NFL injury updates, latest league news from Wednesday, Dec. 29

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took a key step toward returning to the playing field Wednesday. He practiced.

It was the star quarterback’s first action since injuring his ankle in Week 14. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he’s “really hopeful” Jackson will be available for Week 17 versus the Rams.

“I really want to see him out there Sunday, I know the fans do. Most of all, Lamar does,” Harbaugh said. “So he’s going to do everything he can to be out here. You can’t make a promise, because we don’t know.”

While Harbaugh has expressed similar hope of Jackson’s return during the previous two weeks, it seemed unlikely when Jackson was unable to practice at all. Jackson was a limited participant to begin the week.

Backup Tyler Huntley, who was placed on the reserve/COVID -19 list last Saturday, is expected back Thursday.

In other news, the Ravens activated safety Geno Stone, linebackers Justin Houston, Tyus Bowser, Chris Board and Kristian Welch, offensive tackle David Sharpe and QB Chris Streveler from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Injuries/COVID-19

• The Atlanta Falcons placed defensive end Jonathan Bullard, defensive back Jaylinn Hawkins and tight end Hayden Hurst on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Arizona Cardinals activated punter Andy Lee from the reserve/COVID-19 list and designated linebackers Ezekiel Turner (shoulder) and Tanner Vallejo (knee) to return from injured reserve. Running back James Conner (heel), safety Budda Baker, receiver Rondale Moore and center Rodney Hudson (illness) did not practice. Tight end Zach Ertz (hamstring) and RB Chase Edmonds (back) were limited. Linebacker Devon Kennard was placed on the reserve/COVID list.
• The Buffalo Bills activated receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis, offensive lineman Jon Feliciano and defensive end A.J. Epenesa from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Carolina Panthers placed outside linebacker Haason Reddick and quarterback P.J. Walker on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Offensive linemen Pat Elflein and Dennis Daley were activated from the list.
• Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy told reporters quarterbacks Justin Fields (ankle) and Andy Dalton (hand/groin) will be at practice. Fields was a limited participant while Dalton practiced in full. Both players missed Week 16. Defensive backs Xavier Crawford and Teez Tabor were placed on injured reserve.
• The Cincinnati Bengals designated designated guard Xavier Su'a-Filo to return to practice, placed linebacker Germaine Pratt on the reserve/COVID-19 list and activated wideout Mike Thomas from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Cleveland Browns placed quarterback Nick Mullens on the practices squad/COVID-19 list.
• Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (foot) and left tackle Tyron Smith (ankle) were limited in practice. Safety Malik Hooker and defensive tackle Trysten Hill were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Wideout Noah Brown was designated to return to practice.
• Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) did not practice Wednesday and coach Vic Fangio told reporters Drew Lock will likely start on Sunday versus the Chargers. Linebacker Kenny Young (concussion), defensive back Kareem Jackson (back/shoulder) and cornerback Ronald Darby (shoulder) also did not practice. Denver placed receivers Tim Patrick and Tyrie Cleveland, safety Caden Sterns and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, who is on injured reserve, on the reserve/COVID list. Broncos starting center Lloyd Cushenberry was activated from the reserve/COVID list.
• Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff did not practice and is considered day-to-day with a knee strain, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports, per a source. Rapaport says Goff was able to do some rehab work on Wednesday but his status for Sunday is in doubt. Lions coach Dan Campbell said running back D'Andre Swift is expected back this week, but he'll likely be shut down for part of the offseason. Detroit placed defensive end Michael Brockers and guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai on the reserve/COVID list. Wide receiver Trinity Benson and tackle Matt Nelson were activated from the reserve/COVID list. WR Geronimo Allison was placed on the practice squad reserve/COVID list.
• The Green Bay Packers activated cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder) from injured reserve and wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Green Bay safety Henry Black, punter Corey Bojorquez, tight end Tyler Davis and defensive lineman Kingsley Keke were placed on the reserve/COVID list. Alexander was limited in Wednesday's practice while quarterback Aaron Rodgers (toe), tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) and tackle/guard Billy Turner (knee) did not partake.
• The Houston Texans activated 13 players from the reserve/COVID list including wide receiver Brandin Cooks, defensive lineman Jonathan Greenard, kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn and linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill. Houston placed DL Ron'Dell Carter and WR Chris Moore on the reserve/COVID list. WR Phillip Dorsett and OL Cole Toner were placed on injured reserve.
