NFL Player News

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.

Offensive coordinator John DeFilippo relayed that Cook (knee) will be able to work fully in training camp, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The 2017 second-rounder was off to a highly promising start last year before suffering a season-ending ACL tear on Oct. 1. The fact that Cook is already working fully is very encouraging, though it remains to be seen if his practice reps will be managed at all (in the form of scheduled rest) out of the gate. Assuming no setbacks, Cook -- who turns 23 next month -- is poised to reclaim his role as the Vikings' featured back, with Latavius Murray on hand in a support/complementary role. In such a context, Cook is firmly back on the fantasy radar, given the level of three-down capability that he possesses when healthy.

Thomas (knee) landed on the PUP list on Thursday, John Reid of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Thomas spent the 2017 season unemployed after missing the cut with Detroit. He'll seek out a depth role in Jacksonville once healthy.

Cook didn't have a brace on his surgically repaired left knee at Wednesday's walk-through practice, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Cook has consistently surpassed expectations in his rehab from a torn ACL, even participating in team drills during June minicamp. He seems to be headed for a relatively normal training camp and preseason, less than 10 months removed from the initial injury. Cook offers clear three-down workhorse potential, but the Vikings are still likely to keep Latavius Murray involved in some capacity.

Foreman (Achilles) was placed on the Texans' Physically Unable to Perform list prior to the start of training camp, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Working his way back from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered in Week 11 last season, Foreman was held out for the entire offseason program, but Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said he's optimistic the second-year back will be available at some point in camp. Foreman faces a challenge to be ready for Week 1, and it isn't out of the question for his stint on the PUP list to extend into the regular season, in which case he would sit out the first six weeks.

McCaffrey reported to training camp Wednesday at 208 pounds, Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer reports.

McCaffrey checked in at 202 pounds during last year's NFL Combine and played most of his rookie season around the same weight. While his gain isn't anything drastic, it does move him a bit closer to the typical range for NFL lead backs. Despite Carolina opting to replace Jonathan Stewart with a likely power-back upgrade in C.J. Anderson, head coach Ron Rivera said he wouldn't be surprised if McCaffrey reaches 200 carries this season. The No. 8 overall pick averaged just 3.7 yards on 117 totes as a rookie, making up for it with an 80-651-5 receiving line on 113 targets. Regardless of Rivera's statement, it will be tough to justify a major change in workload unless McCaffrey improves his rushing efficiency, something that may be a tough task after the Panthers lost standout left guard Andrew Norwell to the Jaguars in free agency. Anderson should probably be viewed as a slight favorite to beat out McCaffrey for the team lead in carries under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner.