NFL Player News

Worthy (hamstring) participated in Wednesday's practice session, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

Worthy appears to have recovered from the left hamstring injury that kept him sidelined throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and though he missed a few plays Wednesday due to a hand issue, he was back on the field and catching passes from Ian Book by the end of the session. Per Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site, the team is currently hosting a "pre-camp" introduction for quarterbacks and rookies, which includes three practices before training camp officially kicks off Sunday. Patrick Mahomes said Tuesday that Worthy won't be eased into action come camp, according to Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com, so the rookie first-round pick should be competing for notable practice reps before long.

Simms agreed to a contract with the Seahawks on Tuesday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

An undrafted free agent in 2019, Simms failed to catch on in the NFL after being waived from the Jaguars' injured reserve with a concussion in November of his rookie season. He turned heads in the UFL this spring however, logging 23 catches for 426 yards and three touchdowns with the Michigan Panthers. Simms also tallied over 1,000 yards as a returner during his collegiate career at West Virginia. He'll likely need to leverage his skills on special teams in order to carve out a role with Seattle this offseason.

The Saints placed Means (undisclosed) on the active/non-football injury list Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Means' injury remains undisclosed, but Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that the issue isn't overly serious and that he's expected to be back in action before long. The rookie fifth-round pick will be eligible to come off the NFI list at any point during training camp or the preseason, as soon as he's cleared to resume practicing.

The 49ers placed Pearsall (undisclosed) on the active/non-football injury list Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Pearsall's placement on the NFI list indicates that his injury was sustained away from team activities. The details and severity of the injury remain undisclosed, but the 2024 first-round pick's placement on the NFI list comes at the same time as Brandon Aiyuk's official request to be traded, potentially depriving the 49ers of both negotiation leverage and receiver depth. If Aiyuk's request is granted and he ends up traded, Pearsall will benefit from a substantially clearer path to starting reps alongside Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, but he'll first need to get healthy and return to the practice field.

The Dolphins placed Washington (undisclosed) on the PUP list Tuesday with an undisclosed injury.

Washington is out indefinitely after being injured during a team practice this spring, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The rookie seventh-round pick can come off the PUP list at any point during training camp or the preseason, but an estimated timetable for his recovery remains undisclosed.

Cephus agreed to terms Tuesday on a contract with the Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Cephus spent time in Buffalo earlier this offseason, but he was cut by the Bills prior to the 2024 NFL Draft. The 2020 fifth-round pick briefly flashed during his time in Detroit, but he was then suspended the entire 2023 season for violating the league's gambling policy. Now, Cephus will compete for a depth role in Houston's crowded WR room, with all of Robert Woods, Noah Brown, John Metchie, Ben Skowronek and Xavier Hutchinson vying for end-of-roster gigs. At best, Cephus will likely be competing for a spot on the practice squad.

Aiyuk officially requested a trade from the 49ers on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Aiyuk's trade requests follows a tumultuous offseason, and though his recent meeting with the team was reported to have gone well, the star wideout is now looking to force San Francisco's hand with training camp just around the corner. It now seems realistic that Aiyuk, who is currently positioned to play out the 2024 season on a $14.12 million salary under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, could hold out of training camp if no trade comes quickly to fruition. The 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the first round of April's draft, giving the team a pivot option behind top wideout Deebo Samuel should Aiyuk move on, and also brought back Jauan Jennings on a two-year deal.

The state of Louisiana dropped misdemeanor underage gambling and felony computer fraud charges against Boutte, the receiver's attorney announced Tuesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

The 22-year-old was arrested in January in Baton Rouge, La. after he was alleged to have taken part in illegal sports betting while under the legal age of 21 during his time in college at LSU. Even while his legal situation was unresolved, Boutte was a full participant in spring practices for the Patriots, and he's unlikely to be subject to discipline from the NFL now that the charges have been dropped. A 2023 sixth-round draft pick, Boutte suited up for just five games as a rookie and will be fighting for a roster spot in a New England wide receiver group that lacks a true No. 1 option but has plenty of depth.

Addison was arrested Friday in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence, Luca Evans of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

According to a report from California Highway Patrol, Addison was found asleep behind the wheel of an immobilized vehicle blocking a lane of traffic on the freeway near Los Angeles International Airport at 11:06 p.m. local time Friday. The 22-year-old was then arrested and released shortly after a DUI investigation early Saturday. The Vikings released a statement Sunday acknowledging that they are aware of Addison's arrest and are in the process of gathering more information regarding the incident, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. Last summer, Addison plead guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge after being cited for driving 140 miles per hour in Minnesota. The 2023 first-round pick went on to play in all 17 games during his rookie season, logging 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Higgins and the Bengals will not agree to a contract extension by Monday's deadline, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Higgins signed his franchise tag in mid-June and will play on that tag this year before likely becoming a free agent in the 2025 offseason. Per Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site, it's possible the Bengals could franchise-tag Higgins again or work on a tag-and-trade scenario, though it's likely that this will be his final season as a Bengal. Higgins missed five games last season due to injuries but racked up over 1,000 receiving yards in both of the prior two campaigns.