| As Louisiana judges, presumably at the behest of Lane Kiffin, continue to issue orders denying the SEC’s rule-making powers, there is growing talk inside the conference of getting rid of LSU, and all its teams, permanently. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The SEC hopes to grab the Tigers by the tail. Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reports that the conference is exploring various ways to address LSU’s plan to add former NFL players to its team, including “extreme measures.” The possibilities reportedly include boycotting competition against the school, probation, or expulsion. The SEC also is considering filing a federal lawsuit on the issue. It was a federal lawsuit against Texas Tech from the Big 12 that prompted the Red Raiders to abandon the plan to allow quarterback Brendan Sorsby to play this year, after he won an injunction against the NCAA’s gambling suspension. No decision is expected before Thursday’s hearing on whether the pending TRO will become a preliminary injunction. The conversations are reportedly “serious,” and “[t]ensions are high.” The possibility of giving LSU the boot and replacing it with another team is on the table. It’s nothing more than an effort to bully LSU to back down, along with a not-so-subtle unwillingness to accept the eventual ruling from the court that issued the TRO, if the court doesn’t reverse its decision and allow the SEC rule prohibiting conference members from adding former NFL players to play for their programs. Through it all, the ongoing agitation keeps the story alive, with the obvious goal of getting Congress to give college football (and the other sports) the coveted antitrust exemption through the Protect College Sports Act. For now, the SEC is experiencing the chaos it deserves. The issue is a byproduct of the reckoning that followed decades of exploiting players through the creation of a govening body that prevented any of them from getting anything more than a free education, regardless of the real value of the services they provide to their schools.– – -Do we agree with these Super Bowl tiers from Carter Bahns of CBSSports.com? We edited his comments, you can see them in full here S: Super Bowl or bustA: Got close in ’25, could break through in ’26B: Legitimate championship aspirationsC: Make the playoffs, then we’ll talkD: Probably finishing below .500F: No. 1 pick contenders S TierLos Angeles Rams, Seattle SeahawksThe top of the NFC West is stacked with heavyweights. That the Rams and Seahawks will square off twice in the regular season is a treat, and it would be no surprise if, like last year, they met for a third time in the playoffs. No team had itself a better offseason than the Rams…This team is practically in a tier of its own. There is one more squad at the front of the pack, though. While the Seahawks have widely been cast aside as the No. 2 team in their division, they are the reigning champions and won two out of three against L.A. last season. A TierBuffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Denver BroncosEach of these four teams played in at least the divisional round of the 2025 postseason. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl after defeating the Broncos in the AFC Championship. Every team here could taste the trophy but fell just short. A small step forward this year is all it will take to break through, and each of them made at least one key change that could deliver the necessary improvement. The Bills shook up their coaching staff by firing Sean McDermott and elevating Joe Brady to head coach. While that will not inherently fix their occasional defensive lapses, it should keep Josh Allen and the offense firing on all cylinders and potentially deliver better game planning and execution. The Patriots traded for A.J. Brown in a summer blockbuster and signed Romeo Doubs to give Drake Maye the best receiving corps of his young career. Any improvement on the defensive line should pair incredibly well with that upgrade in wideout talent and help this offense overcome the increased schedule difficulty. The Texans shook up an offensive line that struggled immensely at protecting C.J. Stroud, particularly in the playoffs. They also brought in David Montgomery to ease some pressure on Stroud in the running game. If those two moves help Stroud perform even as a mid-tier quarterback, Houston can win it all. The defense is elite enough to carry them. The Broncos have a healthy Bo Nix at quarterback. If not for the broken ankle that cut his postseason short, he would have almost certainly led Denver past the Patriots in the AFC title game. His receiving unit got better this offseason, too, with Jaylen Waddle arriving via trade. The defensive front should remain among the NFL’s best. B TierBaltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers This is the tier wherein any team could reasonably level up from where they stood in 2025. They should all expect to make the playoffs, and if they are better than they were a year ago, deep postseason runs are possible. The AFC North battle between the Ravens and Bengals is especially compelling A step forward for Chicago would come in the form of Caleb Williams emerging as a superstar. For a couple of others, a lot comes down to health. The Chargers should be better now that their offensive line is not entirely decimated, the 49ers will be in the thick of the NFC West race so long as they avoid their seemingly inevitable rash of injuries and the Chiefs must rely on Patrick Mahomes recovering fully from his torn ACL. C TierDetroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe C Tier might be the most fluid. If everything clicks for these teams, they can clinch a spot in the playoffs. If it falls apart, they could bottom out and face tough questions about whether to keep their coaching staff and whether to blow up their rosters. Nothing exemplifies that reality quite like the NFC South. All four teams landed in this tier for two reasons. One, they are all on equal footing, as evidenced by the three-way tie atop the division in 2025. Two, none of them are particularly great, which showed in all of them finishing last season under .500. The team with the best chance of climbing up to the B Tier is probably the Cowboys. The offense ranked second in yardage last year and seventh in scoring, and it should be just as potent this time around. Tangible changes for the better on defense — the arrival of coordinator Christian Parker; the trades for Quinnen Williams and Rashan Gary; and the use of draft picks on Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham — should at least lift the unit out of the NFL’s basement. There are some real regression risks, too. If the Colts are more like the team that struggled in the second half of last season than the one that rolled