NFL Player News

Colts coach Shane Steichen told reporters this offseason that it's a "fair assessment" to have concern about Taylor's workload, but Steichen also said it's hard to take his star running back off the field when he's playing so well, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan reports.

Steichen avoided the usual cliches about getting multiple running backs involved, instead telling reporters that he wants to see how Seth McGowan and DJ Giddens "come along" during training camp and then "go from there." In other words, Steichen isn't sure if he has another running back he can trust behind Taylor, who finished second at the position in both snap share (82.5 percent) and total offensive snaps (879) last season. Ameer Abdullah, now in Jacksonville, had a role as a third-down and hurry-up RB for part of the year, catching 16 passes on 85 snaps. The other running backs, including Giddens, barely saw the field unless it was on special teams or in the fourth quarter of a blowout. The Colts added McGowan in the seventh round this spring after taking Giddens in the fifth round last year, and their other depth RBs are all undrafted players with no meaningful NFL experience. Long story short, Taylor is primed for another huge workload, with the bigger concern being general offensive efficiency in Indianapolis as Jones comes back from major surgery to rejoin an offense that no longer has WR Michael Pittman (Steelers) or RT Braden Smith (Texans).

Daniels said Wednesday that he still has a "long way to go" to master the schematic changes implemented by new offensive coordinator David Blough, ESPN's John Keim reports.

Head coach Dan Quinn said he's pleased with Daniels' progress and has been impressed by his quarterback's processing speed. Blough is an internal promotion after two years as an assistant QBs coach under former OC Kliff Kingsbury, but it sounds like Blough has a different vision for Washington's offense, including less no-huddle and more snaps under center. Daniels reportedly has done well with the footwork while operating from under center, instead pointing to changes in terminology and offensive philosophy as the difficult aspects to master in a new offense. Blough has also mentioned, multiple times, wanting to get the ball to WR Terry McLaurin more often than the Commanders did in past years. That almost goes without saying, given the lack of other proven weapons amidst open competition for roles at WR and RB. The Commanders did at least sign TE Chig Okonkwo away from Tennessee to add some speed, and they've been connected with some of the veteran wideouts still available in free agency.

The Cowboys placed Hennessy (neck) on the reserve/injured list Thursday.

This was an expected move, as Hennessy underwent neck surgery in early June. The center currently has no return timeline, but considering he was placed on IR before cut-down day in late August, he's out for the season unless he reaches an injury settlement with Dallas.

The Bills signed Wheeler to a one-year deal on Thursday, Alec White of the team's official site reports.

Wheeler signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2024 before suffering a knee injury that killed all momentum in his rookie season. The running back joined the Saints' practice squad in 2025 before departing the league for the UFL. Wheeler was named United Bowl MVP and rushed for 541 yards over 85 carries in 11 games during the 2026 UFL season. The 24-year-old will compete for a depth spot with the Bills behind 2025 rushing-title winner James Cook.

Brinson was waived by the Cowboys on Thursday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports

Brinson signed a contract with the Cowboys in early June, spending a few short weeks on the roster. His exit makes way for UFL wide receiver Denzel Mims to compete for a spot in the Cowboys' corps. If Brinson clears waivers, the undrafted free agent will be available to sign with a team of his choosing.

The Cowboys signed Mims on Thursday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

The 2020 second-round pick played three years for the Jets before bouncing around practice squads for the next two years. Mims played the 2025 and 2026 seasons in the UFL, accumulating 11 receptions for 110 yards over 11 games split between the Battlehawks and Renegades. The wide receiver will now compete with a packed Cowboys corps in an attempt to remain on an NFL roster.

Vea did not practice this week as a minicamp hold-in, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Vea is entering the last year of his contract, during which he is scheduled to receive up to $17 million in non-guaranteed funds for play throughout the 2026 season. The defensive tackle played a full season's worth of games for the first time since 2019, and with consistent production leading the defensive line, he likely feels he is entitled to an extension before putting his body on the line another year. If Vea continues to hold in without a trade or extension, Elijah Simmons could develop an increased role in the Buccaneers defense heading into the 2026 regular season.

Hampton said Wednesday that he and the other Chargers running backs are excited to play for offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, NFL.com's Bobby Kownack reports.

Hampton also mentioned earning a Terrell Davis comp from McDaniel this offseason. There's understandably a lot of hype around the Chargers offense with McDaniel taking over and OTs Joe Alt (foot) and Rashawn Slater (knee) expected to return from last year's season-ending injuries. The situation is indeed promising for Hampton in terms of per-carry efficiency and TD upside, but there's been some doubt about his workload projection after the Chargers gave Keaton Mitchell a two-year, $9.3 million contract this offseason. They also still have Kimani Vidal, but Hampton is the largest of the bunch (6-foot, 220 pounds) and probably also the best pass catcher -- without sacrificing much in terms of speed (4.46 40) or agility. If McDaniel's offense lives up to the hype, Hampton won't need 300 carries to make his fantasy managers happy.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn named White as one of the standout performers from OTAs and minicamp, but Quinn also cautioned that he expects multiple RBs to contribute and isn't sure if there will be a designated starter, Zach Selby of the Commanders' official site reports.

The Commanders also have Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kaytron Allen, Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols competing for playing time, with Croskey-Merritt presumably being the other favorite to start. White easily has the most NFL experience of the group as both a rusher and pass catcher, but his efficiency on the ground was often a negative in Tampa Bay -- which is why he settled for a one-year, $2 million contract after piling up 4,106 yards from scrimmage and 25 TDs in four seasons. He's making a good impression with his new team and seems locked in for a Week 1 role, though it remains to be seen if White will get considerable rushing volume or be deployed more like a passing-down specialist.

The Falcons signed Wells on Wednesday.

Wells is in his second year out of Ole Miss but has yet to appear in a regular-season contest after spending last summer with the Giants followed by two weeks on the team's practice squad during October.