NFL Player News

Flowers will enter training camp ready to reprise his role as Baltimore's No. 1 wide receiver and the top target of quarterback Lamar Jackson, Clifton Brown of the team's official site reports.

Flowers is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons and is entrenched atop a depth chart that has plenty of uncertainty behind him. Rashod Bateman (personal) is expected to start opposite Flowers after an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, while Devontez Walker and rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt will compete for the No. 3 job. That leaves Flowers positioned for another high-volume season under new head coach Jesse Minter, and he could challenge the franchise's single-season receiving yardage record of 1,361, which tight end Mark Andrews set in 2021. Flowers posted a career-best 86-1,211-5 receiving line on 118 targets while playing all 17 regular-season games in 2025, and he and Andrews could both benefit from more volume after the departure of Isaiah Likely in free agency.

Addison is set to maintain his key role alongside Justin Jefferson in a Minnesota WR corps that added Jauan Jennings this offseason, Rob Kleifield of the team's official site reports.

The Vikings exercised Addison's fifth-year option in April, with the 2023 first-rounder now under contract with the team through 2027. Over the course of 14 regular-season games in 2025, Addison recorded a 42-610-3 receiving line on 79 targets, but issues with drops and subpar QB play didn't help his cause. With former Cardinal Kyler Murray now on board and viewed as the favorite start at quarterback in Week 1 over J.J. McCarthy, and Jennings likely to draw more defensive attention than prior WR3 Jalen Nailor, Addison profiles as a bounce-back candidate in 2026.

Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy views Pittman as a versatile pass catcher capable of running the full route tree, Chris Harlan of TribLive reports.

Pittman joined Pittsburgh via trade from the Colts back in March, and it seems his fit in McCarthy's offense will extend beyond just providing Aaron Rodgers with another big-bodied target opposite DK Metcalf. McCarthy's comments suggest Pittman will be moved around the formation rather than limited to a possession role. The 28-year-old's fantasy ceiling will still depend on Pittsburgh's quarterback play and target distribution, but a more varied route tree could help Pittman maintain a steady weekly floor.

Buffalo released Thompkins on Tuesday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

The Bills let go of Thompkins to make room for new depth wideout Quentin Skinner, who was claimed off waivers from the Jets on Tuesday. Thompkins suited up for seven regular-season games with the Falcons in 2025 and look to catch on in a depth role elsewhere.

Buffalo claimed Skinner (undisclosed) off waivers Tuesday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Skinner was waived from IR by the Jets on Monday, but he will stick around in the AFC East after being claimed by the Bills. Presumably now healthy, Skinner will spend training camp competing for a reserve role at wide receiver with his new team. He made one regular-season appearance with New York in 2025.

Safety Kevin Byard suggested Tuesday on SiriusXM's The Players Point that the presence of a top-tier No. 1 wide receiver like Brown will shift the philosophy of how opponents want to play defense against the Patriots, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.

Byard previously played with Brown in Tennessee and Philadelphia before the wideout got traded to New England this offseason, and he compared the effect on defenses to how he and the Bears previously prepared to face Justin Jefferson twice a year. "When I was in Chicago... for the most part, you need(ed) to point out where Jefferson was on every single play," Byard said, while adding that it will be "the same thing" for opposing defenders this season "with A.J." in terms of assessing where he lines up on any given play. Per Evan Lazar of the team's official site, Brown has gotten most of his practice reps so far at outside receiver, but it's possible that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will look to move Brown around the formation in order to create favorable matchups, providing quarterback Drake Maye with more opportunities to get the ball to his top read.

Lions wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said Sunday that TeSlaa looks stronger and more athletic entering Year 2, Jacob Richman of MLive.com reports.

TeSlaa flashed touchdown upside as a rookie, finishing with 16 catches for 239 yards and six scores, including eight catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns over Detroit's final three regular-season games. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams remain Jared Goff's top two targets, with RB Jahmyr Gibbs and TE Sam LaPorta also highly involved, but Kalif Raymond's departure gives TeSlaa a clear path to the No. 3 WR role. If TeSlaa's added strength and cleaner route breaks help him separate more consistently, he could take a step forward in Year 2 despite Detroit's crowded offense. Head coach Dan Campbell also praised TeSlaa's maturity during mandatory minicamp.

The Jets waived Skinner (undisclosed) from injured reserve Monday.

Skinner was initially waived with an injury designation in early June, and he reverted to IR after going unclaimed. That could have resulted in the wideout being ineligible to play in 2026, but after being waived Monday he'll now be free to sign with another organization once he's healthy.

Nabers (knee) is expected to work his "way into practice as [training] camp gets started in one way or another," according to coach John Harbaugh, NFL.com reports.

Per Harbaugh, both Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo (ankle) are each on schedule and doing better each day as they recover from season-ending injuries. Of the two, Skattebo is further ahead than Nabers "based on the type of injury," but Harbaugh notes the the wideout isn't "far behind. He's in a good place right now." Nabers, who initially underwent surgery Oct. 28 to address ACL and meniscus tears in his right knee, subsequently underwent a clean-up procedure this spring to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness. At the time, it was reported that the Giants were hopeful Nabers would be ready for Week 1 action. While Harbaugh's latest comments are encouraging, it's still possible that Nabers opens up training camp on the active/PUP list before eventually being eased back into the mix.

Coleman has impressed Buffalo's coaching staff with his offseason preparation and performance at minicamp, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Coleman received mentorship from former Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson during the offseason, trying to add intangibles to the 2024 second-round pick's impressive frame (6-foot-3, 213 pounds). New head coach Joe Brady praised Coleman during Buffalo's mandatory minicamp in June. "It's the consistency and the routine and everything he's doing, but handling everything like a pro," Brady said of Coleman. "He's positioned himself in a great place and just got to continue to build on that." Coleman is jostling for depth-chart positioning in a Bills wide receiver room that also includes DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer and Skyler Bell.