NFL Player News

It comes out of nowhere but makes sense considering Bowers has dealt with a knee injury all season and the Raiders were long ago eliminated from postseason contention. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said “the decision was made to get it taken care of now and focus on being 100% in 2026.” That could mean Bowers will undergo surgery in the offseason after playing through the knee ailment for four months. Bowers ends 2025 with 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 84 targets over 12 games. All of his metrics remained similar to his outstanding rookie campaign in 2024. He’ll be an elite fantasy producer in 2026, hopefully with a different quarterback and coaching staff.

It has been reported multiple times this offseason that Kittle could have a chance to be ready in time for the 49ers’ Week 1 game against the Rams in Australia. The decision to activate him from the PUP list on Sunday is the most encouraging sign we have seen to date that a Week 1 return is possible, as the team will now prepare to ramp him up in the coming weeks to see how his surgically repaired Achilles holds up. Kittle underwent surgery to repair his Achilles in mid-January, so he’s just over seven months removed from a surgery that typically sidelines players for 9-12 months. The 32-year-old tight end would be a welcome addition to a receiving corps that’s been decimated by injuries in camp, so his progress will be one to monitor in the weeks ahead.

Biadasz sustained “damage to his ACL” during a joint practice with the 49ers last week and is now out for the season after seeking out multiple opinions on the injury. The veteran center signed a three-year deal with the Chargers earlier this offseason after being a surprise release by the Commanders and was expected to solidify the interior of an offensive line that dealt with multiple injuries last season.

This move comes after the Browns lost DE Alex Wright for the season to a torn Achilles. Barnett, who has spent the last three seasons with the Texans, has totaled five sacks in each of the last two years and earned a PFF pass rush grade of 69.7 last season. While the addition of Barnett does soften the blow that the loss of Wright brings to the defense, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Browns continued to look for additional help on defense before the start of the season. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Barnett can earn up to $5.5 million on his deal with the Browns.

Wright was carted from last Thursday’s practice and has been diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles. The fifth-year DE has been a key player on the Browns’ defensive line since being drafted 78th overall in 2022. Over the last three seasons, Wright has totaled 11.5 sacks in 34 games, along with 19 TFLs, while also forcing three fumbles. Wright signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension last November and is under contract through 2028. Assuming his rehab goes well in the coming months, he should be back in time for the start of training camp next season.

Meyers was spotted with some sort of brace on his right hand at Friday’s preseason game against the Panthers, but we have not yet received word on what he’s dealing with. Hopefully we’ll get some answers from Liam Coen the next time he speaks to the media, but between what we saw on Friday and his absence on Sunday, it’s fair to wonder whether the veteran receiver is dealing with something that could cause him to miss some time. Meyers has reportedly had a nice camp in his first offseason with the Jaguars and is vying for WR2 duties this season.

After missing last week due to an undisclosed issue, Washington was back on the field Sunday, participating in drills and working in seven-on-sevens. Whatever he was dealing with doesn’t appear to be anything too serious, which is a good sign for the fourth-year receiver who is looking to build on last year’s breakout campaign.

McCarthy appeared on four for series, playing on 18 snaps while going 5-for-10 passing for 81 yards. According to KOC, he would have preferred to play McCarthy longer, but the third-year QB “was a little hobbled,” which led to the decision to pull him. O’Connell said he expects McCarthy to be fine and will look to provide an update soon, but given some of the hits he took from the Ravens on Saturday, this news doesn’t come as much of a surprise. McCarthy will get one more look this preseason in next week’s game against the Broncos if he’s able to go.

Allen saw action through the first three quarters of play. His 29 snaps were the third-most of any Chiefs receiver, while his 23 routes run were the second-most on the day. All three of his catches came in the short areas of the field, as evidenced by the -1.7 ADOT he averaged on his three receptions, per TruMedia. One of the most hyped players of this training camp season, the rookie fifth-rounder has a 5-27-0 receiving line on 10 targets in his two preseason games thus far.

Simpson sat the entire first half of Saturday’s game and didn’t get on the field until midway through the third quarter, thanks to a long opening drive by the Saints after halftime that ended in a pick-six by the Rams’ defense that immediately gave the ball back to New Orleans. In the 34-0 win, Simpson wasn’t asked to do too much. He dropped back to pass on 14 of his 26 offensive snaps and stuck mostly to short completions, as only three of his attempts on the day traveled 10 or more air yards. Both Simpson and Stetson Bennett, who started this game, will see extensive work in next week’s game against the Chargers before the real games begin in Week 1 with the Rams playing “host” to the 49ers in Australia.

Blue led all Cowboys running backs in snaps, but played on just two snaps on the team’s opening drive of the game compared to Malik Davis’ 10. Davis would see just four snaps the rest of the way compared to Blue’s 24, but the second-year back made the most of his opportunities. Blue’s 75 rushing yards led all Cowboys players, with eight of his carries going for five or more yards. His usage, which extended into the third quarter, suggests Blue is battling with Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda for the RB3 role, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise after it was reported last week that Blue was the fourth player up in drills. It was a strong showing for Blue, who will need another convincing outing in the team’s preseason finale next week against the Saints.