AP

When the playoffs are off the table, it’s time for teams who aren’t advancing to start clearing the decks of guys they were saving just in case.

The Steelers did just that, placing cornerback Ike Taylor on injured reserve, along with tight end Heath Miller and running back Baron Batch.

Taylor had missed three games with an ankle injury, and they were holding out hope he could return if they made the postseason.

The other two weren’t going to be back, as Miller suffered a ACL/MCL/PCL injury last week, and will need surgery on his right knee. Batch suffered a broken arm last week as well.

To fill the roster, the Steelers promoted tight end Jamie McCoy, safety Damon Cromartie-Smith and linebacker Marshall McFadden from their practice squad.

AP

The Bears aren’t sure whether starting safety Chris Conte will be able to play in their must-win game against the Lions in Week 17, so they added a player to the roster to give themselves a little insurance against his absence.

The team announced the signing of safety Troy Nolan on Wednesday, filling the roster spot they opened up by waiving wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher on Monday. Nolan spent time with the Dolphins and Texans earlier this season, but has been looking for work since getting waived by the Texans last month.

If Conte can’t play, he should get it. With Craig Steltz already on injured reserve, the Bears are down to just three safeties on their active roster. Major Wright and Anthony Walters did all of the work after Conte went down last week and the team needs to have someone available in case they need to dig deeper this time around.

Nolan entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Texans in the 2010 draft. He played 30 games and made six starts for them in his first two seasons, but got cut in the final round of roster trimming in August. He played three games for the Dolphins before winding up back in Houston, where he played four games before hitting the open market once more.

AP

The Browns added another quarterback to look at for the future, signing former Jim Harbaugh protege Josh Johnson.

To make room for him on the roster, they put safety Usama Young on injured reserve with a thumb injury that is expected to require surgery.

Johnson was a fifth-round choice by the Bucs in 2008, after a standout career at the University of San Diego, where Harbaugh was his head coach. He was with the 49ers in the preseason, but was part of their final cuts.

Based on his time with the Bucs, and the fact his old mentor didn’t want to keep him around, Johnson’s acquisition isn’t a sign of any major shifts in thinking at the position, but he is at least an arm with some degree of experience.

The Browns haven’t ruled out starter Brandon Weeden for the finale, but they did promote Thaddeus Lewis from the practice squad as well.

AP

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon didn’t make the Eagles at the start of the season, but he’ll be closing out the year with the team.

The Eagles announced Wednesday that they have signed Dixon to take the roster spot of quarterback Nick Foles, who was officially placed on injured reserve with the broken hand he suffered in last weekend’s loss to the Redskins.

Dixon was cut by the Eagles in the last round of roster cuts in August and wound up with the Colts for a couple of games as they shuffled through bodies on the defensive line. Dixon had a strong 2010 with the Eagles, starting 10 games and providing solid play on the interior of the line, but he tore his triceps four games into 2011 and lost his spot in the rotation.

With rookie Fletcher Cox recovering from a concussion, Dixon could find himself on the field against the Giants this Sunday. He signed a two-year deal with the team, so he should have a shot at regaining a more lasting spot on the roster whenever the dust settles on the changes to the coaching staff and roster that the team is expected to make shortly after the year comes to an end.

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In November, the Falcons dropped a bomb on the league by dropping defensive end Ray Edwards from the roster.  Since then, however, the veteran has generated scant interest.

Until now.

The Seahawks worked out Edwards on Monday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.  A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that a decision as to whether Edwards will be signed is expected to come on Wednesday.

If the Seahawks do it, it would be another shrewd move for G.M. John Schneider.  Edwards, who was never a great regular-season defensive end, had a great postseason in 2009.  Also, if the Seahawks end up facing the Falcons, which could happen in the divisional round, Edwards will have inside information plus extra motivation to send Atlanta’s postseason record to 0-4 in the Smith/Ryan/Dimitroff era.

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The Cincinnati Bengals are bringing a native son home to the state of Ohio for Christmas.

According to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals have claimed wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher off waivers from the Chicago Bears and placed cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick on injured reserve.

