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			<title>Latest NFL News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 17:39:41 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[Browns Waive TE Dae’Quan Wright, Paving Way For Him To Play At LSU In Historical Move]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/browns-waive-te-daequan-wright-paving-way-him-play-lsu-historical-move</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/browns-waive-te-daequan-wright-paving-way-him-play-lsu-historical-move</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Tight end Dae’Quan Wright is set to make history in an unusual way.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 17:25:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Tight end Dae’Quan Wright is set to make history in an unusual way. The Cleveland Browns are set to waive Wright and if the tight end clears waivers, he has a commitment in place to return to college and play for LSU in 2026, ESPN reported Sunday. If Wright does wind up playing for LSU this fall, it's believed that he'll be the first player to have ever played college football after being on an NFL roster, according to ESPN. Wright, who'll turn 23 in September, is one of a handful of players who have participated in an NFL training camp this summer and have also entered their names into the transfer portal. Wright is one of a few former Ole Miss players who were granted an injunction by a judge in Louisiana this past week that allowed them another year of college eligibility. The list of plaintiffs in the lawsuit featured 16 football players among student-athletes from other sports. The Philadelphia Eagles initially signed Wright as an undrafted free agent in May. However, they waived him on Aug. 10. The Browns picked him up a day later. Wright took part in warm-ups for the Browns ahead of their preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. He didn't play a snap in the game, but the fact that he was in pads while also considering a return to college made headlines. The situation with Wright also left Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken befuddled. "Man, isn’t this s--- crazy?" Monken told reporters. "I don’t even know what to say. As far as I know, he’s had a medical issue that wasn’t allowing him to practice. That’s a medical issue. It has nothing to do with me. He was cleared, so we dressed him just in case we had to have him." "I don’t know what to say. I wondered why [LSU head coach] Lane Kiffin reached out to me a week ago. Now I know. I didn’t call him back. I guess I should have." Wright played for Kiffin at Ole Miss over the last two seasons, logging 1,029 yards and nine touchdowns over his time with the Rebels. Now, if all goes to plan for Wright, he'll follow Kiffin to LSU after the head coach departed Ole Miss over the offseason.]]>
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					<![CDATA[49ers Remove George Kittle From PUP List, Christian McCaffrey Returns To Practice]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/49ers-remove-george-kittle-from-pup-list-christian-mccaffrey-returns-practice</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/49ers-remove-george-kittle-from-pup-list-christian-mccaffrey-returns-practice</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[After beginning the summer with a slew of injuries, Sunday provided good news on the injury front for the San Francisco 49ers.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 16:52:26 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[After beginning the summer with a slew of injuries, Sunday provided good news on the injury front for the San Francisco 49ers. Star tight end George Kittle was taken off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he made the next step in his Achilles recovery. Running back Christian McCaffrey, meanwhile, was also back at 49ers practice on Wednesday after being sidelined for nearly two weeks due to "tightness." Kittle's and McCaffrey's returns to practice provide optimism that they'll be available for the start of the regular season. The Niners are scheduled to leave for Australia on Sept. 2 before taking on the Los Angeles Rams a week later. "It definitely just gives us energy," 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak told reporters on Sunday. "It just changes things. You have two Hall of Fame-caliber players out there who are back out there and getting their work in, and they practice at a high standard, and they lift everybody up. "It's good to see them back out there." Kittle ruptured his Achilles on Jan. 11 in a playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles and has made an impressive recovery to get back on the field in less than eight months. He expressed optimism this past week that he would be ready for the start of the regular season and reportedly had an encouraging checkup on his Achilles on Wednesday. Kittle is a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler who is a key part of San Francisco’s offense as a passing threat and a blocker in the run game. He had 57 catches for 628 yards receiving and seven touchdowns last season. As for McCaffrey, his absence from practice led to speculation that he was holding out due to the recent pricey extensions for other star running backs. However, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was adamant that McCaffrey was being held out of practice due to injury. McCaffrey also shut down those rumors on Sunday, saying his time away from the practice field was also partially planned as load management. "Obviously, when you don't practice, the way the media works now it's a firestorm," McCaffrey told reporters. "But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we're fresh for the duration. Our staff's done a great job of coming up with specific plans. And again, I feel great. I feel fresh, and it's good to be back out there." After being limited to four games because of injuries in 2024, McCaffrey was an ironman last season. He played 1,010 offensive snaps in the regular season and playoffs — just the ninth running back in the past 20 seasons to top the 1,000 mark — and became the second player in the past decade with at least 450 combined carries and catches. The 30-year-old McCaffrey hasn’t responded well in the past following his heaviest-use seasons. The previous two times he topped 400 touches — in 2019 with Carolina and 2023 with the 49ers — he was severely hampered by injuries the following season, missing 13 games each in 2020 and 2024. Star defensive end Nick Bosa remains out of practice with soreness and tendinitis in his surgically repaired right knee. Bosa tore his right ACL in Week 3 last season. He started camp on the active roster but has only participated in individual drills before being shut down nearly three weeks ago. The Niners have expressed optimism that he will be ready for Week 1. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[It's Time For The Browns To Move On And Cut Deshaun Watson]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/the-browns-should-cut-deshaun-watson</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/the-browns-should-cut-deshaun-watson</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The quarterback's four years in Cleveland have always been bad, but if the franchise wants to move on, they can start by moving on from him now.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 16:32:52 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[I keep making the mistake of thinking that things can't get worse for the Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson. So far, the relationship has been marred by the remarkable trifecta of poor play on the field, terrible off-field red flags and an anchor of a $230 million contract that will continue to limit the franchise's ability to rebound, even after Watson is gone. Through all of that, to hear Watson speak to reporters after Saturday's home preseason loss to the Bills, there is somehow a complete lack of awareness, of remorse, of any ownership for where he is and why Browns fans booed him in his return. "I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance," Watson said. "It's a little bit (more) personal than that. I think that's a disrespectful thing." So, I'll say another thing he might consider disrespectful: The Browns need to move on and cut Watson. I say that not as an endorsement of second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who would presumably step in as starter if Watson is out of the picture. Not because it's a sound move to make from a financial and salary-cap standpoint. If you're trying to move on as a franchise, you don't let Watson be part of that rebuilding just because you agreed to pay him $46 million for this season in 2022. It's the Marianas Trench of sunk costs. The worst thing about Watson's $230 million contract with the Browns is that the team has barely accounted for half of it from a salary-cap standpoint. If Cleveland cuts him before the season, it would result in $127 million in dead money, which is money that counts against the salary cap from a player no longer under contract. It would cost the Browns $41 million this year and $86 million in 2027 to cut Watson before this season. Cleveland doesn't even have $41 million in cap space right now, so it would take reworking other contracts, at the expense of future cap space, just to be done with Watson. Watson took issue with Browns fans on Saturday because some of them cheered when he tore his Achilles tendon in 2024. It's a fair gripe to have, but beyond the idea that you should never cheer an injury, he had already used up whatever goodwill he had with fans in Cleveland. Consider what $230 million has gotten them, just from a football standpoint. Watson is 9-10 as a starter, with 19 touchdown passes in those 19 games, against 12 interceptions. Of the 50 quarterbacks who have thrown 500+ passes since the start of 2022, Watson ranks 42nd in QB Rating. That's below established backups like Desmond Ridder, Gardner Minshew, Will Levis and Aidan O'Connell. Watson's time with the Browns began with a list of accusers that grew and grew until he settled with them before going to trial, an 11-game suspension and a $5 million fine, an embarrassment that understandably hasn't faded for many of their fans. Asked on Saturday if he regretted signing with the Browns, Watson said, "I don't regret anything in my life," a line that very few people can pull off with a straight face. Cleveland not only gave him $230 million but gave up three first-round picks and more to the Texans, who have made the playoffs three years in a row as a by-product of moving on from Watson, to acquire him. "I had different thoughts on how it was going to be," Watson said of his time in Cleveland, a sentiment that could be echoed by nearly anyone who's had interactions with him in the last four years. You feel for Todd Monken, who gets to become an NFL head coach at age 60, but only by accepting a team that's 8-26 in the last two years and just traded away the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. You wonder if the Browns will have patience with him, knowing that any turnaround will not be immediate. You understand why Myles Garrett would relent and allow a trade to the Rams. The Browns are poised to take a quarterback at or near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft, and frankly, any success this year makes that less likely to work out. To that end, keeping Watson and accepting his poor play might help improve the quality of his successor. Sanders isn't likely to get in the way of that either. He ranked 44th out of 45 quarterbacks with 100+ passes last season when it comes to passer rating; he ranked last in completion percentage and third-to-last in interception percentage. Anyone would be more well-liked by Browns fans, but at least you can cite the chance of improvement with Sanders, 24, compared to Watson at age 31. Watson said Saturday that he gets a warmer welcome at road games, saying of the upcoming season that "maybe it's 17 away games" in terms of how the crowd makes him feel. "Sometimes, the tables turn," he said of his future. If he's already envisioning his revenge with another NFL team, good luck with that. And if he says he's keeping his true feelings about his own fans to himself, why force those fans to be divided about their team by staying with him, by keeping him as your choice at the most important position on the field? Has Watson ever given them a real reason to cheer? He went 5-1 as a starter in 2023, but even then, three of those wins had the Browns defense hold opponents to 3, 3 and 0 points. He was more there for the win, much more than being responsible for it. When he said weeks ago that he would consider re-signing with the Browns, it was cringeworthy, like a marriage that neither side's friends wants to see continue under any circumstances. So, rip the $230 million band-aid off. Get the pain over with and start the process of putting Watson in their past, right now. When another quarterback takes the field for Thursday's preseason finale in Cleveland, the crowd will cheer. You might not know who the quarterback of your future is, yes, but there's a value in knowing who you've chosen as the quarterback of your past.]]>
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					<![CDATA[How to Watch Seahawks vs. Titans: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seattle-seahawks-vs-tennessee-titans-august-23-2026</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seattle-seahawks-vs-tennessee-titans-august-23-2026</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Learn which TV channel or how to live stream the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans NFL preseason game.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 14:46:55 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Seattle Seahawks visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET from Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN. Tennessee opened the preseason with a 19-13 win, powered by its rushing attack and special teams. The Titans ran for 167 yards and got 13 points from the kicking game. Cam Ward leads Tennessee with 57 passing yards, followed by Will Levis with 42 and Mitchell Trubisky with 23. Seattle is looking to bounce back after a 17-7 loss in its preseason opener. The Seahawks finished with 156 total yards and just 49 through the air, although they did win the turnover battle. Drew Lock leads Seattle with 40 passing yards and a touchdown, while Jalen Milroe has thrown for 36 yards. Here’s how to watch the Titans and Seahawks. How to Watch Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans Players To Watch Cam Ward is set for his second preseason appearance after leading Tennessee with 57 passing yards in its opener. He completed five of 12 passes as the Titans leaned on a ground game that produced 167 yards. Tennessee averaged 5.4 yards per carry in Week 1. Ward's next step is to turn that support into more rhythm through the air, sustain drives and give the Titans a more balanced attack. Tony Pollard returned to full work during Friday's joint practice and is expected to be available Sunday. He made four carries count in the opener, gaining 22 yards and scoring a touchdown. The Titans averaged 5.4 yards per carry in Week 1, while Seattle's defense recorded two tackles for loss and no sacks. Pollard's burst gives Tennessee a direct way to test the Seahawks' front and stay ahead of the chains. Drew Lock completed nine of 13 passes for 40 yards and Seattle's only touchdown in the preseason opener. He led the Seahawks in passing yards, but the offense finished with 49 net passing yards after allowing three sacks. Tennessee's defense recorded two sacks, seven tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in its opener. Lock's ability to get the ball out quickly, avoid negative plays and create more chances downfield would give Seattle an opportunity to sustain drives. Jalen Milroe completed five of eight passes for 36 yards in Seattle's opener and added 36 rushing yards on five carries. His 20-yard run was the Seahawks' longest gain on the ground. Milroe was sacked three times for 27 yards, a key factor in Seattle's 49 net passing yards. His ability to extend plays while avoiding negative plays would help the Seahawks stay on schedule and generate more consistent offense. Learn more about the Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans game on FOX Sports! Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Catchup: Shedeur Sanders Outplays Deshaun Watson; Stetson Bennett Stars In LA]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-shedeur-sanders-outplays-deshaun-watson-stetson-bennett-stars-in-la</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-shedeur-sanders-outplays-deshaun-watson-stetson-bennett-stars-in-la</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Shedeur Sanders and Stetson Bennett were the standout performers on Saturday in NFL preseason action.