NFL Player News

The Raiders are considering Mariota day-to-day with an unspecified injury, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

The report suggests his current issue isn't related to the ankle and shoulder injuries he dealt with during the offseason. Whatever the case, Mariota doesn't seem to be putting much pressure on Derek Carr, who will enter Week 1 with the starting job. Mariota could eventually make starts if Carr struggles and/or if the Raiders aren't competing for a playoff spot.

Watson has shown an ability to adapt well to the personnel changes to the Houston offense thus far during training camp, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

With DeAndre Hopkins no longer around and Carlos Hyde being replaced as the top running back, Watson is the key to Houston qualifying for the postseason and making a deep run. Houston head coach Bill O'Brien said the quarterback has "a really good grasp of our offense" and is "playing at a really high level." Watson, who is in his fourth year with Houston, feels that his prior starting experience has helped with incorporating the new additions to the offense, which now includes veteran weapons like Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb and David Johnson.

Cousins has displayed increased accuracy as training camp has progressed, Arif Hasan of The Athletic reports.

Cousins has a number of incumbent receivers to throw to, most notably Adam Thielen, but the offseason trade of Stefon Diggs to the Bills has opened up a significant number of reps. Rookie first-round pick Justin Jefferson likely is the long-term answer as the No. 2 WR, but 2019 seventh-rounder Bisi Johnson has been working ahead of him so far in camp. During two campaigns with Diggs on board, Cousins completed a healthy 68.7 percent of his passes and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt, marks that could be less stable as he incorporates Jefferson into what remains a run-heavy scheme.

Rodgers has looked like his usual self during Packers training camp, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

Rodgers may not have the receiving depth he'd like, but if his on-field play of late is any indication he hasn't lost a step. At Sunday's practice in particular, he connected with Davante Adams and Jake Kumerow on back-to-back 40-plus-yard touchdowns before closing the session with a two-minute drill that concluded with a successful 47-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Due to the makeup of the skill-position ranks, the Packers may run more than ever for a Rodgers-led squad with Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and rookie second-round pick AJ Dillon composing the backfield. Still, the aforementioned Adams is on board, Allen Lazard came on strong last year as the No. 2 WR, and a variety of young talent otherwise populates the wide receiver and tight end ranks.

Stdiham (hip) got more work at Tuesday's practice, but he still doesn't appear fully healthy, according to Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com.

Meanwhile, Cam Newton is drawing strong reviews from New England beat writers, solidifying his status as the favorite for the Week 1 start. Stidham still has a bit of time to make his case, but the nagging hip/leg injury isn't helping.

Carr has looked sharp throughout training camp, with no hint of Marcus Mariota making a push for the starting job, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.

Carr established career highs in a slew of passing categories last year, but the Raiders missed out on the playoffs for a fifth time in his six pro seasons, with their offense struggling in the red zone (52.8 TD percentage - 22nd) and their defense struggling in every area of the field. Mariota is the highest-paid backup QB in the league, so while he may not have a shot at the Week 1 starting job, he could be called in as a midseason replacement if Carr isn't playing well or the Raiders aren't in the mix for a playoff spot. Rookie wideouts Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards should help Carr's cause, but it appears Tyrell Williams (torn shoulder labrum) will be trying to play through an injury for the second year in a row.

Walker remains locked in a battle with Will Grier for the Panthers' backup job, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.

While Teddy Bridgewater is locked into the starting role, the backup job is still being contested. Walker started strong in the XFL for the Houston Roughnecks before the season was cancelled, posting 15 touchdowns and helping lead his team to a 5-0 record to begin the season. The 25-year-old has never played in a regular-season NFL game, however, and he could have a difficult time vaulting Grier since the team invested a 2019 third-round pick in the West Virginia product. It's unclear if the team will keep three quarterbacks on the roster or utilize the extra roster spot on a different position.

Allen took part in practice Monday after missing Sunday's session due to a false positive COVID-19 test, Jourdan LaBarber of the Bills' official site reports.

Several Bills got burned by the false positive test, and while the Bills' quarterback wasn't super pleased with the development, he was able to move on quickly with the rest of his teammates. Bills coach Sean McDermott later stated that this was a good dry run for the team in terms of surprises that may happen in an unusual NFL year.

Bethel-Thompson opted out of the CFL season Monday in hopes of landing an NFL contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Bethel-Thompson is eyeing a return to the NFL after spending the last few seasons in the CFL. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns with the Toronto Argonauts last season and could latch on with a team in need of quarterback depth.

Jackson (groin) returned to practice Monday, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

As expected, Jackson is rejoining his teammates after missing back-to-back practices over the weekend. Coach John Harbaugh said the quarterback was dealing with a soft tissue injury, while ESPN reporter Adam Schefter was a bit more specific in labeling it as a groin issue. The Ravens may take a cautious approach with Jackson this week, hoping to avoid any setbacks before their Sept. 13 season opener against the Browns.