NFL Player News

Jeudy (hamstring) didn't participate in team drills Thursday, Ashley Bastock of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, coach Todd Monken noted that Jeudy felt something in his hamstring Thursday, and as a result the Browns erred on the side of caution with the wideout on the final day of their mandatory minicamp. Jeudy -- who logged 50-602-2 line on 106 targets in 17 regular-season games last season -- should be past the issue by the time training camp starts, and looking ahead he'll continue to lead a Cleveland WR corps that's been bolstered by the addition of promising 2026 draftees KC Concepcion (Rd.1) and Denzel Boston (Rd. 2).

After working off to the side during OTAs, Palmer (ankle) has been back as a participant during mandatory minicamp, Alec White and Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site report. "I'm feeling a lot better, starting to feel a lot more like myself," Palmer said after Wednesday's practice. "(I'm) close to pre-injury."

Palmer was plagued by the injury for a good chunk of the 2025 season in and out of the lineup and ended up missing both of the team's playoff games, but he's feeling much better as prep for the new campaign gets underway. After posting a disappointing 22-303-0 line in his first season with the Bills, Palmer should be able to play more and do more in his next go-around. However, with DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid and James Cook all ahead of him in the pecking order, Palmer's upside is probably capped unless the Bills get struck with a number of injuries to their passing game.

Legette said Thursday that he's down to 221 pounds after losing 7-9 pounds in the offseason, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Legette also told reporters that he tried to "bulletproof" his problematic hamstrings this offseason. He's missed only three games since the Panthers took him 32nd overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but recurring hamstring issues have limited his practice time -- and potentially impacted his in-game performance. Averaging 27.7 receiving yards per game and 5.8 yards per target through two NFL seasons, Legette may now have to compete for the No. 3 WR job during training camp. Rookie third-round pick Chris Brazzell headlines the potential competition, with John Metchie and Jimmy Horn being the dark-horse candidates.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters Thursday that he thinks Rice (knee) will be ready for the start of training camp, Nate Taylor of ESPN.com reports. "I think [Rice] will be," Reid said. "He gets out [of jail] next week. We'll see where it goes. He'll be back up here and working."

Rice is recovering from arthroscopic surgery in a Dallas County jail, with a scheduled release date of June 16 (Tuesday). He had the minor procedure in May to remove loose debris from his right knee, shortly before he was sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating probation with a positive THC test. The Chiefs seemingly expect Rice to be back at full strength before Week 1, but there is still risk for an NFL suspension in response to his recent probation violation. Reid mentioned that Rice has been able to rehab in jail while maintaining contact with Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder, per Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com.

Olave has been limited to individual drills at OTAs after undergoing treatment for a blood clot in January, Matthew Paras of Nola.com reports.

"[Olave] hasn't been able to do the team activities obviously throughout OTAs," said Saints coach Kellen Moore. "The blood clot was related to not participating in team and some of those things." For his part, Olave told reporters that it took only a week to feel normal again when he first got treatment for the blood clot back in January (missing Week 18 in the process). It's apparently a longer process to get clearance for full practice participation, with Olave saying, "I just put my best foot forward, (and am) just trying to do everything right so I can be healthy at the beginning of the year."

Coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that Horton (shin) is expected to return to the practice field during training camp, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Macdonald said that "it's all positive" with Horton. He evidently isn't quite ready for football activities just yet, but it doesn't sound like Horton has suffered any true setback in his recovery. Until he's back to full strength, Jake Bobo is a candidate to see increased work as minicamp continues.

Rucker (undisclosed) was placed on the reserve/injured list Wednesday.

Rucker was picked up by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in late April, but it now appears he's sustained a serious injury that will sideline him for the entire 2026 season. The Arkansas State product was incredibly productive during his final two collegiate seasons, catching 144 passes for 2,085 yards and 11 touchdowns. In a corresponding move, Las Vegas signed wideout Brandon Johnson on Wednesday.

Johnson signed with the Raiders on Wednesday.

Johnson was dropped from the Steelers on June 9 but has already found a new home in Las Vegas. The 27-year-old wideout's last in-game action came with Pittsburgh in 2024, when he appeared in three contests and caught his lone target for nine yards on 19 offensive snaps.

Pierce (ankle) revealed Wednesday that he underwent surgery this spring after not getting the results he wanted from a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at the start of the offseason, JJ Stankevitz of Colts.com reports.

Pierce didn't elaborate on the specifics of his injury or surgery, but he at least clarified the general timeline while speaking with reporters. His left ankle has bothered him since the end of the 2024 season, and he dealt with soreness throughout 2025 while recording his first 1,000-yard campaign. He hoped the issue would resolve this winter with a PRP injection and subsequent rehab program (estimated at 6-to-8 weeks), but the ankle didn't get much better, leaving Pierce to choose between surgery or playing through the injury again. He and the Colts agreed on surgery as the solution in late March, only a few weeks after reaching agreement on a four-year, $114 million contract (with $60 million guaranteed at signing). The Colts presumably knew surgery was a possibility when they gave Pierce the huge contract; relations appear amicable between player and team. In any case, Pierce now faces an estimated rehab process of 4-to-6 months, making him uncertain for the start of training camp. He'll be about five and a half months removed from surgery when the Colts host the Ravens in Week 1 (Sept. 13).

The Panthers expect McMillan (ankle) to be ready for the start of training camp, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.

McMillan missed some time during OTAs due to what was initially labeled a foot issue, but it is now being dubbed ankle soreness. He participated in practice during the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, but per Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340, the 2025 first-rounder is not dressed for practice Wednesday. McMillan himself said Wednesday that he currently feels good and expects to be ready for training camp in July, Kaye reports, an indication that his reps at minicamp may simply be being capped as a precaution. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, head coach Dave Canales said that Carolina's plan is for McMillan to take part in two of the team's three minicamp practices, so the wideout should be back on the field Thursday.