Team news: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Page 43

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans is not practicing Wednesday and is considered day-to-day with a soft tissue injury.

This is not great news for Evans drafters the first week of the season. Evans hasn't had any reported injury issues during camp so it is concerning that he is being added to the injury report with only a few days until the season opener. If Evans is out or limited in Week 1 against the Saints, Chris Godwin would enjoy a massive target share but also deal with Marshon Lattimore's sticky coverage. Scotty Miller would also become an interesting flier at wide receiver with Evans out. Check for an update on Thursday's injury report.

Arizona Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake may be out of his walking boot and back practicing, but that doesn’t mean the flood gates are fully open just yet.

Joining Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Tuesday, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke on the running back and where the team’s at in measuring his workload in the season opener against the defensing NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers.

Related players: Chase Edmonds

Eyes have been on Drake’s status since the RB was seen in a walking boot on Aug. 24, the story said. Despite the appearance, Kingsbury called the boot precautionary, while Drake added he was good to go and there’s “no worries.” Kingsbury said the team has confidence Edmonds if needed, and it's possible Edmonds gets a little more work in Week 1.

Golden Tate: If, as expected, the Giants employ two-tight end sets more frequently under OC Jason Garrett, a wide receiver’s playing time is going to get slashed. Tate figures to be the odd man out, since he primarily plays in the slot in three-receiver sets. That may limit Tate’s production, but he should remain a dependable outlet for Jones, particularly on third down.

Related players: Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard

The story went on to say Slayton was a pleasant surprise last season, as a fifth-round pick who emerged as a legitimate threat due to his speed. Slayton may not get 84 targets again if the rest of the Giants’ weapons stay healthy, but he remains the offense’s lone deep threat. The story added there will likely be some quiet games, but expect Slayton to provide a big-play element to the offense. Shepard looks to be the team's WR1.

The Colts waiver kicker Chase McLaughlin, giving the Colts’ kicking job to rookie Rodrigo Blankenship.

The undrafted rookie from Georgia essentially gets the pleasure of relaxing future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri, who had been with the Colts since 2006. Blankenship currently slots as our No. 17 kicker as Indy gets set to begin the Philip Rivers era against the Jaguars in Week 1.

Buccaneers WRs Scotty Miller and Justin Watson have seemed to solidify themselves as the favorites for snaps and opportunities behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

The team has been excited about both receivers getting in shape and making the most of their opportunities, a spot many had fifth-round rookie Tyler Johnson penciled in at after the team selected him back in April. Quarterback Tom Brady has developed a nice rapport with both receivers. Miller fared pretty well in place of an injured Evans and Godwin at the end of the 2019 season opposite Breshad Perriman, who is now with the Jets. It will be a good battle throughout the rest of the preseason and into the regular season.

Sterling Shepard has torched every Giants corner in camp according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. "The only lingering concern is if he’ll be able to avoid another concussion when the season starts," wrote Duggan.

Duggan started the WR breakdown of his Friday article by saying the depth chart remains intact. He added that Golden Tate has the ability to play longer than most wide receivers and Darius Slayton is not expected to have a sophomore slump despite a quiet camp.

Related Players: Golden Tate, Darius Slayton

There has been a groundswell of praise for Shepard during camp. His health, as well as Tate's, are key to second year QB Daniel Jones' growth. Slayton was his favorite target as a whole in 2019, but his targets dropped when one or both of Shepard and Tate were healthy. The trio should be targets at their lower ADPs. Do not expect them to stay low for very long as draft season continues to press on.

If there were a best friend award for the first week-plus of camp workouts, it would go to Baker Mayfield and Austin Hooper. The new tight end has been Mayfield’s most frequent target in any competitive passing drill.

What's even better is Hooper is generally first in line for extra work with Mayfield when the special teams’ drills take over the primary practice field, the story said. Hooper is 14th on our TE list; he takes a hit due to switching teams. But maybe this chemistry formation will move him closer to the top by the end of the season.

Baker Mayfield understands his rapport with Odell Beckham is going to be important moving forward, and he says that they have worked on their chemistry throughout this offseason and in training camp.

"It's sure as hell going to be a lot better than last year," Mayfield said about his chemistry with Beckham, via NFL.com. "We're just on the same page, things we talked about. There was a lot going on within the building last year. We're not going to get into that, but we're both in a better state. He's healthy; surgery was successful, thank God. He's feeling great. He's in a great state of mind."

Mayfield also said that new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Chad O'Shea is quickly instilling a better culture among the wide receiving corps, and that Beckham has clearly bought in as well. Beckham predicted 2020 would be one of the best seasons of his career.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury praised backup RB Chase Edmonds and said he will be more than just an insurance policy for starter Kenyan Drake.

Drake arrived in Arizona from Miami midway through last season and finished the year on a blistering pace while Edmonds remained in a backup role. The article from the Cardinals website makes it clear that Drake is still the lead back in Arizona, but it appears that Kingsbury may have more planned for Edmonds than simply spelling Drake when he needs a rest. Edmonds is a high-upside late round pick.