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:26:01 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Plenty of quarterbacks thrived on Saturday in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, some with jobs on the line. In Cleveland, it was Shedeur Sanders leading a touchdown drive as he competes for the starting job against Deshaun Watson. Out on the West Coast, Stetson Bennett IV took a strong step toward potentially being the backup for the Los Angeles Rams. A familiar face in Jameis Winston also played well, although the best QB performance may have come from an undrafted rookie out of a Division-II school. After Watson started the Browns' preseason opener, it was Sanders' turn on Sunday. The second-year quarterback was 8-of-11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and interception. On the Browns' first drive, Sanders led an 11-play, 65-yard march to the end zone. He started with an eight-yard completion to wide receiver Isaiah Bond and later kept the Browns' drive alive with a 16-yard connection to tight end Blake Whiteheart to convert a fourth-and-2. Sanders found running back Ahmani Marshall out of the backfield to get Cleveland into the red zone before he hit wide receiver Luke Floriea for an eight-yard touchdown. Sanders played three more series, finishing out the first half, but he couldn't replicate the success he found on the Browns' initial drive. On Cleveland's second drive of the second quarter, Sanders targeted tight end Jermaine Terry II on a crossing route, but the Bills' defense deflected the pass, and it fell into safety Damar Hamlin's hands. Watson, meanwhile, did not have things go his way. The veteran started the second half and finished 5-of-12 passing for 36 yards and an interception, adding two rushes for 13 yards. There were plenty of boos for Watson in Cleveland, which he said he didn’t understand after the game. Sanders, to his credit, spoke out against the booing of Watson after the game, saying, "It's a respect that I feel should be there." It looks like Bennett, not Ty Simpson, may start the season as Matthew Stafford’s backup in Los Angeles. After Simpson shined in the Rams’ preseason opener, it was Bennett’s turn on Saturday against the New Orleans Saints. The former University of Georgia star was 19-of-31 for 181 passing yards with two carries for nine yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Bennett started the game and played into the second half. Simpson came in and was solid, going 8-of-12 for 73 yards. The Rams offense hummed with Bennett under center. Former Auburn standout and second-year running back Jarquez Hunter had 12 carries for 68 yards, while rookie wide receiver CJ Daniels (out of Miami) had eight receptions for 68 yards. The game was a blowout. Journeyman safety Alex Cook had the game’s most memorable play when he intercepted Saints QB Spencer Rattler and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. If it were the regular season, Harrison Butker would have kicked the longest field goal in NFL history on Saturday night. In the Chiefs' matchup against the Buccaneers, the veteran kicker was good from 69 yards – and the kick had more to it than just that distance. It was an impressive feat that would have broken the NFL record for the longest in a real game, which was set by Jaguars kicker Cam Little last season. As the Vikings quarterback competition continued to brew, quarterback J.J. McCarthy took the stage during Week 2 of preseason. However, after four series, McCarthy left the field "banged up," according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. "It's always a moving target; maybe one more drive would have been great to get him based upon where he was snapcount-wise, but he was a little hobbled there. I'll have an update for you, but he seemed to be fine," O'Connell said after the Vikings' preseason loss to the Ravens. McCarthy and quarterback Kyler Murray have been competing for Minnesota's starting quarterback role, but Murray was named the starter last week. McCarthy finished the day going 5-for-10 for 81 yards and zero touchdowns. Six weeks ago, Winston was moonlighting as a World Cup correspondent for FOX Sports. Now, he’s back to his day job, which is being one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL. The Giants’ QB2 put up impressive numbers against the Dolphins on Saturday, going 15-of-21 for 150 yards through the air with an 11-yard touchdown run, as well. Winston wasn’t the only veteran player who stood out on the Giants’ offense. Running back Devin Singletary had eight carries for 40 rushing yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Darius Slayton led the team with 58 receiving yards on four catches. The most impressive performance of the day probably came from Falcons quarterback Jack Strand, who lit up the box score in a dominant 34-6 win over the Colts. Strand, an undrafted free agent out of Division-II school Minnesota State-Moorhead, was 12-of-17 for 212 yards for a whopping 12.5 yards per attempt with two touchdowns (one passing and one rushing). Strand is unlikely to make the Falcons’ roster with Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa and veteran Cooper Rush ahead of him on the depth chart, but he’s making a case to be employed at least on some team’s practice squad this season. Neither Penix nor Tagovailoa played on Saturday, while Rush started and was a strong 10-of-11 for 86 yards. Atlanta out-gained the Colts 461-164. Obviously, it’s the preseason, so the result doesn’t matter, but Indianapolis surely won’t be happy with this performance.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Browns' Deshaun Watson Reacts To Boos After Preseason Showing]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/browns-deshaun-watson-reacts-boos-after-preseason-showing-it-what-is</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/browns-deshaun-watson-reacts-boos-after-preseason-showing-it-what-is</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Deshaun Watson spoke to the media about the negative fan reaction to his preseason performance against the Buffalo Bills.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:46:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Deshaun Watson finished his preseason with more negative fan reactions than positive. The veteran quarterback appeared in the Cleveland Browns preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, and fans were not thrilled about his performance. Watson finished his day going 5-for-12 for 36 passing yards and one interception. As Watson exited the field, fans began to boo him. Following the loss, Watson spoke about the post-game reaction and his feelings towards it. "Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles and that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt," Watson said after the game. "So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer." Watson suffered a torn Achilles in October 2024 that sidelined him for the season, leaving the keys to Jameis Winston as the Browns' starting quarterback. However, he re-tore his Achilles in 2025, which ended his season, giving quarterback Joe Flacco the green light. However, when Flacco was traded to the Bengals to take Joe Burrow’s place, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel competed for the starting role. However, Sanders has continued to cement his candidacy as starting quarterback from the end of the season up until this preseason. Sanders also spoke about the negative feelings towards Watson since he’s been back. "I don’t appreciate that at all," Sanders said of Watson getting booed. "Just regardless of competition with all human beings… However y’all feel about Deshaun and everything, I think it’s more about [a] bigger purpose than just respect. It’s a respect I feel should be there." The Browns enter the 2026 season coming off a 5-12 record and with a brand-new coach in Todd Monken. Monken previously served as the Ravens offensive coordinator and took over as Cleveland’s head coach when Kelvin Stefanski took over as the Falcons head coach. Watson emphasized how he's able to go about the negative reactions, stating there's only so much he can do. "So that’s why I say it’s more personal. So you, it is what it is. … There’s only so much you can do to change that," Watson said. "At the end of the day, I just have to continue to work on that and strive to be better mentally moving forward." The Browns open the 2026 season on the road at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Sept. 13. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks' Jake Bobo Reportedly Placed On Season-Ending Injured Reserve]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seattle-seahawks-jake-bobo-reportedly-placed-season-ending-injured-reserve</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seattle-seahawks-jake-bobo-reportedly-placed-season-ending-injured-reserve</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Saturday with a knee injury.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:53:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Seattle Seahawks received unfortunate news on Saturday: Wide receiver Jake Bobo was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a knee injury, ESPN reported Saturday. The wide receiver from UCLA originally sustained an injury on Friday in the Seahawks' joint practice with the Tennessee Titans. Later that day, Bobo underwent tests on his knee. Bobo was an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has spent his entire NFL career with the Seahawks. Notably, Bobo caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in Seattle’s 31-27 NFC championship win over the Los Angeles Rams. Additionally, Bobo appeared in all 17 regular season games in both 2023 and 2024. However, the Seahawks acted fast to fill the place with Bobo. Seattle signed wide receiver Julian Hicks to take Bobo’s place. Hicks signed with Seattle last week but was waived to make room for cornerback Trevon Diggs. Prior to Hicks signing with the Seahawks, he was initially with the Green Bay Packers on the practice squad. In March — when Bobo was a restricted free agent — the Jacksonville Jaguars offered Bobo a two-year, $5.5 million deal, but the Seahawks met the offer to keep him in Seattle. While Bobo’s season has come to an end, Seattle’s wide receiver room is still stacked. The Seahawks return star receivers Cooper Kupp and Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba with quarterback Sam Darnold. "It hurts, man," Darnold said. "He's one of those guys that he works with, he talks a lot of stuff, and he's kind of like (Devon Witherspoon) in a way, offensively. He brings the juice every single day, and he just does his job. So it sucks to lose Bobo, but I know he's going to attack it and be better whenever he comes back." The defending Super Bowl Champions open their 2026 campaign in Seattle home against the New England Patriots on Wednesday, September 9.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Catchup: Geno Smith Delivers In Preseason, Tyreek Hill Still In Recovery Mode]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-geno-smith-delivers-preseason-tyreek-hill-still-recovery-mode</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-geno-smith-delivers-preseason-tyreek-hill-still-recovery-mode</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's everything you need to know around the NFL on Friday.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:35:52 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Preseason stars continue to emerge, free agents continue to ink new deals and injuries still headline the news. But one free agent has a bigger question mark than others: Tyreek Hill. After Hill's season-ending injury early last season – and being released by Miami in February – his priority still remains his health and recovery, rather than joining a new team. On the other hand, the Houston Texans acted fast after wide receiver Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending injury, and signed two new wide receivers on Friday. In terms of preseason starts, Jets quarterback Geno Smith needed one drive to put points on the board for New York, and Carolina Panthers' running back Jonathan Brooks found the end zone early. However, the defending-champion Seattle Seahawks await serious injury news regarding the status of wide receiver Jake Bobo. Catch up with all the updates across the NFL: Former Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill has been a big question mark this offseason; where will the free agent land next? Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, joined the Pat McAfee show on Friday to discuss Hill’s timeline in terms of signing with a new team. "I don’t expect Tyreek to sign before the season starts," Rosenhaus said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday. "He sent me videos of him running hills yesterday, and he looked great. "I do think when he does sign, he will be the kind of guy that will impact the playoff race and will certainly be successful." Hill spent the last four seasons with the Dolphins, and six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to signing with Miami. However, after Hill’s Week 4 season-ending knee injury last season, Rosenhaus emphasized that Hill’s priority is getting back to full health before he inks a new deal. "Tyreek Hill is gonna take his time and pick the right team," Rosenhaus added. "He's gonna come back fully healthy and he wants to help a team win a Super Bowl." So Hill still expects to return at some point, but he'll be calculated in determining his team and timeline. Geno Smith played one drive on Friday night, and he made it count. Starting the Jets' preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith went 7-for-7 for 65 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Jelani Woods. The drive featured a 21-yard completion to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and 10-yard completions to tight end Mason Taylor and wide receiver Garrett Wilson. This was Smith’s first preseason action this year. Rookie Cade Klubnik relieved Smith after an impressive preseason debut last week against the Buccaneers that saw him go 5-of-7 for 56 yards. The Clemson product may see time later in the regular season, but Smith will likely be the guy in Week 1. Similar to Smith, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love just needed one drive to put points on the board for Green Bay against Denver. Love finished the 12-play drive going 5-for-7, 56 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to running back MarShawn Lloyd. The drive saw a pass caught first by Christian Watson, but Denver's Patrick Surtain II forced a fumble recovered by the Broncos, but was called back. Love then found Matthew Golden, who converted a crucial fourth-down to keep the drive alive. It's unlikely that Love will play in the Packers' preseason finale next week against the Arizona Cardinals, but Love will lead Green Bay starting Week 1 on the road at the Minnesota Vikings. In the second game of the night, running back Jonathon Brooks showed that he might finally be ready to make a difference for the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young marched the Panthers' offense down the field, going 5-of-6 for 49 yards in his two drives, including two completions for a total of 25 yards to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Brooks completed the Panthers' second drive with a one-yard touchdown run. He totaled five carries for 18 yards on Friday. Brooks was a second-round pick in 2024 out of Texas and was drafted after having sustained a torn ACL during his last season in college. He suffered the same injury in Week 14 of his rookie year, again in his right knee, just the third game of his rookie season after returning from the initial injury. Brooks then sat out all of 2025. Since the end of last season, running back Rico Dowdle signed with the Steelers, leaving Chuba Hubbard as the lead back for Carolina. That also gives Brooks a chance to compete for carries — if he can stay healthy. The Houston Texans wasted no time once wide receiver Jayden Higgins was placed on the season-ending injured reserve. Houston signed veteran receivers Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones on Friday, according to NFL Network. Shepard spent the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jones was with the Arizona Cardinals for two seasons. With Higgins out, the additions of experienced receivers like Jones and Shepard can benefit quarterback C.J. Stroud and the offense. Jones and Shepard join a Houston receiving room that includes Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, and Tank Dell. After Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo was carted off during Friday's joint practice with the Tennessee Titans, he will undergo tests to determine the severity of his knee injury. Bobo's shining moment from last season came in Seattle's NFC Championship win over the Rams, when he hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Darnold in the third quarter. Seahawks head coach Mike Maconald called Bobo’s injury "serious" and that it could leave Bobo sidelined for most of the regular season. "Our heart goes out to Jake Bobo," Macdonald said after practice. "It seems like it’s going to be a serious knee. We’re going to get an image, but early returns, you know, just looks like it is a long-term injury. So, that’s unfortunate."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Running Back Nick Chubb Announces Retirement From The NFL After 8 Seasons]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/running-back-nick-chubb-announces-retirement-from-nfl-after-eight-seasons</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/running-back-nick-chubb-announces-retirement-from-nfl-after-eight-seasons</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Nick Chubb retired from the NFL after eight seasons, he announced via instagram.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:20:31 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Running back Nick Chubb has announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday, he announced via Instagram. Chubb played eight seasons in the league, competing for both the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans. "Twelve year old me could never imagine this day, and 30 year old me is wondering where all the time has gone. I've known for some time now, but I'm finally ready to share that I'm done playing football," Chubb wrote on Instagram. "I wanted to end my career on a healthy note, and I was able to do that." The 2018 second-rounder instantly made his mark in his rookie year with Cleveland. Chubb rushed for 996 rushing yards, eight touchdowns and added 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. On top of his impressive rookie campaign, Chubb went on to amass four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the Browns, which led to four Pro Bowl nods. However, Chubb suffered an injury in 2023 — on the same knee he injured in 2015 at Georgia — sidelining him for over 20 games between 2023 and 2024. While Chubb signed with the Texans in 2025, his production did not match his early-career performances pre-injury. Chubb finished the year with 568 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Not only did Chubb succeed in the NFL, but he was a legend at Georgia. As a bulldog, Chubb recorded 4,769 total rushing yards, 44 total touchdowns, an SEC Championship title and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2017. Chubb also added a note to his teammates, alluding to the setback he faced when dealing with injury: "I say this to all my brothers still on the field, still in the heat of it: there's a life waiting for you after football. And health is the real wealth. I end my career in a great place."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Sam Darnold Connects With JSN, But Titans Pack A Punch Of Their Own]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seahawks-titans-joint-practice-sam-darnold-connects-jsn-titans-pack-punch</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seahawks-titans-joint-practice-sam-darnold-connects-jsn-titans-pack-punch</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's what stood out from the Seahawks-Titans joint practice on Friday ahead of the teams' Sunday night matchup on FOX.