NFL injury updates, latest league news from Thursday, Dec. 30

The Indianapolis Colts are getting reinforcements ahead of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Colts announced Thursday that linebacker Shaquille Leonard, receiver Zach Pascal and safety Khari Willis have been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Getting Pro Bowler Leonard back after he missed the Christmas Day win over the Arizona Cardinals will be a big boon for Indy as it attempts to clinch a playoff berth with a victory.

The Colts are the latest beneficiary of the NFL’s modified COVID-19 protocols, which cut the standard isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days regardless of vaccination status.

"Thank God they changed the rules," Leonard said during his media availability, per The Athletic. " ... I'm feeling good, ready to get back out there and ready to rock and roll."

Indianapolis still has a host of players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The biggest name on the list is quarterback Carson Wentz, who could be eligible to be activated Sunday before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff against the Raiders.

Receiver Parris Campbell (foot) was designated to return to practice Thursday. He's been on injured reserve since mid-October. Tight end Jack Doyle (knee/ankle), offensive lineman Eric Fisher (knee/toe/shoulder) and safety Andrew Sendejo (concussion) remained out.

Injuries/COVID-19

• Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (back) remained limited in practice while RB James Conner (heel) remained out. Tight end Zach Ertz (hamstring) was upgraded from limited to full. Safety Budda Baker (ribs), receiver Rondale Moore (ankle), and offensive lineman Rodney Hudson (illness) were upgraded from DNP to limited. Offensive tackle D.J. Humphries was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Atlanta Falcons placed offensive tackle Jason Spriggs on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) was not present during the open portion of practice and was listed as a DNP a day after he was limited. Wide receiver Marquise Brown also did not practice due to illness. The Ravens activated QB Tyler Huntley, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and safety Tony Jefferson from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Offensive lineman Tyre Phillips (knee) was placed on injured reserve.
• The Buffalo Bills activated OL Cody Ford and CB Cam Lewis from the reserve/COVID-19 list, and TE Quintin Morris from the practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list. Receiver Emmanuel Sanders (knee) did not practice after being limited Wed.; safety Jordan Poyer (shoulder) was downgraded from full to limited.
• The Carolina Panthers added safety Kenny Robinson, defensive end Darryl Johnson, and practice squad running back Reggie Bonnafon to the COVID-19 list, and activated cornerback Rashaan Melvin from the list. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore (groin) did not practice Thursday.
• Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (ankle) remained limited at practice. Receiver Marquise Goodwin (illness) did not practice.
• The Cincinnati Bengals activated defensive tackle D.J. Reader and defensive end Wyatt Ray from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Cleveland Browns activated defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, kicker Chase McLaughlin, cornerback Greg Newsome II and center JC Tretter from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Dallas Cowboys activated cornerback Jourdan Lewis from the reserve/COVID-19, and placed cornerback Kyron Brown and safety Tyler Coyle on the practice squad/COVID-19 list. Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (foot) and offensive lineman Tyron Smith (ankle) remained limited in practice.
• The Denver Broncos placed cornerbacks Bryce Callahan and Mike Ford, offensive tackle Bobby Massie and outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly on the reserve/COVID-19 list. NFL Network’s James Palmer reported earlier in the day that the Broncos were conducting meetings, but not practicing due to positive COVID-19 tests. Palmer noted that there could be as many as five Broncos players added to the reserve/COVID-19 list, but there’s also a chance of false positives. Broncos QB Drew Lock (ankle) was a full participant a day after he was limited, while running backs Javonte Williams (knee) and Melvin Gordon (thumb/hip) remained limited. Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (shoulder/illness) did not practice.
• Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (knee) and fullback Jason Cabinda (knee) did not practice for second straight day. Detroit placed receiver Kalif Raymond on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (knee) remained limited at practice for a second straight day. Receivers Randall Cobb and Marquez Valdes-Scantling returned to practice. Green Bay designated Cobb to return from IR nearly a month after he underwent core muscle surgery; MVS was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Cobb's injury often requires an eight-week recovery, but there's a chance Cobb, who had surgery in early December, could be back for the playoffs, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Cornerback Kevin King and defensive back Shemar Jean-Charles were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and linebacker Randy Ramsey were put on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Houston Texans activated defensive back A.J. Moore and linebacker Tae Davis from the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed WR Danny Amendola on the list.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars placed OL Will Richardson Jr. (finger) on injured reserve, S Andrew Wingard on the reserve/COVID-19 list and RB BJ Emmons on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
• Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Joe Thuney (non-COVID illness) and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) did not practice, per coach Andy Reid.
• The Las Vegas Raiders activated WR Bryan Edwards from the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed DE Carl Nassib and G Jordan Simmons on the list.
• The Los Angeles Chargers activated receiver Mike Williams and defensive back Michael Davis from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Safety Derwin James (hamstring) was limited.
• The Los Angeles Rams activated left tackle Andrew Whitworth from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Miami Dolphins designated offensive tackle Greg Little and linebacker Brennan Scarlett to return to practice.
• The Minnesota Vikings placed linebacker Nick Vigil on the COVID list. Tight end Tyler Conklin (hamstring) practiced in a limited capacity after sitting on Wednesday. Running backs Dalvin Cook (illness) and Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) and fullback C.J. Ham (hamstring) were upgraded from limited to full. Safety Harrison Smith (foot/shoulder) was upgraded from DNP to full; CB Cameron Dantzler (calf) did not practice.
• New England Patriots guard Shaq Mason did not practice due to an illness. Receiver Jakobi Meyers (thigh), running back Damien Harris (hamstring), linebacker Dont'a Hightower (knee) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (elbow) remained limited. The Pats placed DB Joshuah Bledsoe (calf) on IR. Defensive end Deatrich Wise was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Offensibve tackle Yodny Cajuste was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (knee) practiced in a limited capacity. Defensive ends Carl Granderson and Jalyn Holmes were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Center Erik McCoy was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) and tight end Kyle Rudolph (ankle) returned to practice in a limited capacity a day after both were DNPs. Kadarius Toney (shoulder) missed practice for a second day in a row. The team activated offensive tackle Nate Solder from the reserve/COVID-19 list, placed RB Gary Brightwell and OT Matt Peart on IR. N.Y. also placed OT Korey Cunningham, WR Darius Slayton and practice squad LB Omari Cobb on the COVID list.
• The New York Jets activated G Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, DE John Franklin-Myers and S Ashtyn Davis from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (knee) practiced in a limited capacity after missing Wednesday's session. Running back Tevin Coleman and defensive back Zane Lewis were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (ankle) practiced in a full capacity after being limited Wednesday. Linebacker Shaun Bradley was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers activated linebacker Marcus Allen from the reserve/COVID-19 list, and placed cornerback Arthur Maulet on the list. Tight end Pat Freiermuth, who missed Week 16 with a concussion, practiced in full.
• San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (thumb) remained sidelined at practice and was officially listed as a DNP. Running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) was limited in practice.
• The Seattle Seahawks placed guard Damien Lewis on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (rest) and receiver Antonio Brown (ankle) did not practice; safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) was limited. Defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches was activated from the COVID list.
• Tennessee Titans receiver A.J. Brown did not practice due to a calf injury. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Brown's absence is more precautionary than anything and he’s still on track to play Sunday. Linebacker Harold Landry (hamstring) was upgraded from limited to full. Guard Nate Davis and defensive back Caleb Farley were activated from the COVID list; Farley (torn ACL) remains on IR.
• The Washington Football Team placed OL Samuel Cosmi, P Tress Way and QB Kyle Shurmur on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive end Nate Orchard and guard Zack Bailey were activated from the list. Running back Antonio Gibson (hip) did not practice; he was limited yesterday.

