NFL Training Camp Injuries, News and Notes

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Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Ryan Fitzpatrick is leading the quarterback competition.

As The Athletic's Chris Perkins put it, the coach was just "confirming what everyone has seen" so far in camp. There is still time for Josh Rosen to turn things around, but he has reportedly struggled so far in his Dolphins tenure. The most likely outcome is both Fitzpatrick and Rosen making starts this season.

Source: Chris Perkins on Twitter

Jul 30, 2019, 10:06 AM ET

 

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Jaguars third-round LB Quincy Williams will be sidelined 4-6 weeks with a "slight" tear in his meniscus.

Williams needs arthroscopic surgery to "trim" the ligament. It's minor surgery, but no knee operation is a walk in the park. The No. 98 overall pick is now in danger of missing Week 1, though coach Doug Marrone expects him to be ready. Marrone recently said he believed Williams was the fastest player on the team. He had been making plays all over the field this summer.

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

Aug 1, 2019, 3:47 PM ET

 

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Broncos signed RB Theo Riddick.

The 28-year-old pass-catching back visited the Saints and Broncos after his release from the Lions but had trouble ginning up more interest. Riddick has a reputation as a strong receiver, but he has been sub-replacement level two of the past three seasons, posting a 7.0 YPC or lower in both 2016 and 2018. Riddick is a complete zero as a runner. His addition has Devontae Booker's 53-man roster spot on life support.

Source: Rob Demovsky on Twitter

Aug 1, 2019, 1:58 PM ET

 

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NFL Network's Michael Giardi reports Patriots first-round WR N'Keal Harry has been outplayed by UDFA Jakobi Meyers through the early days of camp.

Per Giardi, Meyers has "consistently made plays in competitive situations." There have been reports of Harry dropping passes and running with the second-team offense. Harry still has plenty of time to get into a groove, but this is a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted with Patriots rookies, regardless of draft position.

Related:

• Jakobi Meyers

Source: Michael Giardi on Twitter

Aug 1, 2019, 1:28 PM ET

 

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Spencer Ware (ankle surgery) is seeking an injury settlement with the Colts.

Ware was surprisingly moved to the team's reserve/PUP list, ensuring he would miss the first six weeks of the regular season despite being on track to return around Week 2. With an injury settlement, the 27-year-old could sign with another team and play the moment he's cleared. Rapoport adds that Ware's knee is fine following ankle surgery, and he's only expected to be sidelined 5-6 weeks. Jordan Wilkins, Jonathan Williams, and Keith Ford will remain as backups to Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines once Ware is cut loose.

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

Aug 3, 2019, 4:52 PM ET

 

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The Athletic's Vic Tafur reports Antonio Brown (foot) is visiting a foot specialist Saturday.

Brown stayed sidelined following Oakland's off day on Wednesday, but the team has been able to keep the extent of his injury disclosed to this point. Brown shared a photo of his blistered feet in an Instagram story, but it sounds like it could be slightly more serious than that. We'll have any official updates as his absence for an extended period would obviously leave the Raiders scrambling for help at receiver.

Source: Vic Tafur on Twitter

Aug 3, 2019, 3:32 PM ET

 

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1010 XL's Hays Carlyon reports TE Geoff Swaim is Jacksonville's "unquestioned starter."

Signed to a two-year, $6.6 million contract in March, Swaim's only competition at the position is arguably third-round rookie Josh Oliver, who recently suffered a "significant" hamstring injury in camp. Jacksonville dealt with numerous injuries to their tight ends last season, but could simply lean on the 28-year-old free agent acquisition this upcoming year if he's able to stay healthy. Swaim ended last year on injured reserve (wrist surgery), but not before he logged career-highs in targets (32), catches (26), receiving yards (242), and touchdowns (1).

Related:

• Dallas Cowboys

Source: Hays Carlyon on Twitter

Aug 3, 2019, 2:49 PM ET

 

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ProFootballTalk's Charean Williams reports Josh Gordon has applied for reinstatement.

