NFL Player News

Jones rushed for 12 yards on three carries and added 30 yards on six catches during Thursday's 5-0 loss to the Browns. He lost a fumble during the contest.

Jones snagged a screen pass with the Eagles driving in the second quarter. He turned up field and promptly had the ball punched out for a fumble. He's battling for a roster spot on an Eagles team that could use some quality depth and Jones has the natural talent to play a role behind Jay Ajayi. After a career full of fumbling issues, however, Jones' play on Thursday might scare Philly's brass away.

Rodgers is one of the leading candidates to help the Buccaneers replace Charles Sims (knee), who was placed on injured reserve Thursday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Rodgers' chances of securing a spot on the 53-man roster naturally went up with the upcoming season-long absence of one of his main competitors for a backup running back job. Moreover, Rodgers' skill set and experience also likely make him the first man up in terms of directly filling Sims' role, which was primarily that of a pass-catching back. He hasn't had much of a chance to show it during his first two seasons in Tampa, but Rodgers was one of the better pass-catching backs in the league during the 2012 and 2013 campaigns in Atlanta, compiling a total of 105 receptions and logging a trio of receiving touchdowns over that span. He also has the ability to mix in on early downs as a rusher and is arguably a more instinctive runner than Sims, so Rodgers could be in for a solid workload when factoring in multiple roles.

Cook (knee) has increased preparation for Friday's preseason game against the Seahawks, Jon Krawczynski reports.

Coach Mike Zimmer, offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and Cook himself have hinted that the running back would make an appearance before Week 1. Krawczynski's report is the closest thing there's been to any sort of confirmation, but it's difficult to know unless one of the trio declares Cook ready for game action. Assuming he logs snaps Friday, the next question would be Cook's workload at the start of the season. If he isn't ready for a workhorse role, Latavius Murray is around to pick up the slack in the meantime.

Mack (hamstring) may not be healthy by Week 1, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.

Mack continues to nurse a strained hamstring stemming from the Colts' preseason opener Aug. 9. Reading between the lines, coach Frank Reich suggested Thursday that Mack must practice next week in order to set himself up for active status Sept. 9 against the Bengals. Thursday also marked the return of Robert Turbin (ankle, suspension) to drills, allowing him to join Jordan Wilkins, Christine Michael and Nyheim Hines in the competition for backfield snaps.

The Buccaneers placed Sims on injured reserve Thursday.

After injuring his left knee in Saturday's preseason game at Tennessee, Sims wasn't believed to be dealing with a serious concern, but Thursday's roster move indicates otherwise. Thus, his fifth professional campaign is over before it can even start. The development makes the backfield easier to parse out for Week 1 and beyond. Peyton Barber is the likely starter, with rookie Ronald Jones II and Jacquizz Rodgers providing support. Meanwhile, the fourth and final spot may come down to roster cuts on Sept. 1, but undrafted free agent Shaun Wilson may be closing in on a job as well.

Mack (hamstring) isn't practicing Wednesday, Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Mack hasn't practiced since suffering a hamstring strain in the first week of the preseason. He'll likely be held out of Saturday's exhibition against San Francisco, and the Colts presumably wouldn't play him in the preseason finale even if he were healthy enough to suit up. Mack is still the favorite for the Week 1 starting job and still has time to get ready for the opener, but it isn't a great sign that he's missing out on so many practice reps after sitting out the entire offseason program while recovering from shoulder surgery. With Nyheim Hines struggling will ball protection and Robert Turbin suspended for the first four weeks of the season, Indianapolis may have to lean on Jordan Wilkins and Christine Michael if Mack doesn't progress as expected over the next two and a half weeks.

Barkley relayed Wednesday that his hamstring "feels pretty good." "I've been moving pretty well," Barkley said after practicing Wednesday in a limited fashion. "I don't want any setbacks at all and that's why I'm following the game plan."

The game plan Barkley refers to likely means that he'll be held out of Friday's preseason game against the Jets for precautionary purposes while he eases back in from the strained left hamstring. The rookie's Week 1 availability doesn't appear to be in any danger.

Watson signed with the Chargers on Wednesday, Ricky Henne of the team's official site reports.

Watson spent the 2017 season with Pittsburgh and saw time in 10 games. Should Watson make the 53-man roster, his greatest impact will likely come on special teams. The Chargers are more than comfortable with Melvin Gordon carrying the load in 2018.

Green re-signed with the Colts on Wednesday, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.

Green was brought back Wednesday following the release of Josh Ferguson (groin). Green still faces an uphill battle in terms of earning a spot on the 53-man roster, but he'll now at least have a fighting chance.

Drake and Frank Gore are both expected to have major roles in the Miami offense when the regular season begins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

Salguero even suggests that the Dolphins might start Gore, who is listed alongside Drake as a co-starter on the team's preseason depth chart. It's hard to imagine the 35-year-old Gore getting more touches than a 24-year-old who finished last season with 594 scrimmage yards in his final five games, but there is real reason to be concerned about how the former could impact the latter's workload. Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore may provide a small hint about how snaps and touches will be divided during the regular season.