NFL Player News

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.

Taylor (undisclosed) announced his retirement on his personal social media account Sunday, Briana Jeannel of the 49ers' official site reports.

Taylor spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco before playing two seasons with the Bengals and one season with the Bears. The 32-year-old returned to the 49ers and appeared in two games in 2024, but he spent the entirety of the 2025 campaign on IR with an undisclosed injury. Taylor finishes his career with 88 receptions for 845 yards and three touchdowns, and his biggest contributions came as a returner, where he accumulated 1,051 yards on 112 punt returns as well as 106 yards on eight kickoff returns.

Sutton could benefit from more one-on-one matchups during the upcoming season following Denver's acquisition of Jaylen Waddle, Susanna Weir of the team's official site reports.

Waddle has averaged 77.5 catches for 1,049 yards and 7.5 touchdowns over the past two seasons as the Broncos' No. 1 wideout, and the team gave its WR room a dramatic new look in mid-March by dealing for Waddle. While the trade on one hand means Sutton is more of a 1A in the pecking order alongside Waddle, it may also mean the former will have more open looks with opposing defenses needing to focus heavy attention on Waddle. It remains to be seen how exactly the Broncos' offense will adjust to Waddle's presence, but with QB Bo Nix (ankle) expected to be good to go for the start of training camp and coming off a 2025 regular season during which he threw the most passes in the NFL, there should be adequate targets for both Sutton and Waddle to put up lofty receiving numbers.