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Green Bay Packers WR Allen Lazard (back, wrist) was limited during practice Friday, Jan. 22, but is not on the injury report for the NFC Championship game.
Footballguys view: Lazard came through in a big way for the Packers in the Divisonal Round, snaring four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. He's the no.2 receiver for the Packers behind Davante Adams and could be called upon again to do big things against an aggressive Buccaneers secondary. |

Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams (ankle) was limited during practice Friday, Jan. 22, but is not on the injury report for the NFC Championship game.
Footballguys view: Good news for the Packers here. They're up against a tough front seven of the Buccaneers defense, so having a battering ram like Williams would greatly help. He'll serve as a power option and sometimes receiving back behind starter Aaron Jones. |
Jamaal Williams player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones (quad, finger) was upgraded to a full practice Friday, Jan. 22, and was removed from the injury report for the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
Footballguys view: Jones is going to get out there like he did in the Divisional Round but there's no word on whether or not he's going to start or if Leonard Fournette is going to get that nod. They'll both work in a RBBC against the Packers on Sunday. |
Ronald Jones II player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (knee) was limited in practice all week but no longer appears on the injury report for the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
Footballguys view: Evans has a tough time shaking free against Saints CB Marshon Lattimore. He'll have a better time this week against the Packers, but the last time these two teams played (Week 6 2020) Evans only had one catch for 10 yards. Let's see if he can do more with a trip to the Super Bowl...in Tampa...on the line. |
Mike Evans player page

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle, hip) practiced in a limited fashion again Friday, Jan. 22, and is listed as questionable for the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills.
Footballguys view: The Chiefs may have their rookie first-round pick available in the AFC Championship Game. Having his speed and big-play ability on the field would greatly help the offense with a chance to go to Super Bowl LV on the line. |

Buffalo Bills WR Cole Beasley (knee) practiced in full Friday, Jan. 22, and no longer appear on the injury report practiced in full Friday for the AFC Championship game versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
Footballguys view: Beasley has not been himself this entire postseason. He won't have Marlon Humphrey covering him like he did in the Divisional Round against the Ravens, so that means he could shake free more often on his option routes. |
Cole Beasley player page

Former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia was reportedly hired by the New England Patriots to 'assist the coaching staff in a variety of roles' Friday, Jan. 22, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.
Footballguys view: Just like Josh McDaniels years ago when things failed for him as a head coach, you can always go back to the Patriots. We'll see if Patricia can rehab his career and work back to get another head coaching gig like McDaniels is on track to do. |

Free-agent WR Deon Cain (Steelers) signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, Jan. 22.
Footballguys view: Cain is a player we've always tracked in crazy deep dynasty formats. He's athletic and a former Clemson receiver who has bounced around the league. The Ravens are a team where he could make the 53-man roster but it seems like a pipe dream to expect Cain to do much of anything at this point in his pro career. |
Deon Cain player page

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (oblique) was upgraded to a full practice Friday, Jan. 22, and was removed from the injury report for the AFC Championship game versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
Footballguys view: Diggs has been limited during the week of practice with this oblique injury for some time. He's good to go for game day and is the player the Chiefs have to concern themselves with the most in the Bills passing attack. |
Stefon Diggs player page

Buffalo Bills WR Gabriel Davis (ankle) was upgraded to a limited practice Friday, Jan. 22, and is listed as questionable for the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Footballguys view: Davis being banged up could be a bigger deal than some think. He's been able to catch tough passes in key situations for the Bills in the playoffs, mainly in the Wild Card Round. Davis has earned the trust of QB Josh Allen and could make a big play or two in a limited role behind Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley and John Brown. |

Free-agent WR Ryan Switzer (Browns) signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns on Friday, Jan. 22. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Footballguys view: Switzer is a slot receiver who can do work underneath with his quickness. He's bounced around the league and is not much of a fantasy factor. |
Ryan Switzer player page

Updating previous reports, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (toe) on Friday, Jan. 22, announced he has cleared the league's concussion protocol and is set to start in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
Footballguys view: That's what the Chiefs were planning on this whole time. He'll do his best against a Bills defense that will be charged with stopping him. We'll see how that toe injury impacts Mahomes and his ability to keep plays alive with his feet. |
Patrick Mahomes II player page

