NFL Player News

The plan of the Buccaneers to use multiple backs to keep featured back Doug Martin strong and healthy after a shoulder injury ended his 2013 season has gone by the wayside.

The loss of rookie Charles Sims (ankle) and Mike James (shoulder) has destroyed the depth at that position. Only Bobby Rainey remains as a viable backup, but Lovie Smith has expressed confidence that Martin can carry the load.

"Doug is our bell cow," he told Pro Football Talk. "He likes that role, He's had a good camp, hasn't missed a beat."

Martin struggled last year to maintain his production from 2012. His per-carry average dropped from 4.6 to 3.6.

Eagles receivers Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin have both been cleared to play Thursday night against the Steelers in preseason action.

Cooper has been dealing with a foot injury, which caused him to miss the first two exhibition games. Maclin was working his way back from a hamstring injury.

Running back Matthew Tucker has also been cleared to play Thursday.

Rams running back Isaiah Pead has cleared waivers, landing him on injured reserve.

Pead, who earned just 17 carries in 2012 and 2013 combined for St. Louis, tore his ACL in the second preseason game.

The Rams waived running back Isaiah Pead with an injury designation, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter. Pead tore his ACL in Saturday's preseason game with the Packers.

The Colts are focused on getting their rushing game going heading into Saturday's third preseason game against the Saints. Specifically, they want to see more production from Trent Richardson, who's averaged 2.4 yards per carry through two games.

"Trent, he needs to answer the bell and do his job to the best of his ability," general manager Ryan Grigson told ESPN.com. "We're all accountable here. I will say this, there are a lot of backs last year that wouldn't have got [2.4 ypc] considering the amount of people he had in that box and the amount of bodies that were hitting him before he even seemed to get the ball sometimes.

"He's such a hard runner, we know how tough he is, but he's got to produce just like all these guys do on the final 53."

Richardson averaged 2.9 yards per carry last season with Indy. If he continues to flounder, the Colts could turn to Ahmad Bradshaw, who's coming back from a neck injury and scheduled to make his preseason debut Saturday.

Under new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, the Ravens have a different mindset and plan to be a run-first team again, reports ESPN.com. The revamped offensive line has pushed defenders off the line, and running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce "are lighter, and as a result, more explosive," the report said.

Baltimore leads the NFL with 194 rushing yards in the preseason, 69 more than any other team.

Cowboys running back Joseph Randle has rushed for 91 yards on 20 preseason carries (4.6 yards per carry). Owner Jerry Jones said Randle "is really playing outstanding" and "that's not an exaggeration," reports ESPN.com.

Randle, who averaged 3.0 yards per carry last year, said he's bigger, stronger and smarter. "I'm a year smarter in the playbook. I think that's all things that help me play fast," he said. "Now, I'm just working on playing fast every play I'm out there. That comes with practice."

Randle is running third behind DeMarco Murray and Lance Dunbar.

The Eagles acquired running back/return specialist Kenjon Barner from the Panthers Tuesday in exchange for a 2015 conditional seventh-round pick.

Barner was a potential cap casualty for the Panthers after seeing just six carries in his rookie season last year. A sixth-round pick in the 2013 draft, Barner played under Eagles coach Chip Kelly at Oregon.

Browns rookie running back Terrance West got only one first-half carry Monday night against the Redskins as Ben Tate dominated snaps with the first string. West finished with 31 yards on eight carries (3.9 yards per rush). He was not targeted in the passing game.

Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith referred to running back Doug Martin as the team's "bell cow," reports ESPN.com. Smith also praised Martin's improvement as a pass catcher, a role that will be critical given the serious ankle injury suffered by rookie running back Charles Sims.

"From watching practice, you've seen Doug has caught the ball a lot better," Smith told.

Martin caught 49 passes as a rookie. He said he put in extra work this preseason catching passes to prepare for Jeff Tedford's offense.