NFL Player News

Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Monday that Bernard (calf) will not play in the Bills' regular-season finale against the Jets on Sunday, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Bernard suffered a calf injury during the second quarter of the Bills' 13-12 loss to the Eagles on Sunday and did not return. He'll be sidelined for Week 18 and aim to progress enough in his recovery to be available for the wild-card round of the postseason. Joe Andreessen and Dorian Williams are poised for larger roles on defense in Bernard's absence.

The Vikings signed Vaughn from the practice squad to the active roster Monday.

Vaughn signed with the Vikings in May as an undrafted free agent and opted to stick around in Minnesota as a member of the team's practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He'll be a part of the Vikings' active roster for their regular-season finale against the Packers on Sunday and will give Minnesota a potential contributor on special teams while providing depth in the secondary.

Biadasz (ankle/knee) is unlikely to be available for the Commanders' regular-season finale against the Eagles on Sunday, Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C. reports.

Biadasz suffered ankle and knee injuries during the Commanders' 30-23 loss to the Cowboys on Christmas Day. The injuries aren't severe enough to require surgery, but it puts the sixth-year pro on the doubtful side of playing Week 18. Nick Allegretti would likely draw the start at center against Philadelphia if Biadasz is inactive.

The Buccaneers waived Williams on Monday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

Williams served a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy. His suspension was lifted Dec. 22, and rather than cut another player on the 53-man roster to make room for Williams, the Buccaneers have opted to let go of the LSU product. If he goes unclaimed off waivers, Williams will look to sign with a team in need of backfield depth and a returner on special teams.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Mariota (hand/quadriceps) is "a stretch" to be available for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Eagles but has not been ruled out yet, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Mariota has not resumed practicing since suffering a pair of injuries during Washington's loss to the Eagles in Week 16, which paved the way for Josh Johnson to start versus the Cowboys in Week 17. Per Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C., Quinn said Mariota is not yet moving at full speed, and Zach Selby of the team's official site confirms that the veteran quarterback wasn't able to make it through Monday's walkthrough. If Mariota doesn't play Week 18, Johnson will close out the 2025 campaign under center for the Commanders.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that Prescott will play in the team's regular-season finale on the road against the Giants on Sunday, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Dallas currently sits at a 7-8-1 record and would finish the 2025 campaign at .500 with a win over New York in Week 18, giving Prescott something to play for even with the team already eliminated from playoff contention. The 32-year-old signal-caller has operated as one of the NFL's most efficient quarterbacks down the stretch, as he's averaging over 300 passing yards per game across seven appearances since the Cowboys' bye in Week 10, with 13 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions in that span.

Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that Jackson's (back) status for next Sunday's game against the Steelers is to be determined, but the Ravens should have a better idea Wednesday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Jackson didn't practice at all last week, but Harbaugh did say the quarterback felt a lot better at the end of the week than he did immediately following the Week 16 defeat to the Patriots. Jackson is dealing with a lower-back contusion. Tyler Huntley started in Jackson's place Saturday against the Packers and was efficient handing the ball off to Derrick Henry. Huntley also completed 16 of 20 passes for 107 yards and one touchdown, adding 60 rushing yards of his own on eight attempts.

Coach Pete Carroll clarified Monday that Smith avoided a high-ankle sprain but is still dealing with a significant ankle injury after exiting Sunday's loss to the Giants, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.

Smith seems highly unlikely to play in next Sunday's regular-season finale against the Chiefs. Kenny Pickett will likely draw the start against Kansas City. The Smith acquisition by Las Vegas has gone about as poorly as imaginable, as Smith is 2-13 across his 15 starts and leads the league with 17 interceptions. He'll likely be one-and-done with the Raiders.

St. Brown (knee) is considered day-to-day ahead of Sunday's regular-season finale on the road at Chicago, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.

St. Brown dealt with irritation in his knee leading up to last Thursday's 23-10 loss to the Vikings in which he secured eight of 13 targets for 68 yards, so he may simply be dealing with the same issue leading into Week 18. It's worth noting, though, that St. Brown was forced to walk off the field under this own power late in the fourth quarter versus Minnesota after taking an awkward hit. With Detroit having been eliminated from playoff contention due to the team's Week 17 loss, there won't be much incentive for St. Brown to push through the injury if there are any chances he could aggravate or compound his knee issue.

McCreary (hip) was activated from the injured reserve list Monday, Nate Atkins of The Athletic reports.

The fourth-year pro from Auburn has missed the Rams' last four games due to a hip injury, but following a full practice Friday, he's set to return for Monday night's matchup against the Falcons. Since being dealt from the Titans to the Rams in late October, McCreary has appeared in four games and played just one defensive snap. Now fully healthy, he's expected to operate as one of the Rams' top slot corners in the Week 17 matchup.