NFL Player News

Willis (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.

Willis has served as the backup to Will Levis with Ryan Tannehill (ankle) sidelined. However, with Tannehill active Sunday, Willis will serve only as the emergency third quarterback.

Rodgers (Achilles) is reportedly eyeing a potential return in mid-December, with the Jets' Week 16 game against the Commanders being a possible target, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

A mid-December return would represent a three-month recovery from Achilles surgery -- nearly two months ahead of the fastest known return that any NFL player has made from a similar injury. Even if Rodgers ends up gaining clearance Week 16 or later, any return to action would presumably hinge on whether he can protect himself on the field, as well as where the Jets -- currently 4-5 heading into Sunday's game in Buffalo -- sit in the AFC playoff picture. For the time being, Zach Wilson remains the team's starting quarterback.

Heinicke (hamstring) is expected to return to a backup role in the Falcons' Week 12 game against the Saints, with Atlanta planning to restore Desmond Ridder as its starting quarterback coming out of a Week 11 bye, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Heinicke made his Atlanta debut Week 8, when he replaced a struggling Ridder in the second half of a 28-23 loss to the Titans. After throwing for a touchdown and averaging 8.3 yards per attempt against Tennessee, Heinicke was named the starter for both of Atlanta's subsequent two contests. The quarterback change didn't lead to better results, however, as Atlanta dropped games to the Vikings and Cardinals while Heinicke completed 29 of 53 pass attempts for 323 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Heinicke also sustained a low-grade hamstring injury in the loss to Arizona, though the injury likely wasn't a major factor in Atlanta's decision to hand the starting gig back to Ridder. Prior to the bye week, head coach Arthur Smith said that he had no interest in playing "musical chairs" at quarterback on a game-by-game basis, so Ridder could have a decent amount of leash as he moves back ahead of Heinicke on the depth chart.

The Falcons are expected to go forward with Ridder as the starter beginning Week 12 versus the Saints, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Atlanta is making another QB change during its bye, with Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) set to return to a backup role after throwing three touchdowns and one interception across three games under center while averaging a disappointing 166 passing yards. Of course, Ridder hasn't been much more prolific, with six passing touchdowns and six interceptions across 10 games and an average of just 193.3 passing yards. Ridder has, however, added 150 rushing yards and four touchdowns, though that production has been balanced out by his seven fumbles (six lost).

Mullens (back) was activated from IR to Minnesota's 53-man roster Saturday.

Mullens had previously been sidelined for Minnesota's last five games with back stiffness. The 28-year-old quarterback is still listed as questionable for Sunday's contest, but now that he's been activated to the Vikings' active roster, he will likely serve as the team's top backup quarterback behind Joshua Dobbs in Week 11.

Mullens (back) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at the Broncos.

Coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that he is optimistic Mullens will be able to serve as the primary backup to Joshua Dobbs in Week 11, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports. With rookie fifth-rounder Jaren Hall (concussion) already ruled out for Sunday's contest, Mullens currently figures to serve as the Vikings' signal caller should anything happen to Dobbs.

Hall (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game in Denver.

Despite getting in a full practice Thursday, Hall has yet to make it through all five phases of the concussion protocol after suffering a head injury early during a Week 9 win in Atlanta. The Vikings will continue to roll with Joshua Dobbs at quarterback with Kirk Cousins (Achilles) out for the season, but Dobbs' direct backup this Sunday figures to be Nick Mullens (back), who is expected to be activated from IR on Saturday, as coach Kevin O'Connell told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com.

Browning will be Cincinnati's starting quarterback moving forward, as Joe Burrow (wrist) is in line to miss the rest of the season, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Burrow went for an MRI on Friday after leaving Thursday's 34-20 loss to the Ravens in the first half. The MRI revealed a torn ligament in the star quarterback's right wrist. Browning came into Thursday's game with just one career pass attempt in the NFL, and he went on to complete eight of 14 passes for 68 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions while rushing four times for 40 yards after replacing the injured Burrow. The 27-year-old Browning is expected to make his first NFL start Week 12 against the Steelers.

Fields (thumb) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game at Detroit.

This comes as no surprise after Fields logged three full practices during Week 11 prep. He'll thus put an end to a four-game absence Sunday and take over quarterback duties for the Bears for the first time since Week 6. Fields will aim to produce against a Lions defense that has given up the eighth-most combined touchdowns (17) to opposing QBs in nine games this season.

Burrow (wrist) is slated to be out for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Per Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist during Thursday's loss to the Ravens and thus is trending toward needing season-ending surgery, according to Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site. In Burrow's looming absence, Jake Browning is next up at QB for the team, with AJ McCarron currently on Cincinnati's practice squad.