NFL Player News

The 49ers signed Herbert on Thursday.

Just three days after cutting Herbert, the Niners are bringing back the veteran running back after the team placed Patrick Taylor (undisclosed) on injured reserve in a corresponding move. Herbert carried the ball 16 times for 52 scoreless yards across seven regular-season appearances with the Jets last season. He faces an uphill battle to crack the 49ers' roster.

The 49ers placed Taylor (undisclosed) on injured reserve Thursday, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.

Taylor will spend the 2026 season on the Niners' injured list or he'll be released with an injury settlement, allowing him to look for work elsewhere. He missed all of last season following shoulder surgery. Taylor has carried the ball 104 times for 444 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 17-94-0 receiving line across 47 career regular-season contests.

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo believes Johnson is in real danger of being cut by the Steelers prior to the start of the regular season.

"Cutting a third-round pick one year after he's drafted would be a tough look for the Steelers, but it sure seems to be trending that direction based on the way the carries have been split in practices and in the first preseason game," DeFabo wrote Wednesday. While Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle rested, Johnson played behind both Travis Homer and Lew Nichols in the preseason opener last week and didn't see his first carry until the third quarter. He's buried on the depth chart and continues to make mistakes on special teams, as Johnson was seen getting chewed out on the sideline by special teams coordinator Danny Crossman against Green Bay last Thursday. Considering Johnson doesn't excel on special teams, and Homer does as the person protector on the punt team, the 2025 third-rounder Johnson may be on the outs with the new coaching staff. It might be best for Johnson to get a fresh start elsewhere after playing just 51 offensive snaps across 10 regular-season appearances as a rookie last season.

Judkins (undisclosed) didn't practice Thursday, but coach Todd Monken said afterward that the running back is tending to "a little something nagging, nothing big," Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.

Judkins has missed back-to-back sessions due to an unspecified injury, but considering Monken's comment, the Browns nonetheless are taking a cautious approach with the second-year pro. As a rookie second-round pick in 2025, Judkins tallied 230 carries for 827 yards and seven touchdowns while hauling in 26 of 36 targets for 171 yards in 14 regular-season games before suffering a dislocated right ankle and broken right fibula Week 16 that required surgery. He was taking 11-on-11 drills as of mid-May and otherwise was back to 100 percent before the recent setback, health-wise. It's unclear if Judkins will suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Bills as a result.

Smith is listed as the No. 4 running back on the unofficial depth chart Kansas City released ahead of the preseason, Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star reports.

Smith has his work cut out for him to earn a role on offense, though the pecking order between Emari Demercado, Emmett Johnson and Smith is far from set in stone behind lead back Kenneth Walker. Even if Smith fails to move up the depth chart, he has a decent chance of making the 53-man roster thanks to his contributions on special teams. General manager Brett Veach said that Smith "adds value as a dynamic speed element and his return game as a punt kick returner."

Demercado is listed as the No. 2 running back on the unofficial depth chart Kansas City released ahead of the preseason, Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star reports.

"Demercado is a veteran guy that has always been good in the pass protection game, and he's a reliable receiver," general manager Brett Veach said of the free-agent signing. The signing of Demercado was overshadowed by the addition of Kenneth Walker, who is expected to work as the team's lead back, but Veach's comments suggest Demercado could mix in for third downs and other passing situations. Rookie fifth-round pick Emmett Johnson and 2025 seventh-round pick Brashard Smith could challenge Demercado for the top backup spot.

Blue (shoulder) will be limited in practice Thursday, per head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' official site reports.

Blue was a non-participant earlier in the week, so Thursday's limited participation marks a step in the right direction. The 2025 fifth-round pick is battling fellow 2025 Day 3 draft pick Phil Mafah (chest) and Malik Davis for depth-chart positioning behind Javonte Williams. The Cowboys had been planning to give Blue a heavy workload throughout the preseason, but it's unclear if he'll be healthy enough to suit up for Saturday's preseason game against the Cardinals.

Judkins (undisclosed) wasn't spotted at practice Thursday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

Judkins has been absent for back-to-back practices due to an unspecified issue that coach Todd Monken describes as a "nagging injury" per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. His status for Saturday's preseason tilt against the Bills has yet to be determined at this point. Judkins is locked in as Cleveland's top backfield option on early downs, though fellow second-year pro Dylan Sampson figures to get some opportunities in passing situations.

Harris (Achilles) is participating in live drills Thursday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Harris hasn't played since Week 3 of the 2025 season due to a torn Achilles. He signed a one-year contract with the Giants on Tuesday and looked good physically while participating in practice Thursday, per Raanan. It's a positive sign that Harris is already working in live drills with his new team, but he will still need to earn a roster spot in a backfield that also includes Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary.

White (hamstring) was in uniform for Thursday's practice and was seen working out off to the side catching passes from a JUGS machine, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.

Though White has been ruled out for the Commanders' second preseason game Saturday versus the Lions, he appears to be progressing in his recovery from the hamstring injury, which kept him off the field entirely a day earlier. So long as White is able to return to team drills before the end of the preseason or during Week 1 prep, he should be ready to handle a change-of-pace role out of the Washington backfield in the Sept. 13 season opener in Philadelphia.