NFL Player News

General manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that Pierce (ankle) is expected to play Week 1 against the Ravens, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

The wideout still has some hurdles to clear in the recovery process from March surgery, and though he's not practicing with the Colts while on the PUP list, Pierce was in attendance for Tuesday's session and was seen taking part in individual work off to the side, per Boyd. After trading away Michael Pittman and rewarding Pierce with a four-year, $114 million contract earlier this offseason, the Colts are counting on the 26-year-old to take on a much larger role in the aerial attack after he has mostly operated as a low-volume vertical threat over his first four seasons in the league.

Chase and other starters are scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason opener against Detroit, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor also said QB Joe Burrow and WR Tee Higgins will play. In the past two preseason openers, Burrow played a total of three drives and ended each with a TD pass, including one to Chase.

Flowers (quadriceps) will take part in Tuesday's practice, Sam Cohn of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Flowers could be in store for limited reps Tuesday after he exited Saturday's session due to a left quad contusion, but his presence on the field in any capacity suggests the Ravens aren't viewing the injury as a major concern. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old landed a four-year contract extension worth up to $140 million, solidifying his standing as the Ravens' No. 1 wideout both this season and beyond.

Pierce (ankle) was present for Tuesday's practice and took part in individual work off to the side under the supervision of a trainer, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke about Pierce's situation Tuesday, noting that the wideout received a platelet-rich plasma injection in January before opting for surgery on his ankle two months later when the shot didn't yield the desired results. Pierce has suffered no setbacks and required no follow-up procedures, and any concern about his ankle didn't deter the Colts from signing him to a four-year, $114 million contract in March. The fifth-year player still looks like he has a few more hurdles to clear before returning to action, and he currently remains on the PUP list.

Downs (groin) is back at practice Tuesday, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

While the extent of Downs' participation is uncertain, a quick return to practice confirms his groin injury isn't serious. He was held out over the weekend and now seems ready to return after missing just a few days. With Alec Pierce (ankle) still unavailable, Downs is the unquestioned No. 1 WR at Indianapolis practices these days.

McMillan (knee) is doing individual drills at Tuesday's practice, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Even if he isn't a full participant, McMillan's relatively quick return to practice seemingly confirms that his knee injury isn't serious. He's been out for about a week but may now be ready for a preseason appearance. McMillan is the favorite for Tampa Bay's No. 3 WR job, behind returning starters Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin. Competition for snaps primarily comes from Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst.

Smith (hamstring) isn't participating in Tuesday's practice, Martin Frank of The Delaware News Journal reports.

Though Smith will sit out his fifth consecutive practice, he appears to be making strides in his recovery from a hamstring injury. According to Tim McManus of ESPN.com, Smith was spotted doing some running on the field prior to Tuesday's session, which he hadn't done in advance of any of the previous four practices. The Eagles continue to view the hamstring issue as a short-term concern and appear to be playing it safe with their No. 1 wideout.

Jets receivers coach Shawn Jefferson implied Tuesday that Mitchell is seen as the team's No. 2 wideout heading into the upcoming season, Antwan V. Staley of the New York Daily News reports. "If he continues on this trajectory, he will be a really good Robin to our Batman [Garrett Wilson]," Jefferson said of Mitchell.

The Jets invested the 30th overall pick in April's draft in Omar Cooper, but he looks set to work in the No. 3 role to begin his career. Mitchell was able to make a positive impression late last season after coming over from the Colts, racking up 59 targets while Wilson was sidelined by a knee injury for the final eight games and producing a 25-312-2 line even with shoddy quarterback play. With veteran Geno Smith directing the offense in 2026, Mitchell should see an improvement in efficiency, though a healthy Wilson remains the unquestioned centerpiece of the Jets' passing game.

Pierce didn't require a second platelet-rich plasma injection for his surgically repaired left ankle, contrary to what was previously reported, according to Nathan Brown of The Indianapolis Star.

A league source previously relayed that Pierce required the second shot, but the source recanted and said it had misspoken. Another source confirmed that the wideout hasn't required any follow-up procedures since undergoing surgery in late March. Even so, Pierce has been sidelined for the entirety of the Colts' offseason program and training camp, and head coach Shane Steichen hasn't provided a firm target date for when he might come off the PUP list. Pierce has been one of the NFL's top vertical threats the past two seasons while averaging 20-plus yards per reception in both years, and after signing a lavish four-year, $114 million deal to remain with Indianapolis, the team is counting on him taking on greater target volume in 2026.

Pierce (anke) received a second PRP injection in his left ankle this offseason, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Pierce initially attempted to get over his left ankle issue by receiving a PRP injection following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, but he ultimately was forced to undergo a "clean-up" procedure in April. The wide receiver has missed the entirety of the Colts' offseason program and training camp to this point, and head coach Shane Steichen said Thursday that Pierce doesn't currently have a timetable to return to resume practicing. A platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is a process in which a concentrated dose of a patient's own blood platelets is injected to help heal damaged joints, tendons, ligaments and skin. Pierce received the second injection in late June, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis, and Chappell outlined that a second treatment is not abnormal and helps the healing process.