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:52:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During a break in 11-on-11 drills at Friday’s joint practice between the Titans and Seahawks, the quarterbacks from both teams gathered in the middle field at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Before Sam Darnold could even complain about the heat — mid 80s, plus humidity — Tennessee's QBs essentially thanked the Seahawks for the reprieve. "They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s a beautiful day! You brought the cool weather with you,’" Darnold said post-practice, laughing and shaking his head in disbelief. That pretty much summed up how the defending Super Bowl champions felt in the muggy heat, much different from the cool weather they’re used to in Seattle. Several Seahawks battled heat-related issues. On the practice field, the champs traded blows with a Titans team hoping for better days under new coach Robert Saleh. Despite their pedigree, the Seahawks have questions of their own. Perhaps the biggest one facing Seattle entering 2026: What will its offense look like? Darnold is a proven Pro Bowl quarterback. Superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, is one of the NFL’s best players. The Seahawks had the league’s No. 3 scoring offense last season. But they have a first-time playcaller in Brian Fleury, who replaces Klint Kubiak, who was named the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach in February. Fleury spent the past seven seasons as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers. "I think for him, it’s just like learning the flow of [playcalling]," Darnold told me. "When to call a certain play. When to get the play in. How much time we’re going to have on the play clock. When we want to get into tempo. … It’s tough sometimes to be the offensive coordinator, but he’s really, really smart and we know he can handle it." My takeaways from Friday’s joint practice: Titans quarterback Cam Ward gave the Seahawks’ elite defense fits in a Week 12 matchup last season, and he had more success against Seattle on Friday. In a red-zone period at the start of practice, last year’s No. 1 overall pick threw a short touchdown pass across his body to second-year receiver Elic Ayomanor. Ward also capped off a two-minute drive late with a touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger. Ward didn’t force shots deep, taking what Mike Macdonald’s defense gave him underneath for several short completions. It wasn’t all perfect — Ward threw a pick-six to Seahawks safety Ty Okada — but it was an encouraging day overall for the young quarterback, who hopes to make big strides in his second season with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Playing well against a Super Bowl defense is a great sign. After an uninspiring preseason opener last week, Ward has strung together a handful of strong practices. "He can extend plays, I think that’s a big part of his game," Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV said post-practice. "I think he was on time with his throws today, getting to his check downs. I think he’s growing and getting better." And it wasn’t just Ward playing well for the offense. Ayomanor drew an interference penalty to set up Bellinger's score in the two-minute drill. Running back Tony Pollard ripped off several great runs thanks to a great showing from Tennessee’s offensive line. Ward agreed with the sentiment that there were "A-plus" plays on the ground. "They made some holes for us, for sure. They were the first ones to the ball," Ward said. "I’m happy to have those guys in front of me." Not surprisingly, the All-Pro receiver was a standout on the day. With the Seahawks deep in negative territory during team drills, Smith-Njigba beat Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor with ease down the left sideline to catch a Darnold pass. Later in the same period, he wiggled his way through the middle of Tennessee’s defense to find open grass, making a grab around the one-yard line. A two-time Pro Bowler, Smith-Njigba is coming off a season in which he led the league in receiving yards (1,793). He’s just 24 years old and his numbers have improved across the board in each of his three seasons, so he should continue to ascend — a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Early in team drills, Jeffery Simmons stuffed first-round running back Jadarian Price up the middle. The All-Pro defensive tackle proceeded to chirp at the Seahawks’ offense. It set the tone for what turned out to be a strong showing for Tennessee’s defense against a talented Seattle offense. "You see the aggression, you see kind of the pressure they put on the quarterback," Darnold said. "Their four-man rushes are really, really good, and then they bring five or six-man rushes. And even when they bring fire zones [blitzes], they’re really, really good. Their back end is really good at disguising right now. They’re showing a lot of different things defensively. … That defense is going to be really good this year." Taylor had a pick-six off Darnold in the first play of a two-minute period. Linebacker Cody Barton broke up a pass in the red zone. The Titans’ defensive front held up well in the run game. Tennessee’s secondary came under fire for a poor showing in last week’s preseason opener against San Francisco's backups, but the defensive backs — and the defense as a whole — bounced back against Seattle. Seattle’s backfield faces a bit of uncertainty entering 2026, with reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency for the Kansas City Chiefs and Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL suffered in January. The Seahawks will need unproven players to step up at running back this season. At Friday’s practice, backup George Holani answered the bell. The third-year pro had a pair of touchdowns as a pass-catcher — one off a deep pass on third down, and another on a short catch and run. Price, who has missed time in training camp due to lower-body soreness, continued his ramp-up by participating in full contact work at joint practice. "They may be hungry, but we're starving. Let's continue to starve to get to where we want to get to." — Titans DT Jeffery Simmons after practice with the Super Bowl champs]]>
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					<![CDATA[Texans Sign 2 Veteran WRs Following Jayden Higgins' Season-Ending Injury]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/texans-sign-2-wrs-following-jayden-higgins-injury</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/texans-sign-2-wrs-following-jayden-higgins-injury</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Houston Texans brought in reinforcements at wide receiver after Jayden Higgins' season-ending injury.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:48:21 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Houston Texans reportedly signed wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones on Friday. The addition of both veterans comes on the day Houston placed second-year WR Jayden Higgins on season-ending injured reserve after tearing his ACL in Tuesday's practice. Shepard and Jones will provide a boost to what was already a thin receiving corps even before the Higgins injury. Shepard is entering his 10th NFL season, and will be joining his third team. He spent the last two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the eight before that with the New York Giants. Shepard peaked in his third NFL season when he hauled in 66 catches for 872 yards and four touchdowns. Jones, on the other hand, is entering his ninth NFL season for his fifth team. He suited up for the Arizona Cardinals for the last two seasons. Jones also had his best season for the Texans' AFC South rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he had 82 catches for 823 yards and five touchdowns in 2022. Shepard and Jones join Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson in the Texans' receiving room. Higgins, though, was primed for a second-year breakout. After being selected with the second pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Higgins had 525 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season. He had received praise from Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley. "He’s put in work. He’s so much more comfortable — I thought he was comfortable last year by season’s end. The familiarity with the details and nuances of the offense, he’s playing clean. He can play all over," Caley said last week. "He doesn’t have any limitations, he really doesn’t." Instead, it will be a lost season for Higgins. As he recovers, the Texans will try to make up for his loss with the help of Shepard and Jones.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Odds: Back C.J. Stroud, Texans To Win AFC South; Fade Titans]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-odds-afc-south-best-bets</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-odds-afc-south-best-bets</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Geoff Schwartz gives his picks for the AFC South, including the winner and the lowest team on the totem pole.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:35:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Which teams will rise to the top of the AFC South in 2026? With a few preseason games out of the way, I'm feeling pretty confident about a couple of wagers when it comes to this division. Here's what I'm backing. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. The Texans have the best defense in football. Their defense was first in yards averaged per game and second in points allowed. It was seventh in sack rate and second in defensive DVOA. It generated 30% of its pressures with just a four-man rush and allowed under two yards a play when pressuring. Just wildly good numbers. That defense should be elite again in 2026. It returns almost everyone, and it just drafted a few more defensive pieces. Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans has been at the helm for three seasons. He’s 32-19 and helped lead the squad to a division title in 2023 and 2024 before finishing just one game outside the division title in 2025. His teams are disciplined, tough, physical and are easy to root for. The question for the Texans is their offense and quarterback C.J. Stroud. The offense was nothing special in 2025. It was middle of the pack in total yards but poor on third and fourth down. It couldn’t rush the ball either, with just 3.9 yards per carry — which was 29th in the league. Stroud was up and down last season and ended with a dud in Houston's postseason loss to the Patriots. This offseason, the Texans went about fixing the offensive line through free agency and draft additions. It should be better. David Montgomery is the new running back and the Texans receivers are mostly healthy entering the season. So it all comes down to Stroud. I have faith in Stroud because he’s shown plenty in his career. Even for large stretches last season, he showed glimpses of the guy we saw as a rookie in 2023. Houston returns the same offensive coordinator in Nick Caley, which gives the offense some familiarity. An improved offensive line and running game should ease the pressure for Stroud, and he doesn’t have to do much with that defense. Just play within yourself. In the AFC South, the Texans will have to compete with the Jaguars once again, but the Jags have the tougher schedule with those three first-place games. Houston's roster is better. The Colts don’t worry me. They are not as talented as the Texans and quarterback Daniel Jones is coming back off injury. The Titans … well, they have no chance in the division. I want Cam Ward to succeed, but the vibes aren’t great at the moment. Reports out of camp are that Ward has struggled a bit. The Tennessee offense was bad in the first preseason game, joint practices haven’t been pretty either, and there is a new offense that does display some red flags. However, I like the Titans' running game and the draft pick of Carnell Tate to help Ward. You’d have to believe the Titans' defense will improve with Robert Salah in charge. However, I’m not sure that this group is an overly-talented unit. Looking at the Tennessee schedule makes me love the Under even more. There are just not a ton of winnable games for this team as it stands right now. Jets, Browns and Raiders stand out as winnable games. That’s about it. So the Titans would need to win those games and then four more. I just don’t see it.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Best LBs In The NFL: Has Fred Warner Been Dethroned As League's Best Linebacker?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-lbs-has-fred-warner-been-dethroned-leagues-best-linebacker</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-lbs-has-fred-warner-been-dethroned-leagues-best-linebacker</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who is the best linebacker entering the 2026 season? We ranked the 10 best.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:54:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[No player has arguably been better than their peers at their respective position than Fred Warner since the turn of the decade. But as the San Francisco 49ers' star returns from a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely, is Warner still the NFL's best linebacker ahead of the 2026 campaign? We ranked the 10 best linebackers in the league as we prepare for the new year. Warner, a four-time first-team All-Pro, was one of two players to receive first-place votes in our rankings, with the Detroit Lions' Jack Campbell and the Baltimore Ravens' Roquan Smith among those vying for the top spot. Here's a full look at our top 10 linebackers entering the 2026 season. Greg Auman: Can takeaways be what takes Carolina’s defense from bad to good? In defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s first year in Charlotte in 2023, the Panthers had an NFL-low 11 takeaways, improving to 17 in 2024 and 21 last year. Lloyd signed a three-year, $42 million deal after a breakout Pro Bowl year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, in which he had five interceptions to help his former team record 31 takeaways, second-most in the NFL. It’s concerning that Jacksonville let Lloyd walk from the middle of its defense, but he and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are two high-dollar additions to Carolina’s defense as they try to improve enough to repeat as NFC South champs. Lloyd is 27 and needs to show last year’s splash plays — notably absent his previous two years — can continue as a defensive spark. Ben Arthur: Bolton has been one of the NFL’s most steady off-ball linebackers since entering the league in 2021, helping the Chiefs win two Super Bowls. The former second-round pick is coming off his second straight season of 100-plus tackles, six pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. In 2025, he tied for third in run stops (86) and 10th in hustle stops (15) among linebackers, according to Next Gen Stats. With Kansas City’s secondary undergoing a makeover this offseason, Bolton will take on a more pronounced role in Steve Spagnuolo’s back-seven as the green dot. Pass coverage is an area for improvement, though. Opposing quarterbacks had a 93.8 passer rating when targeting him in coverage last season, the third time in five seasons he’s allowed a 90-plus passer rating, per NGS. Eric D. Williams: Only 26 years old, Jones has won two Super Bowl rings in six NFL seasons. Since Seattle made a midseason trade for the South Carolina product with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, Jones has been the green-dot playcaller and a leader for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Jones finished with a career-high five interceptions (a franchise record for a linebacker) and 126 combined tackles in 2025, earning second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his NFL career. Jones has finished with at least 100 tackles for four straight seasons. Jones spent his first three seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams, setting a single-season franchise record with 145 tackles in 2023, including a career-high 4.5 sacks. Arthur: Once in the shadows of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in San Francisco, Al-Shaair has come into his own as a star linebacker the last couple of years. His aggressive play style sets the tone as the green dot of the Texans’ juggernaut defense. In 2025, the former undrafted free agent registered his third 100-tackle season and posted career-highs in interceptions (two) and pass breakups (nine) to make his first Pro Bowl. Overall, Al-Shaair is one of the league’s best coverage linebackers. Among qualified linebackers last season, he ranked ninth in both tight windows forced rate and coverage EPA and 20th in ballhawk rate, per NGS. Auman: Brooks, 28, is the rare Dolphins star the franchise chose to keep this year, locking him up with a three-year, $48 million deal. He earned first-team All-Pro honors last year, leading the NFL with 183 total tackles, but he’s been productive for a while. Over the last five years, he has the third-most tackles in the league, with more tackles for loss (45) than anyone else in the top five. He’s aggressive at the line of scrimmage, with 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss last year, and he’ll need to be as part of a rebuilding Dolphins roster under new head coach Jeff Hafley. Can the Dolphins win enough games to stay ahead of the Jets and avoid the AFC East cellar? Brooks is a core piece in Miami that’s part of their past and part of their future as well. Ralph Vacchiano: It is still absolutely remarkable that the Eagles viewed Baun as little more than a special teams player when they signed him away from New Orleans in 2024, and instead they got a two-time Pro Bowler and one of their best defensive starters. He was one of the best defenders in the league in 2024 and he had almost identical production last season when he had 123 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. Baun's the perfect versatile linebacker for Vic Fangio’s scheme. He’s got the speed to rush the passer and drop back in tight coverage, and he has better instincts than many linebackers in the league. Linebacker hasn’t always been a strength in Philadelphia. But thanks to the 29-year-old Baun, it is now. Bucky Brooks: The second-year pro quickly established himself as a tackling machine in the middle of the Browns’ defense. Schweisinger’s instincts, range, and awareness as a "see ball, get ball" defender shrink the field for the opponents, leading to fewer explosive plays against the ultra-aggressive unit. With the youngster also controlling the game as the green dot wearer, the Pro Bowler’s intelligence and communication skills set him apart from others at the position. Henry McKenna: Let’s just start with last season when he had 176 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, five sacks and four pass breakups. Sort of like a quarterback whose rare arm talent allows him to use every blade of grass, Campbell has the athleticism, range and awareness to be a threat in just about every part of the field. There really isn’t a defensive phase where he doesn’t make an impact. I’m not sure Campbell gets the love he deserves, in part because he’s a defensive playmaker and in part because his position is no longer considered "premium." But to that point, it takes a truly special linebacker to justify the draft position of 18th overall, where the Lions got Campbell in 2023. And he has absolutely made that pick worth it. Williams: One of the most explosive linebackers in the league, Smith can make plays from sideline to sideline and is one of the best tacklers in the NFL. A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has eclipsed 100 tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons. But Smith will have to adjust to a new system with defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter taking over as the team’s head coach. Smith is looking to take the ball away this season after finishing with zero forced fumbles, sacks and interceptions in 2025. Brooks: The NFL’s prototype at the position displays a rare combination of size, speed, intelligence, and violence. Warner is a menacing sideline-to-sideline defender who covers ground like a gazelle, but attacks runners and pass catchers like the Lion King tracking his prey. Given Warner's penchant for producing big plays as a run defender and in coverage, the All-Pro is the "Mike" linebacker that every defensive coordinator would choose as a foundational piece.