Browns WR Odell Beckham took the field for minicamp practice on Tuesday for the first time since tearing his ACL last October. He was held out of full-team work but participated in individual drills without a brace or wrap on that surgically repaired knee. "He looked good to me," HC Kevin Stefanski said. It's still uncertain if Beckham will be a full-go for the start of training camp -- but he's trending toward being ready come Week 1.
Seahawks WR D'Wayne Eskridge is missing minicamp with a toe injury, HC Pete Carroll said Tuesday. We don't have any other details on the injury or when Eskridge will be back. It's obviously not ideal for a rookie to be missing practice reps. It's also worth noting that Eskridge missed time with 3 separate injuries over his 5 seasons at Western Michigan. We'll see when he's able to get back on the field.
Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny had knee surgery this offseason to "get something cleaned up," HC Pete Carroll said Tuesday. Penny isn't participating in minicamp, but the always-optimistic Carroll expects him to be ready for the start of training camp. Penny missed all but 3 games last season after tearing multiple ligaments in his left knee in December of 2019. It's a concern that he's still having issues with that knee. And at this point, it's unclear if he'll regain pre-injury form. Penny is just a late-round dart in fantasy drafts, while RB Chris Carson remains a safe bet for nice volume this season.
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton (knee) won't start training camp on the PUP list, HC Vic Fangio said. Sutton is still rehabbing last September's torn ACL and MCL. But he'll evidently at least be ready for some work at the start of camp and is on track to be on the field for the season opener. We'll continue to track his progress.
Bills RB Zack Moss has worn a red, non-contact jersey throughout offseason practices, per team beat writer Matt Parrino. It’s a reminder that he’s still working back from January ankle surgery. If he’s a full-go for training camp, Moss will be in a good spot to lead this backfield in touches ahead of Devin Singletary and Matt Breida.
Update: Per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, Bills HC Sean McDermott said the team is "looking forward to getting Moss back for training camp for drill work." McDermott added that Moss has done a "phenomenal job" with rehab.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott appears “on track” to be a “full participant” in training camp. Machota observed Dak moving well in OTAs, all while “never seeming to favor his surgically repaired right ankle.” HC Mike McCarthy added the following: “Physically, I think he’s right where he needs to be. He’s done everything. He hasn’t missed anything that’s been slated. He’s doing a lot of extra, frankly, so the anticipation would be for him to go every day (in training camp) is the outlook. We’re not naïve. It’s just like any player that comes back from injury, especially a major joint injury, the first year back there’s going to be some things you have to work through. But I would anticipate we’d start with him in full mode, get him into the team periods and get back to playing football.” Prescott, almost 28, remains a high-ceiling QB1.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Jets and WR Jamison Crowder have agreed to a renegotiated contract that will keep him with the team through this season. (Crowder would then hit free agency in spring 2022.) This would seem to be bad news for the 2021 outlook of 2nd-round pick Elijah Moore, who stands near-identical in size. But HC Robert Saleh says Moore can play any of the WR positions. So the biggest losers here might be Denzel Mims and Keelan Cole. Corey Davis clearly signed for starter money in free agency, and the Jets would have little reason to retain Crowder if they didn't view him as the top option in the slot. The upgraded WR corps lowers the target ceiling, though, for a wideout who has depended on volume to drive his fantasy value. The Jets offense will be interesting to track throughout the summer, given the bevy of changes to personnel and staff.
Patriots QB Cam Newton is expected to handle a "full complement of reps" at minicamp this week, according the The Boston Globe's Jim McBride. Newton suffered a bone bruise to the right hand at OTAs a couple of weeks ago, but it's obviously not a concern. Early reports out of New England have Newton a strong favorite to open the season as the starter, ahead of 1st-round rookie QB Mac Jones.
Jets HC Robert Saleh believes WR Elijah Moore is capable of playing all 3 receiver spots in the offense. “He’s a dynamic young man,” Saleh said. “One of the things that’s really been great for him, not that it’s been a surprise, but to see it actually happen, what makes those guys difficult to defend is he can line up as the Z, F or X (receiver). He can line up wherever you want, and he’s going to execute it at a very high level.” It's an important note because it means that Moore doesn't need the Jets to get rid of slot receiver Jamison Crowder in order to land an every-down role. Of course, if Moore keeps playing like he did in OTAs and minicamp, the Jets won't be able to keep him off the field.
Jaguars coaches are "buzzing" about WR Laviska Shenault, according to insider Hays Carlyon. Shenault has garnered heaps of praise from beat writers for his work in OTAs and minicamp -- and it sounds like Jacksonville's coaching staff has seen the same thing. Shenault turned in a promising rookie season and is getting a big QB upgrade in Trevor Lawrence this year. He's a 2021 breakout candidate.
