NFL Player News

Smith (groin) is expected to miss Week 1 versus the Titans due to a surgical procedure he underwent in August, Jeff Duncan of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Smith missed most of training camp and all of the preseason due to a groin injury sustained in early August, and while it sounds like his recovery timetable could allow him back on the field sooner rather than later, Week 1 may be a long shot. If New Orleans opts to place the sixth-year wideout on IR, he will need to miss at least four games. Keith Kirkwood and A.T. Perry will be in better position to handle depth snaps if Smith misses time, especially with No. 3 wideout Rashid Shaheed (groin) still not healthy.

Hutchinson caught four of six targets for a team-high 48 yards in Houston's preseason finale against New Orleans on Sunday.

Hutchinson had moments during the preseason but needs to develop consistency. "That's all we ask for from Hutch is continue to get better, work hard," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston. "That's what he's been doing, and it showed. It was good to see it finally come to fruition." Hutchinson, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, earned a spot on the 53-man roster, as did fellow wideout draftee Tank Dell.

Goodwin joined teammates on the practice field Tuesday, Doc Louallen of the Browns' official site reports.

Goodwin was removed from the non-football illness list and practiced for the first time during preseason training. He missed all of training camp with blood clots, but Goodwin is expected to be ready for the season opener against Cincinnati. Goodwin will serve as a downfield threat but doesn't project for any better than No. 4 on the depth chart when the top trio of Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones is healthy.

Evans (groin) has informed the Buccaneers that he will discontinue contract discussions Sept. 9, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The deadline is one day before the Bucs kick off their season with a game in Minnesota. It appears Evans will suit up regardless of the contract situation, as he practiced Thursday after dealing with a minor groin injury last week. He turned 30 a couple weeks ago and is entering the final season of a five-year, $82.5 million extension, with he and Chris Godwin serving as the far-and-away top options for new Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.

The Dolphins signed Sanders to the practice squad Wednesday.

Sanders spent the 2022 season and all of training camp in Miami but was let go on cutdown day. He's back in a familiar spot and will very likely see most of his work on special teams if he's called up to the active roster.

The Colts signed Rodgers to the practice squad Wednesday.

Rogers was once a well-regarded prospect but has had trouble finding his footing in the NFL. He did appear in 16 games in 2022, tallying 16 receptions for 204 yards and one touchdown split between the Packers and Texans. He could have landed in the right spot to have a chance to contribute, as the Colts currently have only four healthy receivers on their depth chart.

The Colts signed Montgomery to their practice squad Wednesday.

Montgomery has spent the majority of his pro career with the Jets and Colts, most recently with the latter. His only statistical regular-season contributions came in 2021, when he recorded three receptions for 36 yards on six targets.

The Bengals signed Morgan to the practice squad Wednesday.

Morgan has been topped 100 special-teams snaps in each of his first four seasons in the league, all of which have come in Cincinnati. It wouldn't be a surprise for him to ultimately spend plenty of time on the roster, but he'll have to start his season in a supporting role.

The Bengals signed Lassiter to their practice squad Wednesday.

Lassiter is no stranger to Cincinnati's practice squad, as he spent much of the 2022 campaign in the same role. He was active for one game and played eight offensive snaps last year, and there should be similar expectations for 2023.

The Bills signed Thompson to their practice squad Wednesday, Alec White of the team's official site reports.

Thompson was signed as an undrafted free agent by Buffalo following the 2023 NFL Draft. He'll now rejoin the team as depth among its pass-catching unit, and he could contribute on special teams at some point in 2023.