NFL Player News

The Patriots should have both Tom Brady and Julian Edelman against the Ravens on Saturday. 

Brady is listed with an ankle injury, but should play. He's been listed on the injury report every week this season, but always plays. Edelman is getting over a concussion, but will attempt to play through it.

The team will also have Jonas Gray and Brandon LaFell for the contest. Both players were also listed as probable. Gray is coming back from an ankle issue. LaFell has a shoulder and toe injury.

The Broncos will head into their divisional round playoff matchup with the Colts relatively healthy. Defensive tackle Mitch Unrein (knee) and linebacker Brandon Marshall (foot) are considered questionable. Quanterus Smith has been declared out with a knee injury.

David Bruton (concussion/neck), Paul Cornick (toe), Orlando Franklin (concussion), Peyton Manning (thigh), Will Montgomery (knee), Aqib Talib (Achilles), Julius Thomas (ankle), Demaryius Thomas (ankle/finger), Juwan Thompson (hip/knee), T.J. Ward (neck), and Kayvon Webster (shoulder) are all considered probable for Sunday's game.

The Broncos are currently 7-point favorites against the Colts.

The Patriots have locked up running back Brandon Bolden and starting safety Patrick Chung to contract extensions on Friday, ESPN reports.

Bolden, a core special teams player, signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension through 2016. Chung, who returned to New England after spending the 2013 season with the Eagles, signed a three-year extension through 2017. The deal is worth up to $8.2 million and includes $3.4 million in guarantees, according to the report.

Patriots receivers Brandon LaFell (shoulder/toe) and Julian Edelman (concussion) and running back Jonas Gray (ankle) remained limited in practice Thursday ahead of Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Ravens. All are expected to play.

Running back LeGarrette Blount, limited Wednesday by an illness, was able to practice fully Thursday. 

The Patriots are 7-point home favorites.

Colts running back Trent Richardson was demoted to third-string running back during Indianapolis' wild-card win against the Bengals. Richardson received no touches and played just a snap in the second half.

The Colts said Richardson was behind Daniel Herron and Zurlon Tipton on the depth chart last week because he missed some practice time due to an illness. However, his role heading into Sunday's divisional playoff game against the Broncos remains uncertain.

"We’re going to evaluate the situation as we go through the week and we’ll know more as we go through the week," coach Chuck Pagano said, per ESPN.

Richardson has been a disappointment in Indianapolis since his acquisition in September 2013 from the Browns. Although, general manager Ryan Grigson doesn't regret acquiring the former first-round pick.

"When we made that trade it was a great shot in the arm," Grigson said during the radio interview earlier in the week. "We lost our starter. I felt like it was the right football move at that time. I’ll never back off that thought. I thought it was a no-brainer."

Four key Patriots were limited in practice Wednesday ahead of Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Ravens: receivers Julian Edelman (concussion) and Brandon LaFell (shoulder/toe), and running backs LeGarrette Blount (illness) and Jonas Gray (ankle).

All are fully expected to play. Quarterback Tom Brady practiced fully despite being listed with an ankle injury. Coming off a bye week, New England is a 7-point home favorite.

Although Colts running back Dan Herron fumbled twice in Sunday's playoff win over the Bengals, coach Chuck Pagano gave him a vote of confidence afterward. The show of faith stemmed from Herron's 141 yards from scrimmage.

"He's gaining confidence," Pagano told the Indianapolis Star. "Obviously, there's some plays out there that he'd like to have back and you've got to clean up, but the guy's a playmaker. He can create when there's not much there."

Herron caught 10 of 11 targets for 85 yards and rushed 12 times for 56 yards (4.7 ypc). He accounted for 58 yards and a touchdown on Indy's opening drive. The Colts lost one of his two fumbles, giving Herron three lost fumbles this season.

"Can't do that, man, that's unacceptable," Herron told the paper following the heaviest workload of his career.

Indy visits Denver on Sunday as a 7-point underdog.

Colts rookie running back Zurlon Tipton, playing behind Dan Herron, rushed 11 times for 40 yards (3.6 ypc) in Sunday's 26-10 victory over the Bengals. Tipton added a 6-yard reception on his only target.

This was Tipton's second straight game with double-digit touches, as he received 11 in Week 17 at Tennessee. Running back Trent Richardson was active for the game but did not touch the ball.

They'll visit the Broncos in the divisional playoffs.

Colts running back Dan Herron sparked Indianapolis to its first opening-drive touchdown this season and finished with 141 yards from scrimmage in Sunday's playoff win over Cincinnati. Herron accounted for 58 yards on the opening drive, catching two passes for 26 yards and rushing three times for 32 yards, including hammering in the 2-yard score.

It was Herron's first score since Week 13. He rushed 12 times for 56 yards (4.7 ypc) and caught 10 of 11 targets for 85 yards. His previous high was five catches in Week 12 against Jacksonville.

Herron fumbled twice, losing one, as he continues to struggle with ball security. It was his third lost fumble this season.

Herron will visit the Broncos in next Sunday's divisional playoffs.

Colts running back Trent Richardson, who was questionable with an illness, is active for Sunday's playoff game against the Bengals. He'll continue to back up Dan Herron.

All the Colts who were probable on the injury report also are active. The list includes wideout Reggie Wayne (groin), tight end Dwayne Allen (knee), linebacker Jerrell Freeman (hamstring), guard Joe Reitz (ankle), linebacker Erik Walden (knee) and linebacker Bjoern Werner (shoulder).

Indy is a 3.5-point home favorite.