NFL Player News

Hightower won't practice Tuesday due to a groin injury, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.

The severity of the injury is unclear, but the 2020 fifth-round pick will have to return to practice quickly if he has any shot of making the initial 53-man roster. Hightower played 346 offensive snaps over 13 games as a rookie, but he spent the majority of last season on Philadelphia's practice squad, totaling just 11 snaps during his lone appearance of the campaign -- Week 9 against the Chargers.

Perriman (leg) has yet to return to practice, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Perriman suffered a leg injury at practice August 1 and has been unavailable since. The Buccaneers' first preseason game is Saturday and it appears as if the 28-year-old is in danger of missing the contest. Once healthy, Perriman is expected to be a depth option at wide receiver behind the likes of Mike Evans and Russell Gage to open the 2022 campaign.

The Dolphins have engaged in discussions about trading Bowden, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Bowden and fellow incumbent wideout Preston Williams have both had their reps in training camp limited due to impressive showings by rookies Erik Ezukanma (fourth round) and Braylon Sanders (UDFA). Bowden's acumen on special teams should give him a leg up over Williams in terms of competing for a roster spot, but neither player has a clear path to offensive snaps in Miami's revamped receiver corps, so it's conceivable that an organization with poor depth at the position, such as Dallas, could part ways with late-round draft capital. A hamstring injury kept Bowden from taking the field last season, but he's participated in training camp without issue.

Robinson is listed as a first-team wide receiver on the Giants' first unofficial depth chart.

New York has yet to play its first preseason game, and Sterling Shepard is listed at the end of the depth chart because he's on the active/PUP list while recovering from a torn Achilles, so Robinson's placement is far from set in stone. Still, it's an indication that the Giants think highly of the 21-year-old rookie receiver, who they selected in the second round of the draft in April. Should Robinson carve out significant playing time this season, he could prove to be a steal for managers selecting him at the back end of fantasy drafts.

Hodgins scored two touchdowns during Monday's 11-on-11 sessions, Grace Heidinger of the Bills' official site reports.

Coach Sean McDermott stated that he feels Hodgins is playing his best football and is impressed with the way he's played throughout camp. While Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie seem like locks to make the team, there's a logjam of players trying to land the last 2-to-3 available spots. Hodgins, a sixth-round rookie from 2020, has struggled with injuries to date in his pro career, but he's healthy now and appears to be making his case for a spot on the final roster.

Shakir missed practice for the second straight day Monday due to "continued soreness," Grace Heidinger of the Bills' official site reports.

This doesn't sound like anything serious for the fifth-round rookie, but he's going to be in for a dogfight for slotting (or even a roster spot) to begin the season, and any missed practice time could prove costly. On a brighter note, Shakir has been said to be turning heads throughout the summer, and the Bills did trade up to get him on Day 3 of the draft following a stellar college career at Boise State.

Montgomery has been one of the Patriots' early standouts in training camp, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports.

Though the Patriots' roster lists the 29-year-old as a wide receiver, the team's unofficial depth chart has the versatile Montgomery as a second-team running back. While Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson are expected to lead the team's rushing attack this season, Lazar believes that as things stand, "Montgomery is not just on the team; he will be incorporated into the offense and special teams." Also in the team's backfield mix are James White (who is bouncing back from a hip injury) and J.J. Taylor, as well as rookies Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris.

Crowder turned in a strong showing at Monday's practice, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Crowder and Isaiah McKenzie -- who missed Monday's session due to soreness -- are in the mix to claim the slot role previously handled by Cole Beasley. While Buscaglia suggests that Crowder "is still likely behind McKenzie because of the Bills' explosive potential with McKenzie in the lineup," we suspect that the steady Crowder still can make a push for the role as the summer rolls along if he can stay healthy and continue to make plays in practice.

McKenzie missed his second straight practice Monday with unspecified soreness, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Prior to his absence, McKenzie had been off to a strong start in training camp, putting him firmly in the conversation to potentially claim the slot role previously handled by Cole Beasley. Also in the mix for the job is Jamison Crowder, who the report notes turned in a solid showing at Monday's practice. This looks like a job battle that could go either way, but at this stage Buscaglia believes that McKenzie may have an edge "because of the Bills' explosive potential with McKenzie in the lineup."

Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said Monday that he has a lot of confidence in Westbrook-Ikhine, who is listed as a starter on the team's initial preseason depth chart, AtoZ Sports Nashville reports.

Tannehill specifically mentioned Westbrook-Ikhine's knowledge of the offense, which allows him to fill in at any position at a moment's notice. That's part of why the 2020 UDFA has managed to stick around on the Tennessee roster, going on three years now, along with some slick route running by the standards of a 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver. After starting seven of 16 games last year and posting a 48-476-4 receiving line, Westbrook-Ikhine has a chance to enter Week 1 as a starter this year, depending on the progress of first-round pick Treylon Burks and veteran Robert Woods (ACL). The initial preseason depth chart lists Woods as the other starter, while reports out of camp suggest rookie fifth-rounder Kyle Philips is getting some first-team work and has a shot at the slot role (Tennessee's depth chart has only two starting WRs, and two TEs).