NFL Player News

Williams will be accompanied by 2023 third-round pick Kendre Miller (knee) as the primary contenders for New Orleans' No. 2 running back spot, John Sigler of USA Today reports.

Williams arrived in New Orleans as one of the team's splashiest additions of the offseason, signing with the team after he tallied a career-best rushing season with the Lions in 2022. The 28-year-old's arrival was very significant for the Saints backfield, as the team lacked a consistent No. 2 running back behind Alvin Kamara for much of last season. Williams' path to a role as the team's secondary rusher is much murkier now that Miller has been added to the mix. The 215-pound rookie out of TCU was a key cog in the Horned Frogs' run to the College Football Playoff last season, accumulating 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns across 224 carries. Miller will be limited to begin the Saints' offseason program while he recovers from an MCL injury suffered in December. Nevertheless, he's still expected to be cleared for full participation prior to training camp, per Sigler, which could lead to an intriguing positional battle between Miller and Williams. Kamara is also still set to begin trial July 31 after he was charged with conspiracy to commit battery and substantial bodily harm stemming from a February 2022 incident. Should Kamara be forced to miss games in the 2023 campaign because of this case, then both Williams and Miller could vie for roles as the Saints' primary rushers.

Thompson is slated to sign with the Saints as an undrafted free agent Sunday.

Thompson finished with at least 500 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in each of his final four seasons at Texas Tech. During that stretch, he complied 38 touchdowns with double-digit touchdown campaigns in 2019 and 2021. Thompson joins Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller as new arrivals to a running back group led by Alvin Kamara, who is set for trial this summer stemming from a February 2022 incident. Until that case concludes, it's difficult to project what New Orleans' backfield will look like.

Walker will be joined in the backfield by 2023 second-round running back Zach Charbonnet, Gregg Bell of The News Tribune reports.

A second-round pick in 2022, Walker started the season injured and didn't take over as the starter until Rashaad Penny went down with a broken leg Week 5. Walker never looked back once being handed the reins, as he finished the regular season with 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns on 228 carries (4.6 YPC) and 27 catches (on 35 targets) for 165 yards. Notably, he posted 100-plus rushing yards in each of the final three games. Despite the dominant effort, it's not surprising that the Seahawks added to the backfield on Day 2. In fact, adding depth was necessary at some point during the draft. Head coach Pete Carroll's offense requires a heavy run game, and Walker frequented the injury report last year despite missing just two games. Charbonnet is an excellent prospect that should do well when he's on the field. However, Carroll will almost certainly make Walker the clear starter as long as he continues last year's effort.

The Chiefs are expected to sign Prince as an undrafted free agent, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Prince rushed 314 times for 1,723 yards and 14 touchdowns over his final three seasons at Tulsa, including a career-high 729 rushing yards during the 2022 campaign. The 6-foot running back barely made an impact in the passing game, but he did finish his senior year with nine receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs' running back depth chart is set at the top with Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but Prince could carve out a depth role with a strong showing during training camp.

Peoples is in line to sign with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Peoples led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing yards in 2020 but operated as a part-time starter in his final season at Appalachian State, as he rushed for 593 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries in the 2022 campaign. He finished top 10 in school history in career rushing yards (2,830) and rushing touchdowns (33). He's a physical runner who can contribute immediately on early downs, but his lack of experience as a receiver and special teamer could hurt his chances of sticking on an NFL roster.

In his post-draft news conference Saturday, coach Zac Taylor relayed his support of Mixon's standing on the Bengals' roster, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.

There's been offseason speculation that Mixon, who carries a $12.8 million hit against the salary cap in 2023, could be on the move, but Taylor noted Saturday that the running back's "future is here with the team. ... I like Joe Mixon." Following the draft, Mixon, who has been participating in the Bengals' voluntary workouts, remains atop an RB depth chart that also includes fellow returnees Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans, as well as fifth-round rookie Chase Brown. Meanwhile, last year's No. 2 back Samaje Perine signed with the Broncos in free agency. During the 2022 campaign, Mixon carried 210 times for 814 yards and seven TDs to go along with 60 catches for 441 yards and a pair of receiving scores in 14 games.

The Eagles traded for D'Andre Swift on Saturday to join Penny in their new-look backfield, NBC Sports Philadelphia's Dave Zangaro reports.

The Eagles gave up a 2025 fourth-rounder and a 2023 seventh-round pick swap (No. 219 for No. 249) in exchange for Swift, who missed either three or four games each year with the Lions and has one season remaining on his rookie contract. Penny's career also has been massively impacted by injuries, which is why the Eagles got away with paying only $1.35 million (on a one-year contract) for a 2018 first-round pick with a career average of 5.7 YPC. Penny typically has missed large chunks of time -- including last season after he suffered a fibula fracture Week 5 -- whereas Swift has dealt with less serious, nagging injuries that have sometimes impacted his workloads even when active. The two should complement each other well for however long they're both healthy, with Penny relying on size, speed and power while Swift gets it done with agility and receiving. In fact, Swift caught at least 46 passes each season in Detroit, nearly double Penny's career total of 27 receptions in 42 games. There's room for both to have fantasy value in a prolific offense like Philadelphia's, though QB Jalen Hurts took 48.8 percent of the inside-the-five carries last season even while missing two games. Penny should be a participant in OTAs this May, having declared himself fully healthy shortly after he signed in mid-March.

Tucker is expected to sign with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Tucker sat out the NFL Scouting Combine and Syracuse's main Pro Day due to an undisclosed injury, but he hosted his own pro day April 24 after being medically cleared for football activities. Perhaps due to the injury concerns, the 5-foot-9 running back went unselected during the 2023 NFL Draft, but he quickly landed an UDFA deal with the Buccaneers, who'll likely have an open competition for running back depth after the departure of Leonard Fournette this offseason. Over his final two seasons at Syracuse, Tucker rushed 452 times for 2,556 yards and 23 touchdowns while securing 56 receptions for 509 yards and four additional scores.

Mitchell is expected to sign with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Mitchell was consistent in his production over his three years at East Carolina and earned the starting role in his last two seasons. He had a career year in 2022 as he rushed for 1,452 yards and 14 touchdowns on 201 carries, which earned him a spot on the First Team All-ACC as he ranked second in the FBS in yards per carry (7.2) and 10th in rushing yards per game (121.0). Though undersized at 5-foot-8, his footwork and elusiveness give him the opportunity to develop into an effective, change-of-pace back in an NFL offense.

Mims is expected to sign with the Bills as an undrafted free agent, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

After multiple ankle surgeries during his time at Fresno State, Mims had a breakout 2022 campaign with 1,370 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 261 carries, earning him First Team All-MWC honors. He finished fourth in school history in career rushing yards (3,288) and second in career total touchdowns (45). His vision and agility will serve him well as he works his way onto a team roster, though his lack of burst could limit him to a ceiling of a third-down back at the NFL level.