NFL Player News

Barkley (knee) is taking snaps in 11-on-11 drills at Thursday's joint practice with the Patriots, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

After missing Wednesday's practice to deal with a personal matter, Barkley took a big step forward Thursday morning, albeit in a red, no-contact jersey. He also did some 7-on-7 work at Thursday's practice, and it sounds like he's been getting plenty of touches on his snaps, particularly as a pass catcher. It's still probably best to treat Barkley as uncertain for Week 1 against Denver, but this is a significant step in the right direction.

The Lions plan to give Reynolds more reps on special teams in Friday's preseason finale as they assess whether to keep him on the final roster, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

After reportedly having to introduce himself to teammates in the huddle during Detroit's preseason opener before rushing for 49 yards and a score, Reynolds again led the Lions in rushing while again finding the end zone in last weekend's preseason tilt against Pittsburgh. It's not clear if the 25-year-old could be threatening Jermar Jefferson for the No. 3 job at running back, but Reynolds may have a leg up on Dedrick Mills and Godwin Igwebuike for a possible No. 4 role, especially if he can contribute on special teams.

Mitchell (hip) returned to practice Wednesday, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Mitchell was scratched prior to the 49ers' preseason opener against the Chiefs and had been sidelined until his return to the field Wednesday. He's currently buried on the team's depth chart, but he projects as an intriguing prospect. He was the second back taken by San Francisco in the 2021 NFL Draft, after third-round selection Trey Sermon.

Sermon (ankle) took part in practice Wednesday, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Sermon sat out the team's preseason contest Sunday versus the Chargers while tending to the ankle issue, but he looks to be in good physical condition a few days later. Given his absence from the last preseason contest, there's a chance Sermon is part of the 49ers' backfield mix for the preseason finale Sunday against the Raiders to get him some sort of a tuneup ahead of the regular season.

Stevenson took the second handoff in each practice period Wednesday after former teammate Sony Michel was traded to the Rams, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Stevenson was third through the line for most of the summer behind Michel and lead runner Damien Harris. The Patriots also have passing-down back James White, so while Stevenson now may be the second choice for ground work, he'll likely be No. 3 when it comes to snaps this September, if he gets any at all. The rookie fourth-round pick may have played a role in Michel being traded, with excellent work this preseason (193 rushing yards, four touchdowns) making his teammate expendable.

Dowdle was placed on IR due to a hip injury Wednesday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Dowdle is set to spend the entire 2021 campaign on IR, unless he can reach an injury settlement with the Cowboys. After having played a regular role on special teams as a rookie in 2020, Dowdle will now set his sights toward making a full recovery for the 2022 season.

Mattison (undisclosed) rode a stationary bike on the side during Wednesday's practice, Eric Smith of the Vikings' official site reports.

Mattison initially missed practice Monday and now seems unlikely to play in Friday's preseason game against the Chiefs. After that, he'll have 16 days to prepare for Minnesota's Sept. 12 opener against Cincinnati, gearing up for his familiar role as Dalvin Cook's backup. The Vikings used a fourth-round pick on Kene Nwangwu this spring, but he's a raw prospect in the first place and now has been out since mid-August with a hyperextended knee. If Mattison is unexpectedly slow to recover from his current issue, the Vikings can turn to Ameer Abdullah, Ito Smith or A.J. Rose for Week 1 backup snaps.

The Cowboys placed Dowdle (undisclosed) on injured reserve Wednesday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The timing of Dowdle's placement on IR rules him out for the entire 2021 season, barring an injury settlement. He was a consistent contributor on special teams across 15 appearances as a rookie, but Dowdle only handled seven carries in that span.

Perine suffered a foot injury during Wednesday's practice, Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York reports.

Perine has been relatively productive to begin the preseason, as he totaled 18 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown across the Jets' first two exhibition games. The 2020 fourth-rounder appears to be in a good position to land a spot on the 53-man roster, but the severity of his injury isn't yet known.

The Titans placed McNichols (undisclosed) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.

McNichols is competing for the No. 3 role behind Darrynton Evans (knee), making this a crucial period of the preseason to miss any time. He only has a handful of days before Saturday's exhibition finale against the Bears. Any time McNichols spends sidelined will afford Brian Hill and Mekhi Sargent increased chances to impress.