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DETROIT — Jared Goff pulls out his phone and looks for Amon-Ra St. Brown in his messages. He’s not hard to find. The two text often. During the offseason, they live 40 minutes from each other in Los Angeles and often meet for dinner at Sushi Bar Hermosa Beach, St. Brown’s favorite restaurant ever since Goff first took him there. But Goff isn’t feeling like Omakase. He’s feeling like a workout. Goff hits send, asking St. Brown: Available? Of course he is. For the Lions Pro Bowl quarterback, St. Brown’s schedule is basically always wide open. And that’s how the All-Pro receiver is so often wide open in Detroit’s offense. Their connection is prolific. In the past four seasons, Goff has completed 457 passes to St. Brown for 3,952 yards and 39 touchdowns. In NFL history, only three receivers have had four consecutive seasons of 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns: Marvin Harrison Sr., Antonio Brown and Davante Adams. “And he’s going to be the next one this year,” Goff told me of St. Brown. That’s in no small part because they’ve worked out together the past four offseasons, often at least once a week. The workout itself “may seem mundane,” Goff told me. They run the same routes. “You kind of do it with your eyes closed,” the quarterback told me. “It’s just the 10,000 rep rule. Whatever it is: 10,000 hours.” That repetition has given life to something more than an unspoken connection. It’s telepathy. When you watch Goff and St. Brown on the field, you can see they’re finishing each other’s sentences — if every sentence was punctuated with a first down. It’s not normal. They can make changes mid-play without even having to look at each other. It goes beyond coaching. “There’s things [they do] where I’m like, ‘Who’s said that? Who’s doing that?’ And it’s in the middle of the play, and they’re both on the same page,” said Scottie Montgomery, Detroit’s receivers coach and associate head coach. The duo’s instinctive plays don’t necessarily follow the scheme’s rules; it’s about feel. “He already knows what I’m going to do,” St. Brown told me about Goff. “Like a second into the play, he already knows what I’m doing. I know what I’m gonna do. It’s timing and rhythm. He’s not even thinking about what I’m going to do.” Their connection seems to be about absolute trust, brotherhood and, maybe, something stronger than words can express. They arrived in Detroit together in 2021. Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 by the Rams, came via a trade that he told me “for sure” put a chip on his shoulder. St. Brown arrived as a fourth-round pick from USC after leading the Pac-12 in receptions in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and he has closely followed the careers of the receivers who went above him. They arrived in Detroit as the downtrodden. And it didn’t get better right away, with that 2021 season ending 3-13-1 in coach Dan Campbell’s first year with the Lions. But in the halls at Ford Field, in the meeting rooms at the Meijer Performance Center, at Sushi Bar and on a practice field in L.A., they’ve built themselves back up. “It’s almost like you and your wife or you and your fiancée, your girlfriend,” St. Brown told me. “Like you want to be better for her, she wants to be better for you. It makes a good couple. … We don’t want to let each other down.” ***** It’s crunch time for the Lions’ offense. There’s heat — like, it’s literally hot outside. But you can also feel the frustration and urgency. Practice is not going how they wanted it to go — at least not for the offense. Big plays keep getting called back. Drives keep faltering. If you’re thinking this is a metaphor for Detroit’s 2025 season, then you’re onto something. Last year, the Lions thought they’d be hunting a Super Bowl, but they finished last in their division. It was a season of white-hot frustration. When things get hard for the Lions, they go back to what’s most reliable: Goff and St. Brown. It’s a drive late during an August training camp practice, and the offense begins on the 25-yard line, just outside the red zone. Goff kicks things off with a 10-yard pass to St. Brown, because — why not? Not long after that, they’re at the 3-yard line. And it’s fourth down. Goff hits St. Brown on a slant route. Touchdown. It’s an easy route — made even easier by those offseason workouts. Still, they’re not done. Up next: a 2-point conversion. At the line of scrimmage before the play, Goff hits Brown with a hand signal that is so subtle that the receiver nearly misses it. “I wasn’t ready for it,” St. Brown said. “It was super last minute, and I barely saw it.” But, of course, he doesn’t miss it. He’d never. St. Brown beats his man to the corner of the end zone, where the ball is waiting for him, where only he can catch it. In less than a minute, they’ve posted eight points. The ball placement is perfect, because Goff knows exactly where St. Brown is going to be — long before he gets there. “I think we’ve been playing for so long together that he understands my body language when I’m running routes,” St. Brown said. “That he can anticipate throws before I’m even out of the break. He kind of knows, ‘Oh, that’s how it looks when he’s about to break down.’ So he already knows. He can anticipate the throw.” That’s how the receiver thinks the QB perceives him. Now listen to how the QB thinks the receiver perceives him. “It’s about him feeling when the ball’s out of my hand and how quickly it’s on him,” Goff told me. “I would imagine subconsciously he’s understanding how quickly the ball is out.” It’s about the little details. OK, I’ll admit that I hate that expression. It’s often the kind of thing that NFL coaches and players say when they don’t want to share those little details. It’s a cliché that obfuscates specificity. But Goff isn’t doing that here. Neither is St. Brown. “When I threw him that fade in the back of the end zone [for the 2-pointer], I know he’s going to want it over the top — as opposed to slowing him up with the ball. That’s reps. That’s a million of them,” Goff told me. “I know what his body language is like when he’s like, ‘I’m digging and I want it there [in the corner of the end zone].’ Because I can’t see what the defender is doing out there, really. I can see it from my vantage point, but I don’t really know how far away he is. So … I’m trusting [St. Brown] that he knows this ball needs to go there.” I wasn’t able to get video of this play, because the Lions’ practices are no phones allowed. But that’s not a problem, because, like Goff said, they’ve done this a million times. And when I asked St. Brown for a route that best exemplifies the strength of his connection with Goff, he brought up a play that’s quite similar — an inside fade in a 2023 playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That play’s success came down to a check at the line of scrimmage. In the red zone, St. Brown knows that Goff has different signals — and free rein to make changes at the line. So inside the 20-yard line, St. Brown knows to be especially attentive, whether it’s practice or a playoff game. In this touchdown against Tampa, Goff did something that let St. Brown know: This pass is coming to you. “It’s very subtle. You don’t want the defense to really see it,” St. Brown told me. “It makes it easy when you talk about things before it happens, and it shows up in practice or in the game. And you’re already a step ahead.” The Lions would win that game 31-23. It’s their most recent playoff victory, which is perhaps why it’s so sharp in their minds. “That was sick. To me, that one’s easy though,” Goff told me. “That one was like there was no one else on the field but me, him and the corner. And like I’m throwing it to you no matter what. I trust your route. I trust what you’re gonna do. I’m gonna throw it where only you can catch it and go make a play. And I think he loves that challenge.” We talk endlessly about how football is an 11-on-11 game. There are 22 players on the field. But Goff and St. Brown take pride in seeking opportunities to make it a three-person game. QB and WR vs. DB. “Yeah, two on one,” Goff said. “It’s fun. When he’s man-to-man, he’s winning at least probably 75 percent of the time.” But if that kind of play is “easy” (which it’s not, by the way), then what does Goff think shows their connection most clearly? He said to scrub backward in the game film against Tampa to look at a third-and-15 play, where St. Brown ran a deep hitch. Nothing fancy: The receiver runs out to the end of the field and stops. When he turns, the ball should be on him. But then Goff brought up another third-and-15 play, one against the Arizona Cardinals. It was a connection on a deep in-cutting route. In both instances, Goff releases the ball so that it’s on his receiver at precisely the right time. In both instances, the Lions had no business picking up a first down. In both instances, the defense must have known Goff wanted St. Brown. In neither instance could the defense do anything about it. “These in-cuts are often the ones that become the anticipatory throws,” Goff told me. “Because he can’t get all the way in there. He’ll run into somebody, so I have to anticipate. He has to give me the right body lean, and so all these in-cuts that you could watch on tape — you could watch 100 of them — I bet I throw him early, and I bet he’s giving me a good indicator.” It’s an indicator that only a trained eye can see. St. Brown has trained Goff well. And vice versa. “That creates this level of trust on throws that you wouldn’t normally throw, that you’re trusting are not going to end up in a bad play,” Goff said. These are the routes that are so often impossible to defend. The best defensive play call, the best defensive back, the best intentions — none of it can stop a quarterback and a receiver when they’re speaking without talking. “All we need is like a slither of space for him to throw it. All he needs is a little room to throw it. All [I] need is a little room to catch it,” St. Brown told me. “That kind of demoralizes defenses.” ***** Back when it all began again in Detroit in 2021, Goff was begging the coaches to put St. Brown on the field. Sure, the rookie wideout was only a fourth-rounder. But it was immediately apparent to the QB that he was the team’s best receiver. “In training camp, I was like, ‘Why is he not starting? Get him on the field.’ I knew right away this kid’s gonna be really good,” Goff told me. “I don’t think anyone knew that he’d become what he is. But I think that chip on his shoulder and the chip on my shoulder, both of us kind of wanting to prove ourselves and being on a team that wasn’t very good and having to lean on each other, has helped build us into a great partnership now.” Chicago Bears receiver Kalif Raymond, who spent the past five years with Detroit, said it was “only Jared and the janitor” in the building when he arrived in the morning and left at night. And when St. Brown was drafted, he brought his 202 routine with him. It started in middle school when his father heard about another receiver who caught 200 passes on the Jugs machine after every practice. So Amon-Ra would catch 202. As a Lions rookie, he’d do his 202 in addition to staying late to catch passes from Goff. “I’m cramping. I’m gassed. I got nothing. And him and Jared are running practice routes after practice, and then that’s either before or after Saint has got his 202,” Raymond told me. For all that Goff and St. Brown have accomplished since then, they still have a chip on their shoulder, still feel as if they are overlooked. And in true form, they stick up for each other. “I feel like [Goff] never gets the respect that he really deserves,” St. Brown told me. “Maybe it’s the way he plays because he can’t run. Whatever it may be. There’s always gonna be people that say, ‘There’s guys better than Jared. Jared’s not so-and-so.’ They’re always gonna have something to say. “And I feel like I’m the same way. I’m not the flashiest receiver. I’m not running go balls and Moss-ing dudes. My game is not like that.” But the way Goff talks about St. Brown, it’s almost like he’s Randy Moss. There was Goff’s promise about this upcoming season — and how St. Brown’s production would put him alongside Harrison, Brown and Adams. But there’s also the way Goff talks about St. Brown with the coaches — away from the cameras and press conferences. Goff famously texted then-Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before the 2023 season. “I had texted Ben at some point, like, ‘Yo, like this dude’s gonna be a problem this year,’” Goff laughed. “He was so hungry, and you could just feel it. But … I could send any of the coaches that same text right now. I feel the same thing from him now. It just keeps getting better and bigger.” So what could be bigger or better? Right now, honestly, they look a lot like Tom Brady and Julian Edelman — elite pocket quarterback and elite slot receiver. But when I suggested that comparison to both Lions, they talked about what Brady and Edelman had — and what Goff and St. Brown do not. “For me and Jared, we got to win the Super Bowl. …  It’ll just help — I can say it — our legacy,” St. Brown told me. “We haven’t, frankly, won any really big games here. Yes, we’ve won a lot of games, but we haven’t won the big ones. So I think for us, and I think Jared’s on the same page, we want to win the big games.” Those are the hard games. But we know what happens when things get hard for the Lions.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’re now at the point of the preseason where health is the priority for teams and stars around the league. Tuesday brought a bit of good and bad news in that regard. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to progress in his recovery from his ACL tear, while Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase avoided a potential scare on Tuesday. Elsewhere, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce was on the good side of injury news. As we’re just over two weeks away from the start of the regular season, here’s what you need to know from Tuesday’s news around the NFL. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed confidence Tuesday that he is on track to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos as he continues his recovery process throughout training camp following surgery on his left knee last December. Mahomes is not expected to play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks as he awaits final game clearance from team medical staff. “Being able to go out there, day after day, and have the grind of a camp, that can even be harder than the regular season,” Mahomes said. “Honestly, the more we practice, the better I feel.” Should Mahomes not play against the Seahawks Friday, it would mark the first time in his 10-year career that he has missed the entire preseason. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy pointed out Mahomes’ presence on the sideline during preseason action. “With him not playing in the preseason, it could drive you crazy,” Bieniemy told reporters. “He’s like a coach on the sideline. But it’s a good thing because you know he’s itching to get back out there and do whatever he can do to help us win.” The Cincinnati Bengals got quite the scare Tuesday afternoon when star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase landed awkwardly on a deep route and left practice with a knee injury. Chase put minds at ease shortly after, appearing on Cincinnati’s ESPN 1530 to confirm he was “fine” after suffering a minor hyperextension. He added that he felt good enough to return and finish practice, but the team held him out strictly as a precaution. With Joe Burrow declaring a “now or never” mindset for this season, keeping the Bengals’ offensive firepower fully healthy is more important than ever. If Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown can stay on the field, they will have all the tools needed for a deep playoff run. Chase is coming off another monster season with the Bengals, even with Burrow missing half the year due to turf toe. Despite the quarterback instability, Chase hauled in 125 receptions for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns, featuring seven games with over 100 receiving yards. The Bengals are set to open up the season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright left practice early Tuesday after medical staff evaluated his right elbow. Wright reportedly exited during red zone drills, which led to trainers taking off a brace on his right elbow as he