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NFL Preseason Odds Week 2: Spreads, Lines For All 16 Games]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-preseason-odds-week-2-spreads-lines-all-16-games</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-preseason-odds-week-2-spreads-lines-all-16-games</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Check out the odds, spreads and totals for all 16 preseason Week 2 games.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:46:52 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Books and bettors are back for Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Let's check out the odds for each game at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 23. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Thursday, Aug. 20 Raiders 22, Texans 20 Spread: Texans -1.5 (LV covers)O/U: 38.5 (Over hits) 49ers 41, Chargers 17 Spread: 49ers -1.5 (SF covers)O/U: 38.5 (Over hits) Friday, Aug. 21 Jets 17, Steelers 0 Spread: Jets -1.5 (NYJ covers)O/U: 37.5 (Under hits) Panthers 34, Jaguars 17 Spread: Jaguars -1.5 (CAR covers)O/U: 37.5 (Over hits) Packers 33, Broncos 13 Spread: Broncos -6 (GB covers)O/U: 41.5 (Over hits) Saturday, Aug. 22 Commanders 13, Lions 17 Spread: Lions -1.5 (DET covers)O/U: 36.5 (Under hits) Bills 31, Browns 7 Spread: Browns -3 (BUF covers)O/U: 36.5 (Over hits) Ravens 13, Vikings 3 Spread: Vikings -3.5 (BAL covers)O/U: 36.5 (Under hits) Falcons 34, Colts 6 Spread: Colts -3.5 (ATL covers)O/U: 36.5 (Over hits) Saints 34, Rams 0 Spread: Saints -1.5 (NO covers)O/U: 37.5 (Under hits) Giants 26, Dolphins 3 Spread: Giants -3 (NYG covers)O/U: 36.5 (Under hits) Bears 3, Bengals 27 Spread: Bears -1.5 (CIN covers)O/U: 36.5 (Under hits) Eagles 21, Patriots 24 Spread: Eagles -1.5 (NE covers)O/U: 36.5 (Over hits) Chiefs 15, Buccaneers 16 Spread: Buccaneers -5.5 (KC covers)O/U: 37.5 (Under hits) Cowboys 34, Cardinals 13 Spread: Cardinals -1.5 (DAL covers)O/U: 37.5 (Over hits) Sunday, Aug. 23 Seahawks @ Titans Spread: Titans -4.5Moneyline: Titans -205, Seahawks +170O/U: 37.5]]>
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					<![CDATA[Why 'Purposeful' Titans Rookie Carnell Tate Is The Receiver Cam Ward Needs]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/rookie-wr-carnell-tate-will-shine-titans</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/rookie-wr-carnell-tate-will-shine-titans</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Carnell Tate's former coaches and teammates explain why the No. 4 overall pick is the perfect receiver for Titans QB Cam Ward.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:15:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[In November 2019, during a Chicago-area high school football playoff game, a 14-year-old Carnell Tate couldn’t be stopped. Starring for Marist High School, the freshman receiver caught eight passes for 92 yards against Loyola Academy, a perennial national power and the defending Illinois state champions. When Tate scored the late touchdown that helped Marist push the game out of reach, his teammates went crazy. But not Tate. "Our senior wide receiver came up to me and he's like, 'He won't even celebrate!,'" Matt Shalvis, Marist’s offensive coordinator, told me. "He was humble, so it was hard to get him to react at all out there. He was like a robot — just out there playing the game, consuming everything. Great teammate — not like he was shut off to his teammates — he just didn't like to boast or celebrate his touchdowns or anything. … You could tell he was excited, but he just didn't want to show anybody up or show it." Nearly seven years later, not much has changed. For the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, equanimity appears to be a defining attribute. Tate has stayed emotionally neutral throughout his first training camp with the Tennessee Titans. It doesn’t matter how big of a play he makes. He even kept his cool during a physical, chippy joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers last week. "You got to know how to control your emotions and not let your emotions control you," Tate said after a few weeks of his first NFL camp. "When you’re able to do that, you’re able to consistently play at a high level." That’s what the Titans will need from Tate, of course. He is expected to develop into a No. 1-caliber wide receiver, one who will accelerate second-year quarterback Cam Ward’s development as Tennessee's franchise quarterback. After a catch-less preseason debut last week against San Francisco, Tate will look for his first NFL reception when the Titans host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night (8 p.m. ET on FOX). "I thought he was very physical in the run game," Titans coach Robert Saleh said of Tate’s performance in the preseason opener. "… He played physical, he played fast. He was winning his one-on-ones when he was getting those opportunities. As time goes, we’ll find ways to give him the ball." ‘That’s The Level Of Expectations He Has’ During his time at Ohio State, former Buckeyes offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline would point out "MAs" — missed assignments — when his receivers blocked the wrong guy. But Tate took it a step further. Hartline's MA for him also included blocking the right guy … but using the wrong kind of leverage or the wrong shoulder. If Tate didn’t make contact with the proper play-side leverage, then he didn’t know the play. So that's a mental mistake. Now the head coach at the University of South Florida, Hartline explained that Tate was simply holding himself to a higher standard. "That’s the level of expectations he has," Hartline told me. Before transferring to Florida’s IMG Academy, Tate got straight A's as a freshman at Marist. Every day, he made the long commute from home on the west side of Chicago to Marist, a private Catholic school on the south side. "He was up early, and he was taking buses by himself and putting in that work to make sure he was there," Titans rookie offensive lineman Pat Coogan, Tate’s teammate at Marist, told me. Added Ron Dawczak, his coach at Marist: "There was no detail too small." During Tate’s freshman year at Ohio State, there was one game week when one of the Buckeyes’ top receivers, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Emeka Egbuka, was sidelined due to injury. Tate was up to fill the void in the slot — a position he’d never played to that point. But Hartline watched him fit into the offense seamlessly, a testament to the preparation he’d done to understand the entire scheme. When Tate entered the Buckeyes’ loaded wide receiver room, which included Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., he peppered his older counterparts with questions — about Ohio State, playing college ball and football at large. He was a willing blocker. Hartline always knew he could count on Tate in any given play call. No matter if he was banged up or out of gas, Tate had a way of compartmentalizing any feelings that took away from his ability to perform. He embraced constructive feedback and applied it to the field almost immediately. Tate became vocal in the meeting room with seniority, not afraid to call out players at other positions. "He's a quiet kid at heart," Ohio State wide receiver Brandon Inniss told me. "But when he opens his mouth, people listen because they see his potential and abilities on the field." Hartline describes Tate as "very purposeful." "He doesn't like to watch people do half-assed things," Hartline explained to me. "Carnell doesn't do well with stupidity. Carnell doesn't do well with laziness. Carnell doesn't do well with lack of excellence from people, like coaches. It doesn't matter. If you're talking and it's not good, he's gonna tell you it's not good. If you're playing football and you're on his team and it's not good, he's gonna tell you it's not good. "He just calls a spade a spade. He's got his boys. He's really tight with his boys. But when it comes to work and football, it's just more of a matter of fact. He doesn't need the [pat] on the back." ‘He Really Doesn’t Drop Nothing’ During a two-minute drill near the end of Monday’s practice, the Titans’ offense faced a fourth-and-long near midfield. Ward connected with Tate deep down the right sideline to move the chains. It was an impressive catch for the rookie receiver, who stretched his arms wide to make the grab and held on despite a mid-air collision with Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. It added to Tate’s growing list of highlight-worthy plays since the offseason program. He’s been a primary target for Ward on third downs and other got-to-have-it situations. "He really doesn’t drop nothing," Ward said in May. That was the case at Ohio State, too — he didn’t register a drop last season, according to Pro Football Focus. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate is a sure-handed, crafty route runner who glides in and out breaks. He’s smooth. He’s a ball tracker and proficient at making contested catches. Whatever he lacks in suddenness, he makes up for with long speed that enables him to get behind the defense at a high rate. "No, he doesn't have 4.2 speed, and he doesn't have a 40-inch vertical," Egbuka told me. "But when it comes to making separation, running clean routes and catching the ball, he does all those things at a very, very high level. And that's what we get paid to do." Statistically, Tate was Ohio State’s second option behind Jeremiah Smith last season. Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin didn’t see it that way, though. "I like to tell people we had two number ones when he was here," Sayin told me. "When you're a quarterback, you have a lot of trust in him." It’s not like being Ohio State's No. 2 or even No. 3 receiver has prevented anyone from becoming an NFL star, either. Egbuka, who was 62 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards as an NFL rookie last year, was the Buckeyes’ No. 2 option to Smith in ‘24. New York Jets star Garrett Wilson, the NFL's 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and New Orleans Saints All-Pro Chris Olave ranked second and third for Ohio State in receiving yards, respectively, in their last college season in 2021. The Buckeyes' wide receiver room is regularly filled with guys who, because of all the talent, never get to show what they’re fully capable of in college. The Titans are counting on Tate to add to that list. But at the moment, he’s not actively seeking out the guidance of former Ohio State receivers starring in the NFL. Instead, he’s zeroed in on being the best possible receiver for Titans OC Brian Daboll's offense. "I’m leaning on the guys who’ve been around Dabes," Tate said earlier this month. "Like, Wan’Dale [Robinson] has been with him with the Giants. So I’m trying to learn as much as possible from Wan’Dale. He’s played every position in Dabes' offense. He’s been with Dabes the past four years. And then Rid [Calvin Ridley] is familiar with the offense as well. I just be trying to learn from those two guys." So Tate is focused. You could even say purposeful.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Catchup: Fernando Mendoza Misses The Mark, George Kittle Gets Positive Update]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-fernando-mendoza-misses-mark-george-kittle-gets-positive-update</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-fernando-mendoza-misses-mark-george-kittle-gets-positive-update</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's what you need to know about what happened around the NFL on Thursday.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:40:08 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[If Fernando Mendoza felt like he was on top of the world with his standout performance in his preseason debut last week, then the Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback received a slice of humble pie on Thursday. Mendoza's outing against the Texans highlighted another busy day of news across the NFL. The rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick played the entire first half of the Raiders' win over the Texans, but had his fair share of struggles. Elsewhere, a San Francisco 49ers star received good news on the injury front, while the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints were disciplined for their several fights at Wednesday's joint practice. Here's what you need to know about what happened around the NFL on Thursday. Expectations were high when news broke that No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza would start Thursday night for the Las Vegas Raiders, but the former Indiana Hoosier quickly ran into trouble against the Houston Texans. Mendoza threw a pick-six on his third pass of the game. Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz jumped his pass over the middle, returning it 80 yards for a score. It set the tone for a relatively underwhelming night for Mendoza. He completed 8 of 16 passes for 86 yards, leading Las Vegas to just three points as he played the entirety of the first half. Aidan O'Connell had better luck against the Texans' defense. The Raiders' backup quarterback completed 15 of 24 passes as he led his team to a 22-20 comeback victory, erasing a 20-3 halftime deficit. There is a real scenario where San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle could return as early as the regular season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Kittle had a visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache that was "encouraging" on Wednesday, as it's believed he's ahead of schedule with his recovery from an Achilles tear he suffered in January, ESPN reported. Kittle hasn't been a full participant in 49ers practice yet this training camp. However, he expressed optimism that he could return by the start of the regular season when he met with reporters earlier in the week. Despite missing time due to injuries he suffered prior to his Achilles tear, Kittle was efficient for the 49ers last year. In 11 games, he racked up 57 receptions, 628 yards and seven touchdowns. Adding Kittle back would be a positive development for San Francisco's offense and quarterback Brock Purdy. The unit has already lost wide receiver Ricky Pearsall for the entirety of the season, causing them to sign veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel after camp started. After missing the playoffs for three straight seasons, Joe Burrow is done waiting. The Cincinnati Bengals' star quarterback made it clear on Thursday that the time for "next year" excuses is over and it's now or never for a Super Bowl run. "I’m trying to put it out into the world," Burrow told reporters. "I’m trying to manifest it. I’m trying to show our guys the urgency that I have and that I want us to have as an organization to go and make it happen." Burrow iterated that the urgency starts now for the Bengals. "Life is too short to keep pushing things down the road, and I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to go and be great every day and try to make it happen," Burrow said. Despite being limited to just eight games in Cincinnati, Burrow produced impressive numbers. He completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,809 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also threw at least three touchdowns in three of those eight appearances for the Bengals last season. The NFL fined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each on Thursday following altercations during their joint practice in Oxnard, California. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that he plans to appeal the fine. But he also expressed remorse over his team's actions. "All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport, and the taking of helmets off, swinging and hitting, and that type of thing is not good for anybody, and it's certainly not what we want to represent to our fans and as a league or as a team," Jones said. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke about his team's conduct following the joint practice. "Not the way we like to do business," Schottenheimer said. "Got to be better, but I've got to look at the film. We're certainly not going to take s--- from anybody." Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta missed multiple practices this week with a hip injury, putting his status for Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints in doubt. Lions head coach Dan Campbell was blunt when asked if LaPorta would be able to go when the regular season starts. "I don't know. I feel like we'll be OK, but I don't know," Campbell told reporters. "It flared up a little bit, it's a little aggravated. But we feel good long-term about him. We'll rest him for a little bit here and letting it calm down," Campbell added. LaPorta played nine games in 2025 before a disc injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.]]>
