NFL Player News

Johnson (groin) isn't practicing Thursday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Johnson initially was held out of practice Wednesday, with coach Dave Canales saying the wideout had a "mild groin strain." The Panthers apparently don't expect him to be out for long, but it's probably safe to assume Johnson will miss Saturday's preseason game against the Jets.

Kirk is dealing with a "mild" calf injury and won't practice this week, John Shipley of SI.com reports.

Coach Doug Pederson termed the absence "precautionary" and said Kirk will be re-evaluated next week, per Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL 92.5 FM Jacksonville. The Jags plan to rest key players this upcoming Saturday against Tampa Bay, after giving most of the top guys (including Kirk) a single drive in a preseason-opening win over the Chiefs on Sunday. A mild calf injury -- with three and a half weeks to go before the regular-season opener -- isn't especially likely to threaten Kirk's availability for the games that actually matter.

Knue secured two of five targets for 29 yards, returned one kickoff for 30 yards and ran back two punts for 22 yards in the Buccaneers' 17-14 preseason win over the Bengals on Saturday night.

The undrafted free agent had a chance to show off his versatility while tying for the team lead in targets. Knue's usage as a returner was particularly noteworthy, considering he ran back all of one kickoff during his six-year college tenure at Eastern Michigan. Knue appears to almost certainly be a practice-squad candidate at best due to the Buccaneers' deep receiver corps, but the coaching staff is apparently intrigued by his talent given the amount of opportunity he saw in his first preseason game.

Means (undisclosed) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports.

Means and Rashid Shaheed (hamstring) both shed their non-contact jerseys and practiced in full Wednesday. A rookie fifth-round pick, Means is competing for a depth role on New Orleans' final roster, so he'll work to make a splash during Sunday's preseason game against the 49ers.

Head coach John Harbaugh suggested Wednesday that Flowers and other key starters aren't likely to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Falcons, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Flowers was among the team's starters not to see action in this past Friday's exhibition opener against the Eagles, and he doesn't look on track to play any snaps this weekend, either. As the coming season approaches, Flowers is slated to start alongside fellow wideout Rashod Bateman, a role that should allow the second-year pro to see steady targets from quarterback Lamar Jackson. As a rookie, Flowers compiled a 77-858-5 receiving line across 16 games, numbers that he'll have a good chance to eclipse provided he can stay healthy in 2024.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that Lockett is dealing with a leg injury, but that the issue isn't considered serious, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

Lockett's leg injury may affect his availability for Saturday's preseason game against the Titans, but the wideout still appears on track to be ready to go for Week 1. If Lockett's condition takes a turn for the worse or if he suffers a setback, however, second-year pro Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have a clear path to the No. 2 wide receiver role behind DK Metcalf.

Fernea (undisclosed) was waived with an injury designation Wednesday.

Fernea appeared in three regular-season games for the Colts last season, but the unknown injury could leave him sidelined for the 2024 campaign. Assuming he clears waivers, the UCLA product will revert to IR, which would force him to miss the season unless he reaches an injury settlement with the team.

Ward signed a contract with the Colts on Wednesday.

Ward has been a regular member of the Eagles' organization for the past five seasons, including as a member of the practice squad for the last two. The Houston product last suited up in 2021, where he appeared in 17 regular-season games, making seven catches on 11 targets for 95 yards and three touchdowns.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Addison, who was carted off the field Wednesday with an ankle injury, isn't dealing with a serious concern but won't practice Thursday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Addison will undergo further tests on his ankle, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic, but the belief is that the second-year wideout will be back on the field in short order. Even if Addison has avoided a major injury, he'll likely be held out of Saturday's preseason game against the Browns. With rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) having undergone season-ending surgery Wednesday, Addison looks set to catch passes from Sam Darnold to begin the regular season.

Addison was carted off the field during Wednesday's practice with an unspecified injury, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

After leaping for a contested pass, Addison was visibly hobbled as he left the field with help from the Vikings' training staff. The nature of his injury isn't yet known but likely will be clarified once head coach Kevin O'Connell next speaks to the media.