Matthews feeling better
Injured shoulder has improved
red-zone blitz three times in that game, the last two snaps (of Chicago’s final drive) to make plays.”
Pay raise: The Packers thought enough of defensive lineman Brian Price to increase his salary to the rookie minimum for the final two weeks of the regular season.
Price, who is on the practice squad, had an opportunity to join the Indianapolis Colts’ 53-man roster, an NFL source said, but after talking with the Packers, the team agreed to pay him the same weekly salary he would have gotten with the Colts.
An NFL team can sign any other team’s practice squad player to its 53man roster, but the player doesn’t have to go.
In this case, Price probably felt he had built a foundation with the Packers and didn’t want to start over.
Price, an undrafted free agent, didn’t make the 53-man roster out of training camp but was resigned to the practice squad. He was added to the 53 in Week 3 after nose tackle Letroy Guion got hurt but was let go after two weeks.
After clearing waivers, he re-joined the practice squad and was making $6,900 per week. He will make $26,465 a week for the next two weeks.
Last year, the Packers bumped up the salaries of practice squad players Christian Ringo and Matt Rotheram.
Injury report: The Packers did not practice Thursday, so the only change on their injury report was to upgrade guard Lane Taylor to an estimated full participation.
The Minnesota Vikings upgraded several players.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs (hip) and safety Harrison Smith (ankle) went from did not participate to limited and cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander (abdomen) and Trae Waynes (concussion) went from limited to full participation.
New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was fined $18,000 by the National Football League for wearing unapproved cleats against Detroit, two people familiar with the fine said.
Beckham wore cleats honoring the late broadcaster Craig Sager, who lost his lengthy battle with cancer last week. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the fine has not been announced publicly.
Beckham planned to auction off the cleats for charity.
In an Instagram post by DeSean Jackson, the Redskins receiver complained that he’d been fined. Beckham responded by saying: “I got fined 18k for Craig Sager cleats that were auction off the cleats to the highest bidder and donating the proceeds to his cancer research.”
The oft-fined Beckham noted that Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott was not fined for jumping into a large Salvation Army kettle after a touchdown, and called it “double standards.”
Floyd moves on: New Patriots receiver Michael Floyd said he’s trying to learn from his mistakes following an arrest on charges of driving under the influence earlier this month that led to him being waived by the Arizona Cardinals.
In his first comments since being claimed off waivers, Floyd said Thursday he’s trying not to think about the Dec. 12 incident in Scottsdale, Ariz., in which he was found asleep behind the wheel of his SUV with a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
“I think in life, everyone makes mistakes. And I think right now it’s about learning from that mistake,” said Floyd, 27. “I think I couldn’t be in a better position right now with this team.”
Arizona’s legal limit for alcohol is .08; A police report revealed Floyd’s blood-alcohol level was measured at .217.
Coach Bill Belichick has said little on what went into the decision to sign Floyd, saying that he wouldn’t comment on an ongoing legal situation.
But he did acknowledge Thursday that prior to claiming him off waivers he was unaware of the extent of Floyd’s blood-alcohol content during his arrest.
Goff to start: Rookie quarterback Jared Goff will start for the Los Angeles Rams against San Francisco on Saturday after clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Goff participated fully in the Rams’ past two practices, and the No. 1 pick in last spring’s draft claimed he felt no ill effects from a hard hit from Seattle’s Richard Sherman last week.
Haden is ailing: Cleveland Browns two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden revealed he has been playing despite two groin injuries and will have off-season surgery.
Haden, 27, said he will have the operations soon after the Jan. 1 finale at Pittsburgh. Despite the injuries, Haden has stayed on the field and this week he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate.
The seven-year veteran said he should be fully recovered in two months.