NFL Player News

The Raiders will need Agholor to make plays in 2020, Levi Edwards of the team's official site reports.

With Tyrell Williams (shoulder) shut down for the season, the Raiders have a plethora of young talent that's expected to start the year in three-wide sets -- Henry Ruggs, Hunter Renfrow and Bryan Edwards. Since Agholor played predominantly in the slot last year, it seems unlikely the Raiders take Renfrow off the field to open up a spot for Agholor. Still, Agholor could be a dependable, veteran talent, and although he has struggled with drops during his career, he still has impressive athleticism and has scored 15 touchdowns over the last three seasons. It's worth keeping an eye on his usage in a Week 1 matchup versus the Panthers.

The Cardinals waived Butler on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Butler has had a star-crossed run in the pros since the Cardinals made him a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft. One of three rookie wide receivers for the team last year, he kicked off camp working with the deep reserves and eventually suffered a season-ending avulsion fracture in his hand last August. After spending his entire rookie campaign on IR, Butler didn't get a chance to show his worth on the field this offseason due to the ongoing pandemic and now finds himself searching for employment. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, though, Butler may end up on the Cardinals' practice squad.

Coach Mike Tomlin said he is "extremely comfortable" using Johnson on punt returns, Brian Batko of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Tomlin also acknowledged the expectation of Johnson handling a large workload on offense, something that was on display at Wednesday's practice when the young wideout had a 30-yard catch and a TD reception. Johnson appeared comfortable in both tasks as a rookie, catching 64.1 percent of his targets for 7.4 YPT while leading the league in punt return average (12.4 yards on 20 attempts). The 24-year-old missed a few practice session last week with an undisclosed injury, but he's back in good health with plenty of time to spare before a Week 1 road game against the Giants on Monday Night Football.

Pettis' spot on the 49ers' regular-season roster appears to be safe heading into Saturday's upcoming cuts, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Pettis' situation in San Francisco was looking bleak after a poor sophomore campaign led to the wideout being left off the active roster for the Super Bowl. Injuries have decimated the 49ers' receiver depth chart during training camp, but the 24-year-old has also improved his standing in the organization heading into the 2020 campaign. Pettis started by mending a rocky relationship with head coach Kyle Shanahan that stemmed from a failed "tough love" experiment in 2019. He has reportedly had an impressive camp showing as well. Pettis could end up surprising doubters with a renewed positive outlook and potential for a key role on offense -- if Deebo Samuel (foot) and Brandon Aiyuk (hamstring) aren't ready by Week 1 -- to begin the season.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he is hopeful Aiyuk (hamstring) can return to practice next week, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Aiyuk suffered a mild hamstring strain during practice Aug. 23, and his status for Week 1 is currently up in the air. If the rookie is indeed able to return to practice next week, it would bode well for his availability for the 49ers' season opener against the Cardinals on Sept. 13. Aiyuk may be thrust into a starting role if fellow injured wideout Deebo Samuel (foot) is unable to suit up to begin the year. Either way, the 22-year-old put himself in position to have a role in Kyle Shanahan's offense once he is ready to return after an impressive training camp.

Scott was waived by the Colts on Thursday, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports.

Scott spent the offseason in Indianapolis after logging two seasons on the Chargers' practice squad. Although he was reunited with his former quarterback Philip Rivers, it wasn't enough for Scott to carve out a role on the Colts' offense. He'll now look to sign on with a different club ahead of Week 1.

Jones could play a key role in the Raiders' offense this season, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

With Tyrell Williams (shoulder) landing on reserve/injured earlier this week, Jones could find himself in a larger role this season. "Could not be more proud of Nelson Agholor and Zay Jones," Raiders GM Mike Mayock said when asked about the team's wideout depth. The Raiders acquired the 2017 second-rounder from the Bills last October and he went on to record 20 receptions for 147 yards across 10 games for the Silver and Black.

Berrios (back) returned to practice Thursday, Brian Costello of The New York Post reports.

Berrios was sidelined on Wednesday with a lower back issue but it appears the issue was not too severe as the wideout returned to the field 24 hours later. The second-year pro is competing for a depth spot at wideout in addition to kick and punt return responsibilities.

Wesley was waived by the Bears on Thursday, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com reports.

Wesley signed with the Bears a little over a week ago but now finds himself on the outs as the team parted ways with several players Thursday. The wideout spent time on Chicago's practice squad last season after playing four seasons at Northern Colorado.

Coutee fully participated in Thursday's scrimmage, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Coutee did a little of everything, lining up at various positions and returning kicks after missing time with a minor stress fracture in his foot. "Keke looked good," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said Thursday. "He was cutting off of his foot and doing some good things. He returned kicks. He played in the slot. He ran reverses." Injuries are nothing new to Coutee, who has missed 17 of 32 career regular season games. The third-year veteran is fighting for the fifth slot on the team's WR depth chart, which the Texans typically use as a spot for a combination wideout/returner. That means Coutee might be cast off if DeAndre Carter wins the return job.