Peyton Manning plans on continuing his NFL playing career in 2015.

According to three trustworthy sources, Manning wants to return to the Broncos, but won't and can't make a final decision until he takes an annual physical examination mandated by his contract. 

The test results weren't known until March last season.

The Broncos have asked Manning to inform them of his plans by March 9, which is the day before teams must exercise their rights on veteran players under contract.

Manning is due $19 million next season.

An MRI revealed that Richard Sherman only suffered a sprained elbow with his arm injury during the NFC Championship Game.

Sherman played much of the second half Sunday favoring his left arm after colliding with teammate Kam Chancellor at the end of a James Starks run.

Sherman told NFL Media's Steve Wyche on Sunday night that he will play against the New England Patriots despite the injury.

Earl Thomas suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Seattle Seahawks' win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Thomas is fully expected to play in the Super Bowl.

"Don't even waste any time on the story," said a source.

Peyton Manning played the past month of the season and the Denver Broncos' playoff loss on Sunday with a torn quad.

Manning initially injured his thigh when he rolled out right to throw a 12-yard completion to Emmanuel Sanders late in the first half of Denver's Dec. 14 win over the San Diego Chargers.

Broncos doctors knew about the injury, and Manning did what he could to intentionally conceal the injury from as many people as he could, sources said.

Paul Richardson has suffered a torn ACL and is out for the remainder of the Seattle Seahawks' playoff run.

Richardson could miss the start of the 2015 season.

Richardson was a second round pick at wide receiver for the Seahawks out of Colorado. Richardson received an increase in playing time following the Seahawks' trade of Percy Harvin to the New York Jets.

Richardson had an ACL tear in his left knee at Colorado during a spring practice session in April of 2012.

Ben Roethlisberger won't play in the Pro Bowl as a pracaution, but it is not related to a larger problem with his knee.

"Ben was instructed by team doctors to avoid strenuous activity due to inflammation in his knee, thus he will not play in the Pro Bowl," agent Ryan Tollner said. "His knee will not require surgery and he looks forward to an otherwise healthy offseason to improve with his teammates."

Two days after the Pittsburgh Steelers' playoff loss, Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger might need minor surgery to clean up his knee.

With surgery not necessary, Roethlisberger will rest his knee before starting his offseason training.

Aaron Rodgers has a slight tear in his calf muscle in addition to a significant strain.

The injury is not expected to prevent Rodgers from playing in Sunday's divisional playoff against the Dallas Cowboys, but it could impact how mobile and effective he is.

"There's no question he will play, but there's also no question he will not be 100 percent," said one doctor familiar with the injury. "The question is whether he'll be 95 percent or 50 percent."

The Packers are aggressively treating the injury, with the hope he can be as well as possible. 

Aaron Rodgers has promised to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys despite a strained left calf.

"I'm going on Sunday," Rodgers said Wednesday. "It's just a matter of how."

Mike McCarthy held Rodgers out of practice on Wednesday, meaning he has not been on the field since he reinjured his left calf in the Dec. 28 regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions.

"I plan on Aaron playing Sunday," McCarthy said after Wednesday's practice. "Today's schedule was for him to stay exclusively in the training room. There's still some things that he needs to work through. We'll see what tomorrow brings, if he'll be able to practice. It's day-to-day, but everything points in the direction of him playing."

Star Lotulelei suffered a fractured foot during Tuesday's practice and is out for at least the NFC divisional playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks.

"Star will not play this week," Ron Rivera said in a conference call with Seattle reporters. "He broke a small bone in his foot and he had surgery this morning to repair it. It's one of those things that hopefully we get the opportunity to move on [in the playoffs] and if we do, he'll get to play."

Lotuleli could return for the Super Bowl if the Carolina Panthers were to advance.

Le'Veon Bell will be out for the Pittsburgh Steelers' game on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Bell did not practice this week after hyperextending his right knee last Sunday night.

Josh Harris will likely start for the Steelers at running back and the team also signed Ben Tate this week.

Bell, who had played in 29 consecutive games, led the AFC with 1,361 rushing yards this season.