NFL Player News

Cunningham won't suit up for Thursday's preseason game at Cincinnati, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Bears are also holding out Jordan Howard (knee), meaning Tarik Cohen, Taquan Mizell and Ryan Nall are the only available running backs in the exhibition opener. Cunningham may have difficulty finding a consistent role in the regular season with Howard slated for a heavy workload and Cohen on hand to handle pass-catching duties.

Jones (leg) is not in uniform for Thursday's preseason opener, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

In a backfield full of candidates on similar footing, Jones' absence from Thursday's contest could drop him down the depth chart should Wendell Smallwood and/or Josh Adams post a strong showing. A long absence would further hurt his chances of making the 53-man roster, but a timeline for his return has not been disclosed at this point.

Pumphrey will not play in Thursday's preseason game against Pittsburgh, Jeff Skversky of ABC TV 6 in Philadelphia reports.

Pumphrey is likely competing with Wendell Smallwood, Matt Jones and Josh Adams for what may only be one final reserve running back roster spot. He's likely getting the game off and will show what he can do next week.

Jones has struggled with pass protection during training camp, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Already expected to split work with Peyton Barber this fall, Jones could be hard pressed to carve out a majority stake in the backfield if he can't prove capable in protecting his quarterback. Furthermore, Jones only caught 32 passes in three years at USC, so he seemingly has work to do on multiple fronts in order to be a factor on third downs this season. That said, running backs coach Tim Spencer recently indicated that Jones' pass-catching chops are developing. "They didn't throw him a lot of balls at USC. But [Jones'] hands have improved, and if he keeps on improving, that speed is something else," Spencer said.

Ekeler is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Chargers' initial depth chart, Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

As expected, Ekeler gets the nod over rookie seventh-round pick Justin Jackson, who is in danger of missing Saturday's preseason opener against the Cardinals due to a hamstring injury. Even if Jackson were to return in short order, Ekeler would still be a clear favorite for the backup job, coming off a rookie season with 5.5 yards per carry, 10.3 yards per catch and five touchdowns on only 74 touches. Melvin Gordon is locked in as the workhorse for early downs, but he may cede a few more snaps to Ekeler in passing situations this season.

Perine appeared as the No. 3 running back on the Redskins' first unofficial depth chart, Adam Zielonka of The Washington Times reports.

Perine had a steady workload towards the end of the 2017 campaign, rushing 109 times for 393 yards and one touchdown while catching 16 passes for 127 yards in the final seven games. However, his uptick in usage was a result of injuries to Chris Thompson (lower leg) and Rob Kelley, both of whom are back at practice and should be ready for Week 1. The arrival of second-round pick Derrius Guice makes Perine an afterthought for fantasy owners, and the second-year back might even be an afterthought for the Redskins, with his roster spot no longer assured, Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Hill (shoulder) went unclaimed on waivers and reverted to IR on Tuesday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

This was an expected move for the undrafted rookie out of Michigan. The Seahawks don't have a sure thing at fullback, so Hill will still have a shot, albeit a long one, to make the 53-man roster once he's healthy.

Patterson has made some impressive plays in practice this summer, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.

Patterson's primary role with the Patriots figures to come as a kickoff returner/special-teamer, but the 2013 first-rounder does have the size (6-2, 228 pounds) and speed to make plays when he gets chances in the team's offense. With Julian Edelman on track to serve a four-game suspension to start the season and Jordan Matthews (hamstring) on IR, there's snaps to be had out of the gate alongside Chris Hogan. Kenny Britt (hamstring), Phillip Dorsett and Eric Decker are also in the mix, but now that Malcolm Mitchell has been released, Patterson's roster spot looks pretty secure, plus through attrition he could be a single break away from landing a larger than expected role, early on.

Rawls (undisclosed) did not practice Tuesday and will not play in the Jets' preseason opener Friday against the Falcons, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports.

Rawls entered training camp expected to be on the bubble for a 53-man roster spot and has already added another issue to the laundry list that is his injury history. He last produced in a significant capacity during his 2015 rookie campaign and sits in a precarious position as training camp continues on. Rawls will likely need to return sooner rather than later if he has any hopes of breaking camp with the team.

The Dolphins' posted depth chart lists Drake and Frank Gore as co-starters.

Meanwhile, the duo is followed on the chart by Senorise Perry and rookie Kalen Ballage. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald relays that coach Adam Gase isn't especially concerned with how his backfield is mapped out at least on paper, while acknowledging that both Drake and Gore will see their share of touches this season. That said, the elusive Drake's youth and strong finish to the 2017 campaign presumably give him the leg up on Gore, who keeps chugging away at age 35. Though it's hard to imagine Gore completely overtaking Drake in advance of Week 1, so far this summer the veteran has looked good and his steady presence could at a minimum threaten Drake's volume, and in turn his fantasy ceiling.