NFL Player News

Bowden suffered an apparent leg injury at Thursday's practice, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Bowden was holding his right leg or hamstring as he limped off the practice field. Though Bowden was solid when called upon for limited action last season, he now finds himself fighting for a roster spot in Miami's deep receiving corps. If Bowden ends up missing preseason action, with Saturday's exhibition matchup against Atlanta right around the corner, it could harm his chances of securing a depth role.

Brown (undisclosed) hasn't been participating in joint practices with the Buccaneers this week, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Occasional rest days make sense for a star player who had offseason surgeries on both knees, but it would be odd to keep Brown out of consecutive practices this late in the summer unless there's some kind of problem at hand. Coach Mike Vrabel declined to elaborate Thursday afternoon, merely saying Brown is not available. The wideout presumably won't play in Saturday's preseason game at Tampa Bay.

Sutton (knee) said he will play in one of the Broncos' remaining two preseason games, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports. "We're still taking about it," Sutton said Thursday. "Figuring which one we want to do, but definitely going to play in one of them."

Either way, Sutton is on track for Week 1 against the Giants. His one preseason appearance figures to be brief, with the 25-year-old coming back from an ACL tear and already locked in for a starting job. Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are the favorites to lead Denver in targets this year, but the team has plenty of other mouths to feed, including TE Noah Fant, WRs KJ Hamler and Tim Patrick and RBs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams. The offensive line also looks solid, while Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater are said to be neck and neck for the starting assignment at quarterback.

Smith (knee) is expected to "get some plays" in Thursday's preseason game against New England, John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Smith missed two and a half weeks of practice after spraining the MCL in his left knee July 31. He just returned to practice this Monday, but a quick return to team drills (Tuesday) suggests the rookie wideout is feeling good. Prior to his injury, Smith had opened training camp on the first-string offense, with the Eagles leaving no doubt about where their expectations stand after trading up to take Smith at No. 10 overall in the 2021 draft.

Berrios (groin) returned to practice Thursday, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.

Berrios missed the Jets' preseason opener against the Giants due to a groin issue that wasn't considered overly serious. The 25-year-old took part in Thursday's joint practice with the Packers and was on the field during the team's two-minute drill. Berrios should be available to make his preseason debut Saturday against Green Bay.

Though Jefferson is sporting a soft brace over his right arm, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes that the wideout is "good to go" for Thursday's practice.

Jefferson is evidently past a recent COVID-19 situation that coach Sean McVay believed at the time was a false positive test result. Assuming the 2020 second-rounder's arm issue is a minor one, he'll have a chance to suit up for Saturday's preseason game against the Raiders. Jefferson is competing with veteran DeSean Jackson for the Rams' No. 3 wideout slot behind Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.

Hollins as put together an impressive training camp and is on the right track for a spot on the 53-man roster, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Hollins is competing for one of a handful of depth spots in Miami's crowded wide receiver room, but his acumen on special teams could prove beneficial in securing such a role. The fifth-year pro handled 228 special-teams snaps through 16 contests last season, and he was solid when called upon to contribute on offense.

Reed arrived at Thursday's practice in a walking boot, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.

Reed, who complied 435 kickoff return yards through 11 games last season, appears to be sidelined with an undisclosed foot or ankle injury. His status will need to be monitored as Sunday's preseason game against the 49ers approaches.

Moore hurt his back Wednesday and aggravated it Thursday, leading to his early removal from practice, Alaina Getzenberg of The Charlotte Observer reports.

The issue was minor, at least initially, given that Moore suited up for Thursday's practice and didn't seem to have any limitations until he aggravated his back. He could miss Saturday's exhibition with Baltimore, but there's been no indication the back injury is more than a day-to-day thing. Moore even wanted to return to practice after Thursday's minor incident, per Bill Voth of the Panthers' official site.

Benson caught all four of his targets for 36 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's 33-6 win over Minnesota.

Benson's visits to the end zone in Denver's first preseason game came from both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater, as the two quarterbacks continue to compete for the starting job. The 24-year-old is having himself a solid training camp, and his improved route running may be paying off. Entering Saturday's contest, Benson was competing for a spot on the Broncos' 53-man roster in an already crowded receiver room headlined by the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Tim Patrick. However, it's plausible to think that the wideout may have caught the eye of the coaching staff enough to earn him a spot as a depth piece for the Denver offense. Even if that were so, Benson's forecast for consistent involvement in the offense is grim, which keeps him far off the fantasy radar.