NFL Player News

Walker (ankle) is participating in Seattle's voluntary OTAs, per the team's official site.

Walker is pictured among teammates participating in the Seahawks' second week of OTAs, which began Monday. Now healthy and heading into the final year of his rookie deal, Walker's situation in Seattle's backfield remains familiar. If he can avoid the injury bug and stay 100 percent healthy, something Walker has struggled to accomplish through his first three seasons in the NFL, he looks entrenched as the starter ahead of Zach Charbonnet. The arrival of new starting quarterback Sam Darnold could allow this offense to take a step forward in 2025, while new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme, which focuses on zone rushes, is an ideal fit for Walker's tough running style and explosiveness. Health remains the most pivotal factor in prognosticating Walker, but if he's able to break the pattern of lower-body injuries hampering him, it won't be surprising if the 2022 second-round pick outperforms his ADP in 2025 fantasy drafts.

Mitchell has been a standout at Baltimore's voluntary OTAs and said Monday that he feels fully recovered from the ACL tear he suffered as a rookie in 2023, Ryan Mink of the team's official site reports.

The 23-year-old is showing some of the burst he displayed before the injury, when across eight regular-season games in 2023 he rushed 47 times for 396 yards and two scores, for a tremendous 8.4 YPC. The following season, Mitchell's debut was delayed until Week 10 due to his rehab, and across five regular-season appearances he was held to just 2.0 YPC. Now entering Year 3, he not only feels 100 percent healthy, but he indicated that he's set personal records in all of his speed tracking analytics this offseason. Even so, Mitchell will face tough competition for change-of-pace reps in the Ravens backfield. Derrick Henry remains entrenched as Baltimore's workhorse and inked a two-year extension this offseason, while Justice Hill did well as a pass-catching specialist in 2024.

Bernard was waived by the Titans on Monday, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

The running back was let go to make room for another back, Tyrion Davis-Price, per Davenport. Bernard signed with the Titans in May after recording 1,009 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his last collegiate season at Utah in 2024. Now, though, he'll have to look elsewhere to find an NFL opportunity.

Demercado (back) is participating in voluntary OTAs, Jess Root of USA Today reports.

Demercado missed the final four games of the 2024 season due to a back injury that required him to be placed on IR, but he's now back on the field for OTAs. He looked impressive as a change-of-pace option behind James Conner and Trey Benson in 2024, averaging a tremendous 9.3 YPC in a small sample size of 24 carries for 223 yards and one score (13 regular-season contests). Arizona looks set to carry an essentially identical backfield depth chart into the 2025 campaign, positioning Demercado to compete for a similar No. 3 role in which his efficiency on limited touches can shine.

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said Robinson "has played an incredibly high level" and "knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level" as he enters the final season of his rookie deal, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.

Kingsbury called Robinson "focused" and praised his performance "early in the year" during the 2024 season "when he was really healthy." The 2022 second-round pick opened last year with a dominant share of Washington's backfield reps but picked up a knee injury Week 5, then battled ankle and hamstring issues down the stretch. While those injuries only caused Robinson to miss three regular-season games, Kingsbury's comments imply that he could have handled more opportunities had he been fully healthy. Robinson has improved in terms of rushing touchdowns and YPC in each season since entering the NFL, and with Washington's most notable offseason addition to the backfield having been 2025 seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt, he remains positioned for the lead role alongside veteran Austin Ekeler in Kingsbury's run-heavy scheme. The Commanders upgraded the O-line via first-round pick Josh Conerly at right tackle and trade acquisition Laremy Tunsil at left tackle, putting Robinson in position to take advantage of improved blocking in an offense that should take a step forward with Jayden Daniels entering Year 2.

The Titans signed Davis-Price to a two-year contract Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The 24-year-old running back was the 93rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the 49ers but carried the ball just 40 times for 120 scoreless yards (3.0 YPC) in seven regular-season games across two seasons with the team. He appeared in one regular-season contest with the Eagles last year, rushing three times for seven yards. Davis-Price will try to win a job behind Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and Julius Chestnut in Tennessee.

Benson (ankle) has been participating in the Cardinals' voluntary OTAs, per the team's official site.

Benson missed the last three games of his rookie season due to an ankle injury that required him being placed on IR, but Arizona's offseason photo release now shows him participating in Phase 3 of OTAs. Across 13 regular-season appearances as a rookie, the 2024 third-round pick rushed 63 times for 291 yards (4.6 YPC) and one score. He was active Week 5 but took no snaps behind workhorse James Conner. Benson is slotted for a backup role behind Conner entering Year 2 but remains a high-upside developmental option, in the event that the 30-year-old veteran starter atop the depth chart shows signs of regression coming off a career-high 283 touches. Admittedly, though, Conner is a three-down player and impressed with 1,508 yards from scrimmage while remaining healthy for a career-best 16 regular-season games in 2024, and if he reprises a similar performance in 2025 few opportunities will be left over for Benson.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Thursday that Estime is a "back that requires enough touches" and "just didn't have enough as a rookie," but is "going to get those opportunities" during the 2025 season, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.

Estime and fellow incumbent Jaleel McLaughlin opened OTAs taking the majority of first-team running back reps, but courtesy of his second-round draft capital, it shouldn't take long for rookie RJ Harvey to climb the depth chart. A 2024 fifth-round pick, Estime racked up 76 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns across 14 regular-season games as a rookie, while securing all five of his targets for 27 yards and fumbling twice (one lost). He was also a healthy scratch for the team's wild-card round playoff loss to the Bills. Harvey's addition to the backfield figures to more than account for the touches vacated by Javonte Williams' departure for Dallas in free agency, but Payton appears to still envision a clear role for Estime, even acknowledging that his bruising rushing style requires ample opportunities to wear down opposing defenses. At 5-foot-11, 227-pounds, Estime could operate as a 'thunder' complement to the 5-foot-8, 205-pound Harvey's 'lightning,' though the latter tailback demonstrated an ability to withstand a workhorse role during his time at UCF.

Mixon (lower body) is not participating in voluntary team activities Friday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Mixon has sported a walking boot recently due to an injury Wilson's sources describe as minor, though head coach DeMeco Ryans has yet to comment on the starting running back's status. All expectations remain that Mixon will be a full-go for the start of training camp in late July, if not mandatory minicamp in June. Mixon's inaugural season with Houston saw him dominate backfield reps, compiling 245 carries for 1,016 yards (4.1 YPC) and eight scores across 14 regular-season appearances while adding 36 grabs for 309 yards (on 52 targets) and another score. While Mixon faded in terms of efficiency down the stretch of the regular season, he managed a surge during the Texans' two playoff contests, combining for 43 carries for 194 yards and two scores. Mixon remains secure in a workhorse role entering his age-29 season, with Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks set to compete for No. 2 reps.

Davis took first-team running back reps at Thursday's voluntary team activities with James Cook absent, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.

Davis figures to be the primary beneficiary of increased first-team reps as long as Cook's desire for a contract extension keeps him away from the team, though Ty Johnson may also get some extra work. Cook led Buffalo's impressive rushing attack last season with 207 carries for 1,009 yards and a shocking 16 touchdowns (after scoring just twice on the ground in the two years prior) in the regular season, while Davis took a back seat with 113 carries for 442 yards and three scores while playing in all 17 regular-season games. At 220 pounds, Davis boasts a significantly larger frame than Cook or Johnson, which resulted in him facing more stacked boxes and suffering in terms of efficiency compared to his backfield mates. However, his size also makes it conceivable that more of the Bills' scoring opportunities on the ground could swing his way in Year 2.