NFL Player News

DeVito cleared protocol and will back up Drew Lock as the NFL’s worst quarterback room tries to make it through the last three weeks of the season.

Jefferson suffered a mild hamstring strain at the start of camp and has yet to return to practice. O’Connell told reporters he will be re-evaluated next week, meaning Jefferson will be held out of Minnesota’s joint practices with the Patriots. While you never want to see your first-round fantasy pick missing time with a hamstring injury, there’s still nearly a month to go before the start of the season and Jefferson doesn’t necessarily need the practice reps. Fantasy managers should get more clarity on the situation when O’Connell gives an update next week. Until then, Jefferson is firmly planted in the first six picks of fantasy drafts.

As Kay Cabot notes, the injury likely rules Sanders out for the team’s upcoming preseason game against the Eagles. Sanders suffered the injury early in Cleveland’s joint practice with the Eagles and spent the rest of the session watching from the sideline. Dillon Gabriel was able to practice through his hamstring injury, suggesting he could be ready to suit up versus Philly. Gabriel would get an extended look under center if Kenny Pickett remains sidelined with his hamstring injury and Sanders isn’t ready to return by Saturday.

Both quarterbacks are nursing hamstring issues. Neither was able to suit up for the Browns’ first preseason game against the Panthers. Gabriel recently returned to team drills, but Stefanski wasn’t willing to commit to him playing against Philly this weekend. The rookie from Oregon will likely draw the start if healthy. While the battle between the rookies may be the most interesting for Browns fans, all signs point toward one of the veterans starting in Week 1. As the only healthy veteran right now, Joe Flacco is on track to take the first snap of the regular season.

This isn’t the first we’re hearing of a role for the former second-round pick either. ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote about a potential rotational gig for Thornton last week. Newell calls him a perfect fit for the field-stretching role held by Justin Watson in previous seasons. Thornton was cut by the Patriots in the middle of the 2024 season and the Chiefs quickly scooped him up on their practice squad. A strong start to training camp has him as a heavy favorite to make the team’s 53-man roster. Though he is still a long-shot to be fantasy-relevant this year, Thornton seems to have found his niche in the pros.

Underhill didn’t put a timeline on Penning’s injury but did note that players typically need 4-6 weeks to recover from this type of issue. That would make Penning unlikely to suit up for Week 1, though it’s possible his timeline is shorter. Penning is making the transition from tackle to guard this year, and early reports from training camp were positive. The lost practice reps may be even more detrimental to Penning than a missed game.

Head coach Sean McDermott hinted at the extension yesterday when Cook returned to practice, telling reporters, “Things have changed.” According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal includes $30 million guaranteed. It’s the same length and value as Josh Jacobs’ contract, putting the two backs at sixth in the yearly salary rankings among running backs. Unlike Jacobs, a large chunk of Cook’s deal is guaranteed. Cook broke out with 16 rushing touchdowns and over 1,000 yards on the ground last year, though he ran for fewer yards and was less involved as a pass-catcher compared to his previous season. Cook sits on the RB1/2 border heading into his fourth year, with touchdown regression likely preventing him from pushing any higher in the ranks.

It was Harris’ first time participating in football drills this training camp. Rhim reports the 27-year-old did drills with a football off to the side with an athletic trainer. He is slowly progressing back to full football activities between jogging and individual drills on Tuesday, but remains on the PUP list for now. Omarion Hampton is the Chargers’ starter, while the third-string spot still remains open for competition. Harris may not be ready for Week 1, but working with a football is an optimistic sign that he is on his way back.

Chubb returned to practice after a head injury and split first-team snaps with Pierce, who was a full-go in practice for the first time since he strained his quadriceps. With Joe Mixon still sidelined with ankle and foot issues, the Texans have a murky backfield split between the veterans. Chubb is a downhill runner who has lost some burst while Pierce was strictly a backup and special teamer last season. Splitting first-team snaps indicates this backfield will be a committee when Mixon is out, with rookie Woody Marks mixing in for pass-catching.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Becton will be fine and is “getting a lot of great meeting time, walkthrough time.” The 26-year-old signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Chargers in the offseason and has a chance to start as a blocker for the run game. Roman said he is “not putting anything in concrete”, but Becton should be back to start the season.

Who said back is, Roman says, is “wide open.” We’d guess the Chargers would probably go to Hassan Haskins as a between-the-tackles sledgehammer in that scenario. This isn’t exactly breaking news — every team rotates running backs — but it does look like we shouldn’t look at Hampton’s Week 1 assignment as a clear runway to 30 touches if Harris is out.