Sanzenbacher is from Toledo, Ohio and played his college ball at Ohio State. Now he joins the Bengals as Cincinnati heads into the postseason. Sanzenbacher appeared in just four games for the Bears this season and recorded just one catch for seven yards.

Per Reedy, Kirkpatrick was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury and not the concussion he sustained against the San Diego Chargers on Dec. 2. Kirkpatrick played in just five games for Cincinnati and recorded four tackles before landing on injured reserve.

AP

There hasn’t been much news from around the league in the last couple of days as everyone spends time with family, friends and whatever new gadgets they received for Christmas.

One small piece of news escaped our attention for the reasons listed above, but we’ll rectify that now by passing along word that the Jets have waived wide receiver Mardy Gilyard. It’s the second time the Jets have parted ways with Gilyard in the last two seasons, with this tenure ending after a little less than a month and two catches for 15 yards.

Gilyard’s first Jets stint lasted just six days during the 2011 season and he played six games with the Eagles this season before returning to the Jets. He was originally a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2010.

His departure leaves the Jets with an open roster spot to fill for the final game of the season. I’m hoping they opt for a quarterback.

AP

The Packers have clinched the NFC North, but there’s still a first-round bye up in the air in the conference heading into Week 17.

With the 49ers drawing the Cardinals and the Seahawks facing the Rams in the season’s final week, the Packers are likely going to need to beat the Vikings in order to take that bye. Getting some of their injured players back for the game would help them on that front. The Packers were without wide receiver Jordy Nelson, safety Charles Woodson, defensive end C.J. Wilson, defensive end Jerel Worthy, tight end Tom Crabtree, running back James Starks and running back Alex Green in Week 16 because of injuries, and coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that he’s looking forward to getting some of them back for this week.

“I’m hopeful a lot of those guys can get back. But we’ll see,” McCarthy said, via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I know Jordy, talking with him, he feels like he’s very close. Charles, he’s waiting on information from the medical staff. He’s very close. Alex Green, I was surprised that he wasn’t available for Tennessee just based on the way that process, the result of the process, so he’ll definitely be available. C.J., I don’t have enough information there. Same withJames Starks. Tom Crabtree’s close, he’ll be close. Jerel should be ready.”

Woodson said last week that he would like to play in the finale to get his legs back after missing so much of the season with his collarbone injury. The best-case scenario for the Packers would seem to be one that gets Woodson and some of the others back on the field before earning another week of rest with a win over the Vikings.

AP

The Bills traded for quarterback Tarvaris Jackson before the season, but he’s spent the first 15 games of the season on the inactive list.

It sounds like he’ll spend the 16th game of the season there as well. Bills coach Chan Gailey said Monday that he isn’t going to be using the game against the Jets to take a look at younger players or backups, which includes giving Ryan Fitzpatrick the start at quarterback even as it seems likelier and likelier that Fitz is done in Buffalo. Gailey said that he believes Fitzpatrick gives the team the best chance to win and that’s his only consideration when it comes to making out the lineup for Week 17.

“The best players are going to play,” Gailey said, via the team’s website.  ”They’ve earned the right to play.  They want to play in the games, that’s what they want to do — they want to play in the games. They’ve earned the right to play, and if they’re ready to go, the best players are going to play.”

The thing that gives the Bills the best chance of winning this week is the fact that the Jets are the team on the other side of the field, although it’s fair to say that Jackson doesn’t do much of anything to move the needle on that front. The same is likely true of other Bills players who couldn’t work their way into the lineup of a team that’s already lost 10 games, but, then, neither do the guys in the starting lineup. That’s why Gailey’s future is very uncertain in Buffalo and why the team’s lost at least 10 games in each of his seasons as the team’s coach.

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Vikings running back Adrian Peterson missed practice time in the days preceding Sunday’s win over the Texans with a groin/abdomen injury.  After the game, coach Leslie Frazier said that Peterson was held out of the game late because of an abdomen problem.

But Frazier was unequivocal in his comments to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who reported during Football Night in America that Frazier said Peterson absolutely will play next Sunday against the Packers.

Peterson, who needs 208 rushing yards to set the single-season rushing record, racked up 210 yards earlier this month against the Packers in Green Bay.

AP

As the Packers prepare to make their push for the postseason, the only negative from Sunday’s positively impressive thumping of the Titans may not be all that bad, after all.

X-rays on receiver Randall Cobb’s injured ankle were negative, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

An MRI will be conducted on Monday.  Currently, it’s not believed that Cobb has any significant damage.

He could play on Sunday against the Vikings; he should be ready to go for the postseason — especially if the Packers end up with a bye.

AP

The Ravens released their injury report for Sunday’s game against the Ravens and it looks like they will have to play without safety Bernard Pollard again this week.

Pollard, who said this week that the team needs to make a “freaking run” after struggling over the last month, drew a doubtful tag as a result of the chest injury that kept him out of last week’s game and practice this week. James Ihedigbo started in place of Pollard last week and would likely be in the lineup against the Giants if Pollard remains unable to go.

Coach John Harbaugh also said that wide receiver Torrey Smith has yet to take his baseline concussion test after returning to practice on Thursday. Running back Bernard Pierce is in the same boat and both players have been listed as questionable for Sunday. Right guard Marshal Yanda and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe are also questionable for the Ravens after missing last week’s game and practicing in limited fashion this week.

Linebacker Ray Lewis does not appear on the injury report since the team has yet to activate him from injured reserve. There’s an open roster spot waiting for him, but Harbaugh gave no indication of whether or not Lewis would see the field.

“Coming along, coming along. Yes, he is coming along,” Harbaugh said in his press conference.

The Ravens can clinch the AFC North with a victory or a Bengals loss on Sunday. If they don’t, they’ll need to beat the Bengals in Week 17 to secure a home game that seemed like a sure thing before their three-game losing streak.

AP

As the Vikings try to continue a late-season run that could result in a playoff berth, they’ll be getting back one of their key players on defense.

Cornerback Chris Cook, a high second-round pick in 2010, will be activated from injured reserve on Saturday.  He’ll play in Houston on Sunday, when the Vikings face the Texans.

“He’s far enough along that we’re going to for sure play him,” coach Leslie Frazier said, via Dan Wiederer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  “It’s just a matter of how much.”

A.J. Jefferson and rookie Josh Robinson have performed well in Cook’s absence.  Still, the Vikings need all the help they can get in the coming weeks, with receiver Andre Johnson on the docket for Sunday and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looming.

AP

The Packers ruled safety Charles Woodson out again this week because of his broken collarbone, but Woodson hopes they’ll give him the green light to play next week.

Woodson is still waiting for final medical clearance to come back, something that almost came a couple of weeks ago but, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the return was delayed after the team doctor detected “something that made him reluctant to put the safety back on the field.” Woodson has been out of the lineup since Oct. 21 and said Friday that he would like to get back on the field in the regular season finale in order to get his legs under him before the team heads to the playoffs.

“Just to play,” Woodson said. “I don’t think there’s any ideal situation. I just want to get in a game. It’s been way too long. I’ve been watching too much football from the sideline. Even though they’re great seats, I much rather be playing.”

Woodson also said that he would prefer the team not have a bye week after their first playoff game because it can halt the momentum they’ve built up over the final weeks of the season. The Packers were ousted in their first playoff game by the Giants last season after receiving a first round bye.

Reuters

There’s just one more hurdle for Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III to clear before he’s back in the lineup.

Coach Mike Shanahan likes the chances that the former college hurdling star makes it to the other side in one piece. Zac Boyer of the Free Lance-Star reports that Shanahan said Griffin “looked good” in practice and remains on track to play despite not yet having official medical clearance.

Shanahan expects that clearance to come on Friday night, which is why he listed Griffin as probable to play for the Redskins against the Eagles. Griffin, who took all the reps in Friday’s practice, sprained his LCL in the Week 14 victory over the Ravens and Kirk Cousins played in his place in last week’s win against the Browns.

Linebacker London Fletcher is also probable, which means he’s likely to remain tied with Buccaneers safety Ronde Barber for the longest consecutive games played streak among active players.