NFL Player News

McCaffrey would get between 25 to 30 touches per game in Panthers coach Ron Rivera's ideal scenario this season, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.

McCaffrey averaged just over 12 touches, including five per game through the air, as a rookie last season, when veteran Jonathan Stewart led the team's rushing attack. Although pounder C.J. Anderson was signed following Stewart's release this offseason, it's McCaffrey who's seemingly slated to spearhead Carolina's backfield charge under new coordinator Norv Turner. Known for heavily utilizing his top tailback, and having worked with the similarly skilled Darren Sproles in the past, Turner profiles as someone fit to expand McCaffrey's game. Furthermore, citing McCaffrey's added muscle and average of over 25 touches per game his last couple college seasons, Rivera has offered a vote of confidence in the tailback's ability to approach 200 carries this season. While that would mean a large increase from his 117 totes last year, and quarterback Cam Newton will still have the offense run through him, more of McCaffrey would only figure to boost his stock heading into Year 2.

Pumphrey has been targeted frequently in the early days of training camp and is making the most of his opportunities, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com reports.

A fourth-round pick last year, Pumphrey struggled during training camp and was stashed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He entered the offseason program in 2018 as an afterthought to most Eagles fans, but it seems the pint-sized back is making a decent case to stick around. Regardless, it's hard to see exactly where he fits in with a team that already has Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement and Darren Sproles. As such, Pumphrey will compete with Wendell Smallwood, Matt Jones and Josh Adams for what may only be one roster spot. Pumphrey mentioned that he's up to 186 pounds, a 10-pound boost from his weight at last year's combine.

Warren didn't practice Sunday due to an undisclosed injury, Vic Tafur of The Athletic Bay Area reports.

Warren was at least seen working with trainers on the sidelines, which is an encouraging sign that he isn't far off from returning to the field. With Jalen Richard (calf) also not practicing, the Raiders brought in fellow undrafted rookie James Butler as added depth.

Jones has been receiving first-team reps since Friday's practice and has looked the part of a starting running back, Carmen Vitali of the team's official site reports.

The former USC Trojan has looked stout and quick in his cuts according to Vitali, who notes that Jones has been seeing his work with the first unit tick up since Thursday. The team is particularly seeking a home-run dimension from Jones, who notched 12 runs of 40 or more yards during his college career. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs are one of five teams (the Patriots, Texans, Colts and Lions being the others) that hasn't had a running back rip off a run of greater than 50 yards since 2015, and the solid but somewhat plodding Peyton Barber -- Jones' primary competition for touches -- isn't prone to explosive plays very often. Therefore, the opportunity for significant playing time is Jones' for the taking with a strong camp and preseason.

Gillislee missed Sunday's practice session for undisclosed reasons, Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com reports.

It's unclear if Gillislee is suffering from an injury or if he was given the day off for another reason. The team hasn't expressed concern about his availability to this point, and the veteran back is expected to return to the field in the coming days.

Atkinson signed a contract with the Jets on Sunday.

Atkinson's signing with the Jets comes on the heels of Elijah McGuire breaking his foot. With McGuire set to miss several weeks, Atkinson is being brought in to add some depth to the position. Look for him to compete for a role as a reserve running back and special teams player.

Jones (suspension) was absent from Saturday's practice due to a tight hamstring, Jason Wilde of ESPN.com reports.

Jones' chances of staking a claim to the Packers backfield have taken significant hits in the month of July. First, he was handed a two-game suspension for an October traffic stop in which he avoided legal punishment with a plea deal, but it was considered a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Jones will bookend the month with a health concern of unknown severity. During his absence, Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery will continue to battle for slotting at running back, which is of utmost importance for the first two contests of the campaign and perhaps even with Jones in the fold Week 3 and beyond.

Bolden (illness) joined his teammates at practice Friday after beginning training camp on the non-football illness list, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Bolden has hung around with the Patriots for each of his first six seasons in the NFL, but his role in the last couple of seasons has diminished to that of a special teams player. The additions of Sony Michel and Jeremy Hill this offseason put him further behind the 8-ball regarding a spot on the final roster, so he'll need to take full advantage of training camp to prove he deserves to remain with the club through cuts.

Cook (knee) wasn't a "full-go" at the first practice of Vikings training camp Thursday, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Prior to drills, offensive coordinator John DeFilippo told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that Cook would be a full participant, but the team appears to be easing him back into the swing of things. The approach is a prudent one considering Cook sustained a torn ACL in his left knee a little less than 10 months ago. On a positive note, he's entering camp without a knee brace, so it's only a matter of time before contact is introduced to his regimen.

The Texans are unsure if Foreman (Achilles) will be ready for the start of the regular season, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. reports.

Foreman has made good progress since rupturing his Achilles' tendon in Week 11 of 2017, but there's still too much uncertainty regarding a return date. "Work in progress right now, recovering from this injury," Texans GM Brian Gaine said as the AFC South franchise arrived at The Greenbrier in West Virginia for training camp. "We need a little bit more time to determine if he's going to be ready for the season. We're not there at that stage. We think he's getting better. He's improving, but time will tell whether he's available to us when we kick off." Houston placed Foreman on the PUP list Wednesday and could leave him there into the regular season. They are confident he can return to play in 2018, but it's uncertain how effective he'll be coming off what is a serious injury for any player, particularly a running back.