through the front half, it is going to be a long year. And if Aaron Rodgers regresses further in his final year, the Steelers will struggle to post a winning record. D TierCleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, New York JetsThese teams have a better chance of landing a top-three draft pick than making the playoffs. That is not necessarily a bad thing for the Browns, Titans and Raiders as they continue to load up on young talent, but if the Jets are one of the few worst teams in the NFL, that will probably mark the end of the Aaron Glenn era. Cleveland owned more positive momentum than any of the others after it aced another draft and made the difficult but logical choice to trade Myles Garrett. But then the Browns did what they are wont to do — they made a baffling quarterback decision that will undoubtedly halt their progress. With Deshaun Watson under center, the enticing recent draft picks of KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. have limited ceilings. This year is not about contention in Las Vegas but rather about setting the stage for the Fernando Mendoza era. One can visualize the Raiders leaping up into the AFC West title conversation a couple of seasons down the road, but not until Mendoza has his footing underneath him, which might not be until 2027 or later. As for the Titans, everything is in place to leap into the next echelon, but the wait-and-see approach is prudent after the way Robert Saleh’s starting defense floundered in the preseason. The young offensive core is fun, and Saleh can coach a defense with the best of them, but can he put it all together? He did not during his last stint as a head coach. F TierMiami Dolphins, Arizona CardinalsThere is nothing to play for here except the No. 1 pick. Neither the Dolphins nor the Cardinals have a single primetime game in 2026, and there will be times this year when even their own fanbases tune out. It could really be that bad, especially for Miami. The Dolphins have the worst roster in the league, bar none. Arizona, meanwhile, will be in the quarterback market come draft day. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASThe Cowboys are down to two QBs on the active roster after JOE MILTON III was waived. The first day of waiver claims has prompted a surprising move in Dallas. The Cowboys are waiving quarterback Joe Milton III after successfully claiming running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Chiefs. Milton’s departure is a surprise. The third-year quarterback saw plenty of preseason action and shined throughout, showing off his known arm strength while also delivering accurate passes on time. In three appearances, Milton threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, seemingly winning the backup job over Sam Howell behind Dak Prescott. That assumption proved to be incorrect Monday when Dallas was forced to make a corresponding move after adding Demercado and decided on waiving Milton. A sixth-round pick out of Tennessee in 2024, Milton will likely draw interest on the waiver wire. Given the move came after teams finalized rosters and sifted through the waiver wire, the timing might improve Dallas’ chances of bringing Milton back. |
| NEW YORK GIANTSThe Giants kept 33-year-old WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. on their 53-man roster. Nick Shook of NFL.com: Odell Beckham’s storybook return to New York survived beyond preseason when he made the Giants’ 53-man roster on Sunday. It’s a reality that was far from guaranteed for the 33-year-old who spent all of 2025 out of football. But after finding some success (and one frustrating drop) in his first action with the Giants since 2018, Beckham realized he might have a legitimate chance to make the team. When he learned he wouldn’t be cleaning out his locker in the Giants’ facility, Beckham understandably became emotional. “Just my family, being here, seeing my son at the game. … I had those tears when I got back to the hotel after figuring out I’m going to be here,” Beckham said Monday. “And I have an opportunity to re-write some of the last bit of the chapter. Don’t know last year, whatever it is, I just know I’m going to give my all. But definitely had that moment where it was like you could let out some of the pain that I went through. It was a very healing, very emotional. Something I was very happy about.” Beckham’s football journey has been unique for a number of reasons. He was a high draft pick who arrived with great expectations, but one one-handed catch turned him into an international superstar overnight. With the fame came relentless attention, and with that came a trade to the Browns, his first ACL injury of his career, a move further west to a Super Bowl winner in the Rams, another ACL injury and a few years spent largely out of the spotlight. Some thought football was finished with Beckham. The Giants decided otherwise, giving Beckham a chance to close his career in the same place it began. Beckham had to earn it, of course, joining the Giants as part of a collection of veteran receivers assembled to compete for limited roster spots. In the end, Beckham proved he still had what’s needed to justify a place on an NFL team. “It was a different feeling,” he said of learning he’d made the 53-man roster. “Something that I was prepared for but you never know how it feels until you’re dealing with it. So, just truly proud of myself. “Whatever the outcome was, I came and I gave my best effort, and I earned the right to be here. This wasn’t given to me. I was given the opportunity, but I wasn’t given making it here where I’m at. I’m truly happy about it, but like I said, not satisfied until I find ways to continue to get better and bring my best.” Now, Beckham must seize the opportunity he’s earned — and he might add a little spice to it by switching back to the same No. 13 he made famous in New York a decade ago. “I think we all know what that means to me,” Beckham said of wearing No. 13. “It definitely will be some conversations. I’ll just say we’ll see what happens. But like I said, it would be an honor and privilege to put that back on.” Whether it’s No. 3 or 13, Beckham is just happy to be healthy and back on an NFL roster. We’ll see how far he can take it in the Big Apple. