NFL Player News

Rice (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's Super Bowl matchup with the 49ers.

The rookie sandwiched full practices Wednesday and Friday around a limited session Thursday. He was initially listed with one ankle injury and now is listed with both, but it seems neither is bad enough to threaten his availability for the big game. Rice has been Kansas City's clear No. 1 WR since mid-season, routinely leading the group in snaps, routes, targets and yards while the other guys mostly have rotated. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson are the best bets to get playing time alongside Rice, though neither is a sure thing to handle a typical starter's workload.

Bell finished with six receptions (13 targets) for 68 yards and three touchdowns while appearing in 17 regular-season games for San Francisco in 2023.

Bell product wasn't projected to make the 53-man roster after being selected by a team loaded at receiver, but a strong camp earned him a reserve role out of the gates. The Michigan product didn't get a ton of run with just six catches in 17 games, but he had a nose for the end zone with half of those receptions hitting pay dirt. Bell also helped fill in for an injured Ray-Ray McCloud as the 49ers' punt returner over the team's final five games. With the latter's contract expiring this offseason, Bell could find himself taking over return duties while being mixed in on offense in 2024.

Conley finished the 2023 campaign with three receptions for 69 yards across eight regular-season games with San Francisco.

Conley spent most of the season on the 49ers' practice squad, sporadically appearing in games for a handful of snaps when needed. It wasn't until his eighth appearance against the Rams in Week 18 that the speedy veteran logged his first catch since signing with San Francisco. At 31 years old, Conley doesn't offer a ton of upside as an impending unrestricted free agent nor as a fantasy asset in 2024.

McCloud accrued 135 receiving yards and 428 combined return yards across 12 regular-season games with San Francisco in 2023.

McCloud overcame a broken wrist suffered during training camp to suit up as the 49ers' return specialist in Week 1. The 27-year-old still sat out five games over the course of the regular season due to injury, with Deebo Samuel and rookie Ronnie Bell handling return duties in McCloud's absence. The veteran wideout performed up to standards as a return man, chipping in 165 combined yards from scrimmage on offense. This upcoming offseason, the 49ers may opt to have the cheaper Bell take over return duties while letting McCloud walk in free agency to save cap space in 2024.

Pascal tallied four catches (on 15 targets) for 19 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games during the 2023 campaign.

In a receiving corps devoid of size outside of rookie third-rounder Michael Wilson (6-foot-2, 213 pounds), the 6-foot-2, 219-pound Pascal had a chance for a decent role in a Cardinals offense otherwise dominated by the diminutive Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch. Instead, Pascal surpassed a 30 percent snap share in only two of his 14 appearances and stumbled to the lowest output of his six-year career by a long shot. He's an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, so the 29-year-old may not be much more than camp fodder for any team that inks him to a new deal in the coming months.

Dortch reeled in 24 of 41 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, had one five-yard carry, recorded 17 kick returns for 360 yards and returned 29 punts for 275 yards in 16 regular-season games in 2023.

Dortch was barely utilized (one target) before Week 9, but with Kyler Murray back from a torn ACL thereafter, the wide receiver was a regular option for the quarterback the rest of the way. Even though a variety of injuries stretched the receiving corps thin during that span, Dortch mustered just a 23-278-2 line on 39 targets over the final eight contests of the campaign. He's an exclusive-rights free agent this offseason, so he likely will be a member of the Cardinals in 2024 assuming they tender him a contract.

Rice was a limited practice participant Thursday due to injured ankles.

Until Thursday's practice report, Rice was listed as a full participant with an ankle issue, but the Chiefs expanded that to the plural ankles just three days before Super Bowl LVIII. The rookie wide receiver thus will have one more chance to return to all activity or else potentially be in danger of heading into the weekend with a designation for Sunday's game against the 49ers.

Covey underwent a procedure on his left knee this offseason, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The punt returner noted it likely contributed to the nagging quad issue he dealt with during the season, per McLane. As a receiver, Covey caught four balls for 42 yards and no touchdowns in 16 games in 2023, though he did averaged the second-most yards per punt return (14.4) in the league. In 17 games in 2022 with the Eagles, Covey did not record a catch.

Moore (knee) was a full practice participant Wednesday.

After the Chiefs activated him from injured reserve earlier in the day, Moore handled every on-field rep after being contained to three limited practices during the first week of Super Bowl LVIII prep. It remains to be seen to what extent the team incorporates Moore into the offense Sunday against the 49ers, but in three of five games before sustaining a swollen knee Week 15, he logged at least a 49 percent snap share.

The Lions signed Smith to a reserve/future contract Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Smith will head to Detroit after spending time with both the Saints and Broncos this past season. He made his lone appearance in 2023 with the latter team, recording no receptions over nine snaps on offense in a Week 8 win over the Chiefs.