NFL Player News

Ali earned a “doubtful” tag for Week 1 against the Chiefs, suggesting this is more of a four-game ailment than season-ending issue. It still means Ali is unlikely to get into the 2024 change-of-pace mix behind Derrick Henry, at least until deep into the second half of the season.

The Lions are already dealing with multiple injuries on defense and it’s only the first week of training camp. At linebacker, Alex Anzalone is working his way through a hamstring issue and doesn’t have a return timeline. Even if he’s back in short order, the Lions know the value of depth on defense after sending swathes of defenders to injured reserve last year. White finished 2024 with 137 combined tackles, second-most on the Cardinals, and 2.5 sacks. As NFL inside Jordan Schultz notes, he is one of the biggest names left on the free agency market.

The fourth-year linebacker underwent a cleanup procedure on his ankle in the offseason and was still working his way back as of a week ago. His short stay on the PUP list makes it clear he wasn’t dealing with anything that will affect him into the regular season. Christian Watson was placed on the PUP list at the same time and is still a ways away from returning. Entering a contract year, Walker is looking for a breakout campaign as he approaches free agency.

It’s officially a holdout for the star EDGE defender. Henrickson has been searching for a new contract for years and has more than earned a raise after tallying 35 sacks over the past two years. Talks between the two sides have been on and off all offseason, but no end is in sight at the start of training camp. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said in June he would not be surprised if Hendrickson’s holdout lasted into the regular season. NFL insider Jordan Schultz added yesterday that there’s “no clear path” to a resolution. These situations tend to get resolved before Week 1, but the relationship may be so broken that there’s simply no way forward. Given Cincy’s defensive struggles in 2024, things could go from bad to worse if Hendrickson isn’t out there this year.

Stefanski was asked about the depth chart with second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins unsigned and away from the team. Fellow rookie Dylan Sampson is also in the mix for touches with Judkins out of the picture, but it sounds like Ford will get the first crack at the starting job. On the other hand, Ford was also out of practice for the first session of training camp while nursing a minor injury. There haven’t been any updates on the issue, so he could be back as soon as Thursday. Still, the injury and Judkins’ absence have created a path for Sampson to carve out a role early in his rookie season.

A former third-round pick of the 49ers, Moore joined the Bears last offseason but was cut at the end of training camp. He re-signed on the team’s practice squad and was eventually called up, appearing in 11 games in total. He played exclusively on special teams in Chicago but did make 13 career starts on defense in San Francisco. Moore should land on another roster at some point in training camp.

Reading the tea leaves, a quick decision on who starts Week 1 would likely break in favor of one of Cleveland’s veterans. A more drawn process would seemingly give Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel more time to pick up the playbook and adjust to the NFL’s speed. Assuming neither rookie is in the mix, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett will be dueling it out for the starting job early in training camp. Having led the Browns to a playoff berth in 2023, Flacco should be considered the favorite until further notice. None of the Browns’ quarterbacks are on the fantasy radar in single quarterback leagues.

Jennings is reportedly seeking a new contract or a trade before the start of the season, but it was business as usual for the first practice of training camp. The veteran wideout was on the field, practicing in full despite his desire for a new deal. 49ers GM John Lynch has also said that Jennings didn’t formally request a trade. As far as contract stalemates go, this one seems rather amicable. Barring a sudden turn of events, Jennings is on track to open the year as San Francisco’s No. 1 receiver. He should hold onto that role until Brandon Aiyuk is fully recovered from the multi-ligament knee injury he suffered last year.

Arizona’s No. 16 overall pick will head to the sidelines for the start of his first training camp as a pro. Nolen was a high-ceiling defensive tackle at Ole Miss who needed to show more consistency in his game. A lack of practice time isn’t going to do him any favors. Though the Cardinals’ defense should improve in Gannon’s second year on the headset, they aren’t off to a great start. Linebacker BJ Ojulari and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols were also placed on the PUP list.

Cowing was a rising star during the 49ers’ spring practices, drawing praise from reporters including The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, who said he could take over some of Deebo Samuel’s vacant gadget touches. Now Cowing will join Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall on the sidelines. Aiyuk is recovering from a torn ACL and isn’t expected to be ready for Week 1. Pearsall is dealing with a lingering hamstring issue but isn’t expected to miss much time. Despite airing his desire for a new contract publicly, Jauan Jennings showed up to practice and fully participated on Wednesday, putting any notions of a “hold-in” to bed. If the 49ers can’t field a healthy receiving corps around him, Jennings will project for a gaudy target share out of the gates.

Kaye points out that Young targeted Renfrow regularly throughout the first practice of training camp. It wasn’t just reporters noticing their chemistry either. Young praised Renfrow’s ability to get open and understanding of the game before saying he’s excited to continue building chemistry with him. Renfrow did not play in 2024 and went for a combined 585 yards in the previous two seasons. His odds of being an impactful player in 2025 are slim, but this is what the beginning of a bounceback would look like for the veteran slot receiver.