NFL Player News

Smith (knee) was removed from the preseason PUP list Saturday, Greg Newton of ESPN.com reports.

Reports out of Carolina seemed to suggest the team was simply playing it safe with the health of its veteran wide receiver. Smith, who put together career-worst figures across the board last season, will be competing for a depth role along with Chris Hogan, Jarius Wright, Aldrick Robinson and Rashad Ross, while D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel command the bulk of the targets.

The Cowboys placed Brown (knee) on the PUP list Friday, Jon Machota of The Athletic of reports.

Brown had a knee scope that caused him to miss June minicamp. The 23-year-old was expected to be ready for training camp, but it appears he will spend at least the start of camp on the PUP list. Brown can be activated at any time between now and the end of preseason, but he'll be unable to practice until the team elects to do so.

Jones has worked with the starting unit almost exclusively the first two days of training camp, Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News reports.

While undrafted free agent Robert Foster had a big finish to last season and has more speed than Jones, it looks like it will be John Brown, Jones and Cole Beasley who will line up as the top three guys unless Foster clearly outperforms Jones in August. Jones also has the ability to play outside or in the slot, so a strong summer should mean he'll be on the field as much as any Bills wide receiver come the regular season.

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones is confident the team will sign Cooper to an extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The Cowboys are in the midst of an unusual situation, with Cooper and Dak Prescott both entering contract seasons while Ezekiel Elliott holds out for an extension despite having two years remaining on his rookie deal. The situation makes sense once the short lifespan for NFL running backs is taken into account, but that doesn't make it any less difficult for the Cowboys to sort out all the negotiations. There hasn't been any report of Cooper considering a holdout.

Ridley (hamstring) now is expected to get an MRI, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports.

Ridley's injury still isn't believed to be serious, but the Falcons at least want him to have some tests before he's cleared for a return to practice. Coach Dan Quinn suggested Thursday that the young wide receiver could be back on the field as soon as this weekend.

Ridley (hamstring) doesn't need an MRI but will undergo one as a precautionary measure, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports.

This supports coach Dan Quinn's stated expectation of Ridley returning to practice within the next few days. The young wide receiver was removed from Thursday's session after suffering a minor hamstring injury.

Coach Mike Vrabel considers Brown "day-to-day" with a leg issue after the wide receiver left Friday's practice early, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

The 2019 second-rounder slipped awkwardly on an individual drill and afterward appeared to be favoring his left leg, per Davenport. It amounted to Brown's entire workload Friday, after which Vrabel said he has yet to meet with the Titans' training staff. Brown previously tended to a hamstring injury during the offseason program, so he hasn't exactly had an ideal start to his NFL career.

Williams signed a contract with the Broncos on Friday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Williams was let go by the Rams in November and was unable to find a home in free agency until now. The 28-year-old hasn't played in more than two games in a season since 2015.

Shepard (thumb) doesn't need surgery and may return to practice before the end of training camp, Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York reports.

Early reports hinted at the broken thumb potentially threatening Shepard's Week 1 availability, but coach Pat Shurmur said Friday that he isn't at all worried about the injury, per Vacchiano. It's some much-needed good news for a Giants team that lost fellow wideout Corey Coleman to a torn ACL during Thursday's practice. Regardless of his preseason participation, Shepard is expected to be fine for Week 1 at Dallas.

Ubosi (undisclosed) cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve Thursday, per the NFL's official transaction log.

The Buccaneers waived/injured Ubosi on Wednesday, but he moves to IR after clearing waivers. The 25-year-old will miss the entirety of the 2019 season unless he reaches an injury settlement.