NFL Player News

Chark (undisclosed) remained sidelined at practice Thursday, Kris Rhim of ESPN.com reports.

Chark was shook up during Monday's practice, with Daniel Popper of The Athletic suggesting afterward that the wideout may have sustained a hip issue. With another missed practice under his belt Thursday, Chark doesn't seem likely to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Cowboys.

Coach Shane Steichen relayed earlier this week that the Colts plan to play their starters, including Pittman, for about a quarter and a half in Thursday's preseason finale against the Bengals, JJ Stankevitz of the team's official site reports.

The Colts rested key skill players this past Saturday against the Cardinals, but Steichen wants to see regulars like Pittman get some snaps in Thursday before giving way to the team's reserves. As the coming season approaches, Pittman remains the clear-cut top option in Indy's WR corps, a high volume role that yielded him a 109-1,152-4 receiving line in 16 regular-season games in 2023.

Cooper (undisclosed) fully participated in Wednesday's practice, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.

Cooper went through the walkthrough portion of Tuesday's session but didn't participate in practice. After working fully Wednesday, however, the Browns' top wideout is a candidate to see action in the team's preseason finale Saturday against the Seahawks, with coach Kevin Stefanski having said earlier in the week that Cleveland's starters should expect to play in the contest.

When asked Thursday about the chances of Valdes-Scantling (neck) and Curtis Samuel (turf toe) playing Week 1, coach Sean McDermott expressed a degree of optimism, Alec White of the Bills' official site reports.

"I feel like those two, from what I've heard so far, have a real good chance of being back, just not committing to it yet," McDermott noted of Valdes-Scantling and Samuel. Once available, Valdes-Scantling will look to solidify his standing in a Buffalo WR corps that also includes Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Samuel, Mack Hollins and KJ Hamler.

When asked about the chances of Samuel (turf toe) and fellow WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) playing Week 1, coach Sean McDermott expressed some optimism, Alec White of the Bills' official site reports.

"I feel like those two, from what I've heard so far, have a real good chance of being back, just not committing to it yet," McDermott said of the injured pass-catching duo. Added context regarding Samuel's status for the Bills' Sept. 8 contest against the Cardinals will arrive no later than the posting of the team's initial practice/injury report ahead of Week 1, but once the 28-year-old is healthy he'll have a chance to claim a key role in Buffalo's retooled wide receiver corps.

Burks participated in practice Thursday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Per Wyatt, Burks, who left Wednesday's practice with a trainer after landing hard on the field, appeared unhindered Thursday, which sets the stage for the wideout to be available for Sunday's preseason finale against the Saints. The Titans remain hopeful that DeAndre Hopkins (knee) will be ready for Week 1 action, but in the meantime, Burks is in a position to see added WR reps alongside Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd.

McCaffrey has less competition for playing time after the Commanders traded Jahan Dotson to the Eagles on Thursday.

McCaffrey strictly worked with Washington's second- and third-string offenses in the first two preseason games, but a lack of talent at WR behind Terry McLaurin suggests it may not be long before the rookie third-round pick gets regular playing time. Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus have been splitting perimeter snaps opposite McLaurin on the first-team offense, with Dotson getting most of the slot work pre-trade. McCaffrey has worked both outside and inside this summer, and at 6-foot-2 with 4.46 speed he isn't necessarily limited to the slot.

The Eagles acquired Dotson and a 2025 fifth-round pick from the Commanders on Thursday in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks.

Dotson joins a Philadelphia wideout corps that will continue to be led by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. In his new locale, Dotson should serve as the team's No. 3 wideout, a role that probably won't entail much volume so long as Brown and Smith remain healthy. In 17 contests in 2023, Dotson, a 2022 first-round pick, caught 49 of his 83 targets for 518 yards and four touchdowns.

49ers GM John Lynch said Thursday that he has no update on Aiyuk but remains in contact with the wide receiver, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

It's the offseason drama with no end, although at some point it might become slightly less complicated due to other teams losing interest in a trade (or at least giving San Francisco a deadline). The Steelers were thought to be the last man standing in that regard a week ago, with Cleveland and New England having failed to convince Aiyuk to sign a long-term deal post-trade. The 49ers still hope to sign him -- or at least get him back on the field under the fifth-year option he's currently under contract for -- and it would seem a trade becomes less and less likely with each passing day.

Johnson missed Thursday's practice with an illness, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer reports.

It's apparently minor, with David Newton of ESPN.com reporting that coach Dave Canales still hopes to have Johnson play in Saturday's preseason game against Buffalo. The Panthers didn't use many starters in their first two preseason games, resting QB Bryce Young and a slew of other players. Johnson recently missed some practices with a groin strain, but he was back on the field Tuesday and Wednesday after sitting out for less than a week.