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAJosh Kendall of The Athletic on four QBs surviving Atlanta’s cutdown date: One of football’s oldest sayings is, “If you have two quarterbacks, it means you don’t have one.” That’s probably doubly true at four quarterbacks. The Falcons don’t know if Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa will start in Week 1, much less if either is good enough to be this team’s quarterback in 2027. Given that uncertainty, the development of undrafted free agent Jack Strand was very encouraging and also too noticeable to risk putting him on the waiver wire, where another team might have claimed him. At the same time, Strand probably is not ready to start an NFL game right now, and the Falcons need a game-ready No. 3 quarterback given the health history of Tagovailoa and Penix. That’s how veteran Cooper Rush ends up on the roster. Atlanta might wait until game week to announce its Week 1 starter, but that’s not the most important question for this team this year. The Falcons have to know at the end of this season whether their 2027 quarterback is on the roster or have figured out a path to get that player. Penix is halfway through his rookie deal and has only made 12 starts (with four wins), so he’s going to have to play at some point so the new staff can evaluate him properly. — Josh Kendall, Falcons writer |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAIt’s unclear whether or not prized rookie RB JERIMIYAH LOVE will line up in Week 1. Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com: At this point, it’s unclear whether or not Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will be available for Arizona’s season opener. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Love is “about 50/50” to play Week 1 with an ankle sprain. Love suffered the injury in Las Vegas’ preseason opener on Aug. 13. He tallied 14 touches in that contest, with 11 rushing attempts for 58 yards and three receptions for 14 yards. Head coach Mike LaFleur said the plan was for Love, the No. 4 overall pick of the year’s draft, to get double-digit touches in that preseason game. Via Darren Urban of the team’s website, LaFleur said on Monday that Love is “progressing” but did not touch on the running back’s availability for Week 1. The team’s first injury report for its matchup against the Chargers will be released on Sept. 9. |
| SAN FRANCISCOIf you want to be on the 49ers or Rams practice squads, you need to be a legal alien if you try to enter Australia. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Every team in the league is in the process of calling players to ask them to join the practice squad, but the Rams and 49ers have another question: “Do you have a passport?” Because the Rams and 49ers will open the season in Australia, those teams need to know that any new additions to the team will be able to get into a foreign country. Players who have been with the teams all offseason have been preparing for international travel, but 49ers General Manager John Lynch says making sure new additions to the team can get into Australia is a logistical challenge. “We’re bringing practice squads from the outside. I’ve never asked a potential practice squad, ‘Do you have a passport?’ Those are questions we have to ask now,” Lynch said. “One guy who’s coming into town, his parents are next daying it, because it was at the house. So there’s a lot of little logistics like that that are complicated by this, but we’re embracing it, we’re having a plan for everything, and we’re getting it done.” Lynch said the 49ers’ staff behind the scenes has had to work overtime to get the team ready for the longest road trip in NFL history. “There’s a lot, and I think it’s an opportune time to give a shout out to our staff,” Lynch said. “Everything from getting visas, which is much more complicated than I knew, they’ve been outstanding. They’ve worked in conjunction with the league but most of the work has been done on our part and hats off to those guys for pulling off a monumental task, and it’s not done yet. There’s a lot.” |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERLB JONATHAN COOPER pleads not guilty. He’s on the commissioner’s exemption list. He could be there until a November trial, if not longer. Jason Owens ofYahooSports.com: Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathan Cooper pleaded not guilty on Monday to all charges related to his multiple arrests for an alleged instance of domestic violence. Cooper entered his pleas in a Douglas County, Colorado, courtroom, one day after news broke that he’ll start the NFL season on the commissioner’s exempt list because of the charges. Cooper is now slated to face a jury trial scheduled for Nov. 10, 12 and 13. The trial will take place during Denver’s bye week. Cooper’s placement on the commissioner’s exempt list means that he won’t be permitted to practice or play as long as he’s on it. Cooper will be permitted to attend team meetings. He won’t count against Denver’s 53-man roster that was set by the NFL’s roster cut-down deadline Sunday afternoon. How long Cooper remains on this list is unclear. The commissioner’s exempt list is managed at the discretion of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Cooper allegedly strangled his then-girlfriendCooper was arrested twice in the same week in June in relation to an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend. Per court records cited by local reports in Denver, Cooper and his long-term girlfriend were both arrested on June 4 and each charged with criminal mischief as a crime of domestic violence. The charge against Cooper’s girlfriend was later dropped. Per police records, the alleged incident took place during an argument in which Cooper’s girlfriend accused him of cheating on her. Per those records, Cooper’s girlfriend said she threw his phone across the room, then went to retrieve it to look through it. Cooper told police that he grabbed his girlfriend by her upper arm and took the phone back and “braced his neck against her neck” in the process. He said he threatened to break her phone if she didn’t leave his apartment; police affidavits show that he did bite her phone when she didn’t leave. Cooper’s girlfriend told a different story that he “grabbed her by the neck” and held her up against the wall. She also said Cooper picked her up and threw her back on the ground several times and punched the wall “next to her face,” according to the police report. Officers on the scene noted in their report that her injuries “did not appear consistent with a larger male lifting [her] up into the air by her throat as well as repeatedly being thrown to the ground.” Medical exam led to felony assault chargeCooper pleaded not guilty to the initial charges in court the next week. He was placed under a protection order that he was not to “harass, molest, intimidate, retaliate against or tamper” with his girlfriend. Prosecutors say that Cooper violated that order by sending her multiple text messages and going to her home. Police arrested Cooper again on June 11 on four new charges, per Denver’s 9 News: Felony second-degree assault — strangulation Third-degree assault — knowingly or recklessly causing injury Violating a protective order Harassment — repeated telephone calls Prosecutors added the felony assault charge after a medical examination stated that Cooper’s