was sidelined. Wright suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the same elbow last season, playing through the injury with a protective brace as he went on to earn second-team All-Pro honors. The team is monitoring the situation with the expectation that the setback will not impact his availability for the regular season. Fresh off signing a four-year, $114 million extension, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is edging closer to his return. Head coach Shane Steichen announced that Pierce could hit the practice field as early as this week if all goes as planned. The return marks a major milestone for Pierce, who underwent off-season ankle surgery shortly after signing his deal. Sidelined for months, Pierce has yet to participate in any training camp or team workouts this summer. With Pierce’s status for the season opener and early in the season, the Colts signed veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen. Once healthy, the Colts will have a formidable trio of receivers in Pierce, Allen and Josh Downs, with quarterback Daniel Jones. Pierce is coming off a breakout season with the Colts. He hauled in 47 receptions, a career-high 1,003 yards, and six touchdowns while recording 50 or more receiving yards in 10 different games. Not only did he have a career year, but he finished with 21.6 yards per reception, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier deep threats. If the Colts can stay fully healthy, they figure to be in the mix in the AFC South race. The Seattle Seahawks have now lost promising TCU rookie safety Bud Clark for the 2026 season. After suffering a broken ankle against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2 of the preseason, Seattle is placing Clark on season-ending injured reserve, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald announced on Tuesday. Clark was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of TCU and was set to compete for safety reps alongside Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori. With Clark out for the season, Ty Okada is next in line at safety. The now-injured safety closed out his five-year career at TCU on a high note, leading one of the Big 12’s best run defenses. In his final season, Clark stuffed the stat sheet with a total of 56 tackles, four interceptions, seven pass deflections, a sack and 31 solo tackles.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Some bizarre NFL and college football history could be made soon, and not everyone’s happy about it. Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright was on track to become the first player to play college football after being rostered by an NFL team following his release from the Cleveland Browns this week. But as he was set to join head coach Lane Kiffin at LSU, Wright and several other college athletes learned on Tuesday that the SEC would be joining the Big Ten in disallowing players who had already signed an NFL contract from playing in their conferences. Wright was among 16 former college football players who sued the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility and were granted a temporary restraining order that would allow them to play college football in 2026. That order allowed opportunistic college head coaches, like Kiffin, to explore adding players signed to NFL contracts to their rosters in recent weeks. While college head coaches and conference administrators are starting to make their feelings known on the matter, how are people around the NFL reacting to players potentially returning to play the collegiate game? Here’s what we learned from some of our conversations with people around the league. Scout: NCAA Has To ‘Get Their S— Together’ Ralph Vacchiano: The recent news that some NFL players will potentially be allowed to return to college football this season did not go over well in NFL circles. And it only added to their confusion over what is currently happening in the NCAA. “They really have to get their s— together,” one NFL scout told me. “It feels like they’re the Wild Wild West and the rules are changing every day.” The recent one could be the most confusing. It was sparked by court rulings in Colorado and Louisiana that appear to allow NFL players who entered college in 2022 to return to school for a fifth year of eligibility in the NCAA. To add to the confusion, the Big Ten went against the courts and banned players from returning from the NFL. The SEC announced it opposed the rulings, but wouldn’t stand in the players’ way. It’s unclear if any other conferences will join the Big Ten and the SEC. But the courts probably haven’t had their final say on the matter yet, which is why the NFL is bracing for an even bigger mess. “All that NIL money was bad enough. It basically wiped out the talent in the later rounds of the draft because too many marginal players could afford to stay in school,” the scout told me. “But now we’re going to have guys who would’ve stayed on the practice squad leaving too? We’ll spend 3-4 months investing in their growth, developing them as a player, only to watch them go back to LSU?” “It all looks bad,” an NFL executive told me by text. “But we don’t know where all this is going yet. It feels like just the beginning of a really big mess.” Not Everyone In The NFL Is Sounding The Alarm, Though Eric D. Williams: The situation surrounding Wright and over a dozen other players has caused some to panic about the future of college football. However, not everyone in the NFL is worried about the recent court