NFL Player News

Moss's recovery from ankle surgery is going well, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports. "The discipline, the commitment, the rehab ... and Zack, that takes a special person be able to do that," coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday.

Moss suffered the injury in the Bills' first playoff game and ended up on injured reserve for the team's last two postseason contests while he underwent surgery. It's not clear how close he is to returning to full practice work, but it sounds like the second-year back's status for the 2021 season won't be in question. He's slated to compete with Devin Singletary and veteran Matt Breida for snaps and touches at the start of the season, but Moss could be the favorite to win the biggest share if he's 100 percent.

With Jeff Wilson (knee) being ruled out 4-to-6 months, Sermon could jump up the depth chart during training camp.

Raheem Mostert and Wilson were assumed to be the 1A/1B combo Shanahan would deploy in 2021, but the news of the latter's surgery opens the door for Sermon to grasp a larger role in this potent offense. The third-round pick has a large frame (6-foot, 215 pounds) and surprising agility for a back his size. If he can secure the backup role behind a fragile starter in Mostert, Sermon could burst onto the fantasy scene if his production in the SEC translates well into the NFL. Today's news certainly raises the back's stock heading into training camp and early fantasy drafts.

Wilson recently underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 months, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

It's a tough break for the the 25-year-old, who will now be sidelined for the start of the season and could be out into November if he returns on the long end of the initial timeline. Raheem Mostert is poised to open the season atop the depth chart, while rookies Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell and veteran Wayne Gallman will provide some much-needed depth in Wilson's absence.

Swift is expected to share a large portion of the workload with recent signee Jamaal Williams according to offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

The Lions emphasized adding depth at running back this offseason, signing Williams via free agency and drafting Jermar Jefferson in the seventh round. At least in the case of the former, Lynn seemed to suggest Williams could even work in tandem with Swift, saying, "I don't see them as being interchangeable, I see them more as being complementary. Swift is more of a speed-space back; Jamaal can be more of a between-the-tackles and sometimes perimeter." Adrian Peterson, who was not re-signed in the offseason, nearly doubled Swift's red-zone carries last year, so it's possible Williams could immediately fill that void. That being said, Swift never really saw consistent playing time with the Packers until Week 6 of last year and also missed three games due to injuries later in the season, so a bump in playing time is almost guaranteed. How Lynn's comments impact the backfield opportunities remains to be seen, but it's at least worth noting, given Swift's rightfully high fantasy outlook entering the 2021-2022 campaign.

Kelley could be competing for the final running back spot with 2020 sixth-round pick Larry Rountree, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

The presumed hierarchy according to Popper would see Austin Ekeler handle most of the work out of the backfield with Justin Jackson filling in occasionally as a change-of-pace option. That would leave Kelley and Rountree in an ultra-utility capacity, but the recent sixth-round pick profiles a bit better as a goal-line threat, something the Chargers seemingly lack at the moment. Kelley was a major factor at the start of his rookie season but dramatically tailed off toward the end of the year, finishing as a healthy scratch in two of the final four games. Considering Rountree also has experience playing special teams throughout college, it's entirely possible Kelley may be on the outside looking in when it comes to the running back depth chart.

Ekeler could in position for a massive season in offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi's system, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Considering the type of player Alvin Kamara developed into under coach Lombardi's system in New Orleans, it's entirely possible the ultra-versatile Ekeler could be an even more prominent weapon, especially if the team opts to motion the running back out wide more often (Kamara finished the 2020 season with the second-most outside WR snaps of any RB, and fourth-most slot snaps). A Grade 2 hamstring strain ultimately cost Ekeler six games last season, but even before the injury, Ekeler was far short of the pass-catching pace he set the year prior with Philip Rivers under center. Should Ekeler stay healthy for a full season, it's entirely possible the 26-year-old could threaten current receiving records for running backs, making him an extremely valuable high-upside selection, particularly in PPR formats.

Perine should have a role in the Cincinnati offense this season, according to Jay Morrison of The Athletic.

Bengals OC Brian Callahan has made it clear he wants to use Joe Mixon more, but the team will still need a backup RB to take some snaps, and for the first time in years it won't be passing-down specialist Giovani Bernard (now with Tampa Bay). Perine is much different from Bernard, of course, offering size and power rather than agility and receiving skills. Fortunately for the Bengals, Mixon is a well-rounded back who can be trusted for any down and distance, giving the team flexibility in terms of which snaps the backup handles. Perine was an effective runner in limited action last year, taking 63 carries for 301 yards (4.8 YPC) and three TDs, including a 13-95-2 rushing line Week 16 at Houston. The other competitors for backup work in Cincinnati are rookie sixth-round pick Chris Evans, undrafted rookie Pooka Williams and 2019 sixth-round pick Trayveon Williams.

Perine (illness) could need to impress at OTAs in order to earn a role in the New York backfield, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports.

Perine, who dealt with hamstring issues in 2020 and concluded his rookie year on the COVID-19 list, has been joined by fourth-round pick Michael Carter and veteran Tevin Coleman in the backfield. All three of those players could have a role on offense, but the extent of Perine's involvement could largely hinge on his performance in OTAs and training camp. If Perine struggles to impress new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, it's conceivable that even Ty Johnson and/or Josh Adams could pass him on the depth chart.

Jefferson has signed a four-year contract with Detroit, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

After bursting onto the collegiate scene with over 1,500 total yards as a true freshman at Oregon State in 2018, Jefferson seemed destined to be drafted before the seventh round. The 2020 first-team All-Pac-12 running back instead fell into the Lions' lap at No. 257 overall this spring, which presumably played a large role in the team's decision to waive Kerryon Johnson last week. Barring any surprise training camp performances from undrafted rookies Rakeem Boyd or Dedrick Mills, Johnson's absence seemingly puts Jefferson in the driver's seat for the No. 3 role in the Detroit backfield behind D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams.

Clement has signed a contract with the Giants, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Clement appeared in 15 games with the Eagles last season but played a minimal role on offense, totaling just 26 touches. He featured more prominently on special teams, where Clement has some experience returning punts and kicks. Clement's versatility should give him the inside track when it comes to securing a spot on the Giants' roster, but he'll need to earn that spot in preseason.