• The Indianapolis Colts activated guards Mark Glowinski and Quenton Nelson, defensive end Kemoko Turay, cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and tight end Farrod Green from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Quarterback James Morgan and tight end Eli Wolf were placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars placed offensive lineman Cam Robinson, wideout Jaydon Mickens, linebacker Dylan Moses, safety Rudy Ford and practice squad wideout Josh Hammond on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said tight end Travis Kelce has been removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list and practiced Wednesday. Kicker Harrison Butker, defensive backs Rashad Fentonand Armani Watts and punter Tommy Townsend were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) and cornerback Mike Hughes (personal) did not practice Wednesday. Running back Jerick McKinnon was designated to return to practice.
• The Las Vegas Raiders have placed tight end Darren Waller and defensive tackle Kendal Vickers on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The team activated guard Jermaine Eluemunor, cornerback Brandon Facyson and safety Roderic Teamer from the reserve/COVID list. Raiders TE Derek Carrier was designated to return from injured reserve.
• The Los Angeles Chargers activated defensive end Joey Bosa, wideout Jalen Guyton, defensive back Kemon Hall, center Corey Linsley and defensive back Trey Marshall from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Linebacker Kyler Fackrell and defensive back Mark Webb were designated to return to practice. Linebacker Kenneth Murray and offensive tackle Storm Norton were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Los Angeles Rams placed running back Raymond Calais on the COVID list.
• The Miami Dolphins activated tight end Cethan Carter, cornerback Justin Coleman, guard Robert Jones, offensive lineman Greg Mancz, and linebacker Duke Riley off the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Minnesota Vikings activated running back Dalvin Cook and cornerback Tye Smith from the reserve/COVID-19 list, placed defensive end Patrick Jones on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and placed receiver Adam Thielen (ankle) on injured reserve. Tight end Ben Ellefson was designated to return to practice.
• New England Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday. Running back Damien Harris (hamstring) and WR Jakobi Meyers (thigh) were limited. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and linebacker Harvey Langi were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The New Orleans Saints activated 11 players from the reserve/COVID-19 list, including linebacker Kwon Alexander, linebacker Demario Davis and quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian. Defensive back Marcus Williams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The New York Giants listed RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), K Graham Gano (illness), OL Billy Price (personal), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle) and WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder) among those who did not practice. Defensive back Adoree' Jackson and Keion Crossen and wideout John Ross were removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Linebacker Trent Harris was designated to return to practice.
• The New York Jets activated quarterback Joe Flacco, tight end Kenny Yeboah, cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Lamar Jackson, defensive linemen John Marshall, Tanzel Smart and Foley Fatukasi, and linebackers Noah Dawkins and Hamsah Nasirildeen from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Head coach Robert Saleh was cleared to return from COVID protocol.
• The Philadelphia Eagles activated offensive tackle Le'Raven Clark and Andre Dillard and defensive ends Tarron Jackson and Ryan Kerrigan from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Quarterback Jalen Hurts (ankle), and running back Kenneth Gainwell were limited in practice; RB Jordan Howard (stinger) did not participate.
• The Seattle Seahawks placed running back Adrian Peterson (back) on injured reserve. Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive tackle Bryan Mone were activated from the reserve/COVID list.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers listed WRs Antonio Brown (ankle) and Breshad Perriman (NIR) as limited practice participants; pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder), CB Richard Sherman (Achilles) and S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) were DNPs.
• Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan has been removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• The Washington Football Team placed cornerback Darryl Roberts and practice squad offensive tackle David Steinmetz on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Practice squad guard/center Beau Benzschawel was placed on the reserve/COVID list.

Roster moves

• The Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Matt Barkley from the Panthers' practice squad.
• The Arizona Cardinals released punter Ryan Winslow from the practice squad.
• The Cleveland Browns signed kicker Chris Blewitt to the practice squad.
• The Green Bay Packers signed linebacker Aaron Adeoye, tackle Adrian Ealy, cornerback Jayson Stanley and running back Kerrith Whyte to the practice squad. Offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster as a COVID-19 replacement.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars signed linebacker Tyrell Adams to the active roster from the 49ers’ practice squad.
• The Kansas City Chiefs waived kicker Elliott Fry.
• The Las Vegas Raiders signed linebackers Justin March-Lillard and Kyle Wilber. LB Asmar Bilal was signed to the practice squad.
• Los Angeles Rams signed tight end Kyle Markway to the practice squad.
• The New York Jets signed linebacker Javin White from the Raiders' practice squad.