NFL Player News

The Cardinals official team website reports that the running back battle for the starting job between Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Williams and rookies Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington could be wide open. “You really can’t tell until the lights come on,” coach Bruce Arians said. “... Until you turn the lights on, you really don’t know about them.” Mendenhall had his best years under Arians in Pittsburgh and now that he’s had so much time to recover from his knee issues – plus his one-year-need-to-prove-it contract – he could be primed for a rebound season. Williams seems certain he will be effective this year, after never being certain in his knee early last season before suffering his shoulder problem. If both come through, Taylor and Ellington won’t be needed. Even if they are, they have to show they are ready.

Cowboys rookie running back Joseph Randle is recovering from thumb surgery the team claims it knew about before drafting him in April. He's expected to be in a cast for six to eight weeks but will do individual drills and take mental reps during offseason minicamps. "It's certainly a restriction on his thumb, but I think candidly there are a lot of things we can do out here in OTAs and get that thumb clubbed up and he’ll get a lot of work in, a lot of valuable repetition," owner Jerry Jones said. "And we made that decision when we drafted him. Was he going to be able to be ready and that is mentally as well, prepared, to get out here to camp and not have to make up all the lost time in OTAs? I think he will be."

ESPN reports Cowboys rookie running back Joseph Randle is sporting a brace on his hand.

The City Paper in Nashville reports that Titans running back Chris Johnson is excited about the new offense in Tennessee this year. “Basically we’re learning a new playbook right now and there’s a lot of different things going in,” Johnson said. “It’s something we should have a good time doing. Last year … we basically were trying to turn into like a passing team. Coming in this year [we know] it’s going to be a run-first offense.” The Titans have overhauled their offense to improve the run game. Most notably, they signed free agent guard Andy Levitre and used two picks in the first four rounds of the draft on guard Chance Warmack (first round) and center Brian Scwenke (fourth round). “We want to be able to run the ball when we want to and when we need to,” first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “Obviously, the commitment made to rebuilding the interior of the offensive line is a big part of that.”

The Colts used three Day 3 NFL draft picks on offense and two on defense. The notable names are Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes, Oregon safety John Boyett, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, the last player taken in the draft.

The Chargers official team website reports that general manager Tom Telesco said during a conference call with season ticket holders that he's a fan of running back Ryan Mathews. Telesco said Mathews is a great kid and works extremely hard. He liked Mathews when he with the Colts, and they game planned around him. The report says he expects "big things from the running back" this year.

The Panthers are loaded at running back but that didn't stop them from drafting Oregon running back Kenjon Barner with a sixth-round pick in the NFL draft. Barner has 1,123 total yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior and 2,023 total yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior for the Ducks.

The Jets selected fullback Tommy Bohanon in the seventh round of the NFL Draft out of Wake Forest, and he will compete for a roster spot.

ESPN reports that the Browns might not take running back Trent Richardson off the field on third downs this season like they did at times during his rookie year. He still managed 51 catches for 367 yards and a touchdown last year, but those stats could rise if he sees more time in strictly passing situations.

In the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft the Dolphins added University of Florida running back Mike Gillislee, who is 5-foot-11, 207 pounds. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Gillislee will compete with Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas, Marcus Thigpen and Jonas Gray for the starting spot vacated by Reggie Bush. Gillislee spent most of his career at Florida as a backup but started 11 games in his senior season, rushing for 1,152 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns. "I'm a complete back," said Gillislee, who was projected as a fourth-round pick. "I'm a good competitor." He rushed for 2,072 yards on 389 carries (5.3 yards per carry) and scored 20 touchdowns during his career. He also caught 23 passes for 182 yards and scored two touchdowns through the air.