NFL Player News

Etienne (illness) won't play in the Hall of Fame Game against the Raiders on Thursday, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports.

Etienne and QB Trevor Lawrence are among the key players being held out. Reports on Etienne from Jacksonville beat writers have been almost universally positive this summer, but the 2021 first-round pick likely will have a limited impact this week, as he's absent Tuesday due to an illness and won't suit up in Thursday's game, per Eugene Frenette. It's unclear if the two are related, given that coach Doug Pederson also plans to rest QB Trevor Lawrence and other starters.

White has stood out over the first week of training camp with his size and sure hands, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

The rookie third-round pick is competing with Ke'Shawn Vaughn for the No. 2 running back job this summer, and thus far, it appears White may have the upper hand. The Arizona State alum's early success as a receiver isn't a surprise by any stretch when considering he contributed a 43-456-1 line through the air across 11 games during his final season with the Sun Devils. Given Tom Brady's extensive track record of successfully utilizing pass-catching running backs, that trait could serve White especially well in the job battle.

Kamara's hearing regarding a battery charge has been rescheduled for Thursday, Sept. 29, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

Earlier Monday, Terrell reported that Kamara's imminent court date was pushed back another two months to October, the third time this hearing has been delayed. Kamara faces misdemeanor and felony battery charges for an incident in early February in Las Vegas. Until the legal process plays out, the NFL likely will wait to make a decision on any sort of punishment.

Coach Mike Tomlin noted that Harris' foot got stepped on during Monday's practice, but the coach added that it "shouldn't be a major deal," Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Given Tomlin's comments, we'll consider Harris day-to-day for now. Next up for Pittsburgh's backfield reps in practice as long as Harris is sidelined or limited is Benny Snell, with Anthony McFarland, Jeremy McNichols and Mataeo Durant also in the mix.

White, who missed the first two days of training camp with an undisclosed injury, has returned to practice, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.

Tafur adds that the 2022 fourth-rounder has impressed since returning to the field, with running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu noting of White that "he's tough, has good contact balance, and you can see the growth in a new system." Now that he's back in the mix, the Georgia product will look to carve out a role in a Raiders backfield that's currently headed by returnees Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake. For now, White doesn't have a clear path to steady early-season volume, but that narrative could change down the road if he continues to impress this summer and/or either Jacobs or Drake miss time for any reason.

McNichols is being evaluated for a shoulder injury, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Another update on the injury will likely surface once its severity is determined. McNichols is battling for a depth role in Pittsburgh's backfield after suiting up for 30 games with the Titans over the previous two seasons.

A hearing for a battery case involving Kamara has been pushed back by at least two months to October or later, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

Kamara is facing misdemeanor and felony battery charges, with evidence reportedly including video that shows him punching the victim multiple times. The NFL has used the commissioner's exempt list in the past to keep players off the field while legal situations play out, but in this case the league seems more inclined to wait out the process. Kamara still is in danger of being suspended at some point, but it might not be until later this season or even 2023. The hearing now has been pushed back three times.

Harris left Monday's practice with an apparent left foot/ankle injury, Adam H. Beasley of Pro Football Network reports.

Harris spent some time with trainers and took off his left shoe. Assuming he misses the rest of practice, Benny Snell is next up for first-team RB reps, with other options including Anthony McFarland and Jeremy McNichols.

Teammate Devin Singletary recently said Moss has been "looking good" in training camp and is "getting back to himself" after a disappointing 2021, Dom Tibbetts of WKBW reports.

Singletary implies that Moss had a tough time coming back from ankle surgery after his 2020 rookie season, helping to explain the loss of production (and role) last year. There's more competition for playing time after the Bills used a second-round pick on potential passing-down back James Cook, but it's possible Moss could earn a role of his own and force a three-way committee to start the season. ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg believes Moss is "trending toward" having a role in the Bills offense under new coordinator Ken Dorsey.

Head coach Dan Campbell expressed concern with Swift holding up under a large workload, Jeff Risdon of USA Today reports. "[Swift]'s got that ability, and so my gosh man, you want those guys out there every play, but ... I would like to see, if we get him out of camp, get his legs under him, get him in really good shape, like I said get the intensity, get the volume under him and then let's see where he looks like," Campbell said.

Swift has missed time due to shoulder and groin injuries in both college and the pros, most recently missing part of last summer's training camp with a strained groin before sustaining an AC joint injury Week 12. This led the third-year running back to miss multiple games for a second consecutive season. While optimists can point to reports of Swift having bulked up over the offseason as reason to think his injury luck could improve, his head coach nonetheless is warranted in his concern about putting too heavy of a workload on his 5-foot-9 running back. With Jamaal Williams -- who saw double-digit touches in 11 of 13 games last year -- around for another year, the Lions have a quality veteran option that can help them avoid doing just that, but Swift is the unquestioned No. 1.