NFL Player News

The Jets signed Knight as an undrafted free agent Friday, Ethan Greenberg of the Jets' official site reports.

Knight appeared in 12 games at NC State last year and rushed 140 times for 753 yards and three touchdowns while securing 21 of 25 targets for 156 yards. He'll compete for a role with the Jets in 2022, and he could be a candidate to serve as a returner in the NFL.

Drake is bouncing back well from the broken ankle he suffered last year, Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur of The Athletic report.

Drake appeared in 12 games with the Raiders last season prior to undergoing season-ending surgery on his broken right ankle. While it remains to be seen if he'll have any initial limitations in practice, barring any setbacks, the 28-year-old should be well past the injury ahead of Week 1. This coming season, Drake will reprise his complementary role in Las Vegas' backfield, a context that gives him a degree of PPR utility while working behind top early-down back Josh Jacobs. Also in the mix for running back touches are the versatile Brandon Bolden and 2022 fourth-rounder Zamir White. White's role out of the gate figures to hinge on his ability to improve as a receiver and display aptitude as a blocker, but for now we'd expect that Drake's experience and ability as a receiver should give him a place in the team's offense under new coach Josh McDaniels.

The Jets waived Walter on Friday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Walter finished the 2021 campaign with 26 rushes for 101 yards and a touchdown while catching two of three targets for nine yards across four appearances. It's possible New York opts to bring the 25-year-old back on its practice squad, but its running back room is now crowed with the addition of second-round pick Breece Hall.

Dillon (ribs) and Aaron Jones could split the work "50-50" in the Packers' backfield in 2022, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic suggests.

Jones played 52 percent of the snaps to Dillon's 43 percent in 2021, but with Dillon ascending, Schneidman believes those numbers will be even closer in the season ahead. Dillon's 2021 campaign was cut a couple quarters short by a broken rib, but no issues have been reported since, so he should be ready to go when the Packers begin offseason team activities later this month.

Coach Ron Rivera said Thursday he hopes Gibson and rookie third-round pick Brian Robinson will operate as a "potential 1-2 punch," Grant Paulsen of The Athletic reports.

Rivera likened the new backfield tandem of Gibson and Robinson to Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, who operated as a formidable duo during his time as the Panthers' head coach. Gibson was already primed have his receiving upside limited by pass-catching complement J.D. McKissic, who opted to stick around in Washington, and it now looks like he isn't a complete lock to dominate the bulk of work between the tackles. While Gibson remains entrenched atop the depth chart, having rushed for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns through 16 games last year, his fantasy outlook will take a notable hit if Rivera indeed deploys a three-headed backfield committee for the 2022 season.

Allgeier should have a chance to make an impact as a rookie after the Falcons released Mike Davis earlier this week, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

The Falcons' running back depth chart is currently topped by converted wideout Cordarrelle Patterson, but there's an opportunity for Allgeier to carve out a key complementary role out of the gate. The fifth-round pick showcased an ability to generate yards after contact during his college days at BYU and caught the eye of head coach Arthur Smith leading up to the draft. Damien Williams and Qadree Ollison are also part of Atlanta's backfield mix, but either or both players could be cut prior to Week 1 with limited ramifications. With that in mind, Rothstein suggests the possibility that Allgeier could make a run at the starting job heading into the regular season, but such an outcome would presumably hinge on the 5-foot-11, 224-pound back impressing the coaching staff this summer in addition to Patterson missing time with an injury.

Phillips (ankle) was reverted to IR after clearing waivers Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

Phillips suited up three times for the Texans last season, getting six carries for 13 yards and securing two of three targets for nine yards. His season was cut short due to an ankle injury in Week 9 against Miami that sent him to IR, and he never returned. The 24-year-old will be forced to miss the 2022 season, but he'll look to return strong in 2023 and earn an NFL roster spot.

Allgeier will compete with Damien Williams and Qadree Ollison for touches after the release of Mike Davis, Josh Kendall of the Athletic reports.

Allgeier was selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft in what was a surprising move given Atlanta also signed Williams and were returning a trio of running backs. However, the pick makes more sense after the dismissal of the veteran Davis. Cordarrelle Patterson will lead the backfield once again, but Williams, Allgeier and Ollison will likely all get opportunities throughout the season, especially if Atlanta opts for a run-heavy offense with Marcus Mariota at quarterback.

The Vikings signed Bargas on Monday, Craig Peters of the Vikings' official site reports.

Bargas will return to Minnesota after spending each of the past two years on the Vikings' practice squad. The fullback appeared in one game last season, playing five snaps on special teams.

Phillips (ankle) was waived with an injury designation by the Texans on Monday.

Phillips will search for a new landing spot after spending the last two seasons in Houston. He appeared in 11 total contests, rushing eight times for 22 yards and catching three passes for 16 yards.