NFL Player News

Patterson has been in running back meetings and may be in line to see an increase on the 17 rushing attempts he had in 2019, reports Cam Ellis of NBCsports.com.

When the Bears signed Patterson in 2018, coach Matt Nagy had creative plays drawn up to utilize Patterson's electrifying speed, but instead, he used him infrequently and on very unimaginative play calls. During his lone year in New England in 2017, he carried the ball 42 times and generated 5.4 yards per carry, so Patterson has shown the ability to have success on the ground. Regardless, he's unlikely to see the type of volume to make him worthy of a draft pick -- aside from leagues that award points for return yardage -- but with Chicago having a razor-thin depth chart at running back, he could be a player to watch on the wavier wire should the team suffer injuries in its backfield.

Cook plans to participate in practice Monday, regardless of whether he's signed a contract extension with the Vikings by then, ESPN's Courtney Cronin reports. "I'll for sure be out there coaching, cheering, running the ball," Cook noted Friday in advance of the team's first padded practice. "I'm locked up full go, a thousand percent. I'm trying to get better. I'm trying to lead this young group that we've got."

Though there had been previous speculation that the running back may hold out, Cook relayed Friday that he never considered not reporting to training camp. In the meantime, the 2017 second-rounder said he's focused on his Week 1 prep, while the Vikings and his representation continue to discuss his contract. Under the terms of his current deal, the 25-year-old is slated to make $1.33 million in the final year of his rookie pact. Cook is coming off a strong 2019 showing in which he logged 1,135 yards on 250 carries (4.5 YPC), in addition to 13 TDs, while adding 53 catches for 519 yards in 14 games.

Mattison enters training camp in a backup role after Dalvin Cook decided against a holdout, the Vikings' official website reports.

Mattison was a frequent subject of fantasy hype in June and July when Dalvin Cook announced his holdout from team activities. The fourth-year pro ended up reporting for training camp, but Mattison is still one of the more valuable backups in the league, given the nature of Minnesota's offense as well as the reality that Cook has missed multiple games in each of his three NFL seasons. Of course, the Vikings also have Mike Boone and passing-down specialist Ameer Abdullah on their roster, so there's no guarantee of Mattison taking on Cook-like workloads in the event of a Cook injury.

Jacobs (undisclosed) missed his third straight practice Friday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

That said, coach Jon Gruden downplayed the reason for the absence of both Jacobs and offensive tackle Trent Brown. "The head coach gets to make a decision or two and you'll see those guys soon enough. They're not out; they're working. You just don't see them." While it's unclear what's keeping the running back off the field, his unspecified issue doesn't sound like something that will linger or impact his Week 1 status.

Edwards-Helaire was the featured back Friday morning during the Chiefs' first practice in pads, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

Damien Williams' decision to opt out of the 2020 season left little doubt about Edwards-Helaire's predominance in the Kansas City backfield. DeAndre Washington, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson and Elijah McGuire also hope to compete for roles, but they may just be fighting for scraps if the rookie first-round pick proves to be a quick study.

Montgomery anticipates taking a big step forward this season, Colleen Kane of The Chicago Tribune reports.

Montgomery believes improved knowledge of Matt Nagy's playbook will help him perform better, and running backs coach Charles London says the second-year pro can make more of an impact in the passing game. It's basically the same stuff we hear with every young running back, but there is reason to think Montgomery will best last year's ugly mark of 3.7 YPC if the Chicago offense as a whole isn't so brutal. On the other hand, Tarik Cohen remains locked in for a significant pass-catching role out of the backfield, and even a decent-sized improvement would leave the Chicago offense closer to mediocre than good.

Coach Frank Reich said Wednesday that he still views Marlon Mack as his starting running back, but Reich noted Taylor will have an opportunity to catch the "hot hand," Andrew Walker of the Colts' official site reports.

It would be unusual for an NFL coach to come out and say anything else when there's a rookie challenger to a starter with a solid track record. The atypical circumstances of 2020 seem to work in favor of veterans like Mack, but Taylor has both draft capital (41st overall) and physical talent (225 pounds, 4.39 40-yard dash time) working in his favor. Expect both players to see carries early in the season, with Nyheim Hines also mixing in for passing situations. The extent of Taylor's workload may largely depend on the quality of his performance.

Coach Frank Reich noted Wednesday that Mack is still viewed as the Colts' starting running back, Andrew Walker of the team's official site reports.

That said, with second-round draft pick Jonathan Taylor also in the mix, Reich continues to suggest that the team will likely employ a one-two backfield punch in 2020. Mack rushed for 1,091 yards last season while averaging 4.4 yards per carry, but Taylor's combination of skill and draft capital make him the favorite to eventually emerge with the lead role, even if a committee technically headed by Mack is how things proceed early on this season.

Williams appears to be competing with Darwin Thompson in training camp for a secondary role in the Kansas City backfield, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.

After Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and DeAndre Washington are the favorites to handle most of the backfield snaps early in the year. However, Darrel Williams holds the advantage of experience in Andy Reid's offense, with his usage last season hinting at a level of trust to handle passing downs. It's possible there's a Week 1 role available for him, especially if the two newcomers are slow to acclimate during training camp.

With Sony Michel still rehabbing from foot surgery, Harris has a big opportunity ahead during training camp, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Even before Michel's foot surgery was reported, there was some thought Harris might challenge for the lead ballcarrier role this upcoming season. It's a nice opportunity for the 2019 third-round pick, but he's still facing the reality of a crowded backfield, one where James White, Rex Burkhead and Lamar Miller could also take first-team reps in the coming weeks.