NFL Player News

The Dallas starters only played the first half, but Dak Prescott targeted Pickens twice in the end zone to try and get him his tenth touchdown of the season; yet, the two were unable to connect. Pickens’ first season in Dallas comes to an end, and it was by far his best season as a pro. He set career-highs in catches, targets, receiving yards, and touchdowns by posting 93 catches on 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games (15 starts) and also making the Pro Bowl. He also dealt with some off-field shenanigans and had his effort questioned in late-season games, so we got the full George Pickens experience. Entering his age-25 season in 2026, Pickens should command a hefty free agent contract this offseason. If he lands in another pass-friendly offense as a primary threat, he could be a fantasy WR1 in 2026.

Atwell is again a healthy scratch for the playoffs. The Rams did not have a player listed on their final injury report for the week and enter a tough road environment at near full strength as they look to win their third conference championship game under Sean McVay.

Arroyo is a surprise scratch after being activated from injured reserve earlier this week. The rookie tight end logged a full week of practice and was removed from the team’s final injury report, so it’s hard to say why the team opted to sit him for Sunday’s championship game against the Rams. AJ Barner could be in line to see a bigger workload with Arroyo out. In addition to Arroyo the Seahawks also declared LB Jared Ivey, OG Christian Haynes, OT Amari Kight, FB Robbie Ouzts, QB Jalen Milroe, and RB Velus Jones inactive against the Rams.

Wilson served under John Harbaugh in 2023 as the Ravens’ defensive backs coach. The veteran coach was hired as the Titans’ defensive coordinator in 2024 and saw his defenses ranked 28th and 30th in points allowed during his two years with the team. With that in mind, Wilson didn’t have much to work with in Tennessee, which finished as the worst team in football in his first season with the team, and didn’t fare much better this year. He’ll get a chance at a fresh restart with the Giants, who are better set up for success entering next season.

Bryant suffered a hamstring injury on the Broncos’ opening drive. After attempting to play through it, the rookie receiver is now on the sideline and is questionable to return. Bryant caught one pass for two yards before his injury.

Earlier this month, the Ravens blocked Horton from making a lateral move to another organization. Now, the 12th-year NFL coach will join John Harbaugh in New York as the Giants’ new special teams coordinator, meaning new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter will have another staff member to add in the coming days.

The 30-year-old Udinski remains one of the hottest names this coaching cycle after he helped lead the Jaguars to the sixth-most points scored and 11th-most offensive yards in his first season. Before joining the Jaguars, Udinski spent three seasons with the Vikings under head coach Kevin O’Connell. If he were to land a head-coaching job, Udinski would become the youngest head coach in NFL history.

It’s hard to know how seriously to take these nuggets in January, especially when Howard is one of only two quarterbacks currently under contract with the Steelers. Howard was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of last year’s draft and threw for 4,010-35-10 in his final college season with Ohio State on his way to winning a national championship. Given the current state of the Steelers’ quarterback room and the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers, it’s possible Howard gets a chance to compete for the starting job in camp, but the Steelers are all but certain to add another quarterback or two to their room this offseason, whether it’s via the draft or free agency.

According to Rapoport, McDaniel is ultimately expected to take the Chargers’ offensive coordinator role, but until the Raiders officially rule him out as a candidate, he will remain an option for the Silver and Black. McDaniel most recently canceled his interview with the Bills on Friday and withdrew his name for consideration for the Browns before that. McDaniel has made several rounds this coaching cycle to speak with teams, but the Chargers seem like the most likely fit barring a team sweeps in and hands him a head coaching gig.

As Rapoport notes in his report, McDermott has not engaged with any coaching openings across the league, a signal that he could temporarily step away. Rap also adds that McDermott has spoken to other coaches who have taken a year away, who said the time off was “beneficial and worth it.” We’re less than a week removed from McDermott’s firing after the Bills lost to the Broncos in the Divisional Round, so it’s still possible he considers some openings, even as a defensive coordinator, once jobs continue to fill. That said, the fact he hasn’t spoken with any teams yet regarding their vacancies is certainly noteworthy.

Franklin was limited in practice all week after injuring his hamstring in last week’s Divisional Round win over the Bills. The second-year receiver hasn’t seen many targets when active as of late, and the return of Pat Bryant gives the Broncos another weapon in the passing game. In addition to Franklin the Broncos also declared S JL Skinner, LB Karene Reid, C Alex Forsyth, WR Michael Bandy, DL Jordan Jackson, and DE Sai’vion Jones inactive for Sunday’s game.