This had been expected but it's now confirmed. Applying for reinstatement starts the process of Gordon getting back in the NFL. The Patriots were comfortable enough with Gordon's league standing to place a $2 million RFA tender on him. There's unlikely to be a decision handed down anytime soon, though it's possible Gordon returns at some point this year.

Source: ProFootballTalk on NBCSports

Aug 3, 2019, 10:35 AM ET

 

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David Lombardi of The Athletic said Trent Taylor has "taken his receiving presence to a new level" at 49ers training camp.

Lombardi added that he expects Taylor to make "a lot of noise" in 2019 while attributing his success this summer to the arrival of WRs coach Wes Welker. Taylor shares plenty of traits with Welker, a similarly diminutive slot receiver who went to five Pro Bowls over his 12-year career. The 2017 fifth-rounder would seem to have a decisive edge over Richie James for slot duties in San Francisco, though consistent volume could be hard to come by with George Kittle, Dante Pettis, Deebo Samuel and Marquise Goodwin also in the Niners' pass-catching mix.

Source: David Lombardi on Twitter

Aug 2, 2019, 4:23 PM ET

 

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Patriots signed Tom Brady to a two-year contract extension worth $70 million.

Brady gets a pay raise for the 2019 season -- he's now the sixth-highest paid quarterback at $23 million -- and is now under contract through 2021. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports Brady will make $30 million in 2020 and $32 million in 2021. It's an extension that's like no other given Brady's age and performance. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the contract is expected to be reworked each season with both sides essentially taking it year-by-year. Brady will be heading into his age-45 season when this contract expires. Maybe Brady will start showing major signs of decline by then.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Aug 4, 2019, 1:33 PM ET

 

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Jordy Nelson retired as a Packer on Sunday.

The Packers signed him to a one-day contract, allowing him to retire with the team he spent most of his career with. Nelson amassed 7,848 receiving yards during his decade-long stint in Green Bay, good for fifth-most in franchise history. The one-time Pro Bowler compiled a 63-719-3 receiving line with Oakland in 2018.

Source: Green Bay Packers on Twitter

Aug 4, 2019, 11:44 AM ET

 

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According to Scott Bordow of The Athletic, it's "clear" that Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk and sixth-round rookie KeeSean Johnson are the Cardinals' top three receivers.

The Cardinals listed former first-round pick Kevin White as a starter on their initial depth chart but that listing was probably based on seniority. Johnson appears to be the obvious No. 3 in Arizona with fellow rookies Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler both working behind him. Isabella has reportedly "dropped too many passes" at camp while Butler has also had issues with "holding onto the ball." Bordow named Fitzgerald, Kirk, Johnson, Isabella and Butler as roster "locks," leaving White, Damiere Byrd, Pharoah Cooper and Trent Sherfield to fight it out for the Cardinals' final two wide receiver spots.

Source: The Athletic

Aug 4, 2019, 9:57 AM ET

 

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Surprised yet not surprised...

Texans waived RB D'Onta Foreman.

It's a shocker as some were expecting Foreman, a former Doak Walker Award winner at Texas, to push Lamar Miller for top billing in Houston's backfield. Longtime beat reporter John McClain of the Houston Chronicle believes the Texans were unsatisfied with Foreman's "work habits," noting that coach Bill O'Brien "wasn't happy" with what he had seen from him in training camp. Foreman's departure leaves Houston extremely thin at running back with Damarea Crockett, Josh Ferguson, Karan Higdon, Buddy Howell and Taiwan Jones among names vying for backup duties behind Miller. Foreman, who barely played last year following a 2017 Achilles tear, should land on his feet quickly.

Related:

• Houston Texans

Source: John McClain on Twitter

Aug 4, 2019, 8:48 AM ET

 

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The Athletic's Matt Barrows doesn't consider Marquise Goodwin a lock to make the 49ers' 53-man roster.

