NFL Player News

Bernard got most of his reps in the slot with the first-team offense at Friday's practice, Alan Saunders of Steelers Now reports.

Bernard is competing for the third spot on the wide receiver depth chart with Roman Wilson, who mostly worked on the outside with the second-team offense Friday. That usage marked a departure from Wednesday's practice, when Wilson logged most of the reps in three-receiver sets alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman. Bernard has also seen some time on the outside, with Wilson shifting into the slot, so the Steelers are still identifying their best combinations and pecking order at wide receiver at this early stage of training camp. Bernard is a rookie second-round pick, while Wilson was a third-round selection in 2024.

Hodge tried out for the Bills on Thursday, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo Newsreports.

Hodge was released by the Falcons in March with a shoulder injury. The veteran receiver has served as a depth wideout and special-teams asset throughout his eight-year career, and he'd profile for the same role if he does land another NFL opportunity.

The Packers signed Prather to a one-year deal Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The 2025 seventh-round pick of the Bills was cut with an injury settlement last August and eventually landed with the Louisville Kings of the UFL, for which he recorded a 9-148-0 line over nine regular-season games in what turned out to be a championship campaign for the franchise. Prather will now have a chance to work his way back onto an NFL roster, although he faces a crowded wide-receiver depth chart in Green Bay.

The Bills waived Virgil (undisclosed) with a non-football injury designation Thursday, Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News reports.

Virgil was signed to a reserve/future deal in February, but he will not make it far in training camp due to an undisclosed issue. The wide receiver is now a free agent, set to sign with any team. Virgil visited with the Broncos and spent time on the Cardinals' practice squad in 2025, so either location may be receptive to a reunion with the 27-year-old.

The Jets waived/injured Walthall (undisclosed) on Thursday, Eric Allen of the team's official site reports.

Walthall was waived with an undisclosed issue and will revert to the Jets' injured reserve if he goes unclaimed. The undrafted free agent out of Incarnate Word recorded 70 receptions for 847 yards and eight touchdowns over 10 games in his final season with the Cardinals. In a corresponding move, the Jets signed wide receiver Quincy Skinner.

The Jets signed Skinner to a contract Thursday, Eric Allen of the team's official site reports.

Skinner signed with the Falcons in 2025 as an undrafted free agent but was unable to make his NFL debut with the team. The wide receiver had 29 receptions for 367 yards and three touchdowns while adding one carry for 22 yards in his final season with Vanderbilt in 2024. The Jets waived/injured Jalen Walthall in a corresponding move.

Olave is signing a four-year extension worth up to $132 million, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Previously scheduled to play out 2026 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, Olave unsurprisingly opted for the security of a long-term deal. He's coming off a career year, though he had a health scare at the end of the season when a blood clot was discovered in his lung. He wasn't able to do team drills at the offseason program while taking medication, but he got the go-ahead at the start of training camp and figures to work fully soon. Olave's absence from team drills during Wednesday's practice reportedly was due to the contract negotiations, not any issue with his health.

Dotson is playing with Atlanta's first-team offense at training camp, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports.

Dotson has featured with the starters consistently, working alongside Drake London while Olamide Zaccheaus and Zachariah Branch rotate in. In the process, McFadden notes that Dotson had a nice gain on a crossing route early in the full-team period of Thursday's practice. The 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has recorded 1,519 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns through four NFL regular seasons split between Washington and Philadelphia, with seven of those scores coming in Dotson's rookie campaign.

The Panthers signed Benyard to a contract Thursday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Benyard signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent before being waived in early June. The wide receiver will now get another opportunity to make an NFL roster with the Panthers. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder spent his final college season at Kennesaw State, recording 60 catches for 948 yards and nine touchdowns over 14 regular-season and postseason games.

Means is on the field participating in the Saints' training camp activities.

Means was placed on injured reserve last August with a lower-leg injury and missed the entire 2025 season. Now healthy, Means will look to make his mark in what is a crowded wide-receiver room in New Orleans. The 2024 fifth-round pick has participated in seven career regular-season games, producing nine receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown.