NFL Player News

Downs (concussion) remained sidelined at practice Thursday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Downs didn't practice Wednesday, either, so what, if anything, the wideout is able to do Friday will loom large in terms of his Week 7 status. With Ashton Dulin (chest) also having missed back-to-back sessions, Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould currently are the Colts' healthy options at the WR position.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Evans (hamstring) returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

Bowles said Tampa Bay will continue to monitor Evans throughout the week before making a decision on his availability, or lack thereof, for Monday Night Football against Detroit. If Evans is able to get back on the field Week 7 after having missed the Buccaneers' last three games it will provide a tremendous boost for Baker Mayfield and the passing attack, especially given that both Emeke Egbuka (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (fibula) could be unavailable. The extent of Evans' practice activity Friday and Saturday figure to be crucial, and it won't be surprising if the final word on his status comes down to the wire.

Reynolds (hip) is participating in the early portion of Thursday's practice open to the media, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Reynolds missed practice Wednesday due to a hip injury, but he's returning to at least limited activity levels Thursday. With Garrett Wilson (knee) not spotted at practice again and looking uncertain for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Reynolds could be positioned as the Jets' de facto No. 1 wide receiver if he manages to suit up Week 7. Behind Reynolds, New York has Arian Smith, Allen Lazard and Tyler Johnson available, though given none of those four have yet reached 100 receiving yards this season, RB Breece Hall and TE Mason Taylor look like the more predictable beneficiaries of increased target volume if Wilson misses any time.

Wilson (knee) wasn't spotted at Thursday's practice, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Wilson also logged a DNP on Wednesday, and though coach Aaron Glenn hasn't ruled out the wideout for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN previously reported that Wilson is expected to miss a couple of weeks after hyperextending his knee Week 6. While Wilson is trending in the wrong direction ahead of the weekend, fellow WR Josh Reynolds (hip) participated in practice Thursday after missing Wednesday's session.

Godwin (fibula) isn't practicing Thursday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Though the Buccaneers have yet to officially rule Godwin out for this coming Monday's game against the Lions, head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged earlier in the week that the veteran wideout is likely on track to miss a second straight contest due to a fibula injury. Godwin's absence from the team's first Week 7 practice supports that notion, and he could be one of three key playmakers that the Buccaneers will be without in a matchup with Detroit. In addition to Godwin, receiver Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) were spectators for Thursday's practice, though wideout Mike Evans (hamstring) returned to the field for the first time since Week 3.

Egbuka (hamstring) isn't taking part in practice Thursday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Though the Buccaneers will get receiver Mike Evans back on the practice field Thursday for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 3 win over the Jets, Egbuka is one of three key skill-position players who will sit out the team's first Week 7 session. Along with Egbuka, wideout Chris Godwin (fibula) and running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) will be sidelined Thursday, and the statuses of all three players appear to be in doubt for Monday's contest in Detroit. Before having his day cut short by a hamstring injury in this past Sunday's 30-19 win over the 49ers, Egbuka had taken full advantage of Evans and Godwin missing time over the first five contests, compiling a 25-445-5 receiving line on 38 targets while adding nine rushing yards during that stretch.

Evans (hamstring) is expected to practice Thursday in some capacity, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Evans hadn't practiced in any fashion over the past three weeks after suffering a left hamstring strain in a Sept. 21 win over the Jets, but he's finally ready to take the first meaningful step forward in his recovery process by getting back on the field. The Buccaneers' first Week 7 injury report will be released later Thursday and will reveal the extent of Evans' participation, but the veteran wideout may need to turn in a full practice by Saturday in order for the team to feel good about his chances of suiting up Monday in Detroit. If Evans is ultimately cleared to play Week 7, it would be a major boon to a Tampa Bay receiving corps that could be without both Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (fibula).

Watkins (calf) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Watkins has missed the entire regular season up to this point as he's been recovering from a high ankle sprain, but it now looks like he's nearing a return to game action. He'll have two more chances to upgrade to a full practice before San Francisco releases its final practice report of the week Friday.

Mingo (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Mingo's practice participation has been inconsistent since the Cowboys designated the 2023 second-rounder to return from injured reserve Oct. 1. He's opened the week with a limited session Wednesday, but he would give himself a better chance at being reinstated from IR ahead of Sunday's game against the Commanders were he to practice in full over the next two days.

Davis (knee) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday.

Davis has missed the Chargers' last three games due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 3 versus the Broncos, but his activity Wednesday signals he could have a chance to return in Week 7. If he can upgrade to full participation Thursday or Friday, he could even avoid carrying an injury designation into the weekend.