Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman might need to show out in training camp this summer if he wants to remain on the team’s final 53-man roster. The Broncos haven’t kept four running backs in their cutdown to 53 players since 2017. Rookie Javonte Williams is expected to get plenty of work alongside Melvin Gordon III in his first season, and first-year general manager George

Houston Texans veteran running back Mark Ingram II, who signed a one-year deal in March, could be the odd man out in the Texans running back room this summer. It seems unlikely that there’s room for Ingram, David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead on the final 53-man roster. Houston restructured Johnson’s contract and doubled his guaranteed money, so he’ll likely be on the team.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell Jr. had 113 yards on 19 carries in last year’s season-opener in place of James Conner, but he wound up averaging 3.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns over the course of the season behind a really bad offensive line. The Steelers drafted Najee Harris and also signed Kalen Ballage, who averaged 4.3 yards per carry with the New

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Allen Hurns is in danger of missing the cut later this summer at training camp. Will Fuller, rookie Jaylen Waddle, DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Lynn Bowden Jr. are likely locked into the first five receiver spots. Hurns is a versatile veteran, but he’ll be competing with Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant (an All-Pro kick returner) and Mack Hollins, who also stands

Buffalo Bills running back Matt Breida gives the team a home run-hitting element in the backfield, but his place on the final 53-man roster this summer isn’t secure heading into training camp. Breida must beat out Antonio Williams and Christian Wade for the final spot in the running backs room. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss are locks, and the Bills might not carry more than

New York Giants wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton will compete for the No. 2 job in training camp behind Kenny Golladay. The Giants paid Golladay $72 million to be their top pass-catcher, so he should be expected to play around 90 percent of the offensive snaps. The No. 2 wide receiver role will be important, since the Giants are expected to use a

The Athletic’s Dan Duggan expects the New York Giants to bring rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney along slowly after he missed a lot of offseason work with cleat problems, minor injuries, an unsigned contract and a family emergency. There are a lot of character concerns with Toney, but he has a high ceiling if he reaches his true potential. He has plenty of playmaking ability,

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman will enter training camp as the second receiver on the depth chart behind Tyreek Hill, and Hardman is in a position to have a breakout season. He’s expected to have the role previously held by Sammy Watkins, but it’s possible that Byron Pringle or Demarcus Robinson could push him during camp. Hardman has plenty of talent as the

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper (foot) is still recovering from foot surgery, and with the team scheduled to depart for training camp on July 20 with the first workout scheduled for July 22, Cooper will be “cutting it close” in terms of his rehab being complete in time for a debut on the first workout day. The Cowboys are unconcerned about any long-term issues,

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk could be in for a breakout season in 2021 as he picks up some of Larry Fitzgerald’s targets and overall production next to All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins. Kirk could be a great complement to Hopkins and better than aging pass-catcher A.J. Green while playing from the slot. The 24-year-old also has really good chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray, so that

The Minnesota Vikings have downplayed any role expansion for tight end Irv Smith Jr. now that Kyle Rudolph is in New York, but the Vikings only have two other proven pass-catchers on the roster in Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Smith has flashed some intriguing potential and will have more opportunities in 2021 on a team that puts its tight ends on the field more

Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver/return specialist Amari Rodgers could be the team’s breakout player in his first year in the NFL. The third-round pick out of Clemson is a natural slot receiver, which is something the Packers have lacked, and is also a very skilled kick returner. The 5-foot-9, 212-pounder can also serve out of the backfield on jet sweeps, reverses and other motion

With Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz likely to go elsewhere, Dallas Goedert is expected to take over as the team’s No. 1 tight end in 2021. Goedert will have true breakout potential and will be featured in head coach Nick Sirianni’s offense. The 26-year-old ranks 13th among tight ends in receiving yards since he entered the league in 2018 and No. 11 in receptions

Las Vegas Raiders running back Kenyan Drake wasn’t thrilled about being pigeonholed as an early down back with the Arizona Cardinals and said he expects to play a more versatile role alongside Josh Jacobs in his new home. Head coach Jon Gruden unsurprisingly loves Drake’s skill set and versatility, but it remains to be seen how they’ll use him in tandem with Jacobs. Drake had

No NFL players are believed to have opted out of the 2021 season, according to a source. The deadline to inform teams was last Friday, and no such transactions were submitted for Tuesday’s personnel notice after the holiday weekend. A vast majority of NFL players and staff have already gotten their COVID-19 vaccines, which has certainly helped in this regard. It’s nice to know that

The New England Patriots signed first-round quarterback Mac Jones to his four-year, $15.6 million rookie deal on Tuesday. Like with all first-round picks, Jones’ contract will include a fifth-year option. The former Alabama star impressed the coaching staff during offseason practices in the spring and even looked better than Cam Newton some days. The Patriots are expected to have a legitimate quarterback battle between Jones

The Denver Broncos didn’t trade up in the second round of this year’s draft for running back Javonte Williams to sit around and watch from the sidelines in 2021. The Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran sees a scenario where Melvin Gordon III takes the first snap/series of the game in Week 1 and then the Broncos ease Williams into a bigger role each week. O’Halloran’s prediction

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy struggled with drops, caught passes from three different starting quarterbacks and battled through an ankle injury in 2020, but the No. 15 pick of last year’s draft still managed 856 receiving yards, the second-most for a rookie in franchise history. Jeudy looked sharp in offseason workouts and received praise from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for his professionalism and work ethic.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell, a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2019, has five injuries, 24 catches and nine games played out of a possible 32 in his first two years in the league. However, the Colts remain confident that Campbell can deliver, and head coach Frank Reich has big plans for him in the offense. If he can stay healthy, he

New England Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry’s agent, Jamal Tooson, issued a formal statement on Tuesday to request a trade. “Through two seasons, he has 86 targets, which obviously hasn’t met the expectations the Patriots and N’Keal had when they drafted a dominant downfield threat who was virtually unstoppable at the point of attack in college,” Tooson wrote in the statement. Harry, a former first-round