NFL Player News

Smith (shoulder) will be out at least 2-3 weeks, but the Panthers won't place him on injured reserve, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Smith suffered a shoulder injury making a catch in the fourth quarter of the Panthers' preseason finale. The injury ended what was otherwise a promising preseason campaign from the sixth-round rookie, and he looks to be a roster lock even with the setback. When healthy, he will likely slot in behind Terrace Marshall and David Moore as the No. 5 wideout in Carolina.

Newsome was waived by the Bears on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The rookie sixth-round pick apparently didn't show enough over the past few months to warrant a spot on Chicago's initial 53-man roster. The Bears hope to bring back Newsome via the practice squad, but he'll first need to pass through waivers unclaimed.

Seattle waived Thompson on Tuesday, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Thompson has spent time on the Seahawks' practice squad over the last two seasons, and he could make another appearance there if he goes unclaimed on waivers. The former Toledo standout has yet to make his NFL debut.

The Eagles waived Hightower on Tuesday, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Philadelphia cut loose Hightower and Travis Fulgham to leave the team with five healthy wide receivers (DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins, Greg Ward and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside). A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Hightower wasn't very efficient as a rookie last season, hauling in just 10 of 29 targets for 167 yards and no touchdowns in 13 appearances. He'll look to land elsewhere in the NFL, likely on a practice squad.

The Bears waived Coulter on Tuesday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Coulter spent just over a week in Chicago, and, as Biggs notes, the team might want to take another look at him on the practice squad. A 2020 fifth-round pick of the Texans, Coulter only appeared in one game as a rookie.

The Jaguars released Dorsett on Tuesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

The 2015 first-round pick has now bounced from Indianapolis to New England to Seattle to Jacksonville, catching 124 passes for 1,634 yards and 11 touchdowns in 71 regular-season games. The 28-year-old Dorsett has never managed to hold down a starting job for more than a few weeks at a time.

The Panthers waived Kirkwood on Tuesday, Darin Gantt of Panthers.com reports.

Kirkwood suffered a severe concussion during a training-camp practice, causing him to be taken off the field on a stretcher and immediately sent to the hospital. The move was made without an injury designation, so it appears that he has fully healed from the incident. Kirkwood caught one of two targets for 13 yards during his lone regular-season appearance in 2020 and will likely land on a practice squad during the 2021 campaign.

Winfree was waived by the Packers on Tuesday, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Winfree flashed at times during offseason activities, but a shoulder injury prevented him from seeing any preseason action and ultimately cost him a shot to make a real run at a roster spot. Given what he showed, though, chances are he will snag a spot on the practice squad unless he is claimed by another team.

Taylor was waived by the Bengals on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Taylor signed with the Bengals in the spring and caught four passes for 62 yards in the preseason, but he won't make the team's initial 53-man roster. However, Cincinnati hopes to bring him back on the practice squad if he goes through waivers unclaimed.

Milne will make Washington's initial 53-man roster, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.

Milne was Washington's seventh-round pick out of BYU where he was Zach Wilson's top target in 2020. He caught 70 of 95 targets for 1,188 yards and eight touchdowns during his final collegiate season. The rookie will likely be the No. 7 wideout on the depth chart and will need to produce on special teams before he gets involved offensively.