NFL Player News

Higgins hasn't signed his franchise tag and isn't attending June minicamp, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Higgins would need to sign the tag before practicing and can't be fined while he's technically not under contract. He reportedly asked for a trade in March, but in April he told reporters that he expected to play for the Bengals this season. There's a July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term contracts.

Chase is present Tuesday for the start of mandatory minicamp, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Chase's presence for the first mandatory practice of the offseason confirms he's not holding out after skipping voluntary OTAs throughout May. The Bengals picked up his fifth-year option in March, keeping Chase under contract through 2025. Tee Higgins, on the other hand, still hasn't signed his franchise tag and thus technically isn't under contract, allowing him to miss minicamp without being fined. Both wide receivers want contract extensions, and Chase's talent may make him the priority even though Higgins can become a free agent sooner.

Coach Matt LaFleur recently praised Melton's speed, run-blocking, consistency and work ethic, Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal reports.

LaFleur referred to Melton's speed as an "elite trait" and said it was a "great story" to see the 2022 seventh-round pick go from Seattle's practice squad to Green Bay's practice squad to topping 100 yards in a crucial Week 17 win last season. Melton was back down to fifth on the depth chart for the playoffs with Green Bay's top four WRs all healthy, but it's telling that the team still gave him some snaps on offense (39 in two playoff games, including a 19-yard TD catch) when there was so much on the line and injuries didn't force things. His combination of 4.34 speed and toughness/discipline seems to have won LaFleur over, and Melton's popularity among Packers fans will only continue growing after his recent revelation that he can't stop eating cheese curds even though they make his stomach hurt.

Claypool has been the Bills' "most consistent" wide receiver at OTAs, according to Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard.

It's perhaps not surprising that a 6-foot-4 wideout with 4.42 speed and ample NFL experience looks good in non-contact practices, but it's nonetheless interesting to hear the word 'consistent' used in conjunction with Claypool. He fell out of favor with the Steelers in 2022 and the Bears in 2023, and while Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel complimented him on multiple occasions, Claypool caught only four passes in nine games after a trade to Miami last October. He'll turn 26 in July and has an interesting opportunity ahead, competing for snaps in a high-upside offense where only Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel seem assured of significant playing time at wide receiver. Claypool could even join those two as a regular presence in three-wide sets if his impressive work this spring continues into summer, but he'll have to hold off competition from 33rd overall pick Keon Coleman as well as veterans Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mack Hollins.

White (knee) reverted to the Jaguars' injured reserve list Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

The undrafted wide receiver out of East Carolina suffered a torn ACL during Monday's practice, and after going unclaimed on waivers, he's reverted back to Jacksonville's IR. Given the timing of his injury, White will presumably miss the entire 2024 campaign.

The Patriots signed Jackson on Thursday.

The Rutgers product has found a home in New England after he was dropped by the Falcons just two days ago. Jackson went undrafted this past April and will now compete for a depth role in the Patriots' wide receiver room as the offseason progresses.

Sutton said Thursday he will attend Denver's mandatory minicamp after having skipped voluntary OTAs, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports.

Sutton trained privately and away from the team during OTAs, but he'll be present for the start of mandatory offseason activities next week. The wideout still appears to desire a new contract, as only $2 million is guaranteed of the roughly $27.6 million remaining on his current deal, which ties him with the Broncos for the next two season. Following the trade of Jerry Jeudy to the Browns earlier this offseason, Sutton is positioned as the clear top target for whoever starts at QB this season, making him an especially key factor for Denver's offense. Behind Sutton on the depth chart are Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick (Achilles) and Troy Franklin.

New England waived Luther on Thursday.

Luther agreed to a reserve/future contract with the Patriots back in January, but the team has now decided to part ways with the 24-year-old wideout. The Gardner-Webb product will look elsewhere as he tries to make his NFL debut after going undrafted in 2023.

Pierce (foot) is not practicing Thursday, the final day of mandatory minicamp, as a precautionary measure, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Pierce hasn't practice this week after his foot was stepped on in a previous practice, but it doesn't appear that there's any worry about his status for training camp. The 2022 second-round pick is competing with rookie second-rounder Adonai Mitchell for No. 3 receiver reps behind Michael Pittman (knee) and Josh Downs, so missing any amount of time could portent a hit to Pierce's stock. In two seasons with the Colts, Pierce has averaged a mediocre 554 yards and two touchdowns, but he could've been held back by questionable quarterback play.

Coach Sean McVay suggested Tuesday that Kupp was never truly healthy last season but is now back at full strength, Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire reports.

McVay compared Kupp's 2023 to QB Matthew Stafford's 2022, with the implication being that both players not only missed games but also played through injuries when they were active. Kupp has told reporters he's 100 percent healthy for the offseason program, unlike in recent years at the same juncture. Last year, he was coming back from season-ending ankle surgery in 2022 and then ended up suffering a summer hamstring injury that cost him the first four games of 2023. Kupp didn't lose any games to injuries thereafter, but he did make an early exit from the team's Week 11 contest and ultimately averaged his least receiving yards per game (61.4) since his rookie year. While a rebound could be coming, Kupp is on the cusp of his 31st birthday and now has to share an offense with 2023 rookie sensation Puka Nacua. It's thus unclear if Kupp will regain his peak form and target volume, though just one of those two things happening would probably be enough to make him a good fantasy pick.