NFL Player News

Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans on Friday praised Hutchinson's performance in Thursday's preseason game, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston reports. "Hutch did a really nice job," Ryans said. "Had a good feel for the football, really liked where he was going. He made some really nice plays for us."

Hutchinson paced Houston's receivers, catching five of six targets for 56 yards against the Bears. There's a crowd of wideouts looking for the final spots behind the Texans' top three, and Hutchinson's effort at least puts him ahead of John Metchie and on par with Ben Skowronek. It's unclear where Hutchinson sits in relation to Noah Brown (undisclosed) and Robert Woods, both of whom did not play Thursday.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Friday that he wants to see how Metchie responds after a quiet preseason game Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston reports.

Metchie caught one of two targets for four yards after an impressive start to training camp. The coach believes Metchie didn't play with the same speed and decisiveness as seen when he showed up at camp, but Ryans said he's not reading too much into one game. "I just put a lot into how guys respond the next time," Ryans said. For now, Metchie has fallen behind Xavier Hutchinson and Ben Skowronek.

Titans head coach Brian Callahan confirmed Saturday that Hopkins (knee) will be out "several weeks" and indicated that the receiver won't require surgery, Ben Arthur of FoxSports.com reports.

Hopkins' initial diagnosis for his strained knee indicated he could miss 4-to-6 weeks, and that timeline seems to be accurate given Callahan's comments. In positive news, the fact that Hopkins won't require surgery suggests that the injury isn't likely to sideline Hopkins beyond the first week or two of the regular season, if he misses any games at all. It's still unclear whether Hopkins could be ready for Week 1, but if he does miss regular-season time, Treylon Burks and Tyler Boyd would be the most obvious candidates for increased volume on offense.

Dulin (knee) was a full-go in the Colts' Friday practice and is a "frequent flyer for [Joe] Flacco during 11-on-11s," Jake Arthur of Sports Illustrated reports.

Dulin suffered a season-ending torn ACL back in August of 2023, but his recovery journey now looks to be complete. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver has been practicing fully with Indianapolis, and it appears he also has created a solid connection with backup quarterback Joe Flacco ahead of the season.

Jeudy (knee) was limited at practice Friday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

After missing some time, Jeudy is being eased back into the mix, but his presence on the field both Thursday and Friday bode well for his chances of participating fully in practice before long. As the coming season approaches, Jeudy -- who signed a three-year extension with the Browns after coming over in a trade with the Broncos -- is slated to be a prime target for QB Deshaun Watson alongside top WR Amari Cooper, with Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman also in line to garner their share of looks. In that context, Jeudy -- a 2020 first-rounder -- should have an opportunity to surpass the 54/758/2 receiving mark he recorded in 16 regular-season outings with Denver last season.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that Jennings has an ankle injury but is expected back soon, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Jennings worked off to the side at Friday's practice. It doesn't sound like a serious issue for the veteran wideout. Jennings has been a fixture in three-wide sets for the 49ers over the last few seasons, but he hasn't been a big target-earner as the fifth option in the offense. Jennings' biggest competition for playing time in 2024 will be first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall.

Coach Sean Payton noted Friday that Mims is "doing well" in training camp, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

With Jerry Jeudy (knee) having been traded to the Browns this offseason, targets that don't go to top wideout Courtland Sutton are up for grabs. With that in mind, Mims -- who logged a 22/377/1 receiving line in 16 regular-season games in 2023 as a second-round rookie -- has a prime opportunity to see an uptick in production in his second year as a pro. Also in the mix to fill the void created by Jeudy's departure are free-agent addition Josh Reynolds, veteran Tim Patrick and 2024 fourth-rounder Troy Franklin, but according as Cecil Lammey of denversports.com Mims' speed and big-play ability from either the slot or outside should give him an opportunity to carve out a key role in Denver's offense alongside Sutton and Reynolds in three-WR sets.

Nacua was signed by the Saints on Friday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Nacua hasn't seen action in the NFL since competing in Indianapolis' training camp after being signed by the team as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 draft. The older brother of Puka Nacua will likely compete for a reserve spot in the Saints' wide receiver room.

Smith was signed by the Jets on Friday.

Smith was most recently waived by Arizona ahead of the 2023 season and has yet to appear in his first NFL game. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver will have a tough journey to getting a spot on the 53-man roster, but he could ultimately end up on the organization's practice squad.

The Jets signed Winstead on Friday.

Winstead bounced in and out of San Francisco's organization throughout the 2023 season but never made it past the practice squad. During a stint with the UFL's Arlington Renegades during their recent season, the 6-foot-4 wide receiver recorded 12 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns. The undrafted East Carolina product will have a long way to go to see the field with the Jets, but nothing is out of the question, especially after he gained experience in the UFL.