NFL Player News

Golden (toe) returned to practice Tuesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

With Golden and Jayden Reed (ankle) both returning to practice after brief absences, the Packers are mostly healthy at wide receiver. QB Jordan Love is expected to start Thursday's preseason game against the Steelers, but it isn't clear if Golden and Reed will be available after dealing with minor injuries earlier in the week.

Reed (ankle) returned to practice Tuesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

The Packers are banged up at other positions, but with Reed and Matthew Golden (toe) both returning to practice, the team is at least in good shape at wide receiver. It's unclear if either one will suit up for Thursday's preseason game against Pittsburgh, but starting QB Jordan Love is expected to play.

Dolphis coach Jeff Hafley said Monday on The Rich Eisen Show that Achane may have games with 40 touches this year, ESPN.com reports.

The number is an exaggeration, but Hafley did make it clear he'll keep Achane busy, joking that "there might be some games when I have to pick him up and carry him back to the locker room because he's going to be so tired." Hafley also mentioned telling the running back that he didn't want to see him tapping his helmet for a breather, to which Achane responded that he's up to the task. The Dolphins don't seem to buy into any notion of limiting Achane's workload in a likely rebuilding year, though it is possible the tune changes if the season progresses and wins prove elusive or he gets banged up.

General manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that Pierce (ankle) is expected to play Week 1 against the Ravens, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

The wideout still has some hurdles to clear in the recovery process from March surgery, and though he's not practicing with the Colts while on the PUP list, Pierce was in attendance for Tuesday's session and was seen taking part in individual work off to the side, per Boyd. After trading away Michael Pittman and rewarding Pierce with a four-year, $114 million contract earlier this offseason, the Colts are counting on the 26-year-old to take on a much larger role in the aerial attack after he has mostly operated as a low-volume vertical threat over his first four seasons in the league.

Chase and other starters are scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason opener against Detroit, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor also said QB Joe Burrow and WR Tee Higgins will play. In the past two preseason openers, Burrow played a total of three drives and ended each with a TD pass, including one to Chase.

Burrow and other starters are scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason opener against Detroit, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins and DT Dexter Lawrence are also expected to play, so it sounds like all healthy starters will get some action. Last year, Burrow played two drives in Cincinnati's preseason opener, completing nine of 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. In the 2024 preseason opener, he played a single 12-play drive, which also ended in a TD pass.

Judkins is expected to take on a larger role in the passing game this year, according to Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.

The report also notes that "the plan is for Judkins to be a workhorse" under new Browns head coach Todd Monken. A couple of weeks ago, RBs coach Duce Staley said the second-year back "can play all three downs" once he has the mental aspect mastered. The Browns still have Dylan Sampson as an option for passing downs or to mix in on early downs, but it sounds like Judkins will get the lion's share of touches come Week 1. He's been a full practice participant since OTAs, coming back strong from late-December surgery on a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula.

Flowers (quadriceps) will take part in Tuesday's practice, Sam Cohn of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Flowers could be in store for limited reps Tuesday after he exited Saturday's session due to a left quad contusion, but his presence on the field in any capacity suggests the Ravens aren't viewing the injury as a major concern. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old landed a four-year contract extension worth up to $140 million, solidifying his standing as the Ravens' No. 1 wideout both this season and beyond.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Jacobs (groin) will be "out for at least this week," Weston Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Jacobs initially was held out of practice last Thursday, so this essentially confirms that his absence will stretch to at least a week and a half. He won't play in Green Bay's preseason opener this Thursday against Pittsburgh, and it'd be surprising to see Jacobs in the lineup a week later versus Denver. The Packers recently got Chris Brooks (hamstring) back from the NFI list, joining MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong, Damien Martinez and Jaden Nixon in the backfield. Lloyd is the current favorite for the No. 2 RB role behind Jacobs, who dealt with nagging injuries throughout much of last year.

Pierce (ankle) was present for Tuesday's practice and took part in individual work off to the side under the supervision of a trainer, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke about Pierce's situation Tuesday, noting that the wideout received a platelet-rich plasma injection in January before opting for surgery on his ankle two months later when the shot didn't yield the desired results. Pierce has suffered no setbacks and required no follow-up procedures, and any concern about his ankle didn't deter the Colts from signing him to a four-year, $114 million contract in March. The fifth-year player still looks like he has a few more hurdles to clear before returning to action, and he currently remains on the PUP list.