NFL Player News

Browns running backs coach Duce Staley said Friday that the "sky's the limit" for Judkins, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

"I'm gonna push him to find out," Staley added of Judkins, who is participating in training camp after recovering from a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula suffered in Week 16 of the 2025 season. Prior to the injury, Judkins enjoyed a productive rookie campaign, totaling 998 scrimmage yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 14 regular-season appearances. Judkins is expected to work as Cleveland's lead back, with fellow second-year pro Dylan Sampson serving in a change-of-pace role.

Monangai was absent from Friday's practice due to an undisclosed reason, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Monangai also wasn't spotted during Thursday's practice, making this his second consecutive absence. The Bears haven't provided details on the issue, so Monangai should be considered day-to-day until more information surfaces. He remains in line for a complementary role behind D'Andre Swift, but missed camp reps could pile up if his absence continues. Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown and Salvon Ahmed will benefit from increased reps as long as Monangai is unavailable.

Dowdle and Jaylen Warren split first-team running back reps across the Steelers' first two training camp practices, Daniel Chavkin of SportsNet Pittsburgh reports.

Dowdle was first up for first-team reps on Thursday after Warren worked ahead of him Wednesday. Dowdle joins Pittsburgh after back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and brings prior familiarity with new coach Mike McCarthy, giving him a real chance to push Warren for the lead committee role. That said, Warren's receiving ability gives him a strong path to consistent touches, and it remains to be seen whether Dowdle's bruising between-the-tackles style will allow him to secure the majority of goal-line work. Pittsburgh's backfield competition will be one to track closely during training camp.

Warren and Rico Dowdle split first-team running back reps across the Steelers' first two training camp practices, Daniel Chavkin of SportsNet Pittsburgh reports.

Warren worked ahead of Dowdle on Wednesday but was the second running back up Thursday. While Warren remains the incumbent in this backfield and holds a steady role in the receiving game, Dowdle's arrival and familiarity with new head coach Mike McCarthy make this a murky situation. Warren's upside will depend on whether he can separate enough to avoid a full committee, and whether he or Dowdle gets distinct priority on early downs and near the goal line.

Price got the opening first-team backfield reps during Seattle's first full-team scrimmage Thursday, Gregg Bell of The News Tribune reports.

Price continues on an upward trajectory after starting training camp as the second RB behind George Holani. Holani remains involved enough to keep this from being a settled depth chart, but Price's draft capital and early camp usage keep him trending toward Seattle's most fantasy-relevant back while Zach Charbonnet (ACL) works his way back to full health. Once Price, Charbonnet and Holani are on the field together, however, the Seahawks' backfield may be difficult to prognosticate.

Howard tried out for the Steelers on Thursday, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.

Howard was waived from the Bills' injured reserve in late August 2025 due to an undisclosed issue. The running back is evidently healthy and ready to once again compete for an NFL roster spot. The 2024 undrafted free agent out of Alcorn State has yet to participate in an NFL game, although he's recorded 178 carries for 766 yards and three touchdowns while adding a 28-167-0 receiving line over 20 regular-season games with the UFL's St. Louis Battlehawks the last two springs.

Rodriguez (foot) has been cleared to practice, but the Jaguars intend to take a cautious approach with the running back's participation level early in training camp, John Shipley of SI.com reports.

"It's a long training camp," head coach Liam Coen said. "It's a long season. We're trying to get (Rodriguez) back, without any sort of hiccups or bumps." Bhayshul Tuten is getting an early opportunity to build rapport with the first-team offense for the Jaguars, who let Travis Etienne walk in free agency and added Rodriguez in the offseason. Rodriguez's regular-season availability isn't in question at the moment, but it may take a while for him to ramp up to full participation in training camp.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that he's "not even sweating" Gibbs' absence from training camp amidst contract negotiations, though Campbell also noted that the running back is dealing with minor back discomfort, ESPN.com's Eric Woodyard reports.

Multiple reports point to the contract situation as the impetus for Gibbs' absence through the first two days of training camp. The back injury is something to keep in mind, but it doesn't sound serious and might heal in a hurry with a new contract in hand. The Lions have Gibbs under team control for two more years after picking up his fifth-year option for 2027 ($14.3 million). A prolonged hold-in is possible if the two sides can't reach an agreement, but the current CBA essentially guarantees that no player on a rookie contract will hold out from actual games. Still, it'd be a minor ding to Gibbs' immense fantasy value if the situation were to drag on and affect his practice participation well into August.

Stevenson (undisclosed) is participating in Thursday's padded practice, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Stevenson left Tuesday's practice early, but his exit appears to have been precautionary since he's practicing Thursday in the Patriots' first full-pad practice of training camp. He's splitting first-team reps with TreVeyon Henderson on Thursday, and that arrangement is expected to linger throughout the season as long as both running backs are healthy.

Gibbs (contract) remained absent from practice Thursday, Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit reports.

Entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, Gibbs is unable to stage a true holdout but seems to be opting for a hold-in, at least for the time being. The Lions picked up his fifth-year option this spring, keeping him under contract for 2027 at a bargain price of $14.3 million. Gibbs clearly wants a long-term deal, but he's unlikely to approach his open-market value when the Lions still have two years of team control. There's minimal chance of the situation impacting Week 1 availability, but it could affect Gibbs' preparation in the lead up to the regular season.