Player Notes

QB Cam Newton will not be shut down for the final two games of the season, said head coach Ron Rivera. Newton is nursing an ailing right shoulder for the Panthers (6-8), who have lost six straight contests and are all but eliminated from playoff contention. They host the Atlanta Falcons (5-9) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET) and reside 1 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1) and one game in back of the ...

QB Aaron Rodgers will not be shut down for the final two weeks of the season, according to interim coach Joe Philbin. Rodgers sustained a mild groin injury on the final play of Sunday's 24-17 setback to the Chicago Bears, a loss that eliminated the Packers (5-8-1) from postseason consideration. The Packers placed running back Aaron Jones on injured reserve with a knee injury, according to Tom Pelissero ...

T Eric Smith was signed by the Jets Tuesday (Dec. 18) from the Patriots practice squad.

G Jordan Simmons (knee) was placed on reserve/injured by the Seahawks Tuesday (Dec. 18). He will miss the remainder of the 2018 season.

WR Rishard Matthews (hamstring) was placed on reserve/injured by the Jets Tuesday (Dec. 18). He will miss the remainder of the 2018 season.

G Gabe Jackson (elbow) was placed on reserve/injured by the Tuesday (Dec. 18). He will miss the remainder of the 2018 season. Jackson, originally a third-round selection (81st overall) by the club in the 2014 draft, has made 72 starts in 73 appearances over his five-year career. In 2018, Jackson started all 13 games at right guard for the Raiders.

LB Emmanuel Lamur was placed on waivers by the Raiders Tuesday (Dec. 18). Lamur signed with the team this past offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The seventh-year veteran has appeared in 79 contests over his career, making 19 starts. In his lone season with the Raiders, Lamur appeared in eight games with four starts and collected 12 tackles (11).

DT Gabe Wright was signed by the Raiders from their practice squad Tuesday (Dec. 18). Wright was originally drafted by the Lions in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2015 draft. Over his three-year career, the 6-foot-3, 309-pound defensive tackle has spent time with the Lions (2015), Cleveland Browns (2016) and most recently the Dolphins in 2017. His career totals include 13 games played with ...

CB Rico Gafford was signed by the Raiders from their practice squad Tuesday (Dec. 18). Gafford, a 5-foot-10, 184-pound versatile defensive back out of Wyoming, was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent this past May. Gafford appeared in all four preseason contests for the Titans before being signed to the Raiders' practice squad ahead of Week 1, where he has spent his ...

WR Montay Crockett was signed by the Redskins to the practice squad Tuesday (Dec. 18). He had been released by the Cardinals from the practice squad Dec. 4.