Fowler: Shaheed set for big-time role

The converted safety played the 2025 season as a linebacker but has managed to be active for only 15 games since 2022. The details of the signing were not immediately made available.

This comes on the heels of Vea’s absence from minicamp as the two sides were locked in negotiations. The evident impasse ultimately led to the eight-year veteran requesting a trade. Vea has earned two Pro Bowl honors and has been one of the league’s top nose tackle since entering the league for the Buccaneers with the team’s 2018 first-round selection. Losing Vea would be a significant hurdle for the Buccaneer to clear considering so much of what they are able to do defensively revolves around his ability to clog the middle of the defensive line.

The 31-year-old is coming off a torn achilles’ tendon suffered last November. He spent 2022-23 in Jacksonville, but that was under Doug Pederson’s coaching staff. Were Jones to end up back in Duval, it would be as a pure depth piece for one of the league’s deepest receiver groups.

The exact nature of Brooks’ “injury” is unclear. He took part in the offseason program. It could be something as simple as he failed the Packers’ conditioning test. Brooks’ status wouldn’t normally be worth updating, but these are not normal times in the Pack’s backfield as we await word on Josh Jacobs’ legal situation. Were Jacobs to end up suspended, the Packers would have a low-upside jumble that would undoubtedly include some Brooks touches. For now, we will assume he is soon activated. The same cannot be said for resolution to Jacobs’ situation, which appears complex and fluid.

Kraft had left open the possibility he would be full-go for the beginning of camp, but this was always a more likely outcome. Kraft can be activated at any time, but the conservative Packers will undoubtedly take their time. Once you are off the active/PUP list, you cannot return and are no longer a candidate for reserve/PUP. In other words, the Pack will want to be sure Kraft is healthy. The ascending fourth-year pro has a strong chance at being ready for Week 1, but it is not a forgone conclusion. We will keep you updated.

It doesn’t change anything, though it formalizes the possibility Pierce could begin the regular season on the reserve/PUP list, which would cost him a minimum of four games. Players can be removed from the active/PUP list at any time, though teams tend to take their time, because once you’re off, you’re off. Pierce appears destined to spend at least a few weeks working off to the side and rehabbing. Amongst the many possible outcomes is Pierce being removed from the PUP list but still missing a game or two to begin the year. At this point, he should probably be considered on the wrong side of questionable for Week 1, making him a dicey WR3 draft play. It also leaves the Colts with some of the league’s worst receiver depth. This will be the first of many updates after the next few weeks.

We know, stop the presses that a quarterback likes one of his receivers. The extent of Purdy’s praise is nevertheless notable, especially with veteran Christian Kirk already shelved by a calf injury. “Dude is a baller, and I mean that,” Purdy began. “It’s hard to say that for a rookie, right off the jump, but just seeing him run routes. ... He’s smart. He’s learned the playbook really quick, which is awesome. And then, on top of that, you can see his strength, too.” Purdy went on for several more sentences. It’s still laughably early in the training camp process — the pads have yet to really come on — but Stribling was a controversial selection where immediate praise could not be taken for granted. The next step will be impressing coach Kyle Shanahan once the boss returns from injuries sustained in a car accident. There are snaps and targets for the taking in a receiver corps being remade on the fly this season.

Bellore turned 37 in May. One of the league’s longest-tenured linchpin special teamers, Bellore spent what ended up being the final two years of his career with the Commanders. A two-time Pro Bowler, Bellore started zero games on defense after 2019. He was nevertheless valuable enough on the third unit to stick around another six seasons. He has the kind of résumé that could easily lead to a coaching career if he’s interested.

The report first surfaced last month via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, who reported Lloyd underwent a “comprehensive evaluation of his lower-body range of motion and his lower-body and lumbopelvic strength.” A longtime professional sports physician found Lloyd was “overcompensating at his ankle and hip, in part due to residual deficits in his knee from a 2020 ACL tear.” Schneidman called back to his report this week when he re-emphasized the Packers are finally optimistic about Lloyd’s health, but that they have “been optimistic before.” Although Lloyd is still in “any 2026 contribution should be considered a bonus” territory, his status is more important than it was two months ago after Josh Jacobs was arrested on domestic violence charges in May. Jacobs’ case remains open. Despite his absurd downside, Lloyd is the only Packers back with any upside behind the workhorse.

The Packers are famously conservative when it comes to injury recoveries, and Schneidman reports they have a hard and fast rule of “nine months without any football activity for players rehabbing major injuries.” We still wouldn’t be stunned if Parsons is a player who ends up breaking that supposed “rule,” but it would not be the first time fans were frustrated by the slow pace of a Packers rehabilitation. For his part, Parsons reported to training camp with a sunny social media post. If he is indeed going to miss regular season time, the first month feels like a good over/under.