RB Damien Williams, DT Anthony Rush return to practice Friday

We want and expect a lot out of training camp, but the most important item is health. A team that suffers a raft of injuries this time of year is a team scrambling for solutions ahead of September, and that’s not what anyone wants. That’s why it’s nice to be able to deliver some positive news on that front.

Per Mike Rothstein at ESPN, Anthony Rush and Damien Williams returned to practice today. They had missed practice on Wednesday, but Arthur Smith indicated it wasn’t serious, and we now have confirmation of that.

Both players are vying for significant roles. Williams is hoping to hold off Avery Williams as the likely third option on the depth chart behind Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier, and his pass catching skills and third down work make him a favorite for a role at the moment. Especially with Eddie Goldman’s retirement, Rush is the easy favorite for a significant role at nose tackle after he put together a quality half season in Atlanta back in 2021, especially against the run. It’s nice to have them both back out there to compete, especially with the first preseason game looming a week from now.

Rothstein also notes that Jalen Mayfield and Cameron Batson have not been spotted at practice this morning, so we’ll keep an eye out for news on that front.