NFL Player News

The Texans and Mack agreed to a contract Friday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

A fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2017, Mack worked his way to the top of the depth chart at running back in his second and third seasons, combining for 1,999 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground between 2018 and 2019. Indianapolis then selected Jonathan Taylor in the second round of the 2020 Draft, which was followed by Mack tearing his Achilles in Week 1 of that campaign. Mack only appeared in six games last year, averaging 3.6 yards on his 28 carries, and otherwise was a healthy scratch after Week 8, a late-season bout on the reserve/COVID-19 list aside. In Houston, he'll vie for slotting in the backfield with Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale.

Hines is a candidate to benefit from the Colts' addition of quarterback Matt Ryan, Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star reports.

Per Atkins, look for team to utilize Hines in more creative ways, which could include work out of the slot, a scenario that would boost the running back's touches while working behind top option Jonathan Taylor. Per JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site, the notion of Hines seeing more work out of the slot has been echoed by GM Chris Ballard, while coach Frank Reich has also suggested that the team will look to find ways to get the ball into the hands of the 2018 fourth-rounder more often. This past season, Hines logged 56 carries for 276 yards and two TDs in 17 games, while catching 40 of his 57 targets for 310 yards and a receiving score. The 25-year-old's catch and target totals last year while working with QB Carson Wentz represented career lows, but with Ryan at the helm, it's reasonable to expect Hines to see an uptick in both categories, and with that, increased PPR utility in 2022.

Vaughn currently slots in as the Buccaneers' No. 2 running back with the recent departure of Ronald Jones in free agency, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Vaughn saw a slight uptick in involvement over that of his rookie 2020 campaign last season, rushing for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries and adding four receptions for 26 yards. The Vanderbilt product then played a sizable role in the wild-card win over the Eagles, carrying 17 times for 53 yards and a touchdown while also recording a pair of receptions. Looking ahead to 2022, it appears we're on the verge of finding out if Vaughn's two-season, low-volume apprenticeship has laid the proper groundwork for what should be a clear-cut No. 2 role behind Leonard Fournette, barring an unforeseen draft pick or free-agent signing disrupting that plan.

The Chiefs have signed Ronald Jones to work in tandem with Edwards-Helaire this coming season, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.

Signing Jones addresses a void in the team's backfield, with Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon still unsigned in free agency. The former Buccaneer will now pair with Edwards-Helaire, creating the potential for a time-share that could hamper the weekly volume of the duo, when both are available. That said, in an offense that will no longer have explosive wideout Tyreek Hill to throw to, it's plausible that the Chiefs running backs, including Edwards-Helaire, will be presented with more receiving opportunities in 2022. Though it's possible that the team will continue to bring in additional skill players via free agency and/or the draft, for now things are set up for Edwards-Helaire and Jones to compete for RB slotting this summer.

Ollison signed a one-year deal with the Falcons on Monday.

Ollison finished the 2021 campaign with 21 rushes for 105 yards and one touchdown, while adding four receptions for 12 yards. With Atlanta returning Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis, Ollison figures to compete with free-agent signee Damien Williams for a reserve role to start the 2022 campaign.

Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that there's a "chance" both Edwards (knee) and backfield mate J.K. Dobbins (knee) begin training camp on the PUP list, Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Edwards and Dobbins both suffered torn ACLs last offseason and subsequently spent the entire 2021 campaign sidelined. Though the backfield tandem may not be ready for the start of training camp, it appears that there's not yet reason for concern about either Dobbins' or Edwards' recoveries. "We'll probably play it safe a little bit with those guys and take our time and just bring them along for the season," Harbaugh said. Assuming neither running back encounters any setbacks, Dobbins would be the favorite to operate as the No. 1 option Week 1 of the 2022 season, while Edwards should be primed for a valuable complementary role.

Coach John Harbaugh said Monday there's a "chance" that Dobbins (knee) begins training camp on the PUP list, Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Harbaugh said both Dobbins and Gus Edwards (knee), who both missed the 2021 campaign due to torn ACLs, could need to start training camp on the PUP list. "We'll probably play it safe a little bit with those guys and take our time and just bring them along for the season," Harbaugh said. Dobbins still appears on track to return to full health in time for the start of the 2022 campaign, and there's not yet any indication that his recovery has run into any sort of setback. The fact that the Ravens have avoided any notable running back additions during free agency would appear to speak to the team's confidence in both Dobbins' and Edwards' recoveries.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Monday that he expects Etienne (foot) to take part in workouts early in the team's offseason program, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

Etienne had his entire rookie season wiped out after the 2021 first-round pick suffered a Lisfranc injury in the preseason that later required surgery. Heading into last season, Etienne was expected to work in tandem out of the backfield with James Robinson and handle a key role in the passing game, but the Clemson product may head into the offseason as the Jaguars' clear No. 1 back while Robinson works his way back from the torn Achilles' tendon he suffered in late December. Pederson already has ruled Robinson out through OTAs and minicamp, potentially giving Etienne a chance to log most of the first-team work if he's ready to go early in the offseason program, as the coach predicts. Beyond Etienne and Robinson, the Jaguars have little in the way of proven depth in the backfield, as the other three running backs on the roster (Ryquell Armstead, Mekhi Sargent and Nathan Cottrell) have combined for 56 career carries.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Monday that Robinson (Achilles) won't participate in OTAs, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

Meanwhile, Pederson noted that Travis Etienne (foot), the other Jacksonville running back recovering from a long-term injury, is on track to rejoin the team for workouts early during the offseason program. Robinson's recovery from the torn left Achilles' tendon he suffered in late December looks as though it'll extend into training camp in late July, and it's far from a given that he'll be a full participant in practices by then. The track record of players returning from Achilles surgery isn't overly encouraging, and the fact that Robinson suffered his injury late last season and faces strong competition from Etienne -- a 2021 first-round pick -- renders Robinson a risky fantasy investment heading into 2022.

Jones (ankle) will sign a one-year contract with the Chiefs, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

After a career-best 978 rushing yards in 2020, Jones fell behind Leonard Fournette in the rotation last season, finishing the campaign with only 101 carries for 428 yards and four touchdowns. He's landed in a pretty favorable spot, joining a running back room that's proven to be underwhelming so far. Jones should have an opportunity to compete for reps alongside Clyde Edwards-Helaire, especially with Darrel Williams on the free-agent market.