year. Pro Football Focus has him graded as a top-10 run defender among interior linemen. He has 27 stops and six TFLs this year. Before the deal was made, the NFLPA filed a grievance on Jones’ behalf to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent in the spring. He was set to become a restricted free agent, which would have given him significantly less leverage in contract talks. That, of course, is now a moot point for Jones, who will remain in Baltimore through the 2028 season.

Per McDaniel, Achane will wear a non-contact jersey for his first practice of the week. McDaniel told reporters he chose to keep Achane out of the second half of Sunday’s game as a precaution. He followed up on Monday by saying Achane was feeling better. It doesn’t sound like the star running back is at any risk of missing his Week 15 game versus the Steelers. Per usual, Achane will claim a spot in the RB1 ranks.

Lewis is just speculating here, but it’s safe to say Addison has earned a contract extension in Minnesota. Picking up his fifth-year option lengthens the runway for Minnesota to negotiate that deal. He will be eligible for an extension in the coming offseason. Lewis also mentioned the Vikings possibly listening to offers for Addison from other teams. While that seems unlikely, it would create cap space for the team while also giving them extra draft capital to work with. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Vikings moving on from Addison, given how productive he has been thusfar. Addison has 2,296 yards and 22 touchdowns through 38 career games. Though his ceiling is ultimately capped by the presence of Justin Jefferson, Addison has established himself as one of the league’s premier deep threats.

Gipson was released by the Eagles on Monday and has had a journeyman season. The 24-year-old caught 21 passes for 229 yards and scored a punt return touchdown as a rookie for the Jets in 2023. After a quiet 2024, Gipson began the 2025 season with the Jets and bounced to the Giants, Eagles, and now the Giants again. He joins the practice squad as depth for the Giants’ special teams and wide receiver groups.

Ehlinger was originally drafted by the Colts and spent four seasons with the team. He told The Denver Post that he and his agent talked to the Colts for two days before turning down the offer and sticking with the Broncos’ practice squad. The Colts were going for familiarity to fill their quarterback role by trying to get Ehlinger while also getting Philip Rivers. Ehlinger chooses to stay with the Broncos, where he is the third quarterback behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham.

Mayer has not played since suffering the ankle injury in Week 12. He returns to practice in a limited fashion on Wednesday with the hope of playing in Week 15 against the Eagles. Meanwhile, fellow tight end Ian Thomas, who has taken on more snaps in Mayer’s absence, did not practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury.

Smith adds a back injury to his initial shoulder injury suffered in Week 14. He was already unlikely to start Week 15, but the DNP listing with a second back injury indicates this could turn into a multi-week absence. Kenny Pickett will start with Smith out Week 15 against the Eagles.