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					<![CDATA[New Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley Sets Tone At Line of Scrimmage, Doing So Unconventionally]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/new-dolphins-hc-jeff-hafley-sets-tone-line-scrimmage-doing-so-unconventionally</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/new-dolphins-hc-jeff-hafley-sets-tone-line-scrimmage-doing-so-unconventionally</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Dolphins don't mess with 7-on-7 work in practice, which is fine for the linemen staying on the field under new coach Jeff Hafley.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:04:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — All coaches have their preferences and quirks, and new Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley has one: He doesn't like 7-on-7 drills in practice. They're great for wide receivers and defensive backs, and some coaches like that it gives the big guys on both lines a period of relative rest, but Hafley, laying out the ground rules for Thursday's joint practice with the New York Giants, insisted there would be no 7-on-7 work. "We want to play real football," he told reporters before practice, "and I want to see if we can block them, if we can pick up the pressures and our protections, if the quarterback can get rid of the ball on time, if the receivers can run the right routes so the ball can get out on time. So it's going to have to be a team thing." It's a bold move against a talented Giants front — there were plenty of would-be sacks whistled dead Thursday — but if you're trying to stress the importance of winning the line of scrimmage, the message was appreciated there. "Absolutely," said center Aaron Brewer, a second-team All-Pro in a breakout season last year. "I can't play 7-on-7, so whenever we're out there and all working, that's what it's going to be. I feel like it translates from practice to the game. There are no days in a game where you're running 7-on-7." That's echoed by defensive tackle Zach Sieler, the longest-tenured Dolphins player, here since 2019 and a leader in a locker room loaded with new arrivals. "My thing is, how do we play on Sundays? It's 11-on-11," he said. "When you put every piece together, that's how the game is played. You want to put game-like stress in practice, pushing us to the limits on every single play, and that's something we focus on a lot this year." Miami went 7-10 last year, but traded off key players as part of a rebuild that included hiring Hafley and a new general manager in Jon-Eric Sullivan. There are few NFL teams with lower outside expectations than the Dolphins, too. The oddsmakers' projected win total for the Dolphins is 4.5. However, you won't hear Hafley or his players use the low-hanging fruit of the perceived slight to fuel motivation. "I just believe that if that's what we're using to motivate, we're worried about the wrong things right now," Hafley said. "That stuff wears off after a while. There's only so much you can use it, only so much you can care about it. I want the motivation to come from within. I want the motivation to come because the players want to be great and the coaches want to be great, because they don't want to let their teammates down ... if you do that, it will last." Offensive guard is not a sexy position for a high draft pick, but the Giants and Dolphins both took guards in the top 12, with New York getting Miami (Fla.)'s Francis Mauigoa at No. 10 and Miami getting Alabama's Kadyn Proctor at 12. Proctor is massive, listed at 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds and already making a strong impression. "He's a big guy. He's fast, he's physical, and he's just a smart young guy," Brewer said of Proctor. "He buys in and gives his effort, so he's just a great football player." Miami left tackle Patrick Paul is 6-7 and bigger than the 326 pounds he's listed at, so Miami could have the largest left side in the NFL. "Overall, dominant. I feel like we didn't play to the standard that I hold us to, or our leaders hold our defense to because coming out as our first joint, trying to be smart, make sure everybody gets taken care of, but at the same time, they're not our team. So, when you have an opportunity to hit them, you hit them. And you hold them up and they get hit again. "We started to do that later on, towards the middle of the day and the rest of the day on. But we had splashes in the beginning, but I wanted to swarm from when we first got out here and it just took a little bit to get going, but I understand it's our first joint [practice]. But I let it be known, we don't wait to get punched in the mouth. That didn't happen, but we don't wait to get punched in the mouth to fire off on somebody." — Giants edge rusher Brian Burns on his team's physicality against the Dolphins.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Fernando Mendoza Learns From Struggles In Raiders' Preseason Game Against Texans]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/fernando-mendoza-learns-from-struggles-raiders-preseason-game-against-texans</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/fernando-mendoza-learns-from-struggles-raiders-preseason-game-against-texans</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Las Vegas Raiders No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza's second preseason game was headlined by a pick-six, but signs of success were there.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:43:29 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Fernando Mendoza displayed a few more rookie growing pains in his second preseason showing than his first. Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, started and played the entire first half of the Las Vegas Raiders' second preseason game against the Houston Texans on Thursday. He completed 8-of-15 passes for 86 yards and an interception. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has employed one of the stingiest defensive schemes in recent NFL history, as Houston ranked No. 1 in yards allowed per game in 2025. That unit certainly confused Mendoza early on in the first half.. After starting his first drive with a needle-threading throw to Jalen Nailor that converted a second-and-15, Mendoza threw a mindless interception, resulting in a pick-six. He seemingly didn't spot Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz lurking in the middle of the field, threw it right to him, and gave him the momentum to run the other way for an 80-yard return. Mendoza's pick-six put Las Vegas in a 14-0 hole. After receiving a pep talk from veteran defensive end Maxx Crosby, Mendoza bounced back to find running back Dylan Laube out of the backfield for a first down. Mendoza then took a hit as he delivered a completion to Connor Heyward. A completion to tight end Ian Thomas set up a 52-yard field goal from Matt Gay. Mendoza started the next drive on a bootleg that went to Thomas. He connected with Mike Washington Jr. on a screen pass. He nearly led Las Vegas to another score, but when he targeted Malik Benson on an out route, the pass hit the receiver's hands and dropped to the ground. Las Vegas trailed 20-3 at halftime when Mendoza's day was done. After completing 10-of-16 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown in his preseason debut last Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, Mendoza wasn't nearly as efficient. Still, he showed the chops to read one of the NFL's best defenses, and rebound from an early mistake. With quarterback Kirk Cousins sitting along with the majority of Las Vegas' starters, and head coach Klint Kubiak's declaration, it's clear Mendoza will fulfill the backup role for the near future. He still has a ways to go to be ready to start in the NFL, but Thursday's preseason game, full of learning moments, will help him on that journey.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Tempers Flare In Joint Practice As Giants Pass Rush Overpowers Dolphins]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/giants-pass-rush-dominates-dolphins-as-tempers-flare-throughout-joint-practice</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/giants-pass-rush-dominates-dolphins-as-tempers-flare-throughout-joint-practice</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Tempers flared several times throughout the joint practice between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:13:02 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Tempers flared several times throughout the joint practice between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants on Thursday. It started during the one-on-one drills and went all the way through the final team period. "It’s a violent game. In this sort of an environment, you have rules of engagement that aren’t really the rules of the game," Giants coach John Harbaugh said. "If somebody perceives that another person goes over the line, somebody needs to protect them." It didn’t take long for those rules to be tested. The first altercation that required players to be separated came during offensive line-defensive line one-on-ones, when Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter threw a punch at Dolphins offensive tackle Patrick Paul after the two became tangled following a rep. The hostility followed into 11-on-11 work, when Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson took a swipe at Kayvon Thibodeaux before the Giants pass rusher responded with a shove that promptly sent Jackson to the ground. New York’s offense and Miami’s defense got into another scuffle that took nearly a minute to completely break apart. Giants backup quarterback Jameis Winston repeatedly inserted himself into the pile as players and coaches attempted to separate the two sides. Giants Pass Rush Overwhelms Miami Much of Thursday’s extracurricular activity occurred in the trenches, where New York can be dominant. Brian Burns was at the forefront, helping a Giants defense that had at least six would-be sacks during team periods. On one rep, he powered through Dolphins offensive lineman Caedan Wallace for a sack. On another, Burns attacked Jackson inside before spinning back around him and getting to running back De’von Achane, knocking the ball free. "Dominant," Burns said when describing the unit. "We don’t wait to get punched in the mouth. ... I don’t know how many sacks we had, but it was definitely more than six." Chauncey Golston, who appeared in 10 games for the Giants last season, had perhaps the most productive individual day of the group with three would-be sacks. Two came when Golston tracked down Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis after play-action fakes, while another came after beating Dolphins guard Jonah Savaiinaea. Willis was swarmed almost immediately after carrying out several play actions, including one rep in which Thibodeaux was waiting for him in the backfield before the quarterback could even reset. Rookie Update Giants rookie receiver Malachi Fields continues to develop encouraging chemistry with quarterback Jaxson Dart. Fields, a third-round pick out of Notre Dame, hauled in a deep ball from Dart down the left sideline during a team period before being stopped near the goal line. The connection resurfaced in the final hurry-up period, when Fields made another catch to help move New York into field-goal range. Miami second-round pick Jacob Rodriguez broke up an intermediate pass intended for Giants receiver Calvin Austin III and also had a would-be sack earlier in practice. "We’re coming out here and working with serious competition, and getting full-speed reps with a different look," Rodriguez said. "Some of the issues that our offense presents every day is different for what the Giants present." The Dolphins and Giants will get another look at each other Saturday, when they meet at Hard Rock Stadium for a preseason matchup. Injury Report Giants Pro Bowl receiver Malik Nabers did not participate in Thursday’s joint practice as he continues working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered last season. Nabers had returned to full-speed team work while wearing a non-contact jersey, but New York kept him out against Miami. Giants first-round pick Francis Mauigoa left practice after experiencing what Harbaugh described as a stinger. Harbaugh said the issue was not believed to be serious. Dolphins receiver A.J. Henning went down during special teams work while covering a punt. Henning attempted to split two blockers before being knocked to the ground and was attended to by members of Miami’s training staff. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson also left practice and later returned to the field carrying his shoulder pads and without a helmet.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Fines Cowboys, Saints $500K Each Following Joint Practice Altercations]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-fines-cowboys-saints-500k-each-following-joint-practice-altercations</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-fines-cowboys-saints-500k-each-following-joint-practice-altercations</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The NFL fined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each following altercations during a joint practice in California.]]>
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				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:02:12 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The National Football League confirmed on Thursday that it has fined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each on Thursday following a series of fights during a joint practice in Oxnard, California. "The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have each been fined $500,000 for the actions that took place at the joint practice between the teams earlier this week," the league said in a statement. "The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship — including in joint practices — a point of emphasis over the past several years. All clubs were reminded by memo prior to training camp of their responsibility in preventing unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices that has the potential to result in injury." The altercations occurred throughout Tuesday's session, which prompted Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer to address his team's composure, or lack thereof. "Not the way we like to do business," Schottenheimer said. "Got to be better, but I've got to look at the film. We're certainly not going to take s--- from anybody." Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters about the league's decision. "There's certainly a very, very, let's say, strong opinion in the league that when we have these joint practices, everybody's aware of the competition, both individually as well as through the team," Jones told reporters. "We understand that you don't have the discipline of penalties that are real difference makers out here, and frankly, you probably don't have the officiating consequences." "All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport, and the taking of helmets off, swinging and hitting, and that type of thing is not good for anybody, and it's certainly not what we want to represent to our fans and as a league or as a team," Jones said. Jones added that the Cowboys plan to appeal the fine and the team will review the film and fine individual players involved in the scuffles. The NFL circulated a memo instructing teams that all personnel are expected to prevent unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices to reduce the potential for injury. The Saints are preparing for a Saturday preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood. The Cowboys will travel to face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday for their second preseason game.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Joe Burrow Is Trying To 'Manifest' Super Bowl Win For Bengals This Season]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/joe-burrow-trying-manifest-super-bowl-win-bengals-season</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/joe-burrow-trying-manifest-super-bowl-win-bengals-season</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Joe Burrow believes it's now or never for him and the Cincinnati Bengals.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:55:27 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[It’s now or never for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals; Burrow made that crystal clear on Thursday morning when speaking to reporters. The Bengals' star quarterback is done with the "next year" talk and patience. For him, the time to win is right now. "I’m trying to put it out into the world," Burrow said. "I’m trying to manifest it. I’m trying to show our guys the urgency that I have and that I want us to have as an organization to go and make it happen." The front office loaded up the roster, putting all the pressure squarely on Cincinnati to deliver before this championship window starts to officially close for good in a competitive AFC North. After missing the postseason for three straight years following their 2021 Super Bowl run, the clock is ticking for this Bengals core. If Burrow has made anything clear, it's that this season might be their final shot together. "You can keep pushing it down the road, or you can talk about it now and say this is the year, and I’m tired of saying next year, next year, next year," Burrow said. "This is it." Ever since Burrow and the Bengals nearly beat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, expectations have remained high. However, Burrow has struggled with injuries, and the defense has arguably been one of the most inconsistent units in the league. The offensive unit has been one of the most explosive in the league with Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and the emergence of running back Chase Brown. On paper, it has the potential to be the top overall offense in the league, but inconsistency has been its Achilles' heel. That urgency peaked during Thursday’s press conference, where Burrow made it clear he is tired of waiting for next year. "Life is too short to keep pushing things down the road, and I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to go and be great every day and try to make it happen," Burrow said. It remains unclear if Burrow was subtly hinting that this could be his final run in Cincinnati, framing it as his last real opportunity to push for a ring with the franchise. Trade speculation had already surfaced during the offseason, with rumors suggesting he might be looking for an exit. Whether Burrow was hinting at an eventual departure remains to be seen, but he made his goals clear.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Patriots WR A.J. Brown Shows Eagles Who's No. 1 In Dominant Performance]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/patriots-receiver-a-j-brown-dominates-eagles-joint-practice</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/patriots-receiver-a-j-brown-dominates-eagles-joint-practice</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A.J. Brown showed out against his former team in joint practice, while the Eagles look to a refreshed Saquon Barkley to power their offense.