Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas is ending his holdout

Thomas, a three-time first-team All Pro, held out from all offseason activities and didn't report to training camp.

Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas is ending his holdout, but his announcement posted to Instagram on Wednesday made it clear reporting to the team was not his first choice.

"I worked my whole life for this..... I've never let me teammates, city or fans down as long as I've lived and don't plan on starting this weekend," he wrote, his words accompanied by a photo of him sitting on a weight bench. "With that being said, the disrespect has been well noted and will not be forgotten. Father Time may have an undefeated record but best believe I plan on taking him into triple overtime when it comes to my career."

Thomas, a three-time first-team All Pro, held out from all offseason activities and didn't report to training camp. He wanted a new multi-year deal, and if the Seahawks didn't accommodate his request, Thomas wanted to be traded. He singled out Dallas as his preferred destination, but that didn't happen.

The Cowboys had been offering a third-round draft pick, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the Cowboys upped their offer to a second-round pick in the last week. However, the Seahawks rejected the offer.

--Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is preparing to play Sunday's season opener against the Cleveland Browns without All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell behind him, but he doesn't sound worried.

"Football's the ultimate team sport. One guy doesn't make or break you," Roethlisberger said. "So I'd like to say that the linemen are more important than any skill position player, including myself, on this team. This offense is more than one guy."

Bell's contract holdout continues as he didn't report to the team again Wednesday. He still has not signed his $14.5 million franchise tag. Roethlisberger said he is ready to go with James Conner, a second-year back who played his college football at Pitt, in the backfield.

--President Donald Trump might not consider the 2018 NFL season opener Thursday appointment television, especially after core sponsor and uniform provider Nike announced an agreement with out-of-work quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Trump, who described the renewal of Nike's "Just Do It" campaign with Kaepernick as a "terrible message," dug in again via Twitter, writing, "Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!"

The NFL Players Coalition released an essay to The Players' Tribune on Wednesday, the eve of the 2018 regular season, asking fans and media to focus on the player initiatives and not players peacefully protesting by kneeling during the national anthem.

--Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry's availability for Sunday's regular-season opener remains in doubt after he missed practice with a sore heel.

Head coach Andy Reid has labeled Berry, who is returning from a ruptured Achilles suffered in the 2017 season opener, as day-to-day, while saying "we'll see" when asked if he'll play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Berry did not play in the preseason and hasn't practiced since mid-August.

"It is literally day-to-day," trainer Rick Burkholder reiterated to reporters. "He won't practice today, but he's spent a lot of time with us, he's improving, he's getting better every day. And so we'll continue with that process."

--New York Giants tight end Evan Engram is out of concussion protocol and can play in the season opener Sunday against Jacksonville, head coach Pat Shurmur announced.

Engram sustained the concussion in the team's third preseason game when he was sandwiched between two New York Jets. He missed practice last week and took part on a limited basis on Monday.

Shurmur also said defensive end Olivier Vernon is "making great progress" in his recovery from a high-ankle sprain that happened more than a week ago, but Shurmur did not discuss Vernon's availability for Sunday.

--Indianapolis Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo and running back Marlon Mack remained absent from practice on Wednesday, putting their availability in doubt for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Both players are battling hamstring injuries. After hurting his hamstring during the offseason, Castonzo aggravated the issue in early August and has not participated since. Mack was hurt in the team's preseason opener.

Le'Raven Clark, a 2016 third-round pick, has been working in Castonzo's place on the left side. At running back, the Colts have rookies Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines along with veteran Christine Michael. Robert Turbin is suspended for the first four games after a PED violation.

--Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker will miss Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans with a finger injury, according to a Miami Herald report.

Parker broke a finger during an Aug. 12 practice and has been sidelined since. Per the Herald, the team wants to be cautious with Parker to avoid any potential setbacks.

The 25-year-old had 57 grabs for 670 yards and one touchdown last season, missing three games due to injury. He had 56 catches for 744 yards and four scores in 2016, his best season since going 14th overall in the 2015 draft.

--Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi was removed from the injury report and is fully expected to play in Thursday's opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

Ajayi had been limited earlier this week with a foot issue but practiced in full on Tuesday before being removed from the report Wednesday.

--Baltimore Ravens rookie tight end Hayden Hurst remained absent from practice as he recovers from foot surgery he underwent two weeks ago to repair a stress fracture.

Hurst's initial timetable for a return was three to four weeks, so he could miss the first game or two of the season. Defensive tackle Willie Henry (hernia surgery) is also expected to miss another week or two.

--The Saints waived running back Boston Scott in order to make room for offensive lineman Michael Ola on the 53-man roster.

A rookie sixth-round pick, Scott joined Alvin Kamara as the only two running backs to make the Saints' initial roster, as Mark Ingram was placed on the suspended list, but the team later signed former Bills and Patriots back Mike Gillislee.

--Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins missed practice with a core muscle injury.

It's unclear when Seferian-Jenkins was injured, or if he will be available for Sunday's opener against the New York Giants. He played in the team's third preseason game on Aug. 25.

--Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller practiced after sitting out the entire preseason while battling a hamstring injury.

He is fully expected to be ready for Sunday's season opener against the Patriots.