NFL Player News

The Buccaneers plan to activate Vaughn (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Sunday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Vaughn was believed to have cleared all of the NFL's COVID-19-related protocols a few days ago before that was report was debunked, but he'll now be able to join the Buccaneers for workouts after being shut down for two weeks. The rookie third-round pick's missed time shouldn't impact his availability for the start of the regular season, but his absence may only hurt his chances of breaking camp with a meaningful role in the backfield rotation. At this point, Ronald Jones profiles as the team's most likely starter at running back, while veteran LeSean McCoy and passing-down specialist Dare Ogunbowale are also in the mix for reps at the position.

Feaster was waived by the Jaguars on Saturday.

The 22-year-old joined the team as a UDFA in April, but he didn't make it past the initial wave of roster cuts. Feaster had 124 carries for 672 yards and five touchdowns during his final season at South Carolina.

Reynolds was waived by the Falcons on Friday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The 24-year-old suited up three times for Washington during 2019, but he was subsequently waived and ended up landing with the Falcons' practice squad in mid-November. Reynolds now searches to join a backup committee elsewhere, as Ito Smith, Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison compete for the No. 2 running back role behind Todd Gurley.

Dallas could be stuck on special teams or the inactive list for much of his rookie season, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

The unusual circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic add an extra layer of difficulty to the college-to-pro transition, and Dallas faces the added challenge of landing in a crowded backfield with Chris Carson (hip), Rashaad Penny (knee), Carlos Hyde (shoulder) and former college teammate Travis Homer. Injuries partially explain the depth, but it appears all besides Penny are expected to be ready for Week 1, which likely means Homer and Dallas will compete for the No. 3 job behind Carson and Hyde. Dallas has more draft capital behind him as a fourth-round pick, but Homer, a sixth-round selection last year, appears to be a more natural fit for passing downs, which could make him useful as a complement to Carson and Hyde. Dallas, on the other hand, is a 217-pound bruiser who ran a 4.58 40-yard dash after catching only 28 passes in three seasons at Miami (FL).

Homer is on track to open the season as Seattle's No. 3 running back, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

A sixth-round pick last year, Homer primarily played special teams until Rashaad Penny (knee) and Chris Carson (hip) suffered season-ending injuries. The rookie then took 15 carries for 78 yards and 11 catches for 56 yards over the final two weeks of the regular season, but he was limited to 57 yards on 17 touches in two playoff games. With Penny likely headed for the PUP list while Carson and Carlos Hyde (shoulder) are expected to be ready for the start of the season, Homer figures to compete for the No. 3 job with college teammate DeeJay Dallas, a rookie fourth-round pick. Dallas is bigger and probably more powerful, but Homer seems to have the edge in terms of speed, experience, receiving skill and pass-blocking skill. Those qualities probably make Homer the better fit in a backfield with Carson and Hyde, whereas another big back like Dallas feels redundant.

Updating a previous report, the Buccaneers have not activated Vaughn (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Vaughn's start to training camp has been delayed due to either a positive COVID test or exposure to someone who did before he reported to the Bucs. The team isn't allowed to disclose which is the case, but the rookie third-round pick now is on Day 12 of his stay on the list. Whenever he's able to join his teammates, Vaughn may have an uphill climb to reps following the addition of veteran LeSean McCoy to a backfield with Ronald Jones at the top of the depth chart.

The Buccaneers activated Vaughn (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

Teams can't reveal the reason for a player being placed on the COVID list, but Vaughn spent the first week and a half going through the necessary protocols to be able to join his teammates. His context within the backfield changed, too, when LeSean McCoy joined the Bucs last Thursday, potentially pushing the rookie third-round pick down the depth chart. Ronald Jones is expected to lead Tampa Bay's backfield this season, but the pass-catching role in a Tom Brady-helmed offense is up for grabs and one that Vaughn may handle if he shows well in training camp.

McKinnon has looked sharp running routes through the first few days of training camp, according to Cam Inman of The Mercury News.

After missing the past two seasons with knee injuries, McKinnon is already earning praise from starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who said the 28-year-old "runs [routes] differently than most running backs" and "has a feel that's like a receiver." Passing downs represent McKinnon's clearest path to a significant Week 1 role, considering Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman combined for only 41 catches last season. The 49ers have used Kyle Juszczyk as the lone back on third downs at times, and while his reliable hands and blocking make the fullback a reasonable choice for that role, he can't come close to matching McKinnon's speed and agility. The team also has Jeff Wilson, JaMycal Hasty and Salvon Ahmed hoping to earn depth roles, so McKinnon could be on the roster bubble if his strong start to camp doesn't hold up.

Coach Bruce Arians said Wednesday that Jones will be the "main guy" in the Tampa Bay backfield, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

The competition for carries consists of rookie third-round pick Ke'Shawn Vaughn and 32-year-old LeSean McCoy. The Bucs apparently expect Jones to hold both of them off for the lead role, but the team could still feature a committee backfield of sorts, potentially subbing in Vaughn or McCoy for some carries and Dare Ogunbowale or Raymond Calais in passing-down situations. Jones packed on some weight this offseason to prepare for a larger workload, reportedly getting up to around 225 pounds.

The 49ers removed Wilson (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Wilson only spent a handful of days on the list, so it's more likely that he met the caveat of recent exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 -- rather than test positive himself -- upon his arrival to camp. He'll now focus his efforts on retaining a roster spot in a backfield headed up by Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon.