NFL Player News

Head coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday that Bridgewater is "progressing nicely" through the concussion suffered Sunday against the Rams, but the quarterback remains in the protocol for head injuries, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports.

Zimmer's optimism in the aftermath of Bridgewater's concussion wasn't unexpected, but these injuries should be taken on a case-by-case basis. Ultimately, a neurologist outside of the Vikings' sphere will have to clear Bridgewater before he can return, meaning his availability for Sunday's game at Oakland will be up in the air all week. If he's unable to go, Zimmer will entrust the offense in journeyman Shaun Hill.

The Titans have waived Whitehurst.

The move frees up a roster spot for the activation of running back David Cobb, while Marcus Mariota (who has recovered from a knee issue) and Zach Mettenberger remain on hand to handle the Titans' QB duties.

McCown won't play again this season following Tuesday's back surgery, Christopher Dabe of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

McCown was present on the injury report last week due to a lower back injury, but the severity wasn't clear until he was ruled out for an appearance in Week 9 on Friday. After an evaluation with a specialist Monday, surgery was announced for Tuesday, which will subsequently end his season. In his stead, the Saints will bring Matt Flynn into the fold to serve as Drew Brees' backup.

McCown will undergo back surgery Tuesday, Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

While it's unknown if McCown's season is over, his availability in the short term is almost certainly in jeopardy, meaning the Saints could soon turn to Garrett Grayson as Drew Brees' primary backup. Once the procedure is complete, the team will likely release a timetable, if any, for his return.

Carr completed 24 of 44 passes for 301 yards, including four touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's loss to the Steelers.

The second-year quarterback had another spectacular performance on Sunday as he led the Raiders' up and down the field from start to finish. In his last three games Carr has thrown 11 touchdown passes to just one interception which has catapulted him into the high-end QB1 category. With 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions on the year, Carr is having one of most successful breakout seasons of anyone in the league. The Raiders head home to play the Vikings in Week 10, and Carr should be in your starting lineup.

Gabbert will continue to serve as the starting quarterback out of the 49ers' Week 10 bye, Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area reports.

Under center in place of Colin Kaepernick on Sunday against the Falcons, Gabbert acquitted himself well in his first start since 2013, completing 15 of 25 passes for 185 for two touchdowns. He also tossed two picks, but of utmost importance, the 49ers boasted some balance, augmenting the passing game with 133 yards on the ground. Expect Gabbert to be under center on Nov. 22 at Seattle.

Coach Mike Zimmer, who relayed Monday that Bridgewater has passed his first concussion test, is optimistic that the QB will play Sunday against the Raiders, TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press reports. "I think he will be ready to go," Zimmer said Monday, with regard to Bridgewater's Week 10 status.

Bridgewater, who was forced out of Sunday's overtime win over the Rams early in the fourth quarter and replaced by Shaun Hill, is thus trending in the right direction in advance of the Vikings' Week 10 contest. Still, Bridgewater presumably has additional hurdles to clear in order to gain clearance to play this coming Sunday, so his status remains worth monitoring as the week progresses.

Bradford completed 25 of 36 passes for 295 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 33-27 overtime win over the Cowboys.

Bradford played one of his better games all season, highlighted by a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews on the opening drive in overtime. Matthews had his best game of the year, avoiding any drops and catching nine of his 13 targets for 133 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. While Bradford hasn't been great and still isn't connecting on many passes down the field, drops have probably been the larger issue for Philadelphia's offense this season. The Eagles have a Week 10 home matchup with a struggling Miami team.

Gabbert completed 15-of-25 passes for 185 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday's win over Atlanta. He added 32 yards on the ground on eight carries.

Gabbert looked good early, connecting with his receivers on a handful of back-shoulder throws and finding his tight end Garrett Celek in the end zone twice. He unraveled a bit in the second half, tossing two picks, one off of a deflection and another on an underthrow. Gabbert has now thrown multiple interceptions in each of his last four starts dating back to 2013. His propensity for throwing picks and role presiding over a mediocre San Francisco offense makes him a high-risk, low-reward option wading in the free-agency pool.

Mariota (knee) completed 28 of 39 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover in his return to the field Sunday against New Orleans. He also rushed once for five yards.

Not only did Mariota lead the Titans back in the fourth quarter (including a successful two-point conversion) after they trailed throughout the game, but he hit tight end Anthony Fasano for an overtime touchdown to win it. Having missed the last two games with a knee injury and losing top receiver Kendall Wright to a knee issue of his own, Mariota may not have seemed like a top option heading into Sunday's game, but the Saints' secondary isn't stopping anyone at this point -- they've given up 10 passing touchdowns without a pick in the last two games. The impressive rookie has a much tougher challenge on tap when the Panthers come to town next Sunday.