girlfriend suffered “serious bodily injury” in the incident. A nurse’s report obtained by police described her injuries as consistent with “strangulation with hypoxia.” What’s next for CooperCooper faced his arraignment and pleaded not guilty Monday, and he’ll face trial in November. An NFL investigation remains ongoing. It’s not clear when or if he’ll be cleared to play for the Broncos. The Broncos excused Cooper from mandatory minicamp upon his second arrest. He returned to the team and was a full participant with Denver’s starters in training camp and suited up for all three of Denver’s preseason games. The Broncos named Cooper a captain for Friday’s preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings. What Cooper means to BroncosCooper, a five-year NFL veteran and seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has emerged as a full-time starter for the Broncos. He started in all of Denver’s 17 regular-season games in each of the previous three seasons. Cooper has recorded eight-plus sacks in each of the past three seasons, including a career-high 10.5 in 2024. He has 31.5 sacks for his career and is considered a key contributor to a Broncos defense that projects as one of the best in the NFL. Head coach Sean Payton addressed Cooper’s situation with reporters on July 29 at the onset of training camp. “We’re staying course with league protocol, club protocol, relative to what we’re advised to do,” Payton said. “He’s been fantastic working away from the building, and we’ll continue to do that and monitor it. |
| LAS VEGASThe 49ers must be stacked at cornerback, because one of their cuts drew five waiver claims. Jordan Dejani of CBSSports.com: The NFL’s 53-man roster deadline was Sunday, but rosters remain in flux with waiver claims. All players cut with fewer than four accrued seasons must pass through waivers, and teams can claim as many players as they want. However, players claimed automatically make the 53-man roster, meaning clubs have to make corresponding moves by cutting others. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 spot in the claim order, but they selected just one player during the initial wave on Monday: Former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. As it turns out, Luter was the “belle of the waiver-wire ball,” as ESPN reports that he had the most teams interested in him among any cut player with five. The Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts all tried to claim Luter. Luter was a fifth-round pick of the 49ers in 2023 out of South Alabama. He played in seven games as a rookie and worked in on special teams as the 49ers made it to Super Bowl LVIII. Luter did have an unfortunate lowlight on the biggest stage of them all, as a Tommy Townsend punt bounced off his foot in the third quarter and was recovered by the Kansas City Chiefs. One play later, Patrick Mahomes hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a 16-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs’ their first lead of the game. San Francisco lost the Super Bowl in overtime, 25-22. In his second NFL season, Luter played just three games and made three tackles before being placed on injured reserve. In 2025, he had his best season yet, playing in all 17 games with three starts, while recording 28 tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery. This preseason, Luter recorded three tackles and four passes defensed before being cut. The 49ers chose Nate Hobbs, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jack Jones, Ephesians Prysock, Deommodore Lenoir and Siran Neal over him. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREThe Ravens insist PK TYLER LOUP is still the guy, despite former Niners PK JAKE MOODY being added to the practice squad. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: New Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter insists second-year kicker Tyler Loop is still his guy despite the club adding competition. The club on Monday signed former third-round kicker Jake Moody to the practice squad. The move came after Loop missed two kicks in the Ravens’ preseason finale on Aug. 28 and went 5-of-8 during the exhibition season. Loop infamously also botched a 44-yard last-second field goal in the Ravens’ Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Despite the optics, Minter backed Loop during his media session on Monday. “I have a lot of confidence in Tyler still,” Minter said, via ESPN. “He’s had a great training camp. I expect him to be our kicker going into (the Sept. 13 season opener in) Indianapolis. … But you’re always trying to just have every scenario covered. And so that’s what we’re trying to do as a team.” The Ravens didn’t bring in competition for Loop, a 2025 sixth-round pick, during the offseason. However, as his struggles continued, the club signed Moody, who the Washington Commanders released in mid-August. Minter’s experience with Moody adds to the intrigue of the addition. The coach and kicker were together at Michigan in 2022. “Jake’s just kind of been on the radar,” Minter said. “He’s a guy that’s had success in this league and really just felt like adding a guy. It’s whatever’s best for the team at that particular moment. So we added a guy to compete on the practice squad and see how it shakes out from there.” Moody struggled as a mid-round draft pick in San Francisco before eventually being waived following two missed field goals in the 2025 opener. He bounced around from there, playing for Chicago and Washington last season. The fourth-year kicker knows what sort of pressure Loop is under entering a pivotal stretch. The 25-year-old Loop might not have lost his job yet, but he’s clearly on thin ice in Baltimore. The DB can remember when the mere act of making a 44-yard FG was impressive. Now, a miss is a “botch.” |
