NFL Player News

Perine finds himself in a crowded backfield alongside Chris Thompson (leg), Rob Kelley (ankle) and rookie second-round pick Derrius Guice, Kimberley A. Martin of The Washington Post reports.

Despite having a clear advantage over his backfield mates in terms of running ability, Guice presumably will need to compete for carries with Perine and Kelley during training camp, while Thompson is a lock for passing downs if his recovery from December surgery stays on track. A fourth-round pick last year, Perine averaged 3.4 yards on 175 carries as a rookie, adding 22 catches for 182 yards on 24 targets, with only two scores on 197 touches. Guice is even more talented than his draft position (No. 59 overall) would seem to suggest, as he might have been taken in the first round if not for concerns about his strong personality and lack of pass-catching experience at LSU.

While Mack would appear to be the clear starter at running back after the Colts failed to select a running back early in the draft, head coach Frank Reich said he's open to utilizing multiple backs, the Indianapolis Star reports. "I'm very comfortable with the running back-by-committee," said Reich. "I'm very comfortable with (competition)."

Indianapolis selected two running backs in the draft with Nyhelm Hines taken in the fourth round and Jordan Wilkins taken in the fifth round. Mack should be the clear leader for the starting job and Indy's lack of signing a veteran free agent or spending a high draft pick on a running back is good news for his fantasy value and we may not want to read too much into Reich's statement. Still, Mack will need to prove he can be the starter, which would be helped if he gets the bulk of playing time in training camp.

General manager Bob Quinn said Abdullah will have to compete for his snaps ahead of the 2018 season, Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports.

Abdullah has failed to spark the Lions' dormant run game since the team made him a second-round pick in 2014. In an effort to turn the tide, Detroit bolstered the depth chart by signing LeGarrette Blount in free agency before adding Kerryon Johnson out of Auburn in the second round of this year's draft. With Johnson having the skills to be a featured back, Blount the most fit for goal-line work, and holdover Theo Riddick a standout receiver, Abdullah seems to be on the outside looking in. In fact, his mere spot on the roster could be in danger.

Following the Patriots' first-round selection of running back Sony Michel, Gillislee, Jeremy Hill and Brandon Bolden could end up fighting for one roster spot, WEEI.com reports.

With Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White locks to make the team, it stands to reason that Gillislee, Hill and Bolden will jostle for depth slotting in the New England backfield. Bolden brings special-teams utility to the table and Hill was a free-agent acquisition, so reading the tea leaves, it could take an injury or two for Gillislee to stick around in the wake of a 2017 season in which he was a healthy scratch for much of the second half of the campaign.

Sims signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay on Thursday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio reports.

Sims played in all 16 games for the Bucs last season, collecting more receptions (35) than carries (21). He'll likely remain limited to passing downs, though the 27-year-old did begin to see work on special teams in the back half of last year. Sims will have to compete with Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers for offensive snaps, and likely will face additional competition after the upcoming draft.

Anderson has drawn interest from eight teams in free agency, Mike Klis of 9 News Denver reports.

While it isn't clear which organizations have reached out to Anderson, there aren't many teams around the league that have a clear opening at running back, so it's not certain he'll return to a lead role like the one he held in Denver the past few seasons. Furthermore, the 2018 class of running backs is regarded as one of the deepest in recent memory, so there's a chance the market for Anderson's services could diminish by the end of the draft this weekend. Cut by the Broncos last month, Anderson rushed 245 times for 1,007 yards and three scores in 16 games during the 2017 season.

Cook (knee) has been doing some work on the field during the Vikings' voluntary offseason program, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "Really, Dalvin's knocked the rehab out of the park," Vikings athletic trainer Eric Sugarman said. "He's done a great job. He's been here every day since the injury occurred post-surgery. He'll participate in [Organized Team Activities and minicamp] on a limited basis. Then the plan is for him, hopefully when he gets to training camp he'll be a participant just like everybody else."

Cook admits that he struggled with the early stages of his rehab after suffering a torn ACL in Week 4, but it doesn't seem that the initial frustration prevented him from taking a proactive approach. He stayed close to his team throughout the season and into the offseason, perhaps noting that the Vikings training staff has a good reputation. Cook should slowly increase his activity level in the coming months, aiming to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. Latavius Murray likely would dominate first-team reps if Cook were to miss a significant portion of camp after the Vikings lost Jerick McKinnon to the 49ers in free agency. Cook, Murray and Mack Brown are the only tailbacks on the roster as Minnesota prepares for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Cook (knee) will be a limited participant in spring drills but is expected to be a full participant in training camp, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Cook is making good progress in his rehab from a torn ACL suffered Week 4 last season, and given that he's expected to be ready for training camp, he seems to be on track for Week 1. Expect the Vikings to ease Cook into the swing of things this spring and summer, as the second-year tailback will be 10 months removed from his major injury when training camp begins in late July. With Jerick McKinnon (49ers) no longer in the picture, Latavius Murray could be busy if the Vikings decide to carefully manage Cook's workload.

The Chargers are slated to pick up Gordon's fifth-year option, a move that would keep the 25-year-old under contract with the team through the 2019 season, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Gordon logged 284 carries for 1,105 yards and eight rushing TDs in 16 games last season, while adding 58 catches for 476 yards and four receiving scores. The 2015 first-rounder remains firmly atop the Chargers' running back depth chart, with Austin Ekeler and Russell Hansbrough also under contract with the team. Given that context, it's inevitable that depth at the position will be added, either through this week's draft or via free agency, with the likes of C.J. Anderson, DeMarco Murray and Alfred Morris all still looking for new teams.

Kelley (ankle) will have a lot to prove during the Redskins' offseason program and Organized Team Activities, Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Kelley earned a roster spot as an undrafted rookie in 2016 and emerged as Washington's lead back by the end of the year. He took a big step back in his sophomore campaign, however, managing just 62 carries for 194 yards (3.2 average) and three touchdowns in seven games while being limited by ankle, knee and rib injuries. The ankle issue landed him on injured reserve in mid-November, and while he seems to have avoided surgery and should be healthy for the offseason program, Kelley ultimately may find himself in a battle for a roster spot. Chris Thompson (leg) and 2017 fourth-round pick Samaje Perine should make the team without question, and head coach Jay Gruden has already acknowledged the likelihood that Washington uses an early draft pick on a running back. As an early-down thumper without much special-teams value, Kelley likely will become expendable if he doesn't look better than Perine during spring and summer practices.