NFL Player News

In a projection of the Broncos 53-man roster, ESPN's Jeff Legwold wrote that rusher Ronnie Hillman would be the backup to starter Montee Ball while fellow running back C.J. Anderson wouldn't make the team. Anderson had been receiving some positive attention this offseason. 

Undrafted rookies Brennan Clay and Juwan Thompson also figure into the competition to back up Ball, and both of those players have a shot to make the roster, according to Legwold. Clay is a good pass catcher and Thompson is a bigger back who can pass protect and work on special teams. 

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews wants to be fresh and healthy come the end of the season and the playoffs this year, reports ESPN.

Mathews suffered a sprained ankle against Oakland toward the end of the 2013 season and was ineffective in the playoffs, rushing for a total of 78 yards in two contests against Cincinnati and Denver. Although he played a full 16-game season for the first time in his four-year NFL career, Mathews is focused on being on the field and at his best when the games matter most.

"That’s my expectation this season," Mathews said. "I've got to do more and do better, so I can be there with my guys to be able to help them out as much as I can when we get there again."

This offseason, Mathews did running and agility drills at the beach to strengthen the smaller muscles in his legs and maintain his 220-pound frame.

"I think Ryan is going to have a great year, probably better than last year," Chargers offensive tackle D.J. Fluker said. "He looks faster."

The 49ers placed six players on the non-football injury list Thursday: running back Marcus Lattimore, wide receiver Bruce Ellington, center Marcus Martin, fullback Trey Millard, cornerback Keith Reaser and guard Brandon Thomas, reports the Sacramento Bee. The NFI list is for players who suffered injuries away from the 49ers facility.

Millard, Reaser and Thomas injured knees in college and are expected to miss the season. Lattimore is still rehabilitating from a knee injury while at South Carolina in 2012. Ellington and Martin both practiced during the 49ers’ spring sessions; their injuries are not believed to be serious.

Two draft picks, outside linebacker Aaron Lynch and defensive end Kaleb Ramsey, were placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list. That means they were injured this spring. Both are eligible to start the season on the PUP list, where they would not count against the team’s 53-man roster.

The Cowboys will go into the season with DeMarco Murray as the starting running back and Lance Dunbar being used as a specialist, reports ESPN.

But Joseph Randle and Ryan Williams are competing for the No. 3 job, and Randle "has the inside track." The report also says Randle "would likely take over the every-down role if something were to happen to Murray."

Everyone knows that the Vikings' run game will revolve around Adrian Peterson. But the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that rookie Jerick McKinnon will compete for playing time in camp this summer, likely as a pass-catching running back. 

McKinnon didn't do a lot of that in college at Georgia Southern but looked great running routes and showing off nice hands during OTAs and minicamp. McKinnon's usage will depend on a number of factors, including how often the team will want to spell Peterson. There's also a chance, per the paper, that McKinnon and Peterson could be on the field at the same time. 

The Colts are ready to see the best of running back Trent Richardson, reports ESPN.

The report says there are no more excuses about not knowing the playbook or getting familiar with the team. He has had an entire offseason to learn everything, and now he can use his natural instincts when he's on the field, instead of constantly trying to remember the plays.

Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in 2012, had offseason shoulder surgery and will head into training camp as the starter, with Ahmad Bradshaw ready to take some snaps from him if he struggles.

It's been an offseason full of promises and potential for receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. After scoring in five straight games to end last season, the Vikings receiver is poised for a breakout year after many reports of him learning all the spots on the field, improving as a route runner and finding more plays in new coordinator Norv Turner's playbook. 

ESPN believes Turner will get the ball to Patterson "as much as he can" because of his incredible playmaking ability. Patterson is 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and runs like the wind. He figures to be the Vikings' best offensive weapon behind Adrian Peterson. 

The Jets have repeatedly said they plan on using Chris Johnson, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell in a running back committee. But according to the New York Post, if Johnson "shows his old form that committee approach will be thrown out the window. You can count on it."

The paper admits that's a big if. Johnson averaged a career-low 3.9 yards per carry last season and his longest run went 30 yards. The Jets hope that dip in production stemmed from Johnson's knee injury, and not a general decline, the report said.

The Ravens struggled on short-yardage plays last year and might turn to rookie running back Lorenzo Taliaferro in those situations, reports the Baltimore Sun. The fourth-rounder out of Coastal Carolina weighs nearly 230 pounds.

Last year he rushed for 1,487 yards and scored 23 touchdowns, winning Big South Player of the Week honors five times.

Taliaferro, Bernard Pierce and possibily Justin Forsett could see substantial carries early in the season, with Ray Rice expected to be suspended a few games.

New Jets running back Chris Johnson will be kept on a "pitch count" in training camp because he's coming off of torn meniscus surgery. ESPN not only reported that but echoed the sentiment that the Jets will use a running back-by-committee approach even with Johnson joining the team. New York is expected to experiment with the playing time of Johnson, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell during the preseason. 

Johnson has had at least 251 carries in each of his first six seasons with the Titans, posting over 1,000 rushing yards in all of them. He's also had at least 1,400 total yards in each of his six seasons. All of that might be in jeopardy given the Jets' plans.