NFL Player News

The Steelers and 49ers have re-engaged in trade talks Tuesday regarding a potential deal for Aiyuk, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

It was reported as of Monday night that San Francisco had trade frameworks in place with both the Patriots and Browns, and it appears that Pittsburgh, a destination that Aiyuk previously named as a preference, has jumped back into the mix. All interested teams still have to overcome the hurdle of meeting Aiyuk's contract demands before a trade can be consummated, but if the wideout truly is interested in the Steelers as a landing spot, that could provide extra momentum to get a deal done with them. Previous reports suggested the Browns and Patriots would send a veteran wideout to the 49ers as part of the deal, with Amari Cooper and Kendrick Bourne (knee) being floated, but the only option the Steelers might have to include in a package is Van Jefferson, as the rest of their receiver room is very inexperienced behind George Pickens. That could mean a deal would have to involve additional draft capital. Aiyuk remains present, but is not practicing, at 49ers training camp.

The Ravens signed Gage on Tuesday.

Gage missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon last August, but he's progressed to the point where the Ravens will give him a chance to compete for a WR spot behind top options Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The 28-year-old last saw regular-season action with Tampa Bay in 2022, when he recorded a 51/426/5 receiving line in 13 regular-season games.

Coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday that the Bears will "experiment" with Jones at the running back position during and leading up to Saturday's road preseason game against the Bills, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Eberflus praised the "versatility of the talent and the skillsets that [Jones] offers our offense." The 2022 third-round pick has done worryingly little across two seasons with the Bears, with just four catches for 20 yards on seven targets, plus eight carries for 51 yards, across 14 regular-season games last year. It's possible that working out of the backfield will spark something for the 27-year-old, who may also benefit from the NFL's revised kick return rules this season. Still, it's difficult to imagine Jones earning consisted touches in a running back room that already houses D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson.

Nabers has impressed during training camp thus far, Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic reports.

Nabers immediately moved into the No. 1 receiver role when the Giants drafted him sixth overall in April, and he's so far done nothing to make anyone in the organization question his ability to handle that responsibility. Carroll notes that the 21-year-old has "shown off with highlight reel catches" "in nearly every practice," and offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Mike Kafka stated that the rookie has been "getting better and more comfortable" every day. Most recently, Nabers showed off his talent in a pair of joint practices against the Lions, reeling in 17 of the 18 passes Daniel Jones threw his way, per Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record. It remains to be seen if Nabers will see action in New York's first preseason game Thursday against Detroit, as Brian Daboll hasn't yet revealed his plans for playing starters, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.

Patrick is listed as a starter on the Broncos' initial unofficial depth chart, Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports.

When it comes to preseason depth charts posted by NFL teams, listings often need to be taken with a grain of salt, and in the case of Denver's initial version, it's notable that no rookie (including QB Bo Nix) is listed higher than third-string. With regard to Patrick, it's encouraging that the 30-year-old -- who last saw regular-season action in 2021 -- appears to have moved past the serious injuries that derailed his last two campaigns. That said, it remains to be seen what his role might be come Week 1, with Marvin Mims, Josh Reynolds and rookie Troy Franklin all vying for slotting behind top WR Courtland Sutton. In terms of ADP and consensus rankings, Mims and Franklin are generally next up on the radar of fantasy drafters.

Gipson (leg) returned to practice Tuesday, Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record reports.

Gipson had been sidelined since the late July with an undisclosed leg injury, making his return a notable development for the Jets' offense. In addition to profiling as New York's top return man, especially since the surprise retirement of Tarik Cohen, Gipson figures to rotate alongside Allen Lazard and Malachi Corley in the No. 3 wide receiver role behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams (knee), the latter of whom remains on the active/PUP list.

Tolbert has been one of the most impressive players so far in the Cowboys' training camp, Nick Harris of the team's website reports.

With CeeDee Lamb holding out while seeking a contract extension, Tolbert has used the available first-team reps to solidify his hold on the WR3 job. The third-year player out of South Alabama was the wideout who worked with Dak Prescott the most this offseason, and the duo is flashing much-improved chemistry in camp. If Lamb's holdout extends into the regular season, or he has a slow start due to the time he missed, Tolbert seems positioned to burst out of the gates on the 2024 campaign.

The 49ers have a framework in place to trade Aiyuk to the Patriots or Browns if he can agree to a contract with either team, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The two teams reportedly are wiling to meet San Francisco's trade demands but haven't yet met Aiyuk's contract demands. Both agreements presumably need to be hammered out before a trade is completed, with Jets edge rush Haason Reddick providing a cautionary example about trading for a player that's in a contract year and seeking a new deal. Previous reports suggested the 49ers would be more willing to trade Aiyuk if they get a veteran wideout as part of the return, with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggesting Amari Cooper could be involved in any deal with the Browns. Kendrick Bourne (knee) has also been mentioned in relation to a trade with the Patriots, in part because he spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers. A trade involving Bourne rather than Cooper presumably would entail far more draft compensation, as the former is still working his way back from the ACL tear he suffered Oct. 29 last season and has had a significantly less impressive career to date. It's also possible these recent reports could inspire another team to up its offer for Aiyuk, although any new suitor would also face the same hurdle of needing to work out a contract with him prior to trading for him. Aiyuk requested a trade in mid-July and has been present at 49ers training camp but is not practicing.

Legette (foot) is listed behind Jonathan Mingo on the Panthers' initial depth chart released ahead of Carolina's first preseason game Thursday against New England.

Joe Person of The Athletic reports that there's more to be desired in Legette's camp performance thus far, as he hasn't made any "head-turning plays" and has been outperformed by Mingo and Terrace Marshall. Legette missed the last few weeks of spring with a hamstring issue and is now dealing with a foot injury as well, which could be detrimental to building chemistry with Bryce Young before the 2024 season. Person also stated that he expects head coach Dave Canales to find ways to get the ball in Legette's hands throughout the season, but he still has a long way to go and needs all the practice reps he can get at this time. It seems like it'll be an uphill battle for Legette to start the Panthers' 2024 campaign as one of the team's top three wideouts, but that could change if he begins to show out after returning from injury.

Mingo is listed as one of the first-team wide receivers on the Panthers' initial depth chart released ahead of the team's first preseason game Thursday against the Patriots.

Mingo has been turning heads with his impressive play throughout Panthers camp, and it seems he's earned himself a spot as one of Carolina's starting wide receivers for the time being. He's slotted in ahead of 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette (foot), who's dealt with a couple injuries now and has yet to make his presence felt. Mingo was listed as a starter on the Panthers' first depth chart during his rookie campaign as well, but he went on to struggle, posting a 43-418-0 receiving line while appearing in all 17 of Carolina's regular-season games. The Ole Miss product seems to have built more of a rapport with Bryce Young in their second offseason together, and he'll have the chance to continue turning heads as the preseason progresses.