NFL Player News

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said it "won't be long" before receiver Cordarrelle Patterson returns from the foot injury that caused him to miss the first two days of practice, reports the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Patterson suffered the injury Wednesday. He has not commented on it.

"He's improving every day," Zimmer told the paper. "I saw him do some stuff (Saturday). ... I'll be surprised if it's long (that Patterson is out)."

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner said Patterson, who missed practice Friday and Saturday, is "champing at the bit" to get going.

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce has tweeted incredulously that simply because he was walking with a trainer that does not mean he's hurt.

Bernard left practice early with a doctor. His status has not been confirmed by coaches or trainers.

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce left practice early and departed with the team doctor. Gary Kubiak said after practice that he didn't have enough information to elaborate.

Pierce is expected to assume the featured back duties for the first two games of the regular season during the Ray Rice suspension.

A day after losing Vick Ballard for the season to injury, the Colts are holding out fellow running back Trent Richardson from practice again Saturday with a soft tissue issue.

Richardson, whose problem has not been deemed serious, was a bust in 2013 after the trade brought him from Cleveland. He averaged just 2.9 YPC as his playing time decreased as the season progressed.

Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson did not practice Friday because of a "tweaked foot," reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

He was sitting out as a precaution, and the injury is not expected to be serious.

Colts running back Trent Richardson is not practicing Friday, their second full day of training camp, according to the Indianapolis Star. Richardson had trainers working on his left leg on Thursday but he was able to finish practice.

Richardson is coming back from a chipped collarbone and a separated AC joint in his shoulder he played with last season. 

By general manager Steve Keim's estimation, Cardinals running back Andre Ellington gained eight to 10 pounds in the offseason. Keim said so during a radio interview with Fox Sports 910. 

These remarks make sense considering Arizona is expected to give Ellington short-yardage work this season. Ellington, one of the faster running backs in the league, weighed in at about 200 pounds last season and rushed for 652 yards on 118 carries. 

With Ray Rice suspended for the first two games of the season, the Ravens have to figure out who will start at running back in his absence, reports ESPN.

The top choice to fill in for Rice is Bernard Pierce. He was limited all offseason after having shoulder surgery, but he looked to be in good shape as the Ravens opened training camp this week. 

"I'm very confident in Bernard. I've always liked Bernard," coach John Harbaugh said. "He's a heck of a player. He’s worked very hard, he’s 217 pounds, [and] he's in the best shape of his life. He looked good out here the last couple of days. We'll know more by Tuesday once we get the pads on and seeing him move with the pads on and how the shoulder holds up -- that'll be important."

Outside of Pierce, the Ravens have Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro, but Pierce is the likely starter with Rice out.

"I have a lot of confidence in all of our guys," Harbaugh said.

The Boston Herald has noticed that Patriots running back Brandon Bolden has had two bad practices to begin training camp. He's fumbled twice and had a bad drop. Fumbles were a part of Bolden's rookie training camp as well. 

It's believed Bolden is in the running for the backup running downs job behind Stevan Ridley in camp, but if he keeps fumbling he could be released. 

Jets running back Chris Johnson, who had offseason knee surgery, "looked light on his feet, and fast" at practice Thursday, reports ESPN.com. "I haven't really [gone] 100 percent with the team since I have been here so being able to go out there and run and do all the team periods felt good," Johnson said.

The Jets used him on rushing plays and also lined him up wide as a receiver. Johnson fumbled on a running play but overall "seemed right at home," the website said. "I felt good," Johnson said. "I felt no pain or anything like that."

His main competition for carries, Chris Ivory, sat out with a hamstring problem.