rulings and whether this will cause more players to return to college. One NFL agent pointed out to me that what’s happening this summer is likely a one-time thing due to the NCAA’s new eligibility rules. “It only applies to this tiny group of players this year who made a decision prior to the rule change,” the NFL agent told me. “It would never apply again because any other player in the future would make whatever decision they made after the college season based on the 5/5 rule, if it stays in effect. “So, this really isn’t a long-term issue. It’s a one-off, so the NFL won’t and shouldn’t care about these few guys who weren’t making teams to begin with. These are the only players the ruling applies to – players who under the new rules would be eligible to play college in 2026 that under the old rules would not have been eligible. That’s it. A player at the end of 2026 who has a fifth year can decide to take it or not, and if he doesn’t and goes to the NFL, why would he get his eligibility back? He made the decision to leave knowing he had a year left. No different than a true junior leaving with two years left.” Players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contract and repay any pro earnings. A handful of other players in this year’s draft class could benefit from this new ruling, like Wright. However, that loophole will be closed for the 2027 draft class and beyond. What To Make Of Players Returning To CFB Williams: If players wind up returning to college after signing with NFL teams, that also begs the question about what their future draft status will be. No one seems to know what the NFL will do yet about the draft eligibility of those specific players. But an NFL scout told me league evaluators will have to reevaluate the prospects, while proposing an idea for the league on how to handle the situation. “You have to reevaluate them because they will be getting more reps to develop and grade, similar to getting reps in the UFL or CFL,” a longtime NFL scout told me. “If they like them, then they should be considered as a street free agent to sign if they were previously in an NFL camp. That’s how the NFL should handle it in my eyes.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Following a breakout 2026 FIFA World Cup, United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun has been linked to a move away from AS Monaco, which paid a $32.5 million transfer fee to Arsenal for his services in 2023. Balogun scored 19 goals in all competitions with Monaco last season, and followed that up with three goals at his first-ever World Cup. Now, the 25-year-old is drawing interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Tottenham, Aston Villa and, most notably, FC Barcelona. Monaco The reigning champions of Spain are in the market for a new striker after their world-class goalscorer, Robert Lewandowski, signed wth MLS side Chicago Fire FC on a free transfer. Monaco have set a $70 million asking price for Balogun, and our own Stu Holden believes Balogun would be a wise investment for the Blaugrana. “Would it shock me if Barcelona decided to sign Folarin Balogun? Those numbers that are being talked down today actually aren’t ridiculous by today’s standards,” Holden said on Monday’s State of the Union podcast. “I think he has a lot of ability on the ball, he’s shown that he can score goals at a high level, he’s played Champions League, he’s got speed, he can create goals for himself, his back-to-goal play is good.” There have only been two American players to suit up for FC Barcelona: Sergiño Dest, who made 72 appearances for the club over two seasons, and Konrad de la Fuente, who appeared in three matches. If Balogun secures a move to Barcelona, he could become the third, and maybe the best. “I’d be intrigued if he had the opportunity to get a move to Barcelona. I think he could be successful there for sure,” Balogun said.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’ve ranked the top 10 players at the most important positions in the NFL. Now, it’s time to find out who is the best player in the league entering the 2026 season. Several players have a reasonable claim to be considered the NFL’s best player ahead of the new year. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP, while his new teammate, Myles Garrett, just broke the NFL’s single-season record for the most sacks. There are also other quarterbacks to consider, like Josh Allen. The Buffalo Bills star has consistently played at an elite level since the turn of the decade and won MVP in 2024. Of course, there’s also Patrick Mahomes, who has widely been viewed as the NFL’s best player for several years. So, who is the NFL’s best player ahead of the 2026 season? Here are our top 10 players in the league. Ben Arthur: We’ll have to wait to see Parsons this year, as he’s expected to miss at least the first few games of the season recovering from an ACL tear.  But a healthy Parsons is one of the NFL’s best players — a complete edge rusher with speed that elicits fear from opposing offensive linemen. Despite missing three games in 2025, he still registered 12.5 sacks and 81 pressures in his debut season with the Green Bay Packers en route to Pro Bowl honors. The former first-round pick has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his five NFL seasons. The quicker Parsons returns to form, the faster the Packers become a Super Bowl contender. He’s that much of a force multiplier on defense. Greg Auman: Sewell is the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the