NFL Player News

Wilson is expected to have the pins removed from his surgically repaired right middle finger early this week, and the signal-caller continues to target the Seahawks' Week 10 game in Green Bay on Nov. 14 for a return to action, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

When he initially underwent the procedure Oct. 8, Wilson was projected to miss anywhere from 4-to-8 weeks, but the quarterback looks to be honing in on a return at the short end of that timeline. Wilson is said to be progressing well after having the stitches removed from his finger this past week, and he'll take another step forward in the recovery process if the pins are in fact removed in the coming days. Geno Smith will draw a third straight start in Wilson's stead Sunday against the Jaguars, but the latter looks on pace to be ready to go following the Seahawks' Week 9 bye. The Seahawks likely won't confirm whether Wilson is trending toward a Week 10 return until the coaching and training staffs have a chance to evaluate him in practice.

Rush took all of the Cowboys' team reps in practice this week, and some within the organization believe he'll start Sunday against the Vikings with top quarterback Dak Prescott's (ankle) status "up in the air," Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Even after a Week 7 bye, Prescott -- who is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff -- doesn't appear to have made a full recovery from the strained calf he suffered on the final play of Dallas' overtime win over the Patriots in Week 6. While Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network note that Prescott is pushing to play and will go through his normal pregame warmup routine, the franchise signal-caller was only able to take part in walk-through activities and 7-on-7 drills during practice this week. With that in mind, Dallas could be inclined to take a cautious approach with Prescott if there's any concern about his health coming out of warmups, potentially leaving Rush in line for his first extended regular-season action. Rush has previously made six appearances in his four-plus seasons in the NFL, logging only 29 snaps in total and attempting just three passes.

Prescott's (calf) status for Sunday's game against the Vikings remains "up in the air" ahead of the contest's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Schefter notes that backup quarterback Cooper Rush took all the team reps in practice this past week and would be in line to draw the start if Prescott is unable to go. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Prescott is pushing to play and will go through his normal warmup routine prior to the contest before a final call on his status is made 90 minutes prior to kickoff, when Dallas releases its inactive list. Rapoport relays that if the Cowboys have any doubt about Prescott's ability to play through a right calf strain, the team could err on the side of caution with its franchise signal-caller. Given the Cowboys' late kickoff, Prescott is a risky fantasy option for those without an alternative to turn to in the event that he ends up inactive.

Johnson has been elevated to the active roster ahead of Sunday's game against the Bengals, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports.

Johnson will back up Mike White with Zach Wilson (knee) out and Joe Flacco unlikely to be ready in time for the game after joining the team Monday. If the 35-year-old Johnson were to see action, it would be his first appearance in a game since 2018.

Prescott (calf) is viewed true "game-time decision" ahead of Sunday's game against the Vikings, Ed Werder of ESPN reports.

Prescott himself expected some sort of resolution regarding his status for Sunday's primetime battle, but after a walk-through practice Saturday to test out his injured calf, the team opted to delay the decision longer. Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News believes Prescott will be active for Sunday's game and speculated the latest news is likely some gamesmanship on the part of head coach Mike McCarthy, but in any case, the quarterback's status does look to be up in the air. More information regarding his availability should arrive no later than 90 minutes prior to the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, when Dallas releases its inactive list. If Prescott can't go, unproven Cooper Rush would be in line for his first NFL start.

Wilson (knee) will not be placed on injured reserve and could even have a chance at playing Week 10 against the Bills, Connor Hughes of The Athletic reports.

This is a somewhat surprising development considering Wilson was expected to miss at minimum 2-to-4 weeks after injuring his knee, putting him on the early side of that timeline if Saturday's news is accurate. The acquisition of Joe Flacco complicates things somewhat given the Jets seemingly have no reason to rush back the coveted 2021 No. 2 overall pick with the established veteran at the helm. That being said, a lost season such as this one could be a perfect situation for Wilson to get reps and gain valuable experience so long as he's healthy. The rookie is not expected to play Week 9 against the Colts and likely will be considered a longshot to face the division-rival Bills in Week 10.

Watson (not injury-related) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Rams.

As expected, Watson will remain inactive in Week 8, and with Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) not yet ready to play, Davis Mills will once again will serve as the Texans' starting QB versus Los Angeles on Sunday. Meanwhile, there figures to be plenty of trade speculation surrounding Watson as the NFL's Nov. 2 deadline to make deals approaches, but at this stage no move is imminent.

Lance (knee) has no injury designation for Sunday's game in Chicago, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The rookie will return to his role as the backup quarterback, potentially getting some snaps in the red zone and/or in special packages designed to take advantage of his running ability. Given Jimmy Garoppolo's poor performance this season, Lance seems increasingly likely to make additional starts as a rookie, after filling in for the injured veteran in a Week 5 loss to Arizona. It was in that game where Lance sprained his knee, forcing a one-game absence even after the 49ers' Week 6 bye. In any case, he's back for Week 8 at Chicago.

Prescott (calf) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Minnesota, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Prescott was a limited practice participant Wednesday through Friday and appears truly questionable for the Sunday night game in Minnesota. Reporters and teammates have suggested the quarterback looked good in practice this week, but head coach Mike McCarthy has preached caution on multiple occasions and even mentioned Friday that Prescott felt a little sore after Thursday's practice. McCarthy said the soreness wasn't anything unusual, but it does reinforce the notion that Prescott continues to be bothered by his calf to some degree. While he hopes to play, Prescott acknowledged Thursday that the coaching staff and medical staff will have final say. Cooper Rush will start at quarterback against the Vikings if Prescott ultimately is held out.

The Cardinals expect Murray (ankle) to play Week 9 against the 49ers, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Murray was spotted in a walking boot after twisting his ankle on the final drive of Thursday's 24-21 loss to Green Bay, but he said he should be fine moving forward. His practice status still will need to be monitored next week, with the 25-year-old QB getting three extra days of rest after a Thursday game. If Murray's ankle doesn't heal the way he anticipates, Colt McCoy is next up under center for the Cardinals.