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:36:10 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A.J. Brown wears the number one on his jersey. And that made sense in just about every way during the New England Patriots’ joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles this week. He was the best receiver on either team during the sessions. He was the Patriots’ No. 1 weapon. He was worth a first-round pick — a "1" — in a trade between the two teams this offseason. And he was the No. 1 point of interest as fans and media members watched practices. It’s because of the trade, of course. It’s because of the drama that unfolded between Brown and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. It’s about Brown’s criticisms of the "passing game" when he was in Philly. It’s about Brown openly mocking his own lack of production in 2025. And it’s about the fresh start in New England. "He looks a little better, a little faster," Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell said after practice Wednesday. "He’s going to keep getting better. … He just gives you so many tough battles and tough assignments. It was really just great to go out there and compete with him again today." With Brown’s unpredictability, however, there’s always the wonder of: What will he do next — on the field and off it? (And will something go wrong?) That’s why a reporter asked Hurts if he’d give any advice to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye about getting the most out of Brown. "I think Drake has had a lot of success already, so I don’t know what my advice would do," Hurts said Wednesday. "I just think he needs to continue the progression that he’s on." Brown didn’t speak to Hurts before or after that first practice. Nor did Brown connect with Eagles WR1 DeVonta Smith on day one. But during the second day, Brown walked over to Smith to chat for a few minutes. Brown then found Hurts after practice on Thursday. "It’s not about no closure or anything," Brown said after Wednesday’s joint practice. "It’s love. I won a Super Bowl ring with them. It’s always going to be love no matter how anyone feels. I love Philly and I will always love Philly. But I’m here now and this is where my feet are and that’s where I’m focusing." It felt inauspicious when Brown started competitive drills on Wednesday in a one-on-one against former teammate Quinyon Mitchell. Though Brown created easy separation on a fade route, running directly downfield for the end zone, Maye underthrew the ball and Mitchell logged a relatively easy pass breakup. But Brown argued it wasn’t exactly clean. "Q got away with a little holding," Brown said with a laugh. "I won, he pulled himself back into the play, and I just have to finish the play. My right hand didn’t get to the ball quick enough. My left hand got on the ball. That’s on me. … That could have been a 40-yard bomb, but now it’s a long foul ball. Those are the things I’m focusing on." That play did not, however, prove predictive of how Brown would fare over the two days when he had more than 10 catches in team drills and countless touchdowns. He spent most of the two days running against Mitchell — with a few matchups against cornerback Riq Woolen, the No. 2 option in Philly. In one case, Maye’s ball placement to Brown proved simply impossible to defend, with the Patriots QB dropping the pass over Woolen for a big catch-and-run for Brown. Brown’s most dominant play came in an 11-on-11 red zone drill. He couldn’t get open in the end zone, trying to work to the sideline, where Mitchell had outside leverage (blocking Brown’s path). Maye looked at the situation and, while it was a no-throw look, the QB threw it that way anyway. Brown fought back for the ball and a touchdown. It was a sign of how much Maye has come to trust Brown. They had no business attempting — let alone completing — the play. They did it, anyway. The Eagles, meanwhile, were feeling Brown’s absence — and then some. Top receivers Smith and rookie Makai Lemon were both out with hamstring strains, which left Hurts to work with Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Britain Covey, among others. Hurts threw three interceptions in 7-on-7s on Wednesday and then threw two more in 11-on-11s on Thursday. This passing offense might require patience from the fans in Philly. I’m just not sure that we can expect patience from the fans in Philly. Other Observations From Patriots-Eagles Joint Practice: Saquon Barkley looked about as quick and explosive as I’ve seen him. This is the time of year when teams blow smoke about breakout players and resurgent players and best-shape-of-their-life players. But it’s not an exaggeration to say that the 29-year-old running back dominated the Patriots' defense on the first day of practice. He was solid on day two. It was all the more impressive considering the Eagles’ struggles in the passing game. It’s easy to imagine that, without Brown, Barkley could become the lifeblood of the unit, both as a runner and pass-catcher. "We'll see the Saquon of two years ago," Eagles tackle Lane Johnson said after day one. "We'll see the big plays. We’ll see him flexed out at receiver. We’ll see him in the screen game. You saw a bit of it [Wednesday]." If that’s true (and it looked like it might be), the Eagles will once again be dangerous, even without Brown. Be careful of what you see in one-on-one drills (like in the video below) — as opposed to what’s reported about team drills. They can tell two different stories. Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredible to watch the drama unfold in a one-on-one. But it’s also not exactly real football like an 11-on-11 or even a 7-on-7. (There’s also a reason you’ll mostly see one-on-one clips on social media. Because of team rules, it’s generally OK to record one-on-ones but it’s not allowed, league-wide, for reporters to record 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s.) So that’s all to say: Some guys shine in one-on-ones and then disappear in 11-on-11s … when it counts. And in these practices, Eagles receiver Dontayvion Wicks was one of those guys. Many members of the fantasy community have already turned him into their darling — or sleeper. I’d like to offer a word of caution: Wicks had every reason to shine in team drills, with Smith and Lemon injured — and Patriots cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis also injured. Yet in all his work with Hurts on day one, Wicks had two catches on three targets — and the missed pass wasn’t just an incompletion (in 7-on-7), it tipped off Wicks' hands and deflected into the hands of Patriots safety Charles Woods. On day two, Wicks had another drop and, later, he saw Marcus Jones undercut his route for an interception on Hurts. After the Super Bowl, there was as much interest in Patriots left tackle Will Campbell as any offensive lineman in recent memory — at least in New England. Campbell struggled mightily during the playoffs, and those issues culminated in the Super Bowl when he allowed 14 pressures and a sack against the Seattle Seahawks. It was a terrible performance by the rookie, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But listen to what five-time All-Pro tackle Johnson had to say about spending the offseason working with Campbell. "Will just kind of reminds me of myself in a way. Just a country kid, drafted first round, so I know the kind of pressures that are on guys like that. And so, for me, I thought he had a really good rookie season," Johnson said Wednesday. "You can see him getting better. He looks thicker, bigger. He's healed up from his knee injury." I’ve referred to Gonzalez’s absence already in this postcard. The Pro Bowl corner was not on the field for any of the Patriots’ three joint practices with the Eagles and the Colts. It feels like it wasn’t that big of a storyline, because the opponents’ top receivers (Smith and Alec Pierce) weren’t on the field either. But Gonzalez is the Patriots’ most important defender. It’s a big deal he’s not there. It’s a bigger deal that New England still hasn’t exactly clarified why he’s not there. Head coach Mike Vrabel hasn’t outright said that Gonzalez is injured. The coach also hasn’t outright confirmed that Gonzalez is holding in. But that’s what’s clearly happening, even if no one will admit it. The cornerback wants a big contract, and while the Patriots and Gonzalez’s camps did discuss an extension back at the combine in February, per a source, there doesn’t seem to have been much progress. "Josh [McDaniels] is incredible, man. He's making my job a lot easier, and he's creating matchups for me, moving me around." — A.J. Brown, who worked with four different offensive coordinators in four years in Philly For the Eagles, it’s really about getting their top two receivers, Smith and Lemon, healthy. Barkley, Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert are good players. But this offense will need help at receiver to truly reach its full potential. That isn’t to say Philly should rush Smith and Lemon back. The Eagles have the Commanders in Week 1 and the Titans in Week 2. Both are beatable — perhaps even without those two guys. But by Weeks 3 and 4, when they’ll have to face the Bears and the Rams, the Eagles will want their receivers healthy and in-sync with Hurts. Philly's defense is definitely going to be good — but maybe not transcendent. Given what we saw from the Patriots' offense (which posted really strong performances), it seems good teams will be able to move the ball on the Eagles. And so the offense won’t be able to rely quite as much on the defense. For New England, it’s really starting to look like Super Bowl or bust. The Patriots have now drubbed the Colts and the Eagles over three total days of joint practices. Drake Maye appears to have continued to progress in the ways the Patriots wanted. He had a boneheaded interception each day, so it's not perfect. But Brown makes life a whole lot easier. And defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and receiver Romeo Doubs, both offseason additions, are quietly proving their worth, too. The Patriots still need some help off the edge. There are also some lingering questions about the quality they’ll get from their interior offensive line. But on the whole, this team will be in terrific shape when it gets Gonzalez and Davis back in the starting lineup. There’s continuity. There’s more talent. There might be a tougher schedule, but the Patriots took the time and spent the money to fortify themselves against the increased degree of difficulty.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Best CBs In The NFL: Is Pat Surtain II Still The League's Best Cornerback?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-cbs-which-cornerback-best-league</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-cbs-which-cornerback-best-league</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who are the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL? We ranked them ahead of the year.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:28:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[There might be no position that's tougher to play in the NFL than cornerback. Oftentimes, cornerbacks are tasked with having to stop opposing receivers by themselves, being forced to be in lockstep with them for a few seconds and potentially swatting the ball away. So, which cornerbacks are the best at holding their own against opposing wide receivers? We ranked the 10 best cornerbacks in the NFL ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The position might not get as much buzz as edge rusher, but several cornerbacks bring a ton of value. Denver Broncos star Pat Surtain II won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, and Seattle Seahawks standout Devon Witherspoon just became the highest-paid player in the history of the position after helping his team to a Super Bowl title. Let's take a closer look at our top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL. Ben Arthur: Gardner hasn’t been able to recreate the highs of his first two NFL seasons, when he was a first-team All-Pro. Traded midseason last year from the New York Jets to the Colts, Gardner also battled injuries to finish 2025. But his elite physical traits and youth (24 years old) can get him back into the top-five conversation at his position. Prior to his Colts’ debut in Week 10 last season, the former No. 4 overall pick had faced No. 1 receivers at the NFL’s highest rate (minimum of 125 matchups), according to Next Gen Stats. He’d also forced tight window throws at the highest rate in the league (52%). Ralph Vacchiano: The real beauty of DeJean is that he might eventually be good and versatile enough to land on this list and the top 10 safeties too. He has mostly played slot corner for the Eagles, but he’s dabbled at safety and the Eagles seem intent on playing him there even more in their base defense in 2026. It’s hard to take him out of the slot, though, where he’s emerged as an All-Pro and still hasn’t allowed a touchdown in his two NFL seasons. DeJean exploded last season with two interceptions and 16 passes deflected, and that’s after he showed off his big-game chops as a rookie with his Super Bowl pick-six. With his speed, range and instincts, the Eagles can play him literally anywhere in their defensive backfield. And they probably will. Greg Auman: Horn, 26, had as many interceptions last year (five) as in his first four years in Carolina combined, with two games with two picks. The Panthers gave the former first-round pick a four-year, $100 million contract last year, and he’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. Carolina’s defense was middling last year — 16th in points and yards allowed — and that will need to improve if they want a winning record in 2026 or a repeat as NFC South champs. Horn staying healthy is ultimately the key — he played in just 22 of 51 games his first three years in Carolina, but has missed just three games in the last two seasons. Bucky Brooks: The crafty CB1 is a masterful technician who routinely blankets elite wideouts on the perimeter. Ward can match speedsters stride for stride while mixing in enough physicality to disrupt their flow and rhythm on the outside. He also shows outstanding instincts, awareness, and ball skills contesting throws in his area, whether playing bump-and-run or sitting and clueing the quarterback from distance. Ward's consistency and steadiness in coverage make it easy to build a game plan around his talents on the island. Vacchiano: Mitchell gets overlooked a lot, even on his own team, but it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows him. He finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting two years ago and was an All-Pro last season, even though he’s still looking for his first regular-season interception. Don’t let that stat quirk fool you, though. He has four interceptions in five career playoff games, and in the regular season, he has 29 pass deflections in his 32 starts. And opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks are wising up and doing their best to avoid throwing in his direction. The public recognition will come when the interception numbers increase. But Philly’s secret is out all over the NFL, where they know he soon may be in the conversation for the best corner in the league. Eric D. Williams: Part of a handful of significant offseason acquisitions that include trading for Myles Garrett and signing teammates Jaylen Watson, McDuffie offers versatility for the Rams, with an ability to play on the perimeter and inside as a slot defender. A two-time All-Pro, McDuffie won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling three interceptions, 34 pass breakups, and eight forced fumbles in four seasons. A Southern California native, McDuffie joins his hometown team and a Rams squad that was in need of a significant upgrade in the secondary. The Rams allowed Sam Darnold to throw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. Williams: The Illinois product recently signed a new deal, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history ($33 million annually). On the field, Witherspoon is the tone setter for one of the best defenses in the league, with an ability to impact the game as a sticky coverage defender, a sure tackler in the running game and an effective blitzer. With the help of Witherspoon, the Seahawks held opposing quarterbacks to a league-low six yards per completion in 2025. Henry McKenna: Look no further than the Super Bowl to see Gonzalez’s value. Look no further than his insane, layout pass breakup on Rashid Shaheed. That game was an absolute rout — with really one exception: Gonzalez was dominant. And because quarterback Drake Maye’s play declined in the playoffs, it’s safe to say that Gonzalez was the Patriots' best player in 2025 when including the postseason. In 21 games last year, he allowed 55 catches on 117 targets (second most in the NFL) with a 47% completion rate, two touchdowns and one interception. Teams kept testing him. He kept denying anything that came his way. Arthur: After injury issues plagued the end of his LSU tenure and start of his NFL career, few defensive players have been more dominant than Stingley. He’s the ultimate playmaker — 14 interceptions and 46 pass breakups since 2023 — and has been virtually unstoppable in coverage. The former No. 3 overall pick allowed a completion rate of just 37.9% when targeted in zone last season, the lowest mark by any qualified defender since at least 2018, according to Next Gen Stats. Stingley played arguably the best ball of his career last season during the Texans’ nine-game winning streak, allowing zero yards three times (!) and not more than 45 in any of the other six. Brooks: There aren’t many shutdown corners in today’s game, but the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year meets the criteria with his sticky coverage and versatile game. Surtain is a rare find: a high-IQ defender with A-plus man-to-man skills, plus exceptional zone awareness and playmaking ability. As a scheme-friendly playmaker who is comfortable shadowing WR1s or playing strictly on the outside, the two-time All-Pro is a defensive coach’s dream as a CB1.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Inside NFL Training Camps: 12 Head Coaches Reveal Their Favorite Drills]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-coaches-favorite-drills-sean-mcvay-mike-macdonald-jim-harbaugh</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-coaches-favorite-drills-sean-mcvay-mike-macdonald-jim-harbaugh</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[How do NFL coaches build winning teams? We asked Sean McVay, Mike Macdonald and 10 others to share their go-to drills and the stories behind them.