NFL Player News

Richardson is taking "practically all the first-team reps" at Thursday's practice, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.

After alternating days with Gardner Minshew at the start of training camp, Richardson has dominated first-team reps in consecutive practices (Tuesday/Thursday) since missing Monday's session to recover from a procedure on his nasal septum. While this doesn't mean he's the Week 1 starter, it can only help to get more work with the guys who will be blocking for him and catching his passes if the Colts decide to enter the season with the rookie under center.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday that he feels "pretty strongly" that Ridder is "going to be our quarterback of the future," Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Arthur Smith named Ridder as the team's starting quarterback in late March, two weeks after the team signed Taylor Heinicke to a two-year, $14 million contract. The second-year pro seems to be making a good impression in training camp, but there's still a lot that can go wrong with a relatively unproven young quarterback who has one of the better backups in the league behind him. Even if his standing atop the depth chart is truly secure this summer, Ridder won't be long for the starting job come September if he doesn't play well. Ridden has several things working in his favor, including ample collegiate experience as a starter, an Atlanta offensive line that improved greatly last season and a supporting cast of skill-position players that includes top-10 picks from each of the last three NFL Drafts (tight end Kyle Pitts, wideout Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson). It doesn't hurt to have the support of the team owner either, though Blank is 80 years old and seemingly not quite as involved with the team's day-to-day operations as he once was.

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas said Tuesday that his relationship with Carr is progressing tremendously, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

The 30-year-old wideout is healthy and practicing after ankle and foot injuries limited him to 10 games over the past three seasons. Between Thomas and second-year standouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, Carr will have a talented and diverse group of wide receivers for his first season in New Orleans. The tight-end group is somewhat less impressive, though certainly deep, and the offensive line should get back on track after an injury-riddled and uncharacteristically mediocre 2022 season, with the projected starting five for this season consisting of four first-round picks and a second-rounder. It's a nice setup for Carr's first season outside the Raiders organization, creating potential for a rebound after his own performance left much to be desired in 2022.

Jones turned in his best practice of training camp so far Tuesday, according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.

The report notes that Jones finished the session going 7-of-10 in team drills, while throwing two TDs in a final red-zone portion versus the first-team defense. Per Callahan, the 2021 first-rounder "weaponized tempo, audibles and his best trait -- accuracy within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage -- over the best showing by any quarterback this summer." As the Patriots' preseason opener approaches, Dakota Randall of NESN.com suggests that talk of QB controversy seems to have died down, even if coach Bill Belichick has yet to specifically confirm Jones as the Week 1 starter.

The Raiders signed Garbers on Tuesday.

Garbers, an undrafted free agent out of California, spent most of last season on the Raiders practice squad and was elevated to the active roster late in his rookie season when Jarrett Stidham replaced Derek Carr as the starting quarterback. Garbers was surprisingly let go ahead of training camp, but he's back on the squad a week later and will compete with veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O'Connell for a backup spot behind Jimmy Garoppolo.

As Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Browns approaches, Rodgers noted that he "wouldn't mind playing in the preseason," while suggesting that seeing action in the Jets' exhibition finale is a possibility, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

It's safe to assume that Rodgers won't be taking any snaps Thursday, and it doesn't sound like he'll play Aug. 12 against the Panthers either. In any case, Ethan Greenberg of the Jets' official site relays that Zach Wilson is in line to draw the start in the team's preseason opener against Cleveland.

Dobbs (rest) will not play Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports.

Dobbs, who is currently the Browns' No. 2 quarterback, will get the night off as the Browns opt to take a closer look at Kellen Mond and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Thompson-Robinson will play in the second half against the Jets on Thursday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Thomas-Robinson, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft, should get a long look in the Hall of Fame Game. Although Deshaun Watson is the clear No. 1 quarterback on the team's positional depth chart, there is some uncertainty in the pecking order behind him between Kellen Mond, Joshua Dobbs and Thomas-Robinson. Mond is slated to draw the start Thursday.

Watson won't play in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Jets, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.

Neither will top backup Joshua Dobbs, who is trying to fend off young QBs Kellen Mond and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Coach Kevin Stefanski named Mond his starter for the Hall of Fame Game, though it won't be surprising if Thompson-Robinson ends up playing more snaps. Watson, meanwhile, is locked in as the Week 1 starter and doesn't figure to get much playing time (if any) this preseason.

Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Mond will start at QB against the Jets in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason contest, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

The report adds that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson is slated to play in the second half of the contest, a scenario that gives the duo a chance to log preseason snaps as the two compete for depth QB slotting. With that in mind, fellow signal-callers Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs, are listed atop the Browns' current unofficial depth chart.