NFL Player News

Colts GM Chris Ballard sees "breakout potential" in Pittman, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic.

Confidence in Pittman is one explanation for the Colts having a quiet offseason at the WR spot, despite having plenty of cap space and no clear No. 1 receiver. Granted, the Colts aren't putting everything on Pittman's shoulders, as they re-signed T.Y. Hilton to a one-year, $8 million contract, gave Zach Pascal a second-round RFA tender and still have hope that 2019 second-round pick Parris Campbell can finally stay healthy. Pittman, the 34th overall pick from the 2020 Draft, is the upside play for fantasy purposes, especially after he had 101 total yards in the playoff loss to Buffalo. It remains to be seen if he can develop good chemistry with new Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, who was an outright disaster in his final year with the Eagles.

Thomas (ankle) is expected to miss at least the first month of the upcoming season and may not be back to full strength until November or December, Larry Holder of The Athletic reports.

Numerous reports have mentioned a four-month timeline for his recovery from June ankle surgery, but injury expert Virginia Zakas told The Athletic that 24 weeks (about 5.5 months) would be ideal to reduce the odds of re-injury. Either way, Thomas appears unlikely to play in September, and he could even open the regular season on the PUP list -- which requires a six-game absence -- if the Saints aren't pleased with his rehab progress by the end of the preseason. For now, the Saints will hope to avoid that outcome, even if they also prepare for it. A signing or trade should be coming soon, considering Tre'Quan Smith is the only healthy wide receiver on the roster with more than 213 career receiving yards.

Brown (knee) will be a "full go" for the start of training camp next week, Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com reports.

The 24-year-old underwent surgery on both knees in January and didn't participate in OTAs or June minicamp, but he'll be good to go for the start of training camp. Brown caught 70 of 106 targets for 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games in 2020 while playing through the knee injuries for most of the season, and he could receive a bit less defensive attention this year thanks to the offseason addition of Julio Jones.

Adams and the Packers have broken off negotiations for a contract extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The two sides have been working on a potential deal for months, but talks have stalled and there's apparently no plan to resume negotiations. Adams is entering the fourth and final year of the four-year, $58 million extension he signed in 2017, and his future with the Packers beyond 2020 is now in doubt. The status of QB Aaron Rodgers remains uncertain with training camp set to begin next week. and it now appears Green Bay will open the season with question marks surrounding the team's two best players.

ESPN.com's Mike Triplett confirms that Thomas, who underwent ankle surgery in June, could miss the start of the 2021 regular season.

Meanwhile, based on the timing of and typical recovery period associated with the procedure to repair ligaments in Thomas' ankle, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport suggests the Saints' star receiver "could be on the sideline for weeks" as the coming campaign opens. It remains to be seen if the team will outline a specific timetable for Thomas' return to action, but when approaching drafts and auctions, fantasy managers will have to factor in the possibility the wideout could either miss time or be hampered early on this season. With that in mind, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network relays that the Saints have been checking in on free agent wide receivers of late and are expected to work out a few in short order. Currently next up in the team's WR pecking order are Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris and Marquez Callaway.

Thomas is expected to miss the start of the season as he works his way back from ankle surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Thomas took part in the Saints' June minicamp, which led to optimism that he'd be ready to go by the start of the season; however, as evidenced by this news, that was apparently a premature assumption. The procedure, which he underwent earlier in June, carries a recommended recovery timeline of four months, so Thomas may not see the field until October.

Moore signed his rookie contract with the Jets on Thursday and is expected to play both in the slot and outside as a rookie, Joey Chandler of NJ.com reports.

Moore's signing leaves second overall pick Zach Wilson as New York's lone unsigned rookie at this point. The versatile Moore was used primarily in the slot but also played on the outside at Ole Miss, and coach Robert Saleh said he envisions a similar usage pattern for Moore at the NFL level, praising Moore's ability to execute routes at a high level no matter where he lines up. That versatile role will likely lead to a steeper learning curve for Moore in terms of understanding the playbook, but his innate knack for the game coupled with the rookie receiver's strong work ethic should ease Moore's transition to the pros.

Toney has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The report notes that Toney, who the Giants selected 20th overall in the 2021 draft, is currently following NFL COVID protocols by isolating. While the wide receiver is away from the team -- whose rookies reported for training camp Wednesday -- he'll participate in meetings remotely.

The Cowboys are placing Cooper (ankle) on the PUP list for the start of training camp, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Working his way back from January ankle surgery, Cooper missed the offseason program and now will be held out for the start of training camp. The Cowboys likely expect him to come off the PUP list and begin practicing at some point in August, perhaps even making an appearance in the team's third or fourth preseason game. Dallas beat reporters are sure to keep a close eye on Cooper's progress throughout training camp.

The Cardinals' pecking order at wide receiver appears wide open after DeAndre Hopkins, with Kirk, A.J. Green, Rondale Moore, Andy Isabella and KeeSean Johnson all in the mix to earn roles, NFL.com's Adam Maya reports.

The Green signing hints at Kirk getting more slot work, especially if Larry Fitzgerald remains a free agent or signs with a new team. A move inside could reinvigorate Kirk's career, but there will also be more competition for playing time if he struggles this summer. The 2018 second-round pick has missed multiple games each year in the NFL, and he's yet to top 709 receiving yards in a season. Moore, in particular, could be a threat to Kirk's role, with the second-round pick out of Purdue boasting 4.28 speed.