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:45:12 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[At training camps around the NFL, the whistle is a powerful instrument, keeping practice on time and orderly. But it’s not the whistle that builds culture. It’s not the whistle that teaches skills. It’s not even the coach himself, necessarily. It’s the repetition of targeted drills. Of course, there are an infinite number of football drills. But the right drill can instill toughness alongside technique. The right drill can create confidence through preparation. The right drill can help a team win games and, ultimately, the Super Bowl. So we asked a dozen NFL head coaches for their favorite drill — and we also asked them to explain why it's their favorite. Their answers provide a window not just into how the coaches tick but also into the kind of teams they’re building. Favorite Drill: Offensive Ball-Security Drill Drill It Down: As they weave through agility pads placed on the ground, offensive skill players focus on protecting the football while coaches try to poke the ball out with a utility stick (basically a pad on a pole). The Story Behind The Drill: There’s a reason the Rams are the overwhelming favorites to win the Super Bowl this season. Los Angeles boasts one of the most talented rosters in the league and is led by one of its best coaches. Still, injuries and inconsistent play can derail teams during the meat grinder of an NFL season. One way the forward-thinking McVay prepares his offense for the bad things that can happen is to start each practice with a ball-security drill, driving in that muscle memory to protect the football. It works. Last year, the Rams tied for fourth-best in the league with just 15 giveaways, their third straight season ranking in the top 10. "It’s important that what we do is in alignment with what we’re emphasizing," McVay told me. "Are our words in alignment with our actions? And so, when we start every single practice and we’re going full speed with a ball-security circuit, it shows the importance of ball security. "It takes all 11, and [Rams OC] Nate Scheelhaase and the offensive coaches do a great job with those different ball-security drills. We ultimately want to have every drill translate to game reality and make sure we can emulate those game-like situations." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Mamba Period Drill It Down: Competitive 11-on-11 period pitting starters against each other in simulated down-and-distance game situations. The Story Behind The Drill: They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, Coen showed his respect for former boss Sean McVay by adopting his Mamba drill. After Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in 2020, McVay established the drill to honor one of the fiercest competitors ever to play pro sports. Coen was a Rams offensive assistant at that time. "It’s kind of stolen from the Rams, but we do a Mamba period every Wednesday and Thursday in homage to Kobe Bryant," Coen told me. "It’s three plays, good on good, ones vs. ones and twos vs. twos. On Wednesdays, it’s first down, second-and-8-plus. Best out of three wins. We score it the whole day. And then the loser has something to do at the end of practice. "And then Thursday is third-down day. It’s five-man rush, man coverage. Let’s lock up ones vs. ones. Let’s play man defense, no meshes or runaways. Just play. Just win." Last year, in his first season leading the Jaguars, Coen was looking for ways to challenge a franchise that has long struggled to establish a sustainable winning culture. Drills like the Mamba period helped him flip the script, with the Jaguars winning 13 games to reach the postseason. "I think that’s something that helped our team become more competitive as a group," Coen said. "And it also allowed us to just go play, in-season, where a lot of coaches are like, ‘I ain’t doing a lot of good-on-good in-season.’ We did that for a long time." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Catch-And-Run … With A Twist Drill It Down: Two receivers run their routes together, and when one catches the pass, the other is in charge of serving as a blocker downfield. The Story Behind The Drill: Campbell might have one of the highest-scoring and flashiest offenses in the league, but he’s still that same guy who said in his 2021 introductory press conference that he expected his players to "bite a kneecap off" their opponents. This drill demonstrates that attitude — because Campbell doesn’t want the drill to simply be about who makes a play for the ball. It’s just as much about who makes a play without the ball. Big passing plays often come when a receiver serves as a willing blocker. This is a test of toughness and grit — in hopes of generating explosive plays. "It’s basically our catch-and-run, but it’s catch, knife, and both receivers … are running around the bag," Campbell said. "One of them is going to get the ball, and then one of them has to immediately turn into a blocker for that runner." He added: "I love that drill. Because you come out, you don’t know who’s getting [the ball], right … and the minute that one [receiver] catches it, man, [the other has] to turn and burn and make the block. And then [the ball carrier has to] make the adjustment off of the blocker, so it all happens fast. It kind of initiates the run after catch, the block after catch." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Blocking Drill With A Rae Crowther One-Man Sled Drill It Down: Position coaches use a movable blocking sled to work on player fundamentals and technique. The Story Behind The Drill: Rae Crowther, a former college and professional lineman who went into coaching, invented the blocking sled in 1932. Nearly a century later, his invention still helps players focus on proper hand placement, playing with a low base and exploding through contact. It’s no surprise that an old-school coach like Jim Harbaugh would lean into a simple drill that focuses on basic football fundamentals and physicality. In his introductory press conference with the Chargers in 2024, he said: "We're going to earn our winning as a tough team, a resilient team, a relentless team, a physical team. That is what we're going to aspire to be. Don't let the Powder Blues fool ya." Even into his sixties, Harbaugh is still a hands-on coach who wears cleats to practice and likes to participate in drill work with players. Harbaugh, a former quarterback, said he also has an "anticipation throwing drill" he likes for QBs. "But the Crowder sled is probably my favorite. The one-man tackling sled, yep." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Hitting The Sled Drill It Down: If you played football at basically any level, you know what this drill looks like. Whether it’s an individual or a group of players, they work to hit and move the sled. Different sleds teach different techniques. The Story Behind The Drill: LaFleur, who’s known as an offensive guru and scheme creator, knows that football games are actually won and lost by the big guys in the trenches. "It’s what they do," LaFleur said. "It’s hand-to-hand combat." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Open-Field Tackling Drill It Down: Two players start back to back before running away from each other toward a cone. They then circle the cone and head upfield into a confined space, where the ball carrier can make a move while the defender tries to get a two-hand tag. The Story Behind The Drill: It’s fair to say that New England's defense wasn’t very good after two weeks of the 2025 regular season. At the heart of the problem? Tackling. That’s why Vrabel, a former linebacker, values this drill so much. To open last season, the Patriots missed 11 tackles and lost to the Las Vegas Raiders, who ended up picking first in the NFL Draft. In Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, New England missed 14 tackles against what would eventually be one of the weakest offenses in the NFL. "We were terrible in Miami last year," Vrabel said when asked about his favorite drill. "You guys all know. You guys all reported on it, and we worked hard to improve it. There’s so many great athletes in this league with the football, and missed tackles just end up leading to [explosive] plays." On their way to the Super Bowl, the Patriots wound up finishing fourth in total defense (yards allowed per game) and in scoring defense (18.8 points allowed per game). "I’ve seen guys improve with that drill," Vrabel said. "That has nothing to do with any sort of contact. It’s just about a body movement and being able to play balanced and be able to change direction." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: 2-Minute Drill Drill It Down: Highly competitive, 11-on-11 simulated end-of-half and end-of-game situations between offensive and defensive starters. The Story Behind The Drill: Quinn’s reasoning for his favorite drill is simple: It’s all about creating competition, something he learned from his mentor, Pete Carroll. "I like that everybody is heightened," Quinn told me. "There’s a clock. There’s a down and distance. If you get into field-goal range, are you going for a touchdown? The pressure’s on, with the offense going against the defense. "For a long time, that’s been my favorite one. Sometimes, it’s 2-minute at the end of the half, and sometimes it’s the end of the game. I always like to see the O-line and D-line pass rush, so we don’t get into that until later in training camp. But we’ll work that drill every day, offseason included." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: E.A.T. Drill Drill It Down: Fundamental defensive drills Seattle performs each week that focus on Effort, Angles and Tackling. The Story Behind The Drill: The Seahawks emphasize a detailed, methodical approach to practice time and to being consistent each day, stacking strong performances. The result of that approach was Macdonald leading the team to a Super Bowl victory in just his second season as head coach. At the heart of Seattle’s approach is something Macdonald calls the E.A.T. drill. This tackling drill focuses on taking the right angle to the ball carrier to get him on the ground while other defenders swarm to the football. "It’s basically how we finish plays," Macdonald told me. "So, it’s always about angles and tackling, things like that. To the naked eye, it looks like a tackling drill or a takeaway drill. But it’s applying our E.A.T. curriculum to the guys. It’s a way of life." Macdonald used this core drill to construct the top defense in the league last season, holding opponents to a league-low 17 points per game. — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: The Sudden-Change Drill Drill It Down: At any point in practice, Steichen interrupts the session and announces a game situation for the offense, which has to take the ball and score. The Story Behind The Drill: Sometimes the problem with practice is that it can feel routine. It can feel inauthentic. It can come up short of addressing the randomness of football. The sudden-change drill focuses on football’s randomness. "Basically, I call it up in the middle of practice at any point in time," Steichen said. "I lay out the situation for our guys. It could’ve been the defense gets a turnover, they scoop up a fumble, and get it down to the 15-yard line. It’s a sudden change, so our offense has to react and go score. "I do different sudden changes throughout practice … just to get our guys in the right mindset, because it’s going to happen in the games." It’s a way to sneak in situational work. Oftentimes, the Colts will inform quarterback Daniel Jones that he’ll be doing third-down work. Or that he’ll be repping first-down situations. But in the sudden-change drill, Jones &amp; Co. are not prepared for what Steichen has up his sleeve. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drills: 2-Minute Drill &amp; Open-Field Tackling Drill Drill It Down: The 2-minute drill is, of course, an 11-on-11 scrimmage that simulates the closing 120 seconds of a half or a game. For the open-field tackling drill, it’s one tackler and one runner staying within an area marked off by cones. The runner must use what space he has to avoid the tackler. The tackler is drilling pursuit angles. The Story Behind The Drills: The Panthers played 10 one-score games last year during the regular season and finished 7-3 in those contests. In the postseason, they once again found themselves in a one-score game — and they lost, 34-31, to the Rams. So it should come as little surprise that Canales likes the 2-minute drill. "It's just the heightened arousal state. It's the shortest amount of time depending on the field position, the situation, making guys have to perform quickly, do something after the catch to respond," he said. "The referees are involved. The coaches are also in a heightened awareness. "I think it's one of the greatest things you can do in terms of just getting your team to play good football, making them have to think on the fly and make critical decisions and critical plays." The former offensive coordinator's other favorite drill, interestingly enough, is a defensive drill. "It's open-field tackling — it doesn't even have to be in pads, but tracking the near hip. I think it's one of the most critical parts to having success," Canales said. "... Just learning how to take a banana path to track the hip in different positions. All of our players will face some type of a tackle or blocking people in space that makes you have to take a good angle and eliminate the field and create a one-way go for the opponent." Canales said that even quarterbacks will participate in this drill at times. After all, they become would-be tacklers after a turnover. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drills: Screen Drill And Scramble Drill Drill It Down: The screen drill simulates a screen pass, a play in which a few offensive linemen drift toward the sideline in front of a running back. And after the back catches the ball, the linemen form a wall of blockers he can run behind. The drill works on the most important part of any screen: timing. As for the scramble drill, it’s about teaching the offense how to operate when a play breaks down. Different teams have different rules for their receivers about where to go when a quarterback breaks out of the pocket. Similarly, there are different techniques and assignments to practice for defenders when dealing with a scrambling QB. The Story Behind The Drills: The common adage about screen passes is that they are an extension of the ground game. They are a way to help a passer who is constantly under fire from the pass-rush. In 2025, the Saints were far from an elite offense, but they did have the 15th-best quarterback pressure rate allowed (33.7%), per Next Gen Stats. That’s a vast improvement from 2024, when they were eighth-worst at 37.4%. That’s surely thanks to the team's offensive line improvements. But maybe those screens paid off, too. "It’s hard to replicate screens from an offensive perspective in practice — just because of the tempo at which you practice," Moore said. "That’s a little bit of a challenge, but we do as many screen drills as we can." As for the scramble drill, Moore said it's a focus "for both sides of the football just because it shows up so much in the game, so you’ve got to spend as much time as you can on it." More and more, we’re seeing mobile quarterbacks around the league get creative beyond the structure of the play. So it’s fitting to drill the second break. The initial play doesn’t actually matter in this drill. Often, the closest pass-catcher to the QB takes off downfield. The rest of the receivers are supposed to work across the field with the quarterback. Anyone who was going vertical will actually return to the QB. For players on defense, they often need to get into "plaster" coverage where they plaster themselves to the nearest receiver. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Basketball? Drill It Down: Basically, it's a game of H-O-R-S-E. The Story Behind The Drill: Taylor is a coach who likes to score. He’s also a coach who’s working on generating more energy from his teams early in the season, which is primarily when they have struggled during his seven-year tenure. So perhaps this unusual "drill" makes sense, in a way. Especially for Pro Bowl receiver and former high school hoops star Tee Higgins. "I think outside the box, not necessarily a drill," Taylor said. "We wanted to start our season fast last year, and so we started our training camp every day … meeting in our basketball gym. We have a hoop in our gym — in our weight room — and two guys, offense and defense, competed. … Just to kind of get the adrenaline flowing a little bit going to meetings, going into practice. "It's maybe a little unorthodox, but that's something a little bit unique that we did." — Henry McKenna]]>
