NFL Player News

The hits keep coming for Njoku, who had been sidelined for the last three weeks with an ankle injury. In his first game back, the veteran tight end played on 25 snaps before suffering a knee injury that could see him miss additional time. In addition to Njoku, head coach Kevin Stefanski said cornerback Denzel Ward (hamstring) and center Ethan Pocic (knee) will also have MRIs.

Kirk was seen leaving Sunday’s practice with trainers and was later diagnosed with a calf strain that will sideline him for the foreseeable future. The veteran receiver signed a one-year deal with the 49ers this offseason, is expected to compete for playing time with Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, and Jordan Watkins. Kirk caught 28 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 games with the Texans last season

Sanders spent last season with the Cowboys but saw his season cut short by a knee injury. The 29-year-old running back rushed 20 times for 117 yards and one touchdown in his brief stint with Dallas and is a long way removed from his 2022 campaign, when he rushed for 259-1,269-11 with the Eagles. Regardless of whether or not he signs with the Raiders, it’s hard to imagine Sanders making any kind of meaningful fantasy impact in 2026.

Bieniemy’s wife, Mia, was the victim of a shooting that took place at the Bieniemy home on Sunday, so his decision to depart from camp does not come as a surprise. His son, Elijah, has since been arrested and charged with three felonies related to the shooting, and his wife is reported to be in stable condition. Reid did not give a timeline for when he expects Bieniemy to return, but we would expect him to be granted as much time as needed. Bieniemy re-joined the Chiefs this offseason after spending three seasons with the Commanders, UCLA, and the Bears.

It was reported earlier this month that Jones was “cleared to do everything,” but now we have it straight from the source. After suffering a torn Achilles in Week 14 of last season, Jones has rehabbed and worked his way back to playing shape in time to open camp with the Colts at full strength. Jones had a nice season with the Colts before going down last year, throwing for 3,101-19-8 in 13 games while adding another 45-164-5 on the ground. He was rewarded with a two-year, $88 million contract this offseason and will look to lead the Colts to the playoffs after last year’s team fell short despite starting the season with an 8-2 record. Jones profiles as a fringe QB1/QB2 in fantasy after finishing as a QB1 in six of the 13 games he appeared in last season.

Mayfield has been seeking a new contract from the Bucs all offseason, and earlier this month it was reported that the two sides were “not close” to a new deal. Mayfield has also reportedly set a training camp deadline for when he will stop all discussions with the team, although it’s unclear if that deadline is by the time players report (Tuesday) or when the team takes the field for its first practice (Wednesday). If a new deal isn’t agreed to, Mayfield would presumably prepare to play out 2026 on the one year remaining on his deal, which will pay him a base salary of $10 million.

Jacas, a second-round rookie, recently signed his deal with the team and was placed on the NFI list shortly after. It was reported earlier this offseason that Jacas was dealing with multiple injuries, which resulted in him missing both OTAs and minicamp. We later learned that Jacas had a cleanup procedure on his knee, and it has been reported that Jacas’ contract also includes an injury waiver, although Vrabel declined to comment on that. Vrabel said he is “excited” about where Jacas is with his recovery and development, but it seems like Jacas has a long way to go before possibly getting on the field. We’ll likely get plenty of updates on him throughout training camp.

Mia Bieniemy is reportedly in stable condition and was treated for “serious injuries,” according to police in Loudon County, Virginia. The shooting reportedly took place around 7:00 p.m ET, and Elijah Bieniemy, the son of Eric and Mia, is reportedly being charged with three felonies that include use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, malicious wounding, and discharging a firearm within a building. Elijah Bieniemy was reportedly arraigned on Monday morning. Eric Bieniemy was already with the Chiefs in Missouri during the team’s training camp, and the Chiefs did release a statement saying they were aware of the incident. Our thoughts are with the Bieniemy family.

According to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, Steele was arrested on suspicion of DWI on June 7 and is also facing charges for refusing blood/breath tests and obstructing or resisting an officer without force. Steele was hired by the Commanders in February and spent time with head coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta from 2019-2020.

Speaking with the media on Monday, Vrabel said he thinks “a lot of things get fabricated, and people tell stories,” when asked about Brown’s knee. Patriots executive VP of player personnel Elliot Wolf said last month that Brown has managed a degenerative knee condition in one of his knees since he first entered the league, and he has appeared in 15 or more games in three of his last four seasons. Vrabel acknowledged that Brown won’t do “every single thing” in camp/practice, but the team doesn’t appear overly concerned about the recently acquired receiver. Brown has posted four straight 1,000-yard campaigns and has scored seven or more touchdowns in each of those seasons. He profiles as a fringe WR1/WR2 for fantasy purposes in his first season with Drake Maye.