NFL Player News

Cunningham will visit the Jaguars this week, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports.

Cunningham played 212 snaps on offense and 478 on special teams in 29 games for Chicago over the past two seasons, though he did get some work on passing downs in 2017 (20 receptions). Jacksonville represents the best-case scenario for his next landing spot, as the team has minimal backfield depth behind Leonard Fournette. With Carlos Hyde joining the Chiefs and both T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant (foot) still unsigned, the Jaguars are badly in need of a No. 2 running back -- preferably one that could replace Fournette in passing situations.

Clement (knee) still figures to have a role after the Eagles traded for fellow running back Jordan Howard, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

A pleasant surprise as a rookie and a considerable disappointment in his sophomore campaign, Clement is now recovering from a December knee injury, with the Eagles declining to provide any details. His health may have played a role in the decision to acquire Howard, but it's more likely the team simply jumped at the opportunity to acquire a proven lead runner in exchange for a late-round pick. If healthy, Clement likely offers enough versatility to keep his roster spot safe, with potential to handle passing downs and/or spell Howard on early downs. The recent transaction is worse news for Josh Adams, whose strengths largely seem to overlap with Howard's. The Eagles also have Wendell Smallwood and could add another running back in the upcoming draft.

Artis-Payne has re-signed with the Panthers on a one-year contract, Bryan Strickland of the team's official site reports.

As the depth chart stands, Artis-Payne returns to a Panthers roster that still has little depth behind starter Christian McCaffrey. While it's possible Carolina adds a running back in next month's draft, Artis-Payne should operate as the clear No. 2 over Elijah Hood (knee) and Reggie Bonnafon when the Panthers' offseason workouts begin April 15.

The Colts have a "bullish stance" on Mack (hip) as a featured running back, Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan Indianapolis reports.

While coach Frank Reich said Tuesday that he still considers the Colts' running-back situation as a "by-committee" approach, according to Andrew Walker of the Colts' official site, Mack is clearly the leader of the pack after an eye-opening sophomore season in which he totaled 10 touchdowns and topped 5.1 yards per carry in seven of 12 contests. It's possible the Colts could add a tailback in next month's draft but it seems unlikely they would invest significant capital in a backfield that already has a solid duo of Mack and receiving specialist Nyheim Hines on rookie deals.

Foreman has embraced a demanding offseason regimen that includes a healthy diet and regular boxing workouts, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle reports.

Foreman predictably failed to make a dent in 2018 as he worked his way back from a torn Achilles suffered in November of his rookie season. He did get a few snaps in Houston's lone playoff game, setting the stage for a healthy offseason and presumably a larger role in 2019. Foreman reportedly has slimmed down from his listed weight of 235 pounds, emphasizing agility and conditioning rather than relying on power and straight-line speed. He figures to enter training camp as the No. 2 running back behind Lamar Miller, who is still viewed as the starter by Texans GM Brian Gaine. It could easily turn into a competitive situation if Foreman's hard work this offseason pays off.

GM John Lynch said McKinnon (knee) will stay with the 49ers through April 1, when his 2019 base salary ($3.7 million) becomes guaranteed, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The signing of Tevin Coleman led to speculation, but Lynch confirmed McKinnon is still part of the plan for 2019. Of course, the 49ers would be foolish not to listen if another organization were to approach them with a serious trade offer for McKinnon or Matt Breida (ankle). The current alignment points to four running backs on the 53-man roster, as the aforementioned trio is joined by special teams ace Raheem Mostert, who recently signed a three-year contract. McKinnon, Breida and Coleman are all viable candidates for the starting job, though the former needs to complete his rehab from the torn ACL he suffered Sept. 1. Multiple reports this offseason have suggested McKinnon is ahead of schedule and should be ready for the start of training camp.

Wilson (shoulder) is part of a deep position group that now includes Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon (knee) as well as Matt Breida (ankle) and Raheem Mostert (forearm), ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner reports.

Wilson held his own while making a couple starts as an undrafted rookie in 2018, but he nonetheless figures to enter training camp as a long shot for the 53-man roster. Coleman, McKinnon and Breida are all viable candidates for key roles on offense, while Mostert has become a fixture on special teams. The decision to sign Coleman suggests the Niners view Wilson and Matt Dayes as marginal NFL talents. Looking on the bright side, Wilson likely will recover from his late-season shoulder injury in time to get some reps during OTAs and minicamp.

Perine is stuck in a crowded backfield with Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice (knee) and Chris Thompson, Kyle Stackpole of the Redskins' official website reports.

Guice's tricky rehab from a torn ACL and subsequent infection is the complicating factor, potentially opening a door for Perine, Byron Marshall or Russell Hansbrough to earn a role. Even so, it's hard to see how Perine fits the plan in Washington, considering he logged just 30 snaps on offense and 39 on special teams in 2018. The 2017 fourth-round pick will have a tough time earning a spot on the 53-man roster unless he establishes value as a blocker and coverage man on special teams. The Redskins likely would be happy to trade Perine, but there's no serious market for a one-dimensional running back with a career mark of 3.5 yards per carry.

Anderson suggested Friday on Twitter that he doesn't expect to re-sign with the Rams.

While it isn't clear the two events are related, Anderson's tweet was posted about an hour after Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Rams will match Detroit's two-year, $3.25 million offer sheet for running back Malcolm Brown, who missed Weeks 14-17 and all of the playoffs after he suffered a broken clavicle in early December. His injury opened the door for the Rams to sign Anderson, who then took over the starting gig when Todd Gurley (knee) suffered an injury of his own. Anderson's strong performance in December theoretically boosted his value, but Friday's string of tweets suggest he's frustrated with an inability to find a secure workload as a free agent. The 28-year-old running back points out that he's never had the chance to handle a lead role without sharing a significant portion of carries with a younger player. Anderson should't have too much trouble drumming up interest, but he'll likely have to settle for a backup role and/or another opportunity to earn his snaps.

Abdullah is re-signing with Minnesota, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio reports.

Cut by Detroit midway through the 2018 season, Abdullah quickly resurfaced in Minnesota, where he played six snaps on offense and 86 on special teams in seven games. He's never lived up to his second-round draft status, but the ability to return and cover kicks would make him a sensible choice for the No. 3 running back spot. The Vikings recently lost Latavius Murray to the Saints, leaving them with Abdullah, Mike Boone and Roc Thomas as depth options behind Dalvin Cook. With additional competition sure to come later this offseason, Abdullah will need to reprove his value on special teams.