NFL Player News

Head coach Pete Carroll said Thursday that Walker missed part of mandatory minicamp with a hamstring injury, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

Fellow running back Rashaad Penny missed time in OTAs with a hamstring injury, though the team was simply taking a cautious approach and he was back on the field quickly. The Seahawks finished their mandatory minicamp Thursday but will reconvene Tuesday for their last three days of the offseason program. If Walker is still missing from the field, it could signal a more serious injury. Regardless, Walker should have plenty of time to recover before training camp starts in late July. The rookie second-round pick will compete with Rashaad Penny and possibly Chris Carson (neck) for a chance at the starting role.

Etienne has made a strong impression with head coach Doug Pederson and the new coaching staff during OTAs, John Oehser of the Jaguars' official site reports. "[Etienne is] doing a great job handling a lot of information that we're throwing at the guys," Pederson said. "We're putting him in different spots and seeing what he can do right now."

The 2021 first-round pick was unable to make his NFL debut last year after suffering a Lisfranc injury during the preseason, but the new coach has liked what he's seen during the offseason program. The 23-year-old lined up at both running back and wide receiver during rookie minicamp last year, and the new coaching staff also has a versatile role in mind for him in 2022. The availability of James Robinson (Achilles) remains up in the air for the start of the season, leaving Etienne likely to be Jacksonville's undisputed No. 1 tailback for Week 1.

Gibson suffered a minor hamstring injury during OTAs on Wednesday, Pete Hailey of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Head coach Ron Rivera used the word "slightly" to downplay the severity of Gibson's hamstring issue, so there's not yet any reason for significant worry about the possibility of the running back missing any portion of mandatory minicamp. Of course, considering the delicate nature of hamstring injuries, the Commanders will likely refrain from rushing Gibson back out on the field. In the meantime, rookie third-round pick Brian Robinson could benefit from increased reps with the first-team offense.

Williams suffered a broken foot in practice last week, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.

Williams will be out until at least the early portion of next month's training camp while recovering from the foot fracture. The running back was selected in fifth round of this year's draft and is looking to win a role as a change of pace option behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson this season.

Johnson and the Browns have reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth $2.43 million, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Johnson was originally tendered by the Browns, which gave them the ability to match any other offer he received. Without any substantial offers, the running back has ultimately opted to take the deal with Cleveland. With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt the primary two backs in the offense, Johnson projects to again be the next-man-up should either go down with an injury. He averaged 5.34 yards per attempt on 100 carries for the team in 2021 while finding the end zone three times.

Robinson (Achilles) resumed running as part of his rehab process Friday, his representation Steinberg Sports reports.

Coach Doug Pederson has already said that Robinson won't participate in OTAs or resume actually practicing until training camp, but it's notable to see that the running back has already been given clearance to start jogging. Robinson is working his way back from a torn left Achilles tendon suffered late December, which makes him uncertain for Week 1; however, so far it appears as though his recovery has remained fully on schedule. Meanwhile, 2021 first-round pick Travis Etienne is participating in OTAs without restrictions after having missed his rookie campaign due to a Lisfranc injury.

Swift has shown a more muscular physique upon reporting for OTAs this spring, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

The report is merely based on visual observations made by Twentyman, but any added muscle could probably be considered a positive sign for a 5-foot-9 running back who has missed at least three games in both of his first two professional seasons. While it's not fair to consider Swift "injury prone" this soon into his career, it's possible that his fantasy value could be higher heading into 2022 if he hadn't been slowed down by head and shoulder injuries in consecutive years. After all, when not counting the games in which Swift was limited by injury in 2021, his 97.5 scrimmage yards per game would have ranked eighth among all running backs.

Penny (hamstring) participated in Tuesday's practice, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

Penny sat out of OTAs last week due to a slight hamstring issue, so it's encouraging to see him back at practice, even if it was a lighter session. The 2018 first-round pick finished last season with 119 carries for 749 yards and six touchdowns -- all career highs -- and figures to be a vital piece for the Seahawks in 2022. Penny and second-round pick Kenneth Walker are currently the top healthy options in Seattle's backfield with Chris Carson still nursing a delicate neck injury.

White's versatile skill set could allow him to enjoy a sizable role during his rookie season, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports. "He's a good talent, that's why we drafted him," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "Leonard is our starter, obviously. We look for White to compete with Vaughn and Gio and we'll see from there. ... He has good size. He has good feet and good speed. But he's capable of spelling Leonard, he's capable of catching a ball."

The investment of a third-round pick in White already speaks to the belief the Buccaneers have in his ability, and both the Arizona State product's college body of work and Bowles' comments indicate there could be plenty of opportunity for him behind lead back Leonard Fournette. With Ronald Jones now in Kansas City and Giovani Bernard primarily suited for a pass-catching/third-down role, White's primary competition for any complementary early-down reps appears to be Ke'Shawn Vaughn, who's yet to establish himself after being taken in the third round in his own right in 2020. White's pass-catching chops also could be a significant factor in earning snaps, with running backs coach Todd McNair noting the rookie's range and catch radius are particularly impressive.

Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said Leatherwood is working at multiple spots along the offensive line during voluntary OTAs, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.

McDaniels said Leatherwood isn't the only offensive lineman that's getting work at multiple positions, so it appears like the Raiders are trying everything they can to revamp a subpar group from a year ago. While the Leatherwood was being moved around, Reed did clarify that the 2021 first-round pick still spent the majority of practice at right tackle.