NFL Player News

The Giants released Hodgins on Tuesday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

The 2020 sixth-round pick has never reached even 400 receiving yards in a season, but he did enjoy a brief run of semi-relevance for fantasy football in the second half of the 2022 campaign when he scored four TDs in a five-game stretch (Weeks 13-17) while averaging 5.0 catches for 50.0 yards on 6.6 targets. Hodgins then opened 2023 as a starter, but he was quickly demoted to a part-time role after managing just 64 yards over the first three games. He had just two games with more than 24 yards last season, and none with more than 40.

Williams (knee) will begin taking team reps Tuesday, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports.

It's a significant sign of progress on a day when so many other players that suffered ACL tears last season are being placed on the PUP or NFI lists and ruled out for the first four games of 2024. Williams isn't among that group, having suffered his injury early last season (Week 3) with no report of additional structural damage to his left knee. The Jets removed him from the active/PUP list Aug. 7 and he's been doing individual drills ever since. Williams still might not be ready for Week 1 at San Francisco, but all signs suggest the Jets expect him to play at some point in September.

Bourne (knee) is starting the regular season on the PUP list, making him ineligible to play until at least Week 5, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reports.

Bourne meets the same fate as most of the other players that suffered ACL tears last season, unable to make good on his winter optimism that he'd be ready for Week 1. He tore his ACL in Week 8 last year, finishing with a 37-406-4 line on 55 targets and a career-high 50.8 receiving yards per game. There's no guarantee Bourne gets that kind of opportunity once he's ready to play this season, as the Patriots have young wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk, DeMario Douglas and Javon Baker vying for targets with veterans K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton. It's far from a formidable WR room, but there's at least more depth than the team had last season. Bourne has been on the PUP list all summer, unable to practice with his teammates.

Franklin caught his lone target for 21 yards and carried once for nine yards in Sunday's 38-12 preseason win over the Cardinals.

Franklin finally found his way onto the stat sheet in Sunday's preseason finale, handling his first two touches while playing 50 percent of the Broncos' offensive snaps in the contest. The rookie wideout is a work in progress, but in Denver, he finds himself in a solid situation that could be conducive to his development. Bo Nix, his college quarterback, was named the starter ahead of Week 1, so the history the two have with one another could bode well for the 6-foot-3, 180-pound receiver. In addition, it appears the Broncos will cut ties with veteran wideout Tim Patrick ahead of the 2024 campaign, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. With final roster cuts upcoming, Franklin is positioned to make the 53-man roster in a depth role behind Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims.

Tampa Bay placed Jarrett (undisclosed) on its injured reserve list with a designation to return Monday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

The transaction means Jarrett will have to sit out for at least the first four games of the season but will be eligible to return come Week 5. Whether there's space for him on the 53-man roster at that point may depend on the health of the Buccaneers' other wide receivers.

The Panthers waived Robinson (undisclosed) from injured reserve with a settlement Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

This is now the third time the Panthers have waived Robinson since he first signed with the team in July. The 23-year-old will shift his focus to getting healthy and then look to catch on with another team.

The Bears waived LeBlanc on Monday, Larry Mayer of the team's official site reports.

This is the second time the Bears have waived LeBlanc since he first signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in May. The 23-year-old could be a candidate to catch on with Chicago's practice squad should he clear waivers.

The Chiefs waived Brooks on Monday.

Brooks linked with Kansas City back in May as an undrafted rookie out of Kansas State, but he wasn't able to do enough this offseason to earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster. At 5-foot-7, the undersized wideout's clearest path to contributing at the NFL level will likely be in the return game. He could get a chance on the Chiefs' practice squad if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

The Titans waived Harrison (ankle) with an injury designation Monday, Sam Phalen of AtoZSports.com reports.

The Oregon State product has been sidelined as of late due to an ankle issue, and Tennessee has now decided to part ways with Harrison. If Harrison clears waivers, he'll revert to the Titans' injured reserve list and miss all of 2024 unless the two sides reach an injury settlement at some point this season.

Smith (ankle/hamstring) underwent an MRI on Monday and could be a candidate to miss the start of the regular season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Smith, a rookie fifth-round pick, has impressed in the preseason and seemed to be making a strong case for a spot on the 53-man roster. If Smith's MRI indeed confirms an injury that will impact his Week 1 availability, however, the Eagles could instead opt to place him on IR, which would rule him out for the first four games of the year. However, Philadelphia's recent acquisition of Jahan Dotson via trade from the Commanders makes Smith's path to a significant role in the slot murky, even if he can quickly return to full health.