NFL Player News

Allen and other starters will play a "healthy amount" in Saturday's preseason game against Denver, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

There's a good chance this is the only action Allen sees all preseason, giving him a chance to work with new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in a game setting. There should already be some level of comfort, considering Dorsey was the Bills' QBs coach the past two years and now leads an offense in which 10 of the 11 projected starters are returning players from last year.

Coach Doug Pederson said Thursday that he'd like Lawrence and other starters to play into the second quarter in Saturday's preseason game against Pittsburgh.

Lawrence was held out of the Hall of Fame Game before completing six of 12 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in last week's preseason loss to the Browns. He'll face a star-studded Pittsburgh defense for his second preseason appearance, though it isn't clear all of the Steelers' big names will take the field.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Taylor could get some snaps with the first team during preseason games, Jordan Ranaan of ESPN.com reports.

There is no QB competition in New York -- Daboll emphasized that Daniel Jones is the clear-cut starter heading into his fourth NFL season. However, the coach also indicated a desire to expose Taylor to scenarios in which he may need to enter a game in a pinch, which is especially pertinent given the fact that Jones has dealt with injuries throughout his professional career. There's also the reality that the Giants declined Jones' fifth-year option earlier this year. Should he fail to do well in Daboll's offense, it's possible that Taylor -- who is on a two-year deal -- could take the reigns in 2023 while the organization pursues its next potential franchise quarterback.

The Panthers are soon expected to name Mayfield as their starting quarterback for their Week 1 game against the Browns, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

After Carolina traded for Mayfield in early July, the prevailing belief was that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft would quickly emerge as the team's starter. Head coach Matt Rhule and his staff ultimately chose to stage a competition between Mayfield and Sam Darnold in training camp and the preseason, with the two signal-callers having thus far split first-team reps in practice. Mayfield ended up drawing the start in last weekend's preseason opener and has seemingly gained some separation in the job battle, setting the stage for the team to officially name him their top quarterback heading into the regular season. He'll have revenge on his mind in Week 1, taking on the team that drafted him and then moved on from him in favor of Deshaun Watson earlier this offseason.

Lance isn't expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Vikings, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that nothing was set in stone regarding Lance's status for the exhibition game, and a final decision won't be made until after Thursday's practice. Lance played two offensive possessions in the opening exhibition game against Green Bay, completing four of five passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. Even if Lance were to take the field Saturday, he would likely handle only a couple of possessions.

Burrow (appendix) returned to team drills Wednesday but acknowledged he would still like to add weight before Week 1, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.

While holding a news conference Wednesday for the first time since requiring an appendectomy July 26, Burrow relayed that he spent a few days in the hospital after a ruptured appendix necessitated the emergency procedure. He returned to 7-on-7 work Monday and is now participating in team drills, but he's not necessarily back to 100 percent strength less than a month after surgery. The Bengals seemingly expect him to get there in advance of their season opener Sept. 11 against Pittsburgh.

Head coach Sean McVay said Wolford is expected to play the first half of Friday's preseason contest against Houston, while Bryce Perkins likely plays the second half, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

Barring any setbacks, Friday will account for Wolford's first preseason action of 2022, after Perkins was the only quarterback to play in last Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers. The 26-year-old has also taken some of the first-team reps throughout training camp, as Matthew Stafford has been working through elbow discomfort. Wolford re-signed with the Rams in April and is slated to be the primary backup heading into the 2022 season.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Jackson and "some of the other starters" won't play in Sunday's preseason game at Arizona.

Jackson will watch from the sideline for a second straight week, leaving the Ravens' Aug. 27 matchup with the Commanders as his lone opportunity for an appearance this preseason. It won't be shocking if the Ravens hold him out of that one as well, considering he's a veteran quarterback with a returning offensive coordinator (Greg Roman) and no new pass catchers of note.

Winston (knee/foot) won't play in Friday's preseason game against the Packers, Sean Fazende of FOX 8 reports.

Winston has been dealing with a foot sprain on top of coming back from the ACL tear in his left knee that cut short his 2021 campaign. He was held out of the preseason opener last week, but Winston could get a look in the Saints' final preseason game Aug. 26 versus the Chargers. Expect Andy Dalton to start against Green Bay on Friday.

Watson's representatives and the NFL Players Association are in active negotiations on a discipline settlement with the NFL, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The report notes that as Watson awaits designee Peter C. Harvey's ruling on the NFL's appeal of the quarterback's six-game suspension, the two sides have continued to negotiate, with Cabot indicating that a settlement may be reached within the next few days. Judy Battista of NFL Network previously noted that the league is seeking a one-year suspension for Watson, but Cabot suggests that if a settlement can be reached, the quarterback could take the field at some point during the regular season.