Roster moves

• The Baltimore Ravens signed offensive lineman Patrick Mekari to a three-year contract extension through the 2024 season. The new contract is worth $15.3 million with a chance to earn $750,000 more in 2023 and 2024, Rapoport reported. Or another way of looking at it, per Rapoport, is a two-year extension beyond Mekari's restricted year that's worth roughly $12 million in new money with $13 million max. Mekari will get more than $7 million in guaranteed money.
• The Buffalo Bills released running back Antonio Williams from the practice squad.
• The Carolina Panthers elevated tight end Stephen Sullivan to the 53-man roster as a COVID-19 replacement, and signed quarterback Jordan Ta'amu and cornerback Tae Hayes to the practice squad.
• The Cincinnati Bengals signed long snapper Colin Holba to the practice squad.
• The Cleveland Browns waived defensive tackle Josiah Bronson and released kicker Chris Naggar from the practice squad.
• The Green Bay Packers signed receiver David Moore to the practice squad.
• The Las Vegas Raiders signed offensive linemen Nico Falah and Brett Heggie to the practice squad.
• The New York Giants waived linebacker Trent Harris.
• The New York Jets released safety Elijah Benton and receiver Isaiah Zuber from the practice squad.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers signed receiver Darrius Shepherd to the practice squad.
• The Tennessee Titans signed offensive lineman Paul Adams and defensive back Shyheim Carter to the practice squad