Barrows named Dante Pettis, Deebo Samuel, Jalen Hurd, and Trent Taylor as the top four, leaving Goodwin, Jordan Matthews, Kendrick Bourne, and Richie James competing for possibly two spots. Bourne has been showing out at camp and led the Niners' receivers in receiving a year ago. Matthews has reportedly been steady in camp, if not splashy. And James is a youngster with some intrigue. Goodwin carries the fattest cap hit at $2.95 million, but the Niners would save virtually none of it against the cap if he's cut. Goodwin couldn't stay healthy last year but was productive in 2017.

Source: The Athletic

Aug 5, 2019, 10:00 PM ET

 

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Cardinals signed WR Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree, 32 next month, played his college ball at Texas Tech under coach Mike Leach, and new Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury was also a Red Raider and is a Leach protege. Crabtree should at least be familiar with the concepts of the scheme. We're just not sure how he fits in the desert. The Cardinals already have Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. Rookie sixth-rounder KeeSean Johnson has been the talk of camp as the No. 3 receiver. And Arizona used a day-two pick on Andy Isabella before taking Hakeem Butler at the top of the fourth round. Crabtree shouldn't be guaranteed a roster spot, but the landing spot is very interesting.

Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports

Aug 5, 2019, 7:00 PM ET

 

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Well, that didn't take long...

Colts signed RB D'onta Foreman, formerly of the Texans.

Backup RB Keith Ford was waived in a corresponding move. Recently waived by the Texans himself, Foreman lands in a loaded backfield as the likely early-down backup to Marlon Mack. Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins, and Jonathan Williams round out the rest of the roster, with Spencer Ware likely seeking out an injury settlement to play elsewhere. It's worth noting longtime beat reporter John McClain of the Houston Chronicle believes the Texans waived Foreman because they were unsatisfied with his "work habits" — something that obviously won't stand in Indy. If Mack is dealt another season of nagging ailments, though, it's Foreman who'll be a name to monitor as the power-running successor (despite his ongoing ACL recovery). In the meantime, Mack remains an unequivocal RB2 across all formats.

Related:

• Houston Texans

Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter

Aug 5, 2019, 4:57 PM ET

 

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NJ.com reports Miles Sanders has "easily been the most impressive runner" through the Eagles' first 10 training camp practices.

Earning "many" first-team reps, Sanders has been impressing the Eagles' press corps. It must be noted, however, that OC Mike Groh praised Jordan Howard's work in the passing game on Monday, especially his blitz pickup. Sanders is doing what he needs to do to earn work, but barring something going sideways, the Eagles are going to feature a Week 1 committee.

Source: NJ.com

Aug 5, 2019, 4:12 PM ET

 

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Andrew Luck (calf) told NBC Sports' Peter King he believes he will be ready for Week 1.

Luck responded, "No," when asked if he had any doubts about playing Week 1, but his follow-up was not as definitive. "I certainly believe I will," Luck said. "That’s certainly the goal." Normally, an early-camp calf strain would be nothing to worry about, but this injury has hampered Luck since April. It is a situation to monitor closely over the next couple weeks.

Source: Football Morning in America

Aug 5, 2019, 10:21 AM ET

 

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ESPN's Dan Graziano reports Steelers WR Donte Moncrief "sounds like the front-runner" for a starting role opposite JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Moncrief opened camp as the team's starter opposite Smith-Schuster and it's stayed that way despite rookie Diontae Johnson's flashes before suffering a groin injury Monday. Moncrief's job appears more than safe, with Johnson battling James Washington for a role in three-wide sets. The Steelers have the sixth-most targets (226) and third-most air yards (2,485) up for grabs from last season's production, making Moncrief an easy buy at his current 11th-round ADP.

Source: Dan Graziano on Twitter

Aug 7, 2019, 8:56 PM ET

 

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49ers DE Nick Bosa was diagnosed with an ankle sprain.

Rapsheet adds that San Francisco will "be cautious with their top pick," so it's unlikely we see Bosa take the field at any point in the preseason. It's another unfortunate setback for the No. 3 overall pick after a Grade 1 hamstring strain kept him out of offseason activities. Expect to see him make his debut in Week 1 at Tampa Bay.

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

Aug 7, 2019, 10:21 PM ET