NFL Player News

Dobbins isn't in line to play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Buccaneers, Ryan Mink of the Ravens' official site reports.

Dobbins, who is entering his contract year, missed the Ravens' mandatory minicamp in June and then didn't participate in the team's first 14 practices of training camp, said Wednesday that he's had "good conversations" with general manager Eric DeCosta about his future. While Dobbins acknowledges that he wasn't 100 percent healthy at the end of the 2022 season, he believes that his speed is different in 2023 compared to last season and feels "amazing" as the coming season approaches. Come Week 1, look for Dobbins to lead Baltimore's backfield, with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill in the mix for complementary touches and either Melvin Gordon or Keaton Mitchell on hand in reserve.

The Colts have given Taylor (ankle) until Tuesday to find a suitable landing spot after having granted the running back permission to pursue a trade, Stephen Holder of ESPN reports.

According to Holder, six teams have reportedly inquired about Taylor's availability, while two are thought to have made trade offers. Whether any team is willing to give the Colts enough in return for the star running back to advance a deal is questionable, and Indianapolis is looking for some level of clarity in advance of Tuesday, when NFL franchises are required to cut their rosters down to 53 players. Moreover, Taylor is on the active/PUP list and must be activated or placed on the reserve/PUP list by Tuesday. If moved to the reserve/PUP list, Taylor would miss the first four games of the regular season.

Mims didn't practice Wednesday after getting hit in the mouth during Tuesday's practice, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Mims' absence is unlikely to last much longer, as the rookie undrafted free agent out of Fresno State will look to get back in action for Buffalo's preseason finale against the Bears on Saturday. He's unlikely to make the Bills' 53-man roster, and this absence won't help Mims' chances.

Mitchell (shoulder) is practicing Wednesday, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

Mitchell left Monday's preseason game against the Commanders due to a shoulder injury, but coach John Harbaugh said the injury wasn't too serious, and the running back's prompt return confirms that notion. The rookie undrafted free agent from East Carolina has had a strong camp, but he's likely vying for a practice squad spot rather than a spot on the 53-man roster. Nonetheless, Mitchell should have a chance to help his case in Saturday's preseason finale against Tampa Bay.

Evans is expected to work as Cincinnati's third-down back in the regular season, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Joe Mixon should pick up where he left off as Cincinnati's primary ball-carrier, but Evans' strong preseason showing as a blocker and pass catcher should allow him to fill the pass-catching role vacated by Samaje Perine's departure. Mixon has struggled in pass protection, so Evans should see a sizable chunk of playing time on third downs and other pass-heavy situations.

The Raiders haven't shown any interest in trading Jacobs, who has yet to sign his $10.09 million franchise tender for 2023, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Though the Raiders haven't been in trade talks with other teams Pelissero notes that nothing is imminent regarding the star running back getting back on the practice field. Until there's added clarity on that front, Jacobs' status for the Raiders' Sept. 10 season opener in Denver remains to be determined. That said, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal previously reported that Jacobs is expected to report to the Raiders before Week 1, but head coach Josh McDaniels acknowledged earlier this week that the longer Jacobs waits to join the team, the more the running back's early-season production could be affected. In the event that Jacobs isn't available or is eased into action early on during the campaign, Zamir White would be in line see added work out of the backfield.

Jones (groin/suspension) was able to practice Tuesday, giving him a chance to play in the Cowboys' final preseason game Saturday versus the Raiders, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The running back is already slated to miss the first two games of the regular season while serving a suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy, but Jones has also been sidelined in camp and the preseason due to a groin injury. In his absence, Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle have impressed and risen up the depth chart. If Jones can get back up to speed this week and suit up Saturday against the Raiders, he would at least get his own chance to make his case for backup snaps behind Tony Pollard once his suspension is up.

Laird rushed nine times for 20 yards in the Buccaneers' 13-6 preseason win over the Jets on Saturday night.

Laird logged 19 snaps and paced the Buccaneers' backfield in carries. The fourth-year pro is battling undrafted rookies Sean Tucker and Ronnie Brown for a roster spot, and Laird could potentially have the inside track to a backup role due to his contributions on special teams. All the players in the competition, Laird included, will get another opportunity to make their case in the preseason finale versus the Ravens on Saturday night.

Williams left Tuesday's practice early with a groin injury, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Williams signed with the Saints on Aug. 14 as a depth piece for a Saints' backfield that, at the time, was dealing with multiple injuries. He rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in six games last season with the Cardinals before being placed on the team's injured reserve list in November with a hip injury. Williams is aiming to crack the Saints' final roster as a depth piece behind running backs Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller.

During Tuesday's practice, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com relays that Elliott saw an uptick in work behind Rhamondre Stevenson, notably as a pass-catcher out of the team's backfield.

Elliott was brought in by the Patriots to work in a complementary role behind Stevenson, the team's presumed lead back. In addition to providing New England with another short-yardage option, it looks like Elliott could factor in on passing downs as well. Though he caught just 17 passes in 15 games with the Cowboys last season, he recorded 47 catches in 2021. If given the opportunity in New England, Zeke could take some of the burden off Stevenson, who caught 69 passes in 17 contests in 2022 on top of logging 210 carries in tandem with Damien Harris (106 carries in 11 games), who now plays for the Bills.