NFL Player News

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Flacco is now considered the top backup to starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who suffered a concussion during Sunday's loss to Denver, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com reports.

In other words, Flacco may end up starting Sunday's game at the Rams if Thompson-Robinson is unable to clear the five-step protocol this week. P.J. Walker filled in after Thompson-Robinson exited against Denver and once again struggled with to limit turnovers. Based on his track record, Flacco would at least likely do a better job than Walker at avoiding interceptions, even if he had no more success sustaining drives and scoring points. The 38-year-old signal-caller joined Cleveland's practice squad last week.

Zappe took multiple reps under center during the media-access portion of Wednesday's practice and was then was followed by practice-squad member Malik Cunningham, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Reiss adds that neither Mac Jones nor the Patriots' other practice-squad quarterback (Will Grier) threw during the early portion of the session. While head coach Bill Belichick has declined to name a starting quarterback for this Sunday's game against the Chargers, the way Wednesday's practice transpired hints at Zappe potentially getting the nod this weekend. During the Patriots' 10-7 loss to the Giants in Week 12, Zappe replaced Jones after halftime and completed nine of 14 passes for 54 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Mayfield (ankle) was a full participant at Wednesday's walkthrough.

Mayfield injured his ankle near the end of the Buccaneers' opening possession this past Sunday at Indianapolis, missing two snaps in the process. He was able to play with the ankle heavily taped thereafter on his way to 199 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 20-for-30 passing, three carries for 14 yards and two fumbles (one lost). On Monday, an MRI on Mayfield's ankle returned negative, and as of Wednesday, head coach Todd Bowles told Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site that the quarterback felt much better and was in line to suit up Sunday against the Panthers. With a full listing on the team's first Week 13 practice report, Mayfield appears on pace to do exactly that, but it wouldn't surprise if he endures some on-field restrictions before week's end to manage the issue.

Thompson-Robinson (concussion) won't practice Wednesday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The Browns were forced to turn the offense back over to P.J. Walker after Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Broncos. The rookie hasn't performed much better than his veteran counterpart, but Thompson-Robinson seems more likely than not to be the starter again once he exits concussion protocol. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Joe Flacco is now Thompson-Robinson's backup, suggesting that the 38-year-old will start Sunday's game at the Rams -- rather than Walker -- in the event Thompson-Robinson isn't cleared to play.

Detroit designated Hooker (knee) to return from the reserve/non-football injury list Wednesday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

The rookie quarterback is now eligible to practice, with the Lions having a 21-day window to place him on the active roster before he defaults back to the NFI list for the remainder of the season. Hooker suffered an ACL tear last November during his final collegiate season at Tennessee, which resulted in him dropping out of the first-round discussion before the Lions selected him early in the third round at No. 68 overall. He isn't likely to play this season given that Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater both are healthy, but the Lions are keeping the door open for Hooker to return to the roster if his knee responds well to practice activity.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced announced Wednesday that Rodgers (Achilles) has been designated for return from injured reserve.

The transaction officially opens up a 21-day window in which Rodgers can participate in practices while the Jets evaluate him for a return from IR. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Saleh noted that while Rodgers has been cleared for functional football activity, the veteran quarterback is not yet ready to take contact just over two and a half months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon. Rodgers is thus slated to be a limited participant in practices, and he's uncertain to be activated from IR once the evaluation window closes in three weeks. In any case, Wednesday's move is at least another step forward in Rodgers potentially playing again this season, though the 39-year-old has suggested that any return will hinge on the 4-7 Jets remaining in playoff contention in the weeks to come.

Head coach Bill Belichick declined Wednesday to name either Jones or Bailey Zappe the Patriots' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports.

Jones has started all 11 games for the Patriots this season, but he's been pulled early in both of the team's last two contests. After completing 12 of 21 passes for 89 yards and two interceptions in the first two quarters of this past Sunday's 10-7 loss to the Giants, Jones was benched at halftime in favor of Zappe. Over the final two quarters, Zappe didn't fare dramatically better than Jones, completing nine of 14 passes for 54 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Jones and Zappe still profile as the top starting candidates for Week 13, but if Belichick elects to go in a different direction, the Patriots have Will Grier and Malik Cunningham available on the practice squad, though Cunningham has seen more of his reps at receiver of late.

The Buccaneers are optimistic that Mayfield (ankle) will be able to suit up versus the Panthers on Sunday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Mayfield injured his ankle on a quarterback sneak at the goal line in first quarter of this past Sunday's loss to the Colts, but he missed only a couple snaps before returning to the game. He may be limited in practices leading into the Week 13 matchup with Carolina, but there's reason to be optimistic about his chances of playing. He underwent an MRI on Monday, with negative results confirming he avoided any ligament damage. Mayfield has thrown exactly two passing touchdowns in four of his last five appearances, making him a possible streaming option for fantasy purposes against a lackluster Carolina secondary.

Rodgers (Achilles) said Tuesday during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that he's "not at an ability to play at this point" but noted that he's still not ruling out a return to game action in 2023 so long as the Jets remain in playoff contention, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

While going into detail about his rehab, Rodgers said that he's now back at the Jets' facility on a full-time basis and has resumed running on an anti-gravity treadmill. The veteran QB noted that his next step is to resume throwing to his teammates and going through the individual portions of practice, something that Ian Rapoport of NFL Network previously reported could happen as soon as this week. Before Rodgers is eligible to take part in individual work at practice, the Jets will have to designate him for return from IR, opening a 21-day window in which to evaluate him for a return to the 53-man roster. Since Rodgers would likely need the entire three weeks to get himself in position to play, he's believed to be targeting a return for the team's Christmas Eve matchup with the Commanders. However, the Jets have lost four games in a row and hold a 4-7 record, and if they continue to fade from playoff contention, Rodgers will likely turn his focus toward getting back to 100 percent in time for New York's offseason program.

Pickett is dealing with ankle soreness and could have his practice participation limited during Week 13 prep, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Mike Tomlin didn't seem concerned Tuesday about Pickett's availability for a Week 13 contest against the Cardinals, but the signal-caller still looks like he could be at risk of missing out on some reps when the Steelers hold their first practice of the week Wednesday. In his first game this past Sunday working with a new offensive coordinator (Eddie Faulkner) and play-caller (Mike Sullivan), Pickett turned in a quality performance in the Steelers' 16-10 win over the Bengals, completing 24 of 33 pass attempts for a season-high 278 yards while taking no sacks and committing no turnovers.