| PITTSBURGHMike DeFabo of The Athletic on the Steelers’ four quarterbacks: When the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, it could have been an opportunity to push the reset button. Instead, Pittsburgh remained in a win-now posture by hanging onto several aging veterans like T.J. Watt, extending 37-year-old Cameron Heyward, trading for 28-year-old receiver Michael Pittman Jr., signing 29-year-old CB Jamel Dean and — more than anything else — waiting for 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. It could have been a risk for the Steelers to enter the season with a starting QB who will turn 43 this year and a pair of backups (Will Howard and Drew Allar) who have never taken a regular-season NFL snap. Still, there appeared to be a camp competition between Mason Rudolph and Howard. In an ideal world, Howard would have lit it up in the preseason and proven that he’s ready for the responsibility of QB2. However, Rudolph began camp as QB2 and only extended his lead as the preseason unfolded. By keeping Rudolph and Howard, the Steelers are straddling the line between two windows. In Rudolph, they have a veteran backup capable of winning a game or two to keep the season afloat. He’s proven that before, including in 2023 when he led a three-game winning streak to push Pittsburgh into the playoffs. At the same time, the team is betting on McCarthy’s approach to QB development by giving him two young passers. Howard and Allar will learn behind Rodgers this year and likely be part of the competition for the starting job in 2027. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| WAIVER WIRE GEMSDaniel Popper of The Athletic identifies some players who were waived, but likely to impact in the 2026 NFL: This is our 2026 waiver wire big board. We will focus this list only on players who are available on the waiver wire. Players who were let go on cutdown day fall into two primary buckets. Players with four or more accrued seasons are vested veterans. They immediately become free agents and can sign anywhere they please. Players with three or fewer accrued seasons must pass through waivers. Those waived players can be claimed by any other NFL team during the claiming period, which runs through Monday at 1 p.m ET. The 2025 regular-season standings determine the waiver order, meaning the Las Vegas Raiders have the top priority. The team highest in the order is granted the player if multiple teams claim said player. The players below are all passing through waivers. They are ranked in order by how we would prioritize them if we were searching for talent on the waiver wire. 1. Bralyn Lux, DB, Cincinnati BengalsLux played almost exclusively at nickel for the Bengals defense this preseason. He played well in Week 1. After a slightly down Week 2, he put together a really impressive performance in the Bengals’ Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Lux combines awareness and instincts in coverage with physical run defending. His skill set is an ideal fit at this position. He could also potentially play on the outside, though the Bengals did not experiment with him there in games this preseason. Lux is also capable on special teams. He had a kickoff coverage tackle this weekend. 2. Kapena Gushiken, DB, Philadelphia EaglesGushiken made the stock watch for the first two weeks of the preseason, and he is high on the board here. He can play nickel and safety. He is comfortable both playing in the box and in the deep part of the field. Gushiken also flashed repeatedly as a special teams coverage player, especially at gunner. He is quite savvy for a rookie. A versatile defensive back with special teams upside should be attractive on the waiver wire. 3. Christian Jones, OT, Arizona CardinalsJones has looked very capable in pass protection for the Cardinals this preseason. He has a feel for timing and space when matched up one-on-one with edge rushers. He has quick feet when moving laterally to mirror rushes. Jones is better as a pass protector than a run blocker. But he took a step forward in the run game in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers, including a key block on a long touchdown run. Jones played left tackle and right tackle in the preseason. He is the best swing tackle option on the waiver wire. 4. Will Putnam, C, Las Vegas RaidersPutnam played well in 43 snaps of extended action in Week 2. He only played 10 snaps in Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers, but he was again very solid in pass protection. That is the better part of his game. He can anchor against bull rushes. He sees and diagnoses twists and stunts well. Putnam could help a team as a backup center. 5. Jordan Dunbar, CB, Buffalo BillsDunbar was an undrafted free agent out of Missouri State this year. He flashed in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns with some instinctive plays in zone coverage. Dunbar followed that up in Week 3 with another sound game in coverage. On one play in the second quarter, Dunbar got turned around early in a down while defending an in-breaking vertical route. He reacted quickly, flipping his hips, accelerating downfield and recovering to take away a throwing lane. Dunbar also does well when breaking on routes in front of him. He needs to improve as a run defender, but he has potential in this phase based on some moments he put on tape. 6. Doneiko Slaughter, CB, Pittsburgh SteelersSlaughter is another player who made the stock watch for each of the first two weeks of the preseason. He had a down game in Week 3 as the Steelers lost to the Bills. But there was enough on film over the first two games to show that Slaughter has the potential to land on a 53-man roster after waivers. He can play inside and outside, which is valuable in a corner room. He is better at nickel, where he makes plays as a run defender and coverage player. Slaughter plays with an intriguing competitive fire. 7. Gregory Desrosiers, RB, Los Angeles ChargersDesrosiers, a rookie undrafted free agent out of Memphis, showed signs of his vision and speed through the Chargers’ first two preseason games. He put it all together offensively in Week 3, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown on nine carries in the Chargers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Desrosiers also made several plays through the preseason as a special teams coverage player. That part of his game will be essential if he finds a landing spot on a 53-man. Third and fourth running backs must make an impact on special teams. Desrosiers proved he is capable of that, while also adding some juice to the rushing attack. 8. Damonic Williams, IDL, Arizona CardinalsWilliams flashed some impressive strength and twitchiness in Arizona’s Week 1 game against the Raiders. Williams made the stock watch that week. He petered out over the remainder of the preseason, but those early flashes are enough to land him on the big board. He has the potential to be very disruptive as a run defender and pass rusher if he can find more consistency. 9. Nate Lynn, edge, New York JetsLynn did not sign with the Jets until Aug. 18. Three days later, he had two sacks in New York’s win over the Steelers in Week 2. Lynn added another sack in Week 3 against the New York Giants. Lynn also showed up as a special teams coverage player. He is a compact rusher with some pop who can attack around the edge or even rush over guards on the interior. Lynn might have pushed for the Jets’ 53-man if he just had some more time. He had six pressures over two preseason games, according to TruMedia. 10. Coziah Izzard, IDL, Cleveland BrownsIzzard has bounced around quite a bit in his brief NFL career. