NFL Player News

Smith-Schuster (knee) participated at the Giants' training camp practice Wednesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Smith-Schuster was sidelined with knee swelling Tuesday, but it evidently was only a minor issue. He's in competition for one of the last spots on a wide receiver depth chart that looks relatively thin behind Pro Bowler Malik Nabers (knee) and Darius Slayton.

Phillips (lower leg) exited Wednesday's training camp session early due to injury, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.

Phillips injured his lower right leg during 11-on-11 red-zone drills and was unable to return to the field. The cornerback attempted to jog to the side, and the severity of the injury is unclear. Ar'Darius Washington replaced Phillips on the first-team defense, and Washington will likely see the majority of first-team reps if Phillips is sidelined for any period of time.

Okuayinonu suffered an apparent ankle injury during the 49ers' training camp practice Wednesday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

The severity of the issue is still unknown at this point, but Okuayinonu's is one of more than a few injuries San Francisco now has to contend with on its front seven. Until Okuayinonu is back on the field, veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo could see an uptick in practice reps on the edge.

Greenlaw (undisclosed) did not participate in Wednesday's training camp session, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Greenlaw had no injury listed since signing with the team in late March. The linebacker's unnamed issue comes with no context, so it is unclear how long he will be absent. If the 49ers' 2019 fifth-round pick remains off the field, Luke Gifford seems primed to receive more snaps with the first-team defense.

Cowing (hip) did not participate in Wednesday's training camp session, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

It is unclear when Cowing suffered the hip injury currently plaguing him, but the primary punt returner did come into OTAs with a hamstring issue that could be related. The longer the 25-year-old remains unable to practice, the more chances players such as Malik Turner and Jordan Watkins have to prove they are versatile options that can hold value on both the offensive and special teams units.

Odighizuwa (undisclosed) did not participate at the 49ers' training camp practice Wednesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Odighizuwa underwent a clean-up procedure to address a lingering elbow injury during the offseason, but it's not clear whether that's related to his current status. Until he's able to practice again, rookie undrafted free agent Bryson Eason could see some practice reps with the first-team defensive line.

Juszczyk (finger) did not participate in Wednesday's training-camp session, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Juszczyk joins the rapidly growing list of 49ers' battle wounds with a broken finger. The fullback suffered a similar injury in 2022, resolving the issue with surgery. If the team elects to go down the same route, Juszczyk will likely miss a few weeks while recovering before playing through the cleanup with a club on his hand.

Grupe is 12-for-12 on field-goal tries throughout training camp as of Wednesday, Noah Compton of Sports Illustrated reports.

Fellow contender Spencer Shrader has already demonstrated his competence as a kicker with Indianapolis -- he converted on 13 of his 14 field-goal attempts over five games with the team last season. It's hard to compete with perfection though, and Grupe has apparently yet to miss a live kick during camp. Special teams coach Brian Mason hinted that both would kick during preseason play, so there's likely still room for a change in the pecking order in advance of Week 1 of the regular season.

Pickett is set to play only a series or two in Thursday's Hall of Fame game against the Cardinals, Joseph Person of The Athletic reports.

After Pickett plays, rookie undrafted free agent Haynes King is set to play the rest of the game at quarterback. Pickett has bounced around teams since leaving the Steelers in 2024, playing for the Eagles and then the Raiders before settling with the Panthers this offseason. The 2022 first-rounder is looking to operate at a high level and display that he has what it takes to be an insurance option for the current NFC South champions.

Brooks (hand) underwent surgery Wednesday to fix a broken hand, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Brooks reportedly broke his hand in practice and is set for a three-week recovery period. The special teams ace will be a large loss to a Texans roster looking to maintain players with multiphase upside. Players like fellow running back Noah Whittington or wide receiver Justin Watson will have a chance to step up and prove their versatility can merit a 53-man roster spot in 2026.