NFL Player News

West made a strong impression at Monday's open practice, according to the Baltimore Sun.

A third-round pick in the 2014 draft, West is already on his third NFL organization, having washed out of Cleveland and Tennessee. He's noticeably thinner ahead of his third season, weighing in around 215 pounds instead of 230. The weight loss has already paid off, with the Baltimore native making a strong case to earn a roster spot on his hometown team, even though the Ravens have a deep group of running backs. Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen and Kenneth Dixon all seem like locks for the final roster, but the team might keep a fourth running back if West continues to impress. Lorenzo Taliaferro (foot) and Trent Richardson (knee) appear increasingly unlikely to make the team.

Johnson feels much better this year than he did in 2015, when he signed with the Cardinals in the middle of training camp, the Arizona Republic reports.

Johnson remained a free agent far longer than expected due to an offseason shooting incident in which he took a bullet to the trapezoid muscle. After inking a deal with the Cardinals on Aug. 17, 2015, he strained his right hamstring on the second day of training camp, and despite landing the starting RB job in Week 2 due to a knee injury to Andre Ellington, Johnson spent most of the season working himself into shape. In the end, Johnson suffered a season-ending fractured left tibia in Week 12, opening the door for David Johnson's coming out party. While head coach Bruce Arians considers the second-year pro as his do-everything back, the Johnsons are "even" as ball carriers, according to offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, which will likely result in a consistent workload for Chris Johnson on a weekly basis.

McKinnon left Monday's practice with a head-related injury, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "He'll be all right. He just got twisted," commented head coach Mike Zimmer.

McKinnon may not have suffered anything serious, but any blow to the head will likely be taken very seriously in today's NFL climate. His status will be updated as pertinent information is released.

Williams (undisclosed) has been removed from the active/physically unable to perform list and can participate in practice, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

Williams will be able to practice with the team on Tuesday, his first time this training camp. He'll need every chance he can get as he currently is battling with Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead for the fourth string spot in the Dolphins' backfield.

Skov sat out practice Monday due to a left foot injury, Scott Petrak of the Medina Gazette reports.

Skov was spotted on the sideline Monday with his left foot in a walking boot. The nature and extent of the injury are unknown at this time, but it certainly doesn't bode well for the undrafted free agent's chances of cracking the 53-man roster.

Hillman (back) did not practice Monday, The Denver Post reports.

Hillman exited Sunday's session after taking a hit to the back, and that lingering pain evidently kept him sidelined Monday. While the Broncos will surely play it safe with Hillman at this stage in the preseason, his absence allows for rising rookie Devontae Booker (knee) to see more reps in Denver's offense.

Helu -- who is bouncing back from surgery on both of his hips -- may be headed toward an injury settlement with the Raiders, the Bay Area News Group reports

For now, Helu is on IR, meaning that he won't be playing for the Raiders this season, but if he is released in an injury settlement, the running back could eventually look to catch on elsewhere once he returns to health.

Gordon (knee) was clearly more comfortable in the Chargers' offense during the team's opening day of training camp, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Gordon is coming off a disappointing, touchdown-less rookie year, but according to both he and quarterback Philip Rivers, appears more confident and comfortable with the Chargers' playbook going into his second season. Such development comes even after Gordon underwent microfracture surgery in January. Since then, Gordon trained this offseason with Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, an enlightening experience that also pushed him physically to prepare for the campaign. Now, with minimal thought about his knee, Gordon is well-prepared for an improved 2016 season as the lead back in San Diego's offense, which also figures to feature Danny Woodhead, particularly in the pass game.

Williams (undisclosed) is expected to be activated from the PUP list and practice Tuesday, the Miami Herald reports.

Williams' clearance to practice is an important development, as his roster spot is under threat going into this season. With Jay Ajayi (knee), Arian Foster and rookie Kenyan Drake leading Miami's backfield options, Williams is expected to compete with Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead for a depth role throughout training camp.

Abdullah (shoulder) increased his activity on both Saturday and Sunday, MLive.com reports.

During the opening of training camp Friday, Abdullah was seen in a red no-contact jersey, likely due to his offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum. Head coach Jim Caldwell sidestepped the state of Abdullah's health in a media session, but the running back has subsequently taken the field as the Lions' No. 1 running back and as a punt returner. It's unclear if Abdullah has been cleared for a full session through three days, though.