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He then spent time on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad. This offseason, he was signed by the Cardinals on July 22. He was waived Aug. 3 and then claimed by the Browns. Izzard brings some pass-rush upside as an interior player. He has a sudden get-off and quick hands. He understands how to create leverage in tight spaces. He finished with four pressures and a sack in the preseason. He is less effective against the run. 11. Mory Bamba, CB, New York JetsBamba stood out in the Jets’ preseason opener with four passes defended. He is 6-foot-2 and can use that frame to play physically at the line of scrimmage in press alignments. Bamba can play inside and outside. He looked comfortable in man and zone coverage. The issue: Bamba suffered an injury in that Week 1 game and did not practice or play again through the preseason. A little risky given the small sample, but that first game was impressive. 12. Sebastian Valdez, IDL, San Francisco 49ersValdez was an undrafted free agent in 2025. He spent last season on the 49ers’ practice squad. He had some quality moments as a run defender this preseason, including a tackle for loss in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Valdez is an impressive athlete for his size at 6-foot-3, 301 pounds. He took special teams reps in the preseason on kickoff coverage and punt return. 13. Melvin Priestly, G, Detroit LionsPriestly is a decent mover and has some power as a run blocker when he gets a head of steam. He is a fit in a rushing scheme that features more outside zone. Priestly, a rookie undrafted free agent out of Illinois, played left and right guard for the Lions this preseason. |
| QBs WHO COULD DO A MENDOZAWe’re not sure why Texas QB ARCH MANNING is on this list from Pat Forde of SI.com – because the other nine are not being touted as first round picks. Last year, a low-profile quarterback rather notably went from good to great. His name was Fernando Mendoza, a former two-star recruit who had started 19 games at California and then transferred to Indiana. You know the rest of the story: Heisman Trophy, 16–0 national championship season, No. 1 NFL draft pick. Along the way, Mendoza’s pass efficiency rating rocketed from 144.59 in 2024 at Cal to a nation-leading 182.91 at Indiana—year-over-year improvement of 38 points. While that might not be replicable, it got The Dash wondering who might be capable of a career-making Mendoza Leap this season. This list of candidates: Arch Manning (21), TexasThey didn’t come up the same way at all, with Manning the ultimate recruiting prize and Mendoza headed to Yale until he got a late offer from Cal. But beyond that, the parallels are striking: Manning is a strapping 6’4″, 219 pounds heading into his fourth year of college; Mendoza was 6’5″, 225 going into his fourth year. Manning’s 2025 efficiency rating of 144.92 is almost identical to Mendoza’s in ’24 at Cal; and Arch is now armed with a much better supporting cast this season, just as Fernando was after transferring to Indiana. The biggest area of necessary improvement in order for Manning to make the Mendoza Leap: accuracy. Completing 61.4% of his passes like last year isn’t going to cut it. Josh Hoover (22), IndianaWhat’s the best way to make the Mendoza Leap? Go play for the same coaches. Hoover is doing that after transferring from TCU, where he threw for more than 9,600 yards. In a decade together at four different stops, head coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have developed a striking track record of QB improvement. New guys transfer in and get better, or holdover players stay and get better. What’s necessary for Hoover to make the Mendoza Leap and drastically improve last season’s 153.35 rating? Fewer interceptions. He was twice as likely as Mendoza to throw a pick last season, with a 3.2% interception rate to Fernando’s 1.6%. Gunner Stockton (23), GeorgiaHe was a reliable QB last season for the SEC champions—slightly more than a game manager but certainly less than a game breaker. As was often the case with Mendoza, Stockton’s best friends last year were Georgia’s defense and running game, which lightened the burden on his shoulders. His efficiency rating of 150.59 was built largely on a high completion percentage (69.7) and a great touchdown-to-interception ratio (24 to five). The necessary area of improvement to make the Mendoza Leap: more downfield plays. Stockton had only four completions of longer than 40 yards in 14 games, with a yards-per-attempt average of 7.5. Mendoza has 11 passes of 40-plus and averaged 9.3 yards per attempt. Conner Weigman (24), HoustonThe five-star high school recruit revived his career in a big way last season after transferring in from Texas A&M, leading the Cougars to 10 wins. Weigman is a better runner than Mendoza, piling up 700 yards on the ground, but he had two instances of doing what Mendoza never did: multi-interception games. He threw two against West Virginia and then three the next week against Central Florida, pushing his season interception percentage to 2.5% and taking his efficiency rating down to 147.10. Austin Simmons (25), MissouriSimmons was the heir apparent to Jaxson Dart at Mississippi until getting hurt and being Trinidad Chambliss’d out of the lineup. Now we’ll see what Eli Drinkwitz can do with him. Simmons is a tantalizing raw talent, athletic and strong-armed, but has room to grow in terms of mechanics, accuracy and decision-making. He also doesn’t have near the amount of reps Mendoza had at this point last year. Simmons has thrown just 107 college passes, completing 64 of them with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Against SEC teams not named Arkansas, he has yet to throw a college touchdown pass. Kevin Jennings (26), SMUHe has a performance variance that is as wide as his talent streak—capable of both spectacular and disastrous plays at any time. Jennings has an improvisational flair that Mendoza did not, allowing him to create something out of nothing. But that something is occasionally a very bad play—he’s thrown 24 interceptions the last two seasons, and has been known to fumble on occasion. To make the Mendoza Leap, Jennings will have to find greater consistency and decision-making, which could correspond to upgrading last season’s 146.82 efficiency rating. Katin Houser (27), IllinoisThere are some strong similarities between Houser’s last two seasons at East Carolina and Mendoza’s tenure at Cal. Both earned their way onto the field after starting the season on the bench for several games, then took over the starting job. Then, in Year 2 as the starter, they firmly took control—then hit the portal to the Big Ten. Houser’s two-year passing stats at ECU: 418 for 653 for 5,306 yards, with 37 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Mendoza’s two-year passing stats at Cal: 418 for 629 for 4,712 yards with 30 TDs and 16 picks. We’lll see whether Houser can bump up last year’s very good completion percentage (65.9) to 70 or better. Ethan Grunkemeyer (28), Virginia TechHe stepped into a Penn State salvage operation at midseason last year and performed pretty well, starting the final seven games after the injury to Drew Allar, firing of James Franklin and general collapse of program aspirations. Grunkemeyer’s first three starters were at Iowa, at Ohio State and home against Indiana—welcome to college, kid. From that point on, he threw six touchdowns and no interceptions as the Nittany Lions closed with four straight victories. Season efficiency rating: 142.62. Grunkemeyer has an arm and some moxie, but isn’t much of a mobile threat. John Mateer (29), OklahomaThis is a different template than Mendoza’s, with Mateer arriving last season in Norman, Okla., as a highly paid and highly touted transfer and then being a mild disappointment. His efficiency rating dropped from 164.09 in 2024 at Washington State to 129.36 with the Sooners, but the big question is how much of that was attributable to a midseason thumb injury on his throwing hand that required surgery. Mateer still helped Oklahoma reach the College Football Playoff and has since packed on much-discussed muscle; if he regains his 2024 form he could definitely make the Mendoza Leap. Alberto Mendoza (30), Georgia TechWho better to make the Mendoza Leap than another Mendoza? Fernando’s little brother was bypassed at Indiana for the starting job and transferred to Atlanta, where he will be a different type of QB than departed dual-threat workhorse Haynes King. Alberto has thrown a total of 25 college passes, none of them in critical situations, so he’s far from a known commodity. He lacks his big brother’s size (6’2″, 207) but likely has many of the same positive intangibles. This could be the family’s second told ya so quarterback moment, after Fernando went from overlooked to the top of the mountain. |
| ESPN’S PRESEASON POWER RANKINGSESPN’s experts rank the teams 1 (Rams) to 32 (Dolphins) – and each correspondent notes a milestone. To form the list, our power panel of more than a dozen NFL analysts evaluates how all 32 teams stack up against one another, ranking them from No. 1 to 32. In addition to our 1-32 ranking, NFL Nation reporters picked a milestone to watch for each franchise this season. From 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan becoming the longest-tenured coach in 49ers history to Ravens running back Derrick Henry moving up to No. 6 on the career rushing list, there’s plenty at stake beyond who wins Super Bowl LXI. Let’s dive into the record books, starting with two NFC West teams. 1. Los Angeles RamsPostdraft ranking: 2Milestone to watch: Quarterback Matthew Stafford surpassing Philip Rivers for the sixth-most touchdown passes in NFL history during the regular season. Stafford has quickly climbed several career lists in recent years, including becoming the 10th quarterback to hit the 60,000 passing yards milestone in Week 1 of 2025. He could check off another box with three more touchdown passes, eclipsing Rivers’ career mark of 425. Given that Stafford averaged 2.7 touchdown passes per game in 2025, he could reach the milestone as early as Week 1 or Week 2. Brett Favre is fifth on the list with 508 touchdowns. — Sarah Barshop 2. Seattle SeahawksPostdraft ranking: 1Milestone to watch: Jaxon Smith-Njigba becoming the fourth player with at least 100 receptions in three of his first four seasons. 3. Buffalo BillsPostdraft ranking: 4Milestone to watch: Josh Allen surpassing Patrick Mahomes for the most combined passing and rushing yards by a quarterback in his first nine NFL seasons. This would take Allen close to the end of the season, but it is well within reach. Allen is 3,782 yards away from eclipsing Mahomes (38,604), and Allen has not missed a start since his rookie season 4. Denver BroncosPostdraft ranking: 3Milestone to watch: Sean Payton moving into top 10 for career coaching wins. Payton, now in his fourth season with the Broncos, could move into the top 10 if the team plays at even a wild-card level. The Broncos, who were tied for a league-best 14 wins last season, would move Payton from the No. 13 spot (184) to No. 9 with at least nine wins. Currently, Hall of Famer Chuck Noll and Mike Tomlin are tied at No. 9 with 193. Marty Schottenheimer is No. 8 with 200 wins. — Jeff Legwold 5. Philadelphia EaglesPostdraft ranking: 5Milestone to watch: Jalen Hurts becoming the third quarterback with at least 75 career rushing touchdowns. Hurts has 63 rushing TDs. He would join Allen (79) and Cam Newton (75) as the only signal-callers to reach 75. 6. New England PatriotsPostdraft ranking: 6Milestone to watch: Wide receiver A.J. Brown totaling 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh season of his career. 7. Green Bay PackersPostdraft ranking: 7Milestone to watch: Edge rusher Micah Parsons becoming the first player to record at least 12 sacks in each of his first six NFL seasons since the metric became official in 1982. 8. Baltimore RavensPostdraft ranking: 10Milestone to watch: Derrick Henry surpassing four Hall of Fame running backs to move to No. 6 on the career rushing list. Henry, who ranks 10th on the league’s career rushing list, needs 995 yards to move up four spots. He would surpass Eric Dickerson (ninth), Jerome Bettis (eighth), LaDainian Tomlinson (seventh) and Curtis Martin (sixth). Based on Henry’s average rushing yards per game (85.1), he would likely move into No. 6 by the Nov. 29 game at the Texans. Henry would need 1,811 yards rushing to surpass Adrian Peterson and climb into the top five. — Jamison Hensley 9. San Francisco 49ersPostdraft ranking: 8Milestone to watch: Kyle Shanahan surpassing Bill Walsh for most games in charge of the 49ers and total wins. Shanahan has coached the Niners in 141 regular-season games, compiling 82 wins in the process. The legendary Walsh owns the franchise record for games coached (152) and won 92 of those (second most in franchise history). Shanahan can pass the games coached record at home in Week 12 against the Vikings, and he can move to second in wins with 11. The Niners would have to go a spectacular 17-1 for Shanahan to also pass George Seifert (98 wins) as the winningest coach in team history, but that’s a record within striking distance over the next two seasons. — Nick Wagoner 10. Houston TexansPostdraft ranking: 13Milestone to watch: Quarterback C.J. Stroud becoming second in multiple Texans passing categories. If Stroud throws for 3,663 passing yards in 2026, he’ll pass Deshaun Watson (14,539) and move into second place in Texans’ history. Stroud (10,876) currently sits behind David Carr (13,391) at fourth overall, while Matt Schaub is well ahead at No. 1 (23,221). Another category to watch is passing touchdowns in franchise history. Stroud is third with 62, but if he goes nuclear and tosses at least 43 touchdown passes, he’ll also pass Watson (104) for second. Schaub leads with 124. — DJ Bien-Aime 11. Detroit LionsPostdraft ranking: 11Milestone to watch: Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown posting the most receptions through first six seasons all time. The fourth-round pick from the 2021 draft will try to continue to add to his record-breaking start as he enters this season with 547 career receptions. St. Brown can surpass Justin Jefferson (579) for the most receptions by a player in his first six NFL seasons, which could happen near midseason. 