As the NFL regular season nears, several teams are actively managing player injuries and roster adjustments. The San Francisco 49ers have welcomed back running back Christian McCaffrey to practice, while the Chicago Bears expressed uncertainty regarding cornerback Kyler Gordon's return. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. also addressed his contract situation and potential availability for Week 1.
Christian McCaffrey was seen participating in team drills on Tuesday, making cuts and appearing explosive, signaling his readiness for the season opener. He had missed over two weeks of training camp due to what was described as general "tightness." McCaffrey is coming off a season where he recorded a career-high 413 total touches, including 1,202 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 924 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His healthy return is viewed as a significant boost for the 49ers' offense.
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles stated Tuesday that there is uncertainty surrounding when defensive back Kyler Gordon will be able to return to play as he recovers from a calf injury. Gordon, who signed a three-year contract extension in April, has played in only five games since then and missed the entire offseason program. Poles indicated that Gordon is working with both team trainers and outside medical personnel, but progress has been slower than anticipated.
"Sometimes they return fast, sometimes they're slow. So it's really a timing thing and a healing thing and a confidence thing," Poles said regarding the recovery process. "We haven't been able to get over that hump, and we're not progressing as fast as we would like."
In other roster moves, the Bears placed safety Coby Bryant and tight end Hayden Large on injured reserve, while signing defensive tackle James Lynch and linebacker Jack Sanborn to the active 53-man roster.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. returned to practice Tuesday after dealing with a back injury. However, he remained noncommittal about playing in the season opener without a new contract, as he is entering the final year of his rookie deal. "I don't know. I've got to talk to the front office and my agents about that one," Porter said when asked about his availability for the Sept. 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Steelers general manager Omar Khan has stated the team wants Porter to remain with the franchise long-term, but the team has a policy of not conducting contract negotiations once the regular season begins.
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson has not practiced for over a week due to an ankle injury sustained in training camp. While he returned to practice Tuesday, he has not yet been cleared for full participation. Henderson had a productive rookie season, accumulating 911 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, in addition to 221 receiving yards and a score. If he is unable to play in the Patriots' Week 1 game, Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to handle a significant workload.