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (toe, concussion) remains in the concussion protocol, according to head coach Andy Reid on Friday, Jan. 22, and will be evaluated by doctors Friday afternoon.
Footballguys view: Mahomes must be cleared by an independent neurologist before getting the green light to play in Sunday's AFC Championship Game. Reid added Mahomes has taken the majority of snaps in practice this week. |
Patrick Mahomes II player page

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (concussion, toe) is participating in practice Friday, Jan. 22, according to team beat reporters.
Footballguys view: A good sign for the Chiefs here. Mahomes should be out there on Sunday against the Bills. |
Patrick Mahomes II player page

Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill has been taking some reps returning punts in practice this week in case a key situation arises in the AFC Championship Game, Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said Friday, Jan. 22. Toub added that Hill has asked to do so. 'It's just a matter of finding the right time to call his number,' Toub said.
Footballguys view: Just like Dan Fouts said in the Waterboy, 'don't hold anything back!' The Chiefs have to do whatever it takes to get back to the Super Bowl. They are the favorites over the Bills, but it could be close and that's where a player like Hill can break things open on any touch. With a trip to Super Bowl LV on the line, it only makes sense for Hill to be an option as a punt returner. |
Tyreek Hill player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown (knee) will miss the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 24, due to a knee injury, head coach Bruce Arians said Friday.
Footballguys view: Brown was going to be a game-time decision but he's just not close enough. Without him, the Buccaneers can turn to Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson to do more behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. |
Antonio Brown player page

Former Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney was named Executive Vice President of Football/Player Personnel for the Washington Football team Friday, Jan. 22.
Footballguys view: Hurney was in line for the GM job but gets this high-ranking title, behind new Washington GM Martin Mayhew. Both men will work with head coach Ron Rivera to strengthen the core of the Football Team. |

Pittsburgh Steelers TE Vance McDonald announced his retirement Friday, Jan. 22. McDonald, 30, had 181 receptions for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career.
Footballguys view: McDonald was a second-round pick out of Rice for the 49ers in the 2013 NFL draft. He had an athletic profile but injuries and inconsistencies kept him from truly playing up to his potential as a pro. The Steelers save around $5 million in cap space with McDonald hanging up his cleats. |
Vance McDonald player page

San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Martin Mayhew was named the general manager of the Washington Football Team Friday, Jan. 22.
Footballguys view: Mayhew used to be the GM of the Lions, but that was some time ago. He's most recently helped the 49ers turn things around under GM John Lynch. Mayhew will work closely with head coach Ron Rivera to get the Football Team a stronger core to build on. |

Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson's 2.66 receiving yards per route ranked second to Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams among receivers who ran 150 or more routes this season.
Footballguys view: Jefferson exploded onto the scene as a rookie in 2020. We're excited to see what he can do to build on that in the future as he continues to develop. |

Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams led the NFL with 23 red zone receptions and 14 red zone touchdowns in 2020, and his 46 red zone touchdowns since 2016 are 17 more than any other player.
Footballguys view: Adams is a favorite target of QB Aaron Rodgers. He is one of the most trustworthy players in the league and knows how to work in cramped space down in the red zone. |
Davante Adams player page

Jacksonville Jaguars RB James Robinson ranked sixth among running backs with 641 snaps played in 2020 despite missing the final two games with an ankle injury.
Footballguys view: Robinson was a find for the Jaguars. He was undrafted coming out of Illinois State in 2020 and rushed for over 1,000 yards. Robinson should be a centerpiece of what the Jaguars do on offense in 2021, and he'll benefit from no.1 pick Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) ...the expected pick at the top of the 2021 NFL draft. |

Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry led all running backs with 75 forced missed tackles this season, and his 1,490 rushing yards after contact were the most in the league.
Footballguys view: That's almost 1,500 yards AFTER contact. Henry has always been a battering ram and in 2020 the Titans finally used him as such for the entire season. The result was his most productive season as a pro as Henry became one of the few RBs in the 2,000-yard club. |
Derrick Henry player page

Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert was pressured on 230 dropbacks in 2020, the second most of any quarterback, and he recorded a league-best 99.4 passer rating on those plays.
Footballguys view: A strong sign of a good quarterback is what he does under duress. The film and the advance data both show how Herbert is cool under fire. He's not the type of player who feels the rush and it shows in his play. It looks like the Chargers got a franchise quarterback. |