12. Chicago BearsPostdraft ranking: 9Milestone to watch: Caleb Williams becomes the first Bears QB to throw for 4,000 yards in a season 13. Kansas City ChiefsPostdraft ranking: 12Milestone to watch: Travis Kelce reaching second-most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history. Entering this season, Kelce has 13,002 receiving yards. All he needs is 45 yards to surpass Jason Witten for the second most by a tight end in NFL history. 14. Los Angeles ChargersPostdraft ranking: 14Milestone to watch: Justin Herbert becoming the fourth quarterback with at least 28,000 passing yards in his first seven seasons, joining Peyton Manning (29,442), Patrick Mahomes (28,424) and Matt Ryan (28,166). 15. Dallas CowboysPostdraft ranking: 16Milestone to watch: Quarterback Dak Prescott becoming Cowboys’ career leader in touchdown passes. Prescott needs six touchdown passes to break Tony Romo’s team record of 248 touchdown passes set from 2006 to 2016 16. Cincinnati BengalsPostdraft ranking: 17Milestone to watch: Ja’Marr Chase becoming the first player in NFL history with at least 80 catches and 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first six NFL seasons. Chase could retire today and end up in the Bengals’ ring of honor. He is already fifth in franchise history in receiving yards (6,837) and fourth in receptions (520). But he could enter an exclusive category by maintaining his averages in receptions (104.0) and receiving yards (1,367.4) per season. With a healthy quarterback Joe Burrow, it seems feasible for the two-time All-Pro to pass the 80 receptions plus 1,000 yards mark with a few games to spare. — Ben Baby 17. Jacksonville JaguarsPostdraft ranking: 15Milestone to watch: The Jaguars making back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time this century. The Jaguars, Browns and Commanders are the only three franchises to not make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons this century. 18. Tampa Bay BuccaneersPostdraft ranking: 18Milestone to watch: Coach Todd Bowles surpassing John McKay for the third-most wins in team history. With 10 regular-season wins, Bowles can pass Buccaneers Ring of Honor member McKay, who had 44 wins from 1976 to 1984. Bowles would still trail Jon Gruden (57) and Tony Dungy (54 19. Indianapolis ColtsPostdraft ranking: 20Milestone to watch: Jonathan Taylor becoming the fourth running back with at least 80 rushing touchdowns before age 28, joining Emmitt Smith (108), LaDainian Tomlinson (100) and Jim Brown (82). 20. Washington CommandersPostdraft ranking: 19Milestone to watch: Quarterback Jayden Daniels setting a franchise record for single-season TD passes. The only time a Washington quarterback threw for more than 30 touchdowns was Sonny Jurgensen in 1969 (31). 21. Pittsburgh SteelersPostdraft ranking: 21Milestone to watch: Aaron Rodgers becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to appear in 300 games (including the postseason), joining Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Drew Brees. Entering his 22nd — and final — season, Rodgers has appeared in 287 NFL games. 22. Minnesota VikingsPostdraft ranking: 24Milestone to watch: Wide receiver Justin Jefferson surpassing Randy Moss’ record for the most 100-yard games in the first seven seasons of a career. Jefferson is five away from eclipsing Moss’ 41 23. Carolina PanthersPostdraft ranking: 22Milestone to watch: Tetairoa McMillan becoming the fifth player in NFL history to post 70 catches, 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in each of his first two seasons. 24. New York GiantsPostdraft ranking: 23Milestone to watch: Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. climbing to second in Giants history for total touchdown receptions. Beckham needs five touchdown grabs to pass Kyle Rote (48) for the second most in Giants history. Amani Toomer is first with 54 25. New Orleans SaintsPostdraft ranking: 25Milestone to watch: Defensive end Cameron Jordan moving into the top 10 for NFL career sacks since the metric became official in 1982. Jordan sits at 17th with 132.5 sacks. He needs six to hit 138.5, which would tie DeMarcus Ware and still-active Von Miller’s current tally for ninth place. 26. Atlanta FalconsPostdraft ranking: 26Milestone to watch: Running back Bijan Robinson earning the most scrimmage yards by an NFL player under 25. Clinton Portis had 7,059 scrimmage yards before turning 25 in the early 2000s with Denver and Washington, while Robinson enters this season with 5,648 career scrimmage yards. 27. Las Vegas RaidersPostdraft ranking: 28Milestone to watch: Brock Bowers can surpass Jason Witten (188) for the most receptions by a tight end under the age of 24 in NFL history. Bowers needs only 13 catches to reach this milestone, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he did it in the season opener against the Dolphins. 28. Tennessee TitansPostdraft ranking: 27Milestone to watch: The Titans are one win from 500 as a franchise, including the playoffs and dating back to 1964 as the Houston Oilers. 29. New York JetsPostdraft ranking: 31Milestone to watch: Running back Breece Hall can go from 12th to fourth on the franchise’s career rushing list. That’s a pretty big leap, but it won’t take an extraordinary season. Hall sits at 3,398 yards. All he needs is 888 yards to move past Matt Snell (4,285) for the No. 4 spot. To get there, he will leapfrog notables such as Hall of Famer John Riggins (3,880) and Thomas Jones (3,833). He’s a long way from the franchise leader, Hall of Famer Curtis Martin (10,302). — Rich Cimini 30. Arizona CardinalsPostdraft ranking: 29Milestone to watch: Trey McBride surpassing Jimmy Graham for the most receptions by a tight end in his first five NFL seasons. McBride needs 40 receptions to pass Graham’s record (386). 31. Cleveland BrownsPostdraft ranking: 30Milestone to watch: The Browns’ defense breaking the record for consecutive games without allowing a 300-yard passer. The Browns have gone 45 straight games without allowing a quarterback to throw for 300 yards, the longest streak in the NFL since the Colts went 52 games from 2005 to 2008 32. Miami DolphinsPostdraft ranking: 32Milestone to watch: De’Von Achane cracking the top 10 in receptions by a running back over first four NFL seasons. |
