NFL Player News

Doug Martin is the starter, but the Buccaneers "want to use a rotation at running back," reports ESPN.com. Behind Martin the Buccaneers have Mike James, who averaged 4.9 yards on 60 carries as a rookie; Bobby Rainey (5 touchdowns last year); and third-round rookie Charles Sims, who will start off primarily as a third-down back.

Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson likes what he sees from second-year running back Latavius Murray, who is fighting for the No. 3 job behind Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden, reports Comcast Sports Net.

"We're looking for big things from Latavius Murray right now, coming off the foot injury," Olson said. "He's shown, to me, the biggest upside right now in what we've seen thus far, if he can stay healthy."

The Dolphins are using their running backs in the passing game, including Daniel Thomas, reports the Miami Herald.

The report said Thomas "was particularly impressive in that regard" Thursday.

"Our backs are going to line out and catch balls," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "When you have [backs] who have good hands and can make people miss, it adds a whole other dimension to your offense."

New Jets running back Chris Johnson criticized how his release from the Titans was handled and said he's using that as motivation this season. 

"I think they were just being nasty, to be honest," Johnson told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I love Tennessee. I love my fans. But at the end of the day I think they did me wrong. I don't know whether it was, 'We're going to get revenge on you for holding out' when I held out the whole training camp (in 2011) or whatever, but I feel like they already knew they were going in a different direction.

"I'm going to make them regret letting me go," Johnson added. "They're going to regret it -- trust that."

Johnson and the Jets play at Tennessee in Week 15.

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews added seven pounds of muscle and weighed 222 pounds at minicamp on Tuesday, the Union-Tribune of San Diego reported.

Mathews looked good in shorts and shirts, making quick cuts and showing off burst on consecutive plays to the end zone. 

Expectations might not be high for the Raiders' pair of older running backs coming off of injuries, but so far through minicamp both Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden have passed the eyeball test of their peers, says the Contra Costa Times. 

Quarterback Matt Schaub has seen them showing good burst and making explosive plays as a receiver, believing that the way they complement each other "is going to be a key to our success."

Head coach Dennis Allen agrees. 

"When you watch 'em practice, you see guys that still have explosion, guys that still have run skills, guys that still make people miss," Allen said. "I don't pay a lot of attention to what the statistics may say. I just see what I see with my eyes, and I see a couple of guys that if they can stay healthy, have the ability to perform at a high level."

That is a big "if" from Allen -- McFadden hasn't been able to stay healthy throughout his career and Jones-Drew is a year and change removed from a Lisfranc foot injury. 

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce remains limited after getting his right shoulder surgically repaired this offseason. He only did individual drills in minicamp this week. But the Baltimore Sun thinks he should be ready to go by the time training camp kicks off in late July. 

Pierce might be called into action early on as the team's starter given the looming suspension facing running back Ray Rice. 

Jets coach Rex Ryan said Tuesday that running back Chris Johnson wouldn't participate in team drills during this week's minicamp but would continue to do individual drills, The Associated Press reported. 

Johnson had surgery for a meniscus tear in January, an injury he played with all of last season. His running backs coach said this week he anticipates Johnson being a regular part of the offense so long as he doesn't struggle. He will compete with Chris Ivory for playing time. 

Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas continued to work with the Dolphins starting offense on Tuesday as the team opened minicamp. Free-agent signee Knowshon Moreno was there according to the Palm Beach Post but only did individual drills. Moreno's conditioning has become an issue since early June when he admitted he was out of shape. 

Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn doesn't see a whole lot of downside with Chris Johnson , who the team signed this offseason to give their run game a jolt. Lynn came away impressed with Johnson after last season when he played through an injury. 

"He obviously played hurt last year," Lynn told the New York Daily News. "He could have had surgery and sat out. He chose to compete and show up every Sunday. I like the way he played through that and competed. He played last year pretty damn good with a bad knee. His numbers were down but he chose to play through that injury, which was really impressive to me."

Lynn made it clear the Jets do plan to use more than one back and will play the hot hand. But Lynn does think Johnson can and will contribute for the Jets. How successful can he be?

"That's up to him," Lynn said. "He's definitely going to get the ball. So, it's what he does with the ball. ... He can have as many yards as he wants."