NFL Player News

Nix is expected to require 12 weeks to heal after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair his broken right ankle, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

According to Schefter, Nix will be barred from putting weight on his right ankle for the next four weeks following surgery, and he'll then need around eight weeks to complete the rehab process before he's ready to resume on-field work. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that Nix received good news upon undergoing surgery, as his injured ankle had "limited ligament damage and no joint surface damage." Given the estimated recovery timeline, Nix doesn't look like he'll be available for the start of Denver's offseason program, though he could be fully cleared for OTAs and minicamp in the late spring. With Nix sidelined for the duration of the Broncos' playoff run, Jarrett Stidham will step in as the team's starting quarterback in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots.

The Broncos placed Nix (ankle) on injured reserve Saturday, Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reports.

Nix was already ruled out for the rest of the playoffs after breaking a bone in his ankle during the Broncos' 33-30 overtime win over the Bills during the AFC divisional round. His move to injured reserve is a procedural one, given that it opens a space on the Broncos' roster for center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), who was activated from IR in a corresponding move. Jarrett Stidham will start at quarterback for the Broncos against the Patriots during Sunday's AFC Championship Game while Sam Ehlinger serves as the backup.

Darnold (oblique) doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Rams, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Darnold was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday as he continues to manage an oblique injury that occurred in practice last Thursday, but he'll be available to face the Rams on Sunday. In this past Saturday's 41-6 divisional-round win over the 49ers, Darnold was efficient with modest volume, completing 12 of his 17 passing attempts for 124 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers en route to compiling a 110.9 passer rating.

Darnold (oblique) was a limited practice participant Thursday.

Darnold played through an oblique injury during this past Saturday's divisional-round win against the 49ers, completing 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions while taking two sacks. He's so far logged back-to-back capped sessions this week, but it's unclear if he's thrown any passes, as coach Mike Macdonald told Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune prior to Thursday's practice that he'd like Darnold to do so before Sunday's NFC Championship Game versus the Rams. Darnold will have one more chance to prove his health Friday before the Seahawks potentially give him a designation ahead of the weekend.

San Francisco signed Martinez to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.

Martinez spent most of the 2025 season on the 49ers' and the Jets' practice squads, taking just one snap with San Francisco in Week 9 against the Giants to execute the game-ending kneel down. It appears the 49ers saw something they liked in Martinez, though, so he'll be staying with them to begin the 2026 league year.

Darnold (oblique) practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

After Darnold played through a left oblique injury this past Saturday against the 49ers, coach Mike Macdonald told Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle that the quarterback would be "day-to-day" this week. Macdonald said Wednesday that Darnold "continues to get better," but the Seahawks will cap his number of throws due to the health concern, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. Darnold himself relayed to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic on Wednesday that he "felt good" in the wake of the divisional round, but he also needs "to get my body right to be ready" for Sunday's NFC Championship Game versus the Rams. In the end, Friday's injury report will reveal whether or not Darnold heads into the weekend with a designation.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he expects Jones to be with the 49ers for 2026, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

General manager John Lynch also praised Jones but didn't comment on expectations for next season. Jones went 5-3 as a starter while completing 69.6 percent of his passes for 7.4 YPA, giving the 49ers a fantastic return on their investment in the first season of a two-year, $8.4 million contract. He probably won't be content to return to San Francisco as an underpaid backup, but his contract does give the team some leverage in discussions about a trade or raise.

Bills GM Brandon Beane noted Wednesday that Allen may need a procedure done on his right foot, but if that is the case, the QB's availability for OTAs would not be impacted, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.

Per ESPN.com, Allen initially hurt his foot during Week 16 action, which resulted in soreness that lingered in subsequent weeks. Additionally, Allen managed issues with his left knee and right finger following the Bills' wild-card win over the Jaguars. In terms of a possible foot procedure for Allen, Beane did not provide a timeline Wednesday for when that might occur. Either way, Allen has time to recover from his injuries before his team returns to the field, at which time he'll be working with a new head coach following the dismissal of Sean McDermott in the wake of Buffalo's divisional-round loss to the Broncos.

The Packers signed McCord to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.

McCord was selected by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was unable to beat out Tanner McKee or Sam Howell for a spot on the 53-man roster behind Jalen Hurts, so McCord spent his entire rookie season on Philadelphia's practice squad. McCord will get a new opportunity in Green Bay, and he would have a clearer path to the backup quarterback job behind Jordan Love if Malik Willis opts to sign with a different team when the offseason officially begins Feb. 9.

Mills did not play in Sunday's 28-16 playoff loss to the Patriots.

Mills never got off the bench despite the struggles of starter C.J. Stroud, who threw four interceptions. Mills had an effective run as a starter during the regular season, guiding Houston to three straight wins when Stroud missed time due to a concussion. Mills finished the 2025 regular season with a 57.2 percent completion rate (91-for-159) for 915 yards and five touchdowns over six games. He's under contract for another season and figures to return as Stroud's backup.