NFL Player News

Hale (undisclosed) was placed on the active/non-football injury list Friday, Zach Jacobson of 247Sports.com reports.

Hale spent the entire 2024 season on the Packers' practice squad and could be headed that direction again in 2025. However, he'll first have to get back on the field after recovering from his undisclosed injury.

Johnson (undisclosed) was placed on the active/non-football injury list Friday, Zach Jacobson of 247Sports.com reports.

Johnson joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent after a very productive collegiate career with South Dakota State as both a running back and kick returner. However, he was facing an uphill battle to make the roster out of training camp, and starting out on the sideline won't help his cause.

Mustapha (knee) was placed on the active/PUP list by the 49ers on Friday.

Mustapha is recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 17 of the 2024 season. He could miss the start of the new campaign as a result, though that hasn't been determined yet, as he can be activated from the active/PUP list at any point during the preseason. Mustapha figures to occupy a starting safety role when he is able to get back on the field.

Small signed with the Lions on Friday.

Small spent the 2024 season with the Titans' practice squad after joining the team as an undrafted free agent. He'll battle for a roster spot during training camp but will likely face a tough path with the likes of Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki already serving as depth for Detroit at running back.

The Packers placed Walker (undisclosed) on the active/PUP list Friday, Zach Jacobson of 247Sports.com reports.

Despite racking up at least 100 tackles in each of his first three seasons as a pro, the 2022 first-round pick didn't have the fifth-year option on his rookie contract picked up by Green Bay this spring, meaning he's set to play out the 2025 campaign on an expiring deal. He'll also be contending with second-year pro Edgerrin Cooper at off-ball linebacker after the latter capped his rookie year with standout play down the stretch, featuring 42 tackles, including 1.0 sack, and one interception in five games between Week 15 and a wild-card loss at Philadelphia. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported Friday that Walker dealt with an injury during the offseason program, but once he proves his health, he'll be able to practice at any point during training camp, which officially kicks off for Packers veterans this coming Tuesday.

The Packers placed Watson (knee) on the active/PUP list Friday, Zach Jacobson of 247Sports.com reports.

This move is merely procedural as Watson continues his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in his right knee Week 18 of last season. Considering he's only a bit more than six months removed from the injury, he seems hard-pressed to progress enough to be available Week 1 against the Lions on Sunday, Sept. 7, but coach Matt LaFleur told Ryan Wood of USA Today in early May that Watson "looks like a freak, like he always does. In a positive way." Watson's status will be monitored as the Packers embark on training camp and the preseason, but cut-down day on Aug. 26 will be of keen interst to see if the team moves him to the reserve/PUP list, which would require him to miss the first four games of the upcoming campaign.

Burden (undisclosed) signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $10.965 million rookie contract with the Bears on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Burden followed in the footsteps of fellow rookie second-round wide receiver Jayden Higgins in signing a fully guaranteed rookie contract, becoming the first-ever 39th overall pick to land a fully guaranteed deal. Burden didn't participate in mandatory minicamp due to a soft-tissue injury, but head coach Ben Johnson said in June that he expected Burden to be ready for training camp. With Burden's rookie contract signed, he's set to report to training camp along with the rest of the Bears' rookies Saturday.

Pearsall (hamstring) was placed on the active/PUP list by the 49ers on Friday.

San Francisco will begin training camp shorthanded at wide receiver, as Brandon Aiyuk (knee) was also placed on the active/PUP list Friday, while Jauan Jennings (calf) is seeking a new contract. Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins are the team's top healthy options at wide receiver heading into training camp, though Pearsall could join them soon, as head coach Kyle Shanahan said in June that Pearsall's injury wasn't viewed as a significant concern.

Aiyuk (knee) was placed on the active/PUP list by the 49ers on Friday.

Aiyuk is eligible to practice while on the active/PUP list, though he isn't expected to be available for training camp as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee sustained in October. Fellow wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was also placed on the active/PUP list Friday, though he's expected to have a much more optimistic recovery timeline than Aiyuk. With Jauan Jennings (calf) unhappy with his contract, there will be more opportunities for Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins during training camp.

Boutte, whose name was brought up in offseason trade rumors, remains with the Patriots and is slated to compete for slotting in the team's re-tooled wide receiver corps, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports.

In his second season with New England, Boutte broke out with 43 catches for 589 yards and three TDs across 15 regular-season games, but the offseason addition of free agents Stefon Diggs (knee) and Mack Hollins, as well as the presence of 2025 third-rounder Kyle Williams, figures to cut into Boutte's snap and target shares. Also in the mix in a crowded WR room are slot man DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, 2024 draftees Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, as well as promising UDFA Efton Chism. Of the entire group, the standing of Diggs, Douglas, Williams and Hollins appear most solid, with Boutte among the handful of WRs poised to battle for the remaining spots on the team's 53-man roster.