NFL Player News

Scott will be an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, meaning he can only negotiate with the Eagles, Mike Kaye of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

There was talk of Scott being a restricted free agent, but that would've required three accrued seasons in the NFL, rather than the two he's been credited with. A 2018 sixth-round pick, Scott started his career on the Saints' practice squad before the Eagles poached him in December of 2018. He's since played in 29 regular-season games for Philadelphia, taking 141 carries for 618 yards (4.4 YPC) and six touchdowns, with 49 catches for 416 yards (8.5 YPR) and another score. The 5-foot-6 Scott is one of the shortest players in the NFL, but his dense build (203 pounds) and impressive receiving skills have helped him develop into a reliable backup RB behind Miles Sanders. That said, there's always the possibility of Philadelphia adding backfield competition this offseason, especially if the new coaching staff lacks confidence in Sanders and/or Scott.

Moss recently had a cast removed from his surgically repaired ankle, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic reports.

Moss injured his ankle in the wild-card round of the playoffs and had surgery in mid-January to repair a ruptured tendon. He should complete his rehab before training camp, but his medical history is already a concern, with Moss mentioning that he's played through a slew of injuries since the start of his collegiate career. There's also the possibility of Buffalo adding backfield competition this offseason, as neither Moss nor Devin Singletary was impressive in 2020.

Williams said Monday that he'd "really love to just be a Packer all my life if I could," Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.

Williams and regular backfield mate Aaron Jones (chest) are both set to hit free agency this offseason, but given the Packers' constrained salary cap situation, it seems unlikely that either player will get an offer from the team that would match what they could find on the open market. The 25-year-old has been a particularly effective complement to Jones over the last two seasons, having logged at least 700 yards from scrimmage and over 4.0 YPC in both campaigns. The presence of 2020 second-round pick AJ Dillon, who is widely expected to have a larger role next season, could make it easier for the Packers to let Williams walk.

Jones will undergo surgery to have a pin removed from his left pinky finger Tuesday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jones had surgery to address a broken finger back in mid-December, and he'll now undergo another procedure to fully address the issue. After returning from his initial surgery, he was able to play through his finger injury, though he did subsequently miss time due to COVID-19 protocols and a quad contusion, ultimately playing second fiddle to Leonard Fournette during Tampa Bay's playoff run. Jones should remain on track for the tentative start of offseason workouts, and with Fournette on track to become an unrestricted free agent in March, Ke'Shawn Vaughn could end up being his primary competition for the No. 1 backfield spot.

Barner (groin) returned seven kickoffs for 167 yards and ran back 13 punts for 75 yards across six games during the 2020 regular season. He logged just six snaps from scrimmage, failing to bring in his only target.

The veteran back saw minimal action on offense for the third time in his last four stops, plying his trade as a full-time return man when not on the Buccaneers' practice squad. Barner also dealt with a concussion and a groin injury, the latter which landed him on injured reserve in late December and ultimately kept him sidelined through the team's postseason run. The 31-year-old also served a four-game suspension for violation of the NFL's Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances during the majority of October and early November, making it an eventful year. Jaydon Mickens also performed well in a returner capacity for Tampa Bay and finished the year in that role, and as a younger option, he presumably has the upper hand on Barner if a decision came down to bringing just one of them back into the fold in 2021.

Despite referring to Swift as a three-down back, Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn said Wednesday that he wants to find "someone else to go with him," Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

A 2020 second-round pick, Swift showcased three-down ability as a rookie, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 6.3 yards per target while scoring 10 touchdowns on 160 touches. He should be locked in as Detroit's lead back under a new coaching staff, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll elevate to a 20-touch-per-week, RB1-type workload. While he was head coach for the Chargers, Lynn typically split snaps and touches between two or three backs, with his teams regularly ranked near the top of the league in percentage of targets (and fantasy points) going to running backs. Granted, Lynn's teams sometimes had both Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler available out of the backfield, while Detroit's options behind Swift appear questionable. Lynn's comments suggest he isn't too excited about Adrian Peterson (an impending free agent) or Kerryon Johnson, who has one year left on his rookie contract.

Williams recorded 119 carries for 505 yards and two touchdowns and 31 receptions for 236 yards and another score over 14 games in 2020.

Williams didn't find the end zone as frequently as he did in 2019, but he essentially matched his production in both the yardage and yards per touch departments while topping 700 yards from scrimmage for the third time in four seasons. He isn't flashy, but he has gotten the job done and has proven himself as an effective complement to Aaron Jones. Both players will be free agents this offseason, and it remains to be seen if either will return to Green Bay. Wherever he winds up, Williams is unlikely to play a lead role, but if he at least gets the opportunity to split the work in the backfield, he'll be worthy of consideration in 2021 fantasy drafts.

Dillon recorded 46 carries for 242 yards and two touchdowns and two receptions for 21 yards over 11 appearances in 2020.

Dillon played a bit role for most of the season, and he missed five games following a positive test for COVID-19. However, the 2020 second-round pick averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry over the course of the season, and he shined in his one extended opportunity, tallying 124 yards and two scores on the ground in the Packers' Week 16 victory over the Titans. It will be tough to determine Dillon's 2021 role without knowing if free agents Aaron Jones and/or Jamaal Williams will return to Green Bay, but if neither comes back, Dillon will presumably find himself atop the depth chart -- a spot that has been rather fantasy-friendly since head coach Matt LaFleur arrived in town.

Vaughn, who was a healthy scratch for Sunday's Super Bowl LV win over the Chiefs, finished his rookie season with 26 carries for 109 yards and five receptions (10 targets) for 34 yards and a touchdown over 10 games. He also lost a fumble.

The rookie approached his first pro training camp with hopes of pushing Ronald Jones for playing time, but the subsequent signings of LeSean McCoy and Leonard Fournette largely derailed those plans. Vaughn ultimately logged 99 snaps from scrimmage and an additional 37 on special teams, so he did have a chance to get some valuable reps under his belt despite the crowded running back room. With McCoy unlikely to return in 2021 and Fournette likely having earned himself a fairly robust payday on the open market with his strong four-game postseason run, Vaughn may have an exponentially busier sophomore campaign while competing alongside Jones.

Walter signed a one-year contract with the 49ers on Monday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Walter was set to be an exclusive-rights free agent in March, but he's locked down security for the 2021 campaign. The 24-year-old suited up in four games with the Niners last year, rushing once for three yards and catching his lone target for 27 yards.