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers led the NFL with 1,242 yards on passes thrown more than 20 yards downfield during the 2020 season.
Footballguys view: Rodgers has embraced the Matt LaFleur system which emphasizes working all levels of the field and using short passes to set up long ones after that. It's not a surprise that Rodgers would post these type of numbers on such passes. |
Aaron Rodgers player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (knee) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Evans has been limited with this knee injury since hyperextending it a few weeks ago. He'll have a better matchup this week against the Packers and should be able to shake free for some big plays. |
Mike Evans player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones (finger, quadriceps) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Jones will likely be out there for the Buccaneers again in the NFC Championship Game but we don't know if he's going to start or if Leonard Fournette will get that nod again. |
Ronald Jones II player page

Green Bay Packers WR Allen Lazard (back, wrist) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Lazard is getting a bit of rest during the week but has his eyes on playing in the game on Sunday. He was a big part of what the Packers passing game did in the Divisional Round and could be again in the NFC Championship Game. |

Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams (ankle) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Williams and A.J. Dillon are both a little banged up. We'll see both serve as power backs behind starter Aaron Jones on Sunday. |
Jamaal Williams player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown (knee) did not practice for a second consecutive day Thursday, Jan. 21, and is expected to be a game-time decision for the NFC Championship game versus the Green Bay Packers, according to head coach Bruce Arians.
Footballguys view: This was expected with Brown's knee injury and him missing all of practice this week. There's always Friday, but we'd bet he misses that day too. Brown is a seasoned veteran who could still play a role on Sunday even if he doesn't practice at all during the week. |
Antonio Brown player page

Buffalo Bills WR Cole Beasley (knee) was added to the injury report and limited in practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Beasley is not quite himself, but he's been gutting out performances in the playoffs for the Bills. He'll do his best to be out there for his teammates with a chance to go to the Super Bowl if the team can beat the Chiefs on Sunday. |
Cole Beasley player page

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (oblique) was limited in practice for a second consecutive day Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Diggs has been limited in practice with this injury for some time. When game time rolls around on Sunday, Diggs will be ready to star with a chance to go to the Super Bowl. |
Stefon Diggs player page

Buffalo Bills WR Gabriel Davis (ankle) did not practice for a second straight day Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: That's back-to-back days missed for the young receiver. Davis can make big plays on limited opportunities, so it would be a blow to the Bills if he can't play in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. |

Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak is expected by 'many' to replace his father, Gary Kubiak, as the offensive coordinator after the latter announced his retirement Thursday, Jan. 21, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Footballguys view: That sounds about right. The younger Kubiak has been working as an assistant and is on the track to be a head coach, like his father used to be, some day. Kubiak would keep a lot of the wide-zone/Shanahan principles to the Vikings offense that has worked so well for guys like QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook and WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. |
Klint Kubiak player page

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Gary Kubiak announced his retirement Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Kubiak has retired from the NFL before but this time it might be for good. He's been coaching in the league since 1994 and John Elway's former backup helped his friend win multiple Super Bowl titles -- first as an assistant under Mike Shanahan and then as the head coach of the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. The Vikings are now looking for their sixth offensive coordinator in six years, but they may not have far to look. QB coach Klint Kubiak, Gary's son, is in line to take over the reins of the offense. |

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (concussion, toe) was a limited participant in practice Thursday, Jan. 21, and remains in the concussion protocol, head coach Andy Reid said.
Footballguys view: Mahomes is working his way out of the protocol and barring any setbacks should be good to go. The concussion is a serious injury but the toe injury could be troubling as well. We'll see what Mahomes looks like against the Bills on Sunday. |
Patrick Mahomes II player page

Updating a previous report, free-agent QB Dwayne Haskins (Washington Football Team) on Thursday, Jan. 21, agreed to a one-year contract offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers, per a source.
Footballguys view: The Steelers take a chance on the former first-round pick here. Haskins was Washington's top pick in the 2019 NFL draft, but he failed to impress while starting 13 games over two seasons. He'll try to get his career back on track but Haskins is no lock for the 53-man roster. The Steelers need to find some young quarterback to groom behind Ben Roethlisberger and Haskins could be that guy. |
Dwayne Haskins player page

Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni on Thursday, Jan. 21, will be hired as the Philadelphia Eagles' head coach, according to sources.
Footballguys view: This is actually an exciting move for the Eagles. Sirianni has been a fast-riser in coaching circles but has done a good job working under Frank Reich with the Colts. He's never called plays in the NFL, so we'll see how the rest of Sirianni's staff takes shape with the Eagles. GM Howie Roseman makes the calls on personnel but will now work with Sirianni to get the team back on track. |

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown (knee) was not seen Thursday, Jan. 21, in the portion of practice open to the media.
Footballguys view: After practice, head coach Bruce Arians said he expects Brown's status for the NFC Championship Game on Sunday to come down to a game-time decision, adding that Brown doesn't necessarily need to practice this week in order to play. |
Antonio Brown player page

Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle, hip) is participating in practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Edwards-Helaire might be available to the Chiefs this week. He missed the Divisional Round game which led to the Chiefs leaning on Darrell Williams and Le'Veon Bell more. Let's see what the rookie first-round pick does on Friday but he's trending in the right direction. |

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (concussion, toe) is participating in practice with a helmet Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Mahomes keeps doing more as the week goes on. This is great news for his availability and he should be out there slinging it against the Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. |
Patrick Mahomes II player page

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown (knee) was out of practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Brown is shaping up to be a game-time decision for the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. He's a seasoned veteran so even if he misses Friday's practice he could still play a role for the team in a win-or-go-home contest with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. |
Antonio Brown player page

Jacksonville Jaguars interim general manager Trent Baalke was officially named GM Thursday, Jan. 21.
Footballguys view: Baalke gets another shot as general manager after things fell apart for him when he ran the 49ers. He will work closely with new head coach Urban Meyer, and has the NFL experience that Meyer does not. Meyer should have a lot of sway in the room in terms of personnel decisions. Baalke gets $100 million in cap space and the no.1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. That's a pretty sweet start to his new gig. |

Miami Dolphins WRs Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns are all potential cap casualties, in the opinion of The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.
Footballguys view: The Dolphins could have a new-look WR corps in 2021. We'd expect them to try and upgrade the position and get more playmakers in the room besides DeVante Parker and Preston Williams. |
Allen Hurns player page
Albert Wilson player page
Jakeem Grant player page

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees dealt with more injuries than were previously known as, according to a post from his wife on Instagram, the veteran played with a torn rotator cuff and a torn fascia in his foot. Those are in addition to the 11 broken ribs and collapsed lung that were previously reported.
Footballguys view: His game was slowing down, but Brees did not look like himself in the 2020 season. Brees is expected to retire during the offseason, though he has not made that official, yet. |
Drew Brees player page

The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to let WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 'walk' in free agency, in the opinion of ESPN's Brooke Pryor, who notes the team's cap issues and presence of WRs Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington on the roster.
Footballguys view: That has been the writing on the wall for quite some time. Smith-Schuster did not elevate his game as the no.1 wide receiver for the Steelers to the expected levels. There have been distractions with him in terms of social networking snafus (nothing sinister) and the team is stacked at the WR position. It's safe to say he'll likely be playing elsewhere in the 2021 season. |
JuJu Smith-Schuster player page

Chicago Bears WR Anthony Miller was warned not to get involved with New Orleans Saints CB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson ahead of the team's Wild Card matchup but ended up getting ejected from the game, which team chairman George McCaskey had a 'problem' with. That's 'bad news' for Miller's future with the team, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley, who noted that Miller has just one year left on his contract.
Footballguys view: A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Miller has been solid by unspectacular as a pro. Miller has one year left on his deal and is on the books with a $1.7 million cap hit in 2021 with only $493,000 left in dead money. We'll see if the team moves on this offseason or if they stick it out with Miller for one more season. |
Anthony Miller player page

Green Bay Packers RB AJ Dillon (quad) was limited in practice Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Footballguys view: Dillon will serve as a power back behind starter Aaron Jones. We'll see if he can get a full practice in on Friday. |

Denver Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy was targeted on a catchable pass on just 59 percent of throws by his quarterbacks in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus.
Footballguys view: That sounds about right. Jeudy is better than he produced in 2020, but we'll see if Lock improves or if the Broncos just flat out replace him (Matthew Stafford?) as the starter in 2021. |

Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones (quadriceps) said Wednesday, Jan. 20, he already feels better than last week and he's all good for the NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers.
Footballguys view: Jones is calling himself all good but we don't yet know if he'll start. If not, Leonard Fournette could get the starting nod again. |
Ronald Jones II player page