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					<![CDATA[Here's Why These Signed NFL Players Could Return To College Football]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/louisiana-court-college-eligibility-ncaa-nfl</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/louisiana-court-college-eligibility-ncaa-nfl</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Several athletes, including some with NFL contracts, are once again allowed to return to college athletics. Here are those players, and why.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:28:55 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Several athletes, including some who signed contracts with NFL teams, were granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court that would make them eligible to return to college athletics, ESPN reported Wednesday. NFL teams are deep into training camp, and rosters have to be cut to 53 players by Aug. 30. Many who don't make those clubs could look for a fallback plan in college football, barring a successful appeal by the NCAA. According to ESPN, 16 football players were part of the lawsuit that included 33 athletes across several sports who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility. Of those, four players are currently on NFL rosters. Anthony Hankerson was an undrafted free agent running back signed by the Miami Dolphins in late-April, who was cut on Aug. 10 and then signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Hankerson attended Colorado in 2022 and 2023, before transferring to Oregon State for his final two years of college football. With the Beavers, Hankerson led all independent players in rushing attempts in both campaigns, as well as players from scrimmage, while rushing for over 1,000 yards in each and with 24 combined touchdowns. Jack Pyburn was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have held onto the pass rusher through camps so far. Pyburn played college football for Florida as a linebacker from 2022 through 2023, then switched to defensive end in 2024, before transferring to LSU and the SEC as a senior. The 6-foot-4, 264 lb. Pyburn had 60 combined tackles in 2024 and another 52 in 2025, with three combined sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss across those two seasons. The Philadelphia Eagles signed tight end Dae'Quan Wright as an undrafted free agent in April, but waived him in August – the Cleveland Browns signed the soon-to-be 23-year-old the next day. Wright played for Virginia Tech in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Ole Miss for the next two years: his top season came as a senior, when he pulled in 39 receptions in 15 games for 635 yards with five touchdowns. Wydett Williams was teammates with Wright at Mississippi, and the Arizona Cardinals signed him after his senior season, where he played safety. Williams had previously been a defensive back for Louisiana-Monroe as a junior, with his freshman and sophomore campaigns coming for Delta State, a Division II school. Williams had 73 combined tackles as a safety for Ole Miss in 2025, with three interceptions and a fumble recovery as well. Not all of these players currently appear on their respective teams' depth chart. Wydett Williams is listed as the third safety for the Cardinals, while Jack Pyburn is fourth of five outside linebackers for the Buccaneers. Anthony Hankerson and Dae'Quan Wright, both recently cut and signed elsewhere, have not made their depth charts. A fifth player who signed an NFL contract and was one of the aforementioned 16 footbal players in the suit, but is not currently on an NFL roster, is also planning to enter the transfer portal, per On3. Running back T.J. Harden went undrafted before signing with the Cleveland Browns, and he was waived on Aug. 3. While the Seahawks signed him and played Harden in a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, he was cut from that team, too, leaving him as a free agent once again. Harden, a 6-foot, 218 lb. back, started his college career with UCLA in the Pac-12 before the school's shift to the Big Ten in 2024, and then transferred to SMU and the ACC as a senior. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry across those four seasons, piling up 2,445 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, with another 622 receiving yards and three more TDs. The NCAA has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules. "Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports," Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president of external affairs, said in a statement. "The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won’t be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience." On July 31, a federal court in Denver ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this academic year. That decision came a little more than a month after the NCAA passed a rule that gives athletes five years to complete five seasons of competition, starting with those who enroll in the fall of 2027. The Colorado ruling eliminated the waiting period. The Associated Press contributed to this report.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NFL Catchup: Vita Vea Gets His Deal, Sparks At Eagles-Patriots Practice & More]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-vita-vea-gets-his-deal-sparks-eagles-patriots-practice-more</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-vita-vea-gets-his-deal-sparks-eagles-patriots-practice-more</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Get the latest NFL updates as Vita Vea earns a major extension, Trevon Diggs heads to Seattle, Alvin Kamara suffers an injury, and Drake Maye shines in joint practice.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:52:45 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Wednesday in the NFL brought us a little bit of everything. Vita Vea and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their contract dilemma, agreeing to a deal that will make the defensive tackle among the highest-paid players at his position. In terms of on-field matters, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots had a competitive joint practice just months after the teams agreed to the A.J. Brown trade. There's also plenty of injury news around the league, with the Houston Texans losing a key contributor on offense for the rest of the season. Here's what you should know about what happened around the NFL on Wednesday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star defensive tackle Vita Vea reached an agreement on a one-year, $30 million extension, our Greg Auman confirmed on Wednesday. The deal keeps the two-time Pro Bowler under contract for the next two seasons while giving him a $6 million raise for 2026, boosting his salary to $24 million this year. The extension is fully guaranteed, locking in $48 million over the next two seasons. Vea had demanded a trade at the onset of training camp, believing he and the Buccaneers were far off from agreeing to an extension. However, Tampa Bay reportedly had no desire to trade him and now has him under contract as it seeks to make the postseason after falling short last season. Vea has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier interior defensive linemen and the centerpiece of head coach Todd Bowles' defense. Through eight seasons with Tampa Bay, the 347-pound nose tackle has logged 256 total tackles, 35 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He anchored a defense that ranked top-three in total yards allowed from 2019 to 2021 while surrendering just 92.6 rushing yards per game, playing a pivotal role in the Buccaneers' Super Bowl LV victory. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had himself a day against the Philadelphia Eagles' defense. Maye reportedly finished the day 16 of 19 and completed 13 consecutive passes. Maye reportedly spread the ball amongst his receivers, with receptions from Pop Douglas, Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and top offseason acquisition A.J. Brown before orchestrating a crisp two-minute drill that set up a 52-yard field goal from Andy Borregales. Hurts reportedly went 19 of 27 through the air and threw three interceptions and one of those picks was returned for a touchdown by the Patriots' defense, according to reporters in attendance. Hurts enters a pivotal 2026 season adjusting to offensive coordinator Sean Mannion — his seventh playcaller in seven pro seasons. The quarterback contrast was compounded by Brown, who caught seven total passes from Maye in his first action against his former team. Brown also revealed to reporters following Wednesday's practice that he hasn't spoken to Hurts, who is the godfather to his daughter, since he was traded to New England in June. The Seattle Seahawks secondary added more depth on Wednesday. The Seahawks locked in former All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs on a one-year deal, first reported by ESPN, giving their defense a high-upside playmaker. Heading into his age-28 season, Diggs is set to play for his third team in less than a year. After spending his first six years with the Dallas Cowboys, Diggs made a brief late-season pit stop with the Green Bay Packers before officially signing with the Seahawks. The Seahawks also reportedly agreed to a deal to add former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, though the move is on hold. Arnold is expected to head straight for the commissioner’s exempt list since he faces eight felony counts of armed robbery and kidnapping. Diggs joins a defense already stacked with talent, pairing him with All-Pro Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe at cornerback, while Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori hold down the safety position. His versatility gives them an adaptable weapon to move around the secondary. The Seahawks aren’t new to building their roster around familiar connections and established culture. Diggs was teammates in Dallas with DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., and Noah Igbinoghene, and he also shared a secondary at Alabama with Jobe under defensive backs coach Karl Scott. It seems that familiarity played a key role in Diggs’ decision to sign. Under head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks could be the ideal landing spot to revitalize Diggs’ career. He hasn’t reached the same heights since his standout 2021 season with the Cowboys, when he led the league with 11 interceptions. The Houston Texans' offense was dealt a tough blow on Wednesday. Tests confirmed that wide receiver Jayden Higgins tore his ACL in Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his 2026 season, according to NFL Network. Higgins' season-ending injury leaves a gaping hole in the Texans' passing attack as Tank Dell continues to work his way back to full health. Without Higgins, the team will lean heavily on Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins alongside Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel. The Texans' 2025 second-round pick put together a strong rookie season. Higgins hauled in 41 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns while proving to be a consistent playmaker in the offense. The Pittsburgh Steelers won't have their projected starting quarterbacks take the field against the New York Jets in their upcoming preseason game. Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph will sit out Friday's matchup. Instead, quarterbacks Will Howard and third-round pick Drew Allar will get the nod against the Jets. Howard is set to start before giving way to Allar as the two battle for the third-string spot and one of them potentially battling for the backup job down the line. Allar is coming off a strong preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers. After entering in the second half, he completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, highlighted by a 74-yard strike to Kaden Wetjen. Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, finds himself in a tight battle to make the final 53-man roster. Allar has a chance to be the Steelers' starting quarterback as early as next season and McCarthy has been on record calling Allar a first-round talent. The New Orleans Saints were already signaling a changing of the guard by signing free-agent running back Travis Etienne this offseason. Now, Alvin Kamara is sidelined after suffering an MCL sprain during Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN reported. Kamara is expected to miss at least a month, putting his status for the start of the season in serious doubt. While Etienne steps into the undisputed lead role, Kamara was still expected to play a role in the Saints' offense. The five-time Pro Bowler has seen his production dip in New Orleans over recent seasons. In 11 games last season, Kamara posted 471 rushing yards and a single touchdown, adding 33 receptions for 186 receiving yards. Kamara’s 3.6 yards per carry last season was the lowest mark of his career. Surprisingly, he has never recorded a 1,000-yard rushing season, which is something Etienne has already accomplished in three of his four years in the league. With Kamara and No. 8 overall pick in wide receiver Jordyn Tyson out to start the year, Chris Olave and Etienne will have to shoulder the load offensively. Head coach Kellen Moore and second-year quarterback Tyler Shough certainly have their work cut out for them.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Colts QB Daniel Jones Continues To Impress In Return From Achilles Injury]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/colts-falcons-joint-practice-daniel-jones-return-from-achilles-injury</link>
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				    <![CDATA[Daniel Jones lit up a solid Falcons secondary on Wednesday, though a key Colts pass-catcher had to leave the field with an injury.]]>
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				<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:13:35 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[WESTFIELD, Ind. — If you didn’t know Daniel Jones was coming off a major injury, there’s nothing that would’ve told you otherwise. That was my big takeaway watching the Colts quarterback at training camp Wednesday, when Indianapolis hosted the first of two joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons. Whether it was dropping back in individual drills or taking snaps under center or in the shotgun in team periods, Jones looked normal. For a quarterback coming off an Achilles tear, the true test of health is scrambling and throwing on the move and evading pressure. Running the ball is a big part of Jones’ game, too. And the 29-year-old checked all those boxes as well. Granted, he didn’t need to move around too much Wednesday against what’s expected to be a bad Falcons pass rush (Jalon Walker is out for the season, and James Pearce Jr. is suspended for the first eight games). Jones looked quite comfortable in the pocket, but he moved around with no issues when he needed to. It confirmed what I’d been hearing around the team about Jones, who’s looking to pick up from what was a spectacular 2025 — for him and the Colts — before his devastating right Achilles tear Dec. 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s been impressive throughout training camp. The Colts had issues on the ground on Wednesday, but Jones and the pass game were on fire against an above-average Falcons secondary in team drills. He was feasting in the intermediate portion of the field, hitting receivers Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin often. "I think with any major rehab process, you're always kind of progressing and getting back and getting used to doing everything, building up the reps on it, building up just your conditioning level," Jones explained post-practice. "I feel really good and there's nothing I don't feel good doing." And for 2026, that means building off what the Colts were last season when he was healthy. Through 10 weeks in 2025, Indianapolis’ offense led the league in yards, scoring, EPA per play, success rate and DVOA. The Colts boasted a plus-115 point differential, and had four wins of 21-plus points. "I think the offense is very versatile," Jones told me. "There’s a lot of different components to it. I think we’re able to run the ball well. I think we’re good in the RPO game. We’re good throwing it quick. We can throw the ball down the field." Other Notes From Colts-Falcons Joint Practice: Falcons standout receiver Drake London had one of the best plays from Wednesday’s practice. On what was by far quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s longest completion of the day, the fifth-year pro Mossed Colts cornerback Justin Walley down the left sideline in team drills. It was an underthrown ball from Tagovailoa, but London managed to stretch out his arms over Walley’s shoulders for the insane grab. Speaking of insane grabs, Robinson had one too. In the full team period at the end of practice, the superstar running back made a one-handed catch with his left hand in stride. It was a low pass that would’ve been incomplete in most situations, but Robinson made the snag near his ankles. It was all the more impressive considering how easy he made it look. The Falcons are going to need a lot of that from Robinson and Drake London this season, as well as from All-Pro tight end Kyle Pitts. Atlanta’s quarterback play is a major concern. Tagovailoa is currently in the lead in the team’s QB competition by default, due to the fact that Michael Penix Jr. has not yet been cleared for 11-on-11 work after his ACL injury last season. And the former Dolphins starter has been uninspiring through two outings against other teams. He looked uncomfortable in last week’s preseason opener against the Denver Broncos. In Wednesday’s practice against the Colts, he had just one long completion (the aforementioned London play) and threw a pick-six to Walley. He lived off check downs and bubble screens. The more touches the likes of Robinson, London and Pitts can get, the better the outlook for the Falcons’ offense this season. Because Atlanta won’t be winning games on the back of its quarterback play. Newly signed Colts receiver Keenan Allen didn’t practice Wednesday. He spent his first official day with Indianapolis in shorts and a T-shirt, watching the offense intently and chopping it up with new teammates. But the Colts are already envisioning how the 13-year veteran can help. "He's been productive every single year he's been in the league," Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "So obviously, we want him to be productive again this year." One of the best players in Chargers history, Allen adds much-needed depth to what's currently a thin wide receiver room for Indianapolis. With Michael Pittman Jr. out of the picture (traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers) and new WR1 Alec Pierce sidelined following offseason ankle injury, Josh Downs had been the team’s only proven, starting-caliber wide receiver. Allen, who has familiarity with Steichen from their time together with the Chargers, figures to be a tremendous boost for the Colts as a possession receiver, despite his age (34). The six-time Pro Bowler had a league-high 29 first down conversions on third down last season. Overall, Allen caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. "Danny’s [Daniel Jones] is a guy who is getting better every year," Allen said. "Last year he was on a big roll, and I want to be part of that and help him be the safety blanket that I am." In the last team period, Falcons backup running back Brian Robinson trucked Colts defensive back Jonathan Owens at the end of a nice run down the left side of the field. It happened right in front of Atlanta’s sideline, so naturally the Falcons were amped. Colts star tight end Tyler Warren, who’s been excellent in training camp, sustained an injury early in team drills Wednesday and didn’t rejoin practice. After initially leaving the field with trainers, he returned to the sidelines with a wrap around his right thigh. Warren was diagnosed with a strained abductor muscle and could be back on the field as early as next week. But the Colts plan to be cautious in the hope of having the second-year pro ready for Week 1. Indianapolis cannot afford another significant injury to a pass-catcher. With Pierce already sidelined, Jones’ list of primary targets is shrinking for the time being. It makes the Allen signing all the more timely. Courtesy of Keenan Allen, speaking about Colts coach Steichen: "Genius. He knows what he’s doing and he knows what he’s looking at. He doesn’t just have a coach mindset so to speak. He sees it from a player perspective, from a quarterback perspective."]]>
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