NFL Player News

Waddle, who has been dealing with muscle tightness, didn't participate in practice Tuesday, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Waddle was present for Tuesday's session but didn't work into team drills. The former Dolphin remains day-to-day ahead of Friday's preseason opener against the Falcons, but given that he hasn't practiced since last Wednesday, it's increasingly likely he'll be sidelined for that contest.

Golden (toe) returned to practice Tuesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

With Golden and Jayden Reed (ankle) both returning to practice after brief absences, the Packers are mostly healthy at wide receiver. QB Jordan Love is expected to start Thursday's preseason game against the Steelers, but it isn't clear if Golden and Reed will be available after dealing with minor injuries earlier in the week.

Reed (ankle) returned to practice Tuesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

The Packers are banged up at other positions, but with Reed and Matthew Golden (toe) both returning to practice, the team is at least in good shape at wide receiver. It's unclear if either one will suit up for Thursday's preseason game against Pittsburgh, but starting QB Jordan Love is expected to play.

General manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that Pierce (ankle) is expected to play Week 1 against the Ravens, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

The wideout still has some hurdles to clear in the recovery process from March surgery, and though he's not practicing with the Colts while on the PUP list, Pierce was in attendance for Tuesday's session and was seen taking part in individual work off to the side, per Boyd. After trading away Michael Pittman and rewarding Pierce with a four-year, $114 million contract earlier this offseason, the Colts are counting on the 26-year-old to take on a much larger role in the aerial attack after he has mostly operated as a low-volume vertical threat over his first four seasons in the league.

Chase and other starters are scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason opener against Detroit, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor also said QB Joe Burrow and WR Tee Higgins will play. In the past two preseason openers, Burrow played a total of three drives and ended each with a TD pass, including one to Chase.

Flowers (quadriceps) will take part in Tuesday's practice, Sam Cohn of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Flowers could be in store for limited reps Tuesday after he exited Saturday's session due to a left quad contusion, but his presence on the field in any capacity suggests the Ravens aren't viewing the injury as a major concern. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old landed a four-year contract extension worth up to $140 million, solidifying his standing as the Ravens' No. 1 wideout both this season and beyond.

Pierce (ankle) was present for Tuesday's practice and took part in individual work off to the side under the supervision of a trainer, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke about Pierce's situation Tuesday, noting that the wideout received a platelet-rich plasma injection in January before opting for surgery on his ankle two months later when the shot didn't yield the desired results. Pierce has suffered no setbacks and required no follow-up procedures, and any concern about his ankle didn't deter the Colts from signing him to a four-year, $114 million contract in March. The fifth-year player still looks like he has a few more hurdles to clear before returning to action, and he currently remains on the PUP list.

Downs (groin) is back at practice Tuesday, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

While the extent of Downs' participation is uncertain, a quick return to practice confirms his groin injury isn't serious. He was held out over the weekend and now seems ready to return after missing just a few days. With Alec Pierce (ankle) still unavailable, Downs is the unquestioned No. 1 WR at Indianapolis practices these days.

McMillan (knee) is doing individual drills at Tuesday's practice, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Even if he isn't a full participant, McMillan's relatively quick return to practice seemingly confirms that his knee injury isn't serious. He's been out for about a week but may now be ready for a preseason appearance. McMillan is the favorite for Tampa Bay's No. 3 WR job, behind returning starters Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin. Competition for snaps primarily comes from Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst.

Smith (hamstring) isn't participating in Tuesday's practice, Martin Frank of The Delaware News Journal reports.

Though Smith will sit out his fifth consecutive practice, he appears to be making strides in his recovery from a hamstring injury. According to Tim McManus of ESPN.com, Smith was spotted doing some running on the field prior to Tuesday's session, which he hadn't done in advance of any of the previous four practices. The Eagles continue to view the hamstring issue as a short-term concern and appear to be playing it safe with their No. 1 wideout.