NFL Player News

Meyers has "picked up where he left off last year, and been the most dependable target" for the Patriots in training camp thus far, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald reports.

While much of the offseason attention was focused on free-agent additions Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, Meyers remains in the mix to carve out a key role in the Patriots' receiving corps in 2021. Also making a case on that front is 2019 first-rounder N'Keal Harry, but Meyers -- who led the team with 59 catches for 729 yards in 14 games last season -- is a player who could provide a degree of fantasy utility this coming season if the team's passing game picks up as hoped, either due to improvements on the part of incumbent starting QB Cam Newton, or to the potential emergence of promising rookie signal-caller Mac Jones.

Agholor (undisclosed) didn't practice Sunday, Zack Cox of NESN.com reports.

This marks the first training camp absence for Agholor, who is projected to start for the Patriots after having signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the team this offseason. Also in the mix to be key cogs in the New England wide receiving corps in 2021 are Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and possibly N'Keal Harry, who's been impressive so far this summer.

Washington left Sunday's practice and was seen icing his right leg while watching from the sideline, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

It appears to be a minor injury because Washington didn't go to the locker room to receive treatment for the issue. It was reported earlier in the week the 25-year-old requested a trade, though coach Mike Tomlin refuted that speculation. Washington may take things easy for a couple days, but the issue shouldn't affect his status for the start of the regular season.

Coach Ron Rivera noted Sunday that it's unclear when Samuel (reserve/COVID-19 and groin injury) will return to action, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports. "There's no timetable for Curtis," Rivera said of the wideout. "He's been in the system, he knows it. Yeah, you'd love for him to catch a few reps maybe in the last preseason game, but we're not going to rush him out there."

Samuel, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list July 29, is also bouncing back from a groin injury. With both issues in mind, the team plans to proceed deliberately with the wideout, who was signed by Washington this offseason to a three-year, $34.5 million contract, with the intention of pairing him with rising star Terry McLaurin. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Samuel is expected to come off the COVID-19 list this week but remains without a return timeline due to the groin issue. Based on Rivera's comments, it can be assumed for now that Samuel won't see action in either of the team's first two preseason contests.

Coach Urban Meyer expects Chark (finger) to play in the Jaguars' season opener against the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Schefter's report confirms that the team's No. 1 wideout underwent surgery to address a hairline fracture of his finger, but given the timing of the procedure, Chark's Week 1 availability isn't expected to be impacted. Assuming that's the case, the 2018 second-rounder remains in line to head a 2021 wide receiver corps that also features Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault, with Phillip Dorsett, Collin Johnson and Jamal Agnew also in the mix.

Chark reportedly underwent a procedure this week to address a hairline fracture in his hand, but he is expected to be ready for the Jaguars' season opener, John Reid of The Florida Times-Union relays.

For his part, Mark Long of the Associated Press indicates that Chark is dealing with a finger issue, but either way it looks like Jacksonville's top wideout will miss some time, and his status now will need to be monitored leading up to Week 1.

As training camp progresses, Sutton (knee) "appears to be regaining his Pro-Bowl form of two seasons ago," according to Kyle Newman of The Denver Post.

Sutton is returning from an ACL tear that limited him to one game in 2020. While the 2018 second-rounder's reps have been managed by the team as he works his way back, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur notes that Sutton has made "steady progress, and now you're seeing him make plays." It remains to be seen if/when Sutton, who logged 1,112 yards on 72 catches with six TDs in 2019, will see any preseason game action, as is hoped, but once he's fully up to speed the 25-year old is in line to lead a talented one-two punch at wideout in Denver along with Jerry Jeudy, while KJ Hamler and Tim Patrick compete for the No. 3 slot on the team's WR depth chart.

With regard to reports that Washington has requested a trade, coach Mike Tomlin indicated that the wideout hasn't approached him about such a matter, Chris Harlan of The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports. "Those unnamed sources, we don't react to or respond to," Tomlin noted Saturday. "James has been great here and working and having a great camp."

At this stage, Washington presumably slots in behind Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Chase Claypool in the Steelers' wideout pecking order, but the 2018 second-rounder still has "a good role" with the team, according to offensive coordinator Matt Canada. "We're really talented in that room right now," Canada said of the Steelers' current WR corps. "Certain games are different matchups. Certain things happen. But James is a big part of what we do and he'll continue to have a role with us." Washington logged 30 catches (on 56 targets) for 392 yards and five TDs in 16 games with Pittsburgh last season.

Samuel (groin) will rejoin Washington for practice Sunday, but he's expected to remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list for at least a couple more days while he works his way back into playing shape, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Before he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list July 29, Samuel hadn't practiced since June on account of the groin injury. Once he's activated from the COVID list, Samuel could revert to the PUP list, where he had resided prior to being ruled out through the NFL's protocols for the coronavirus. The time Samuel already has missed in camp makes him unlikely to gain clearance for Washington's upcoming preseason game Thursday at New England, but he should have enough time to get back up to full speed ahead of the Sept. 12 regular-season opener versus the Chargers.

Hightower is week-to-week after leaving Thursday's practice with a groin injury, the Eagles' official site reports.

It remains to be seen how long Hightower will miss, but a lengthy absence could hurt his chances of making the team's roster, Zach Berman of The Athletic notes. Hightower is competing with the likes of Quez Watkins and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for depth slotting in the Eagles' wide receiving corps.