NFL Player News

Willis has cleared concussion protocol and was a full participant in Monday's practice, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.

Willis suffered a concussion last Wednesday, but has quickly progressed through the NFL's five-step protocol and was cleared by an independent neurologist Monday. The offensive lineman is all set to continue practicing to fulfill a depth role for the 49ers in 2026.

The Chargers signed Carter on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Carter spent some time with Miami last season after missing the cut for Las Vegas' 53-man roster, and now he's getting another shot with the Chargers. He'll have his work cut out to try to earn a depth role on the edge with his new team in 2026.

Slater (undisclosed) did not participate in Monday's practice, Alex Insdorf of BoltBeat.com reports.

Slater has missed three consecutive practices with an undisclosed issue. The starting left tackle missed the entirety of the 2025 season due to a ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered last August. If the 27-year-old once again has a severe injury, the Chargers' offensive line will need to lean on a healthy Joe Alt more than ever. Trey Pipkins or Travis Burke are set to slot in at tackle across from Alt in the event Slater misses time.

Smith's hip injury is just a short-term issue, Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reports.

Coach Andy Reid confirmed that the starting right guard is only experiencing a minor issue. Smith should be all set to participate fully once the regular season commences, and likely at some point during preseason as well.

Wattenberg (undisclosed) was a limited participant in Monday's practice, Jon Heath of broncoswire.com reports.

Wattenberg suffered an injury during last Monday's training camp session. The center's ability to return to the field, even in a limited capacity, is a good sign that the undisclosed issue isn't severe. There is a strong chance Wattenberg will be fully healthy and ready for the start of the regular season.

Stroud and the Texans offense got a boost in Monday's training camp practice with the return of fourth-year wideout Tank Dell (knee), John Harris of the team's official site reports.

Both Stroud and Dell were selected by the Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the duo formed an immediate connection in their rookie seasons, connecting for 47 catches (on 75 targets) for 709 yards and seven touchdowns across 11 regular-season games. Dell was one of Stroud's top targets in 2024, but the former suffered major leg and knee injuries late in the season that caused him to miss the entire 2025 campaign. Dell's return to team drills Monday is a positive sign for his recovery, and his availability for the start of the regular season would be a significant boost for Stroud, who is looking to bounce back from a lackluster 2025 season.

Denver announced Monday that Turner (undisclosed) has passed his physical and been removed from the team's non-football injury list, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Turner was placed on the NFI list in late July with an undisclosed injury, but it looks like he's now back in football shape ahead of Friday's preseason opener at Atlanta. The vast majority of his snaps with Denver in 2025 came on special teams.

Pierce (anke) received a second PRP injection in his left ankle this offseason, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Pierce initially attempted to get over his left ankle issue by receiving a PRP injection following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, but he ultimately was forced to undergo a "clean-up" procedure in April. The wide receiver has missed the entirety of the Colts' offseason program and training camp to this point, and head coach Shane Steichen said Thursday that Pierce doesn't currently have a timetable to return to resume practicing. A platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is a process in which a concentrated dose of a patient's own blood platelets is injected to help heal damaged joints, tendons, ligaments and skin. Pierce received the second injection in late June, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis, and Chappell outlined that a second treatment is not abnormal and helps the healing process.

Washington is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Raiders' unofficial depth chart, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

Monday's unofficial depth chart shows that Washington has the edge for the backup role after training camp. The fourth-round rookie is competing with Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale and Roman Hemby to serve as the main complementary option behind Ashton Jeanty. If Washington can continue to impress in practice and preseason, he may be a good fantasy handcuff to Jeanty in 2026. The presence of star center Tyler Linderbaum, who signed as a free agent this offseason, should also benefit any running backs that take snaps for the Raiders during the coming season.

The Steelers waived Thompson (undisclosed) with an injury designation Monday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

It's not known at this point what type of injury Thompson is dealing with. In any case, unless he's claimed by another team during the current waiver period, he'll be in line to spend the entire 2026 season on the Steelers' injured-reserve list.