NFL Player News

Mixon agreed to restructure his contract Friday in order to remain with the Bengals this season, ESPN"s Adam Schefter reports.

Mixon was initially due a non-guaranteed $9.4 million salary for 2023, but he's reworking the deal to stay with the only team he's ever known. It's good news for Mixon's fantasy prospects, as it locks him in as Cincinnati's unquestioned lead back, especially after Samaje Perine left in free agency for Denver. Mixon turns 27 later this month but should have at least another season of top-18 fantasy numbers in him at the running back position.

Barkley's availability for the Giants' Week 1 game against the Cowboys could be in jeopardy if he's unable to reach a long-term deal with New York by Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, a source told Dianna Russini of ESPN.

Though the Giants placed their franchise tag on Barkley earlier in the offseason, the star running back has yet to sign his $10.09 million tender while hoping to work out a new deal with the team. The two sides have thus far been at a stalemate in negotiations, however, making it uncertain if Barkley and the Giants will be able to come to terms on a contract within the next five days. The threat of a holdout into the regular season could be a tactic that enables Barkley to secure more favorable terms for a potential long-term contract before Monday's deadline arrives.

Kamara agreed Tuesday to plead guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge stemming from his alleged participation in a 2022 incident in Las Vegas, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Kamara was arrested in Feb. 2022 on suspicion of felony battery resulting in substantial bodily harm, but by agreeing to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, his felony charge now vanishes. David Charns of Vegas 8 News reports that Kamara will be required to pay $100,000 to the victim for medical bills and take part in community service. The NFL may still fine and/or suspend Kamara, but dropping from a felony charge to a misdemeanor helps his chances of avoiding a longer suspension. Heading into his age-28 season, Kamara is joined in the New Orleans backfield by veteran signing Jamaal Williams and rookie third-round pick Kendre Miller (knee).

Pacheco (hand/shoulder) may not be cleared for the start of training camp, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.

Pacheco played through a broken hand and torn labrum in the Super Bowl, then had surgeries on both injuries in the weeks following the big game. He subsequently missed spring practices and may now miss time at the start of training camp, but there hasn't been any sign Kansas City is worried about his Week 1 availability. Once he's healthy, the 2022 seventh-round pick seemingly will face less-than-stellar competition for early down snaps, as the team's backfield otherwise consists of Jerick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La'Mical Perine and undrafted rookie Deneric Prince -- a quartet that accounted for 593 rushing yards in the NFL last season. There was some spring buzz around Prince, while Edwards-Helaire looms as a dark-horse rebound candidate in the fourth and final season of his rookie contract after being a first-round pick in 2020.

Colts owner Jim Irsay said Monday that Taylor (ankle) is "healed up" after missing the team's offseason program, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.

This doesn't necessarily mean Taylor will be a full participant when training camp starts in late July, but it does confirm that the Colts consider him healthy and expect him to be ready for Week 1. The 24-year-old missed six games last season, including the final three, and had arthroscopic debridement surgery on his right ankle in January. Taylor now enters the fourth and final year of his rookie contract as one of the favorites to lead the NFL in rushing yards, something he accomplished in 2021 when he also paced the league in carries, rushing TDs and scrimmage yards. The addition of Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick adds some competition for high-value carries, but it may also help Taylor's per-carry efficiency and eventually uplift the entire Indianapolis offense -- although Gardner Minshew is expected to be the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season.

Williams (knee) said Sunday that the Broncos' "plan" is to clear him for the start of training camp and that he will participate in some capacity during practices after veteran players report July 25, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.

Williams added that he "feels like [he's] ready to go" when talking to reporters Sunday regarding his status for training camp, though he still indicated that his activity level will ultimately come down to the Broncos' evaluation of his on-field running and movements. The 220-pound back suffered season-ending ACL and LCL tears during Week 4 last year, and he was a limited participant during OTA sessions this offseason. Williams also mentioned that, no matter his activity level, he will continue to practice with a brace on his surgically repaired right knee. The 2021 second-round pick came on very strong during his rookie season, tallying 203 carries for 903 yards and an additional 316 yards on 43 catches, and he was quickly regarded as one of the league's most physical and aggressive backs. This could make his specific level of practice participation worth monitoring when considering if he'll be able to rush with the same contact-inviting style, or suit up at all, during Denver's Week 1 matchup against Las Vegas. Free-agent signee Samaje Perine is likely next in line for increased usage if Williams is either inactive or limited to begin the season.

Rountree is on the outside looking in at the Chargers' 53-man roster, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Rountree projects as the odd man out if the Chargers carry three running backs entering the new season, with Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller expected to make the team. The 24-year-old made the roster out of training camp last year as the fourth back, but he was waived before the opening game of the regular season. He jumped between the practice squad and active roster throughout the season, and he seems likely to play a similar role in 2023.

As training camp approaches, Stevenson remains on track to lead the Patriots backfield this coming season, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports.

With Damien Harris -- who logged 106 carries in 11 games in 2022 -- now with the Bills and offseason free-agent addition James Robinson having been let go in June after a short stint with New England, Stevenson profiles as the team's clear-cut top rushing option. It's still possible that veteran depth could be added to the mix, but as things stand Pierre Strong, Ty Montgomery, Kevin Harris and J.J. Taylor are in line to compete this summer for touches that don't go to Stevenson, who recorded 210 carries for 1,040 yards and five TDs this past season, while adding 69 catches (on 89 targets) for 421 yards and a receiving score. Though it's plausible that Stevenson could lose some targets in 2023 if the Patriots identify a primary change-of-pace option, the potential for added rushes for the 230-pound power back (minus Damien Harris) figures to offset that, allowing him to maintain weekly fantasy utility in an offense that should run plenty.

Hines figures to continue to make an impact as a kick/punt returner this coming season, Ryan O'Halloran of the Buffalo News reports.

As training camp approaches, however, Hines' volume in the Bills offense is difficult to project, given that the team's backfield also includes James Cook, Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. After heading to Buffalo in a trade with the Colts last November, Hines logged just six carries and five catches in nine games, but now that he's more up to speed with the playbook, the 26-year-old does have the ability to contribute more in 2023, both as a pass catcher or change-of-pace option. That said, it may take an injury or two among the Bills' other running backs in order for Hines to garner enough touches to merit fantasy consideration.

White, who's primed to serve as the Buccaneers' lead back this coming season, has set a goal of becoming the team's first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin in 2015, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

White made his proclamation during an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Friday, acknowledging the amount of seasons it's been since the team had a runner reach the 1,000-yard mark and adding, "I want to, of course, eclipse that." White was on the field for just 39 percent of the Buccaneers' offensive snaps as a rookie in 2022, but with Leonard Fournette now off the roster following his March release, the path to primary early down duties is clear. Also expected to work in White's favor is the fact new offensive coordinator Dave Canales is expected to place more emphasis on the running game than predecessor Byron Leftwich after Tampa Bay finished last in the league last season with 75.6 rushing yards per game.