NFL Player News

Dye rushed nine times for 12 yards and didn't catch his only target in Thursday's 21-16 preseason loss to Cleveland.

Dye played most of the second half but didn't find any running room. Rookie fifth-round pick Israel Abanikanda started and scored the Jets' only touchdown of the game. With Breece Hall (knee), Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight and Abanikanda all well ahead of him on the depth chart, Dye's battling for a spot on the Jets' practice squad at best.

Coach Zac Taylor said Williams (ankle) is in a walking boot and considered week-to-week, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Williams was already diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain after going down in practice earlier in the week. The veteran is competing for the No. 2 running back job vacated by Samaje Perine behind Joe Mixon. Chris Evans and rookie Chase Brown will now soak up more of those opportunities in Williams' absence.

Ingram is tending to an undisclosed injury in the early stages of training camp, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

The first full week of camp has seen Ingram suited up for practice but spending his time on the side during drills, per Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com. Considering James Conner may not see many, if any, snaps during the preseason, Arizona added six-year pro Marlon Mack to its backfield Friday. As such, the team's backs not named Conner, Ingram and Mack are Corey Clement, Ty'Son Williams and Emari Demercado.

The Cardinals signed Mack to a one-year contract Friday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.

After spending the first five years of his career with the Colts, the 2017 fourth-round pick split time between the 49ers and Broncos in 2022, ultimately turning 24 touches into 183 yards and two touchdowns in eight appearances. He ended last season on injured reserve due to a hamstring issue, but following a workout with the Cardinals on Thursday, he's a member of the team one day later. Arizona could use some RB depth in the preseason with starter James Conner unlikely to see much, if any, action. Plus, top backup Keaontay Ingram currently is dealing with an unknown injury, leaving Corey Clement, Ty'Son Williams, Mack and Emari Demercado as the other healthy options.

Johnson (undisclosed) returned to practice Friday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

The undisclosed injury was first reported Tuesday and kept Johnson sidelined for only a few days. The rookie fourth-round pick will now continue his effort to earn a role in a backfield that also includes Khalil Herbert, D'Onta Foreman and Travis Homer.

Hall returned three kickoffs for 62 yards in Thursday's preseason victory over the Jets. He also logged five carries for 34 yards.

Hall got the first chance to return kicks, but it should be noted that the major return candidates sat this game out. Jakeem Grant, who is making his way back from a ruptured Achilles, and Jaelon Darden (leg) were held out for health reasons. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Jerome Ford were held out along with a slew of other skill-position starters.

Kelly had 10 carries for 42 yards and caught four of five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's preseason victory over the Jets.

The top two in Cleveland's running back room did not play in the Hall of Fame Game, leaving Kelly and Demetric Felton to gobble up most of the work in the backfield. Each back figured as a runner and receiver and scored a touchdown. With Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford locked as the top two backs, there should be room for a third back on the active roster, and these two are the leading candidates.

Gray fielded punts in practice Thursday and is a candidate to take on that role for the Giants this season, Ryan Novozinksy of NJ Advance Media reports.

Gray wasn't a prominent return man in college -- he tallied just nine punt returns and four kickoff returns in his four-year tenure, including none of either type in his senior season -- but he's a logical candidate to see work in that regard for the Giants given his lateral quickness. Running back Gary Brightwell worked as New York's primary kickoff returner last season, while Richie James served as the team's top punt returner for much of the campaign. James is now in Kansas City, and the team may not want to turn to a starter such as cornerback Adoree' Jackson, who sprained his MCL while returning a punt in Week 11 last season and missed seven weeks. As such, Gray could take over on punts while also working in a limited role as a running back behind Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida.

Felton rushed seven times for 46 yards and a touchdown, brought in two of three targets for nine yards and returned five punts for 10 yards during the Browns' 21-16 preseason win over the Jets in Thursday night's Hall of Fame Game.

Felton was efficient throughout the night on the ground while leading the Browns in rushing yards. The 2021 sixth-round pick also had a presence in the passing game and recorded Cleveland's second touchdown on a 16-yard run off left guard just past the midway point of the third quarter. Felton has been underutilized from scrimmage over his first two seasons despite his versatile skill set, but with Kareem Hunt off the roster, the third-year pro will have a chance to make a case for a larger role throughout the remainder of the summer.

Abanikanda rushed nine times for 27 yards and a touchdown and brought in his only target for five yards during the Jets' 21-16 preseason loss to the Browns in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game.

The rookie fifth-round pick started the game and played up until just before the halfway point of the second quarter, scoring a 10-yard touchdown around left end on his final play with 9:04 remaining in the first half. Abanikanda gained just 17 yards on his other eight carries, so he wasn't exactly a study in efficiency. The rookie, who had a spectacular 1,431-yard, 20-touchdown season during his final college season at Pittsburgh a year ago, has reportedly been clearly behind incumbents Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight early in training camp and will look to achieve more carry-to-carry consistency during a road preseason matchup against the Panthers a week from Saturday.