NFL Player News
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Mac Jones QB | SF
49ers' Mac Jones: Full practice Wednesday
Jones (knees) practiced in full Wednesday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Jones sustained a knee contusion this past Sunday at Houston, per David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. Jones then was listed with both knees to begin Week 9 prep, but neither issue impacted his practice reps Wednesday. Meanwhile, No. 1 QB Brock Purdy remained limited due to his lingering turf toe injury, which came on the heels of Shanahan telling Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com on Monday that he didn't "think it's a long shot" for Purdy to play Sunday at the Giants. Purdy likely will need to log a full practice Thursday or Friday in order to be cleared for game action, so the 49ers' next two injury reports will be of keen interest to get a sense of who between Purdy and Jones will be under center this weekend.
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Brock Purdy QB | SF
49ers' Brock Purdy: Remains limited in practice
Purdy (toe) officially was limited at Wednesday's practice, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Coach Kyle Shanahan told Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com earlier Wednesday that Purdy was slated to be limited in Wednesday's session, which came to pass. Meanwhile, fill-in QB Mac Jones, who emerged from Week 8 action with a bruised knee, practiced fully to begin Week 9 prep. This follows comments from Shanahan on Monday in which he didn't believe it was a "long shot" for Purdy to play Sunday at the Giants, but the 49ers would "see how he's doing Wednesday," according to Wagoner. Considering Purdy hasn't upgraded to all activity yet in practice, he again may be running behind Jones to start this weekend, but ultimately the former's listing Thursday and Friday will be watched to see if the tide turns in his favor.
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Jayden Daniels QB | WAS
Commanders' Jayden Daniels: Gets back to full Wednesday
Daniels (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday.
Coach Dan Quinn told Tashan Reed of The Washington Post earlier Wednesday that Daniels was slated for a full week of practice, and he ended up kicking it off with no restrictions whatsoever in the first session of Week 9 prep. Daniels thus appears as if he'll miss just one game due to the low-grade right hamstring strain that he sustained Week 7 at Dallas. Friday's injury report will unveil whether or not he enters the weekend with a designation ahead of Sunday's contest against the Seahawks.
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J.J. McCarthy QB | MIN
Vikings' J.J. McCarthy: Logs full practice Wednesday
McCarthy (ankle) was a full practice participant Wednesday.
In the wake of Carson Wentz's imminent season-ending surgery on his left non-throwing shoulder, McCarthy was expected to take over starting QB duties for the first time since Week 2 this coming Sunday at Detroit. McCarthy's ability to handle every practice rep to begin Week 9 prep is a great sign that the Vikings will have the 2024 first-round pick back in action for that contest. McCarthy himself told Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune on Wednesday that his right ankle feels "amazing" and "ready to go." As a result, expect McCarthy to resume directing Minnesota's offense this weekend and beyond.
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Tyler Shough QB | NO
Saints' Tyler Shough: Viewed as starter for rest of year
Saints coach Kellen Moore said Wednesday that he plans to start Shough for the remainder of the season, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
That's almost always the case when a team changes QBs, but it doesn't always work out that way. Shough does figure to be given plenty of slack, if only because he's a rookie on a team with poor alternatives. He got his first significant action in a 23-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 8, subbing in for Spencer Rattler in the third quarter and finishing out the game. Shough didn't look any better than Rattler, completing 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception (plus three carries for 12 yards).
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Michael Penix Jr. QB | ATL
Falcons' Michael Penix: Officially limited Wednesday
Penix (knee) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Penix also was limited all of last week due to a bone bruise in his knee before the Falcons made him inactive for this past Sunday's game against the Dolphins, allowing Kirk Cousins to direct the offense in a 34-10 loss. Prior to Wednesday's session, coach Raheem Morris told Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com that he feels "really good" about Penix, and the quarterback himself relayed to McElhaney afterward, "I feel like I am trending in the right direction." Whether or not that'll amount to a return to action for Penix on Sunday at New England remains to be seen, but he'll have two more opportunities to prove the health of his knee before Atlanta potentially tags him with a Week 9 designation.
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Lamar Jackson QB | BAL
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Cleared for Thursday return
Jackson (hamstring) doesn't have an injury designation for Thursday's game at Miami.
The Ravens listed Jackson as a full practice participant Monday through Wednesday, with the QB saying Tuesday that he's "100 percent healthy" and ready to play. The final injury report confirms that Jackson will suit up for the first time since Week 4, facing a Miami defense that shut down the Falcons this past Sunday after struggling mightily for most of September and October.
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Brock Purdy QB | SF
49ers' Brock Purdy: In line for limited practice
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy (toe) is expected to be limited at Wednesday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
The ever-elusive full practice for Purdy has yet to occur since he aggravated a turf toe injury in his last appearance Week 4. Having said that, Shanahan told Wagoner on Monday, "I don't think it's a long shot. We'll see how he's doing Wednesday." Another capped session Wednesday would indicate Purdy still has to prove the health of his toe before being cleared to return to action, and with fill-in QB Mac Jones also dealing with a knee contusion this week, the situation under center in San Francisco remains in flux ahead of Sunday's game at the Giants.
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Jayden Daniels QB | WAS
Commanders' Jayden Daniels: To practice all week, per Quinn
Coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday that Daniels (hamstring) will have a full week of practice in advance of Sunday's game against the Seahawks, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.
Daniels sat out Monday's game at Kansas City due to a low-grade right hamstring strain that he suffered Week 7 at Dallas, allowing Marcus Mariota to get a third spot start of the campaign. On Tuesday, Quinn told JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington that the Commanders "plan on him being a part" of the practice plan during Week 8 prep, but Quinn's comment one day later doesn't mean Daniels necessarily will be listed as a full participant all week. In the end, Wednesday's injury report will reveal whether or not Daniels was able to handle all on-field work.
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J.J. McCarthy QB | MIN
Vikings' J.J. McCarthy: On track for Week 9 start
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that McCarthy (ankle) will be the starter for Sunday's game against the Lions and get a full week of practice in preparation for his return to the lineup, Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
O'Connell essentially doubled down on the comments he offered Tuesday while speaking with KFAN FM 100.3, as Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, O'Connell specified Wednesday that there is nothing left for McCarthy to do to prove his health, an indication that the second-year pro will not only practice in full but also return to the starting lineup on the road against Detroit after having been inactive for Minnesota's prior five contests due to a right high-ankle sprain. With veteran fill-in Carson Wentz (shoulder) now on IR after having undergone season-ending surgery, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will be positioned as the No. 2 option behind McCarthy going forward.