NFL Player News

Penny (knee), via his personal Twitter account, posted a video of himself taking part in footwork drills.

At last check, Penny was able to ride on a stationary bike, but it now appears his rehab has advanced to the point he can get up on his feet. Penny still has several months to go in his recovery, but things seem to be going as planned thus far.

Kamara posted Tuesday on his personal Twitter account that he's back at full strength after playing "on one leg... at 75 percent" in 2019.

Kamara dealt with ankle and knee injuries in October, missing two games before a conveniently timed Week 9 bye. He then churned out 4.9 yards per carry but just 5.2 per catch over the final seven games of the regular season, scoring four of his six touchdowns in Weeks 16 and 17. The 2017 third-round pick should bounce back from the least impressive season of his pro career, now entering the final year of his rookie contract. Of course, a holdout could be around the corner if the Saints don't sign Kamara to an extension soon.

Cook could be in line for an extension later this offseason, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Following a breakout 2019 campaign, Cook is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie contract. The recent track record of RB contract extensions involves a lot of regret on the part of the teams that re-signed those players, but Cook does have age (24) and limited workloads pre-2019 working in his favor. Of course, injuries were largely to blame for his modest volume through two seasons, with a torn ACL in 2017 followed by a lingering hamstring injury in 2018. Even his breakout season involved a shoulder injury that cost him two and a half games in December, though Cook returned for the playoffs and scored a pair of touchdowns in a wild-card win over New Orleans. GM Rick Spielman said the Vikings usually wait until after the draft to begin discussing contract extensions.

The Chargers have signed Ekeler to a four-year, $24.5 million contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Ekeler's contract reportedly includes $15 million in guarantees. The dynamic dual threat was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason, but the Chargers have opted to lock him up for the foreseeable future rather than simply bring him back on a one-year basis. The 24-year-old proved his every-down potential by shouldering the load during the first four games of the 2019 season before Melvin Gordon's holdout came to an end, a span during which he compiled 220 rushing yards and three touchdowns in addition to 24 catches, 270 receiving yards and three additional scores. With Gordon set to test the open market when free agency kicks off March 18, it's conceivable that the Chargers could consider Ekeler as the top backfield option for the 2020 campaign. At the very least, he's a lock to handle a key role on offense.

Anderson (knee) is taking a slower approach to his current ACL rehab, perhaps hoping for a mid-August debut, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official website reports. "I'm taking everything slow," Anderson said. "Doing it the right way, taking as much time as I need no matter what."

Once viewed as a potential first-round pick, Anderson fell to the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft after suffering a torn ACL in September 2018, his third season-ending injury in a span of four years at Oklahoma. He then re-tore the same ligament in the final week of the 2019 preseason, landing on injured reserve for his rookie campaign. Anderson has since resumed running and cutting, but he's in no rush to get back on the practice field. He and fellow 2019 draft pick Trayveon Williams could end up battling for the No. 3 running back job behind veterans Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard, assuming the latter isn't an offseason cap casualty.

San Francisco tendered Wilson to a one-year contract Thursday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Wilson was effective when called upon in a crowed 49ers backfield last season, producing 27 carries for 105 yards and four touchdowns while adding three receptions for 34 yards and another score in 10 games. Wilson faces a tough path for carries next season, especially considering there's three running backs ahead of him on the depth chart under contract.

Gordon plans to test the market as a free agent, Josina Anderson of ESPN reports.

This doesn't necessarily mean he'll leave Los Angeles, but it does suggest Gordon won't re-sign with the Chargers before free agency opens. He struggled when he first returned from his contract holdout in October, eventually picking up some momentum down the stretch with 411 rushing yards and four TDs in a five-week stretch from early November to early December. Gordon will turn 27 in April and should attract interest from multiple teams, though he's unlikely to be paid as one of the top players at his position.

General manager Mike Mayock said the Raiders expect Jacobs (shoulder) to increase his contributions in the passing game during his second pro season.

Jacobs' skill as a receiver was one of his main selling points coming out of Alabama, but he was limited to 20 catches for 166 yards as a rookie, while Jalen Richard took most of the snaps on obvious passing downs en route to 36 receptions for 323 yards. Despite the promising comments from Mayock, it's worth noting that the Raiders gave Richard a two-year, $7 million contract in February. That doesn't mean Jacobs won't see more targets in 2020, but it suggests the team still plans for Richard to have a significant role. There haven't been any reports of Jacobs needing offseason surgery for his injured shoulder after he missed three of the final four games in 2019. His rookie campaign was thoroughly impressive from a rushing standpoint, as he finished with 242 carries for 1,150 yards (4.8 average) and seven touchdowns. Only Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry averaged more rushing yards per game, and Jacobs also finished in the top 10 for both yards after contact per attempt (2.8) and attempts per broken tackle (9.3).

Walton has been arrested in Miami for violating a restraining order, Cristina Alexander or WSVN 7 News reports.

Walton, who has been arrested five times in the last year, was cut by the Dolphins in November due to a separate incident with the law. The 22-year-old recently concluded a four-game ban for violating the NFL's conduct and substance abuse policy in December, but it now looks possible that another suspension could be in line. Walton's continued legal issues serve to make his chances of earning an opportunity with a new team increasingly unlikely.

General manager John Lynch said McKinnon (knee) is now healthy and could stay with the 49ers if the two sides reach an agreement on a reworked contract, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Scheduled for a $6.5 million base salary in the third season of a four-year, $30 million contract, McKinnon presumably needs to accept a huge pay cut to have any shot at sticking around in San Francisco. He missed all of 2018 and 2019 with right knee injuries, and he wasn't exactly a world beater in his four seasons with Minnesota from 2014 to 2017. Fellow running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman are under contract with the 49ers for the upcoming season, while Matt Breida can become a restricted free agent. Regardless of what happens this offseason, McKinnon is looking at a difficult path back to fantasy relevance.