Texans OC (and play-caller) Tim Kelly talked up a higher volume run game at OTAs. “I’ve got to do a good job calling more runs and letting our backs and line get into a rhythm as far as how that game’s being played out up front,” he said via the Houston Chronicle. “Each year you go into the offseason looking at different schematic ways and personnel ways you can improve, and we feel like we’ve done that.” RB coach Danny Barrett called the backfield a “healthy competition,” with presumed starter David Johnson, Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead in the mix for touches. Houston clearly has room to run more after ranking 29th in run rate last season. Still, it’s tough to get behind any piece of this backfield — especially if Deshaun Watson isn’t under center.
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson talked about running a more up-tempo offense under new OC Shane Waldron, formerly of the Rams. "We have some nuances across the board that really challenge the defense, using the whole field and really expanding the offense," Wilson said via USA Today. "Just using everybody as much as possible, in all different formations and different looks and different tempos.” With Waldron on the Rams staff in 2020, Jared Goff ranked 3rd league-wide in no-huddle dropbacks, per Sports Info Solutions. So there’s some weight behind the sentiment. Entering the summer, Wilson checks in as a top-8 fantasy QB.
Cordarrelle Patterson is expected to provide "depth at RB" for the Falcons, according to insider Orlando Ledbetter. Patterson played 70% of his offensive snaps for the Bears last year at RB, finishing with 64 carries and 21 catches. Atlanta is weak at both RB and WR, so Patterson might end up contributing a bit at both spots this season. He's an intriguing late-round pick in best-ball drafts.
After watching spring practices, The Boston Globe's Ben Volin believes Patriots QB Mac Jones still has "a long way to go" to beat out QB Cam Newton for the starting job. Even with Newton sidelined the past week with his hand injury, Jones worked behind QBs Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer. “There’s a lot going on in my brain,” Jones admitted. “You’re trying to see everything; sometimes you see too much or whatever, and then you see nothing. I have to figure out in this offense how I can break down the plays, what’s my job, what I have to do on this specific play and slot the plays individually. I did that obviously good in college or whatever, but this is the pros and I have to figure out how to do it here. So that’s what I’m going to do.” We'll see how much ground Jones can make up in training camp and preseason action, but bet on Newton being under center for New England come Week 1.
Saints HC Sean Payton admitted that the team is still monitoring the ankle injury that cost WR Michael Thomas 9 games last year. “We still monitor it, pay attention to it, scan it, and all those things," Payton said. "He’s getting treatment and doing the things necessary. So, so far, so good.” It's slightly concerning that the issue isn't completely behind Thomas. But he's participating in minicamp, so the Saints obviously aren't too worried. Thomas remains a nice value pick in the 3rd round of fantasy drafts.
Packers TE Jace Sternberger received a 2-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He released a statement admitting to falling asleep behind the wheel after mixing alcohol and anti-depressants back in February of 2020. It's the latest letdown in what's been a disappointing start to the 2019 3rd-rounder's NFL career. With Robert Tonyan locked in as Green Bay's lead TE, Sternberger is well off the redraft radar.
The Athletic's Ben Standig has come away from spring practices believing RB Antonio Gibson is set to "become a bigger factor as a receiver" this season. Gibson was out-targeted 110 to 44 by RB J.D. McKissic last year. But Gibson beat McKissic in yards per target and just trailed him in yards per route run and Pro Football Focus receiving grade -- all as a rookie. Considering Gibson played some WR during his time at Memphis, it makes sense that he'd be capable of taking on a bigger role in the passing game this season. Locked in as Washington's lead ball-carrier, there's RB1 upside here depending on how many targets Gibson garners.
Eagles RBs coach Jamel Singleton hinted that his team plans on deploying a committee backfield in 2021. "There are very specific skill sets you need in your room," Singleton said. "You need a first- and second-down runner with that really elite ability. You need a guy that can pass protect on third down and be short yardage. You need a back that can run routes and you can put him out in empty. It’s really a combination of that. I think the days of, ‘he’s an every-down back,’ that’s a little skewed these days because of the speed, because of the contact.” There are very few every-down backs in today's NFL, so this certainly isn't a death knell to Miles Sanders. But we're curious to see exactly how much work he'll cede after the Eagles added rookie RB Kenneth Gainwell and RB Kerryon Johnson to a group that already included RBs Boston Scott and Jordan Howard.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley, speaking to the media for the 1st time this year, refused to give a timetable for his return from knee surgery. "You know me, I’ll take it one day at a time," Barkley said. "It’s going to be whenever my body tells me I’m ready." It's noteworthy because players tend to be over-optimistic about their recoveries. ESPN's Jordan Raanan suggested a couple of weeks ago that Barkley might be limited at the beginning of the season. His status will be 1 of the bigger fantasy storylines this summer.
Falcons WR Calvin Ridley recently underwent "minor" foot surgery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "A little cleanup," Rapoport adds. Ridley won't participate in minicamp but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. We'll keep an eye on him.
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