NFL Player News

Beasley said he'd want to rejoin the Cowboys if it meant playing with Dak Prescott again, Jori Epstein of USA Today reports.

It would mean exactly that with Prescott locked in as the franchise QB, but Beasley may not have such a warm relationship with the Dallas front office. The 33-year-old slot receiver reportedly has drawn interest from multiple teams since the Bills released him in mid-March.

Toney (knee) hasn't been placed on the PUP list to start training camp, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

The Giants haven't commented on expectations for his participation, but this suggests Toney will practice in some capacity the first week of training camp. He wore a non-contact jersey during June minicamp, after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee earlier this offseason. Fellow Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (Achilles) is one of the players on the PUP list to start camp, leaving Kenny Golladay, Toney, Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton as the top candidates for first-team snaps.

The Giants placed Shepard (Achilles) on the PUP list Tuesday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Shepard had a lengthy history of lower-body injuries even before he tore his Achilles in Week 15 last season. He started jogging again toward the end of May and isn't ready to practice at the beginning of training camp. Once he's ready, Shepard could face snap competition in the slot from 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney and 2022 second-rounder Wan'Dale Robinson.

Samuel reported to training camp Tuesday, with 49ers GM John Lynch saying the team is "focused on getting something done," Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

This doesn't necessarily mean Samuel will be a full participant, as he may avoid more strenuous activities that involve more injury risk if he doesn't have a long-term contract in hand. Both parties seem more optimistic than reports earlier this offseason suggested, after Samuel reportedly asked to be traded in April. His contract is part of the issue, but Samuel may also be hesitant to take a lot of snaps at running back, knowing it can hurt his longevity and future contract value. The Niners put him in the backfield far more starting midway through last season, and they continued the trend later on even when Elijah Mitchell was healthy. Samuel put up huge numbers throughout, averaging 110.3 receiving yards over his first eight games before scoring nine TDs (seven rushing) over his final eight. He's probably right that it's in his best interest to play wide receiver full-time if he can dominate through the air the way he did for most of last season, but he'd still be a clear favorite to lead NFL WRs in carries if that happens. Samuel will now catch passes from Trey Lance, with coach Kyle Shanahan confirming Tuesday that the team has moved on from Jimmy Garoppolo and won't have him participating in practice.

Burks did well on conditioning tests ahead of training camp, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

That's an encouraging sign for Burks, who dealt with asthma and conditioning issues this offseason. Though it remains to be seen if he'll initially be limited at all during training camp practices, the No. 18 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is being counted on to help fill the void created by the Titans' trade of last year's top pass catcher A.J. Brown. Assuming no setbacks, Burks figures to see a large share of targets as a rookie while working opposite veteran wideout Robert Woods, who continues to rebound from a knee injury.

The Colts signed Ford on Tuesday.

After Miami opted not to offer Ford a second contract this offseason, he'll get another chance with Indy. The 2017 seventh-rounder will face an uphill battle for a roster spot in his new locale as he joins a crowded group of wide receivers headed by Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell, with Ashton Dulin, Dezmon Patmon, Mike Strachan, Keke Coutee and DeMichael Harris also in the mix at the position.

Though Beasley remains unsigned, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network suggests "that's not for lack of interest."

With that in mind, Garafolo indicates that the Beasley -- who's coming off back-to-back 82-catch seasons with the Bills -- is staying patient as he waits for the right opportunity/offer to arrive. Depending on where he lands, the 33-year-old could find himself back on the PPR radar in 2022 if he ends up securing a key slot role for his new team.

Coach Kevin O'Connell said Smith-Marsette (leg) is "looking great" and should be a full-go for the start of training camp, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The 2021 fifth-round pick missed some practice time this spring with a lower-leg injury that seems to have been minor. He saw only six targets as a rookie while K.J. Osborn emerged as the No. 3 receiver, but Smith-Marsette did flash some promise at the end of the season with three catches for 103 yards and a TD in Week 18. He'll compete for the Vikings' No. 4 spot at wide receiver, challenged by Bisi Johnson, Albert Wilson, Dan Chisena and sixth-round rookie Jalen Nailor.

Strachan underwent surgery on his knee this summer, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports.

Although currently on the active/PUP list, Strachan is still expected to participate in training camp at some point. Once he returns, he'll battle for a depth role in a wide receiver room that features six other players with in-game NFL experience and a 2022 second-round pick.

The Colts cut Crawford on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

Crawford's odds of sticking in Indianapolis were always slim considering the team currently rosters seven different wide receivers with in-game NFL experience and a 2022 second-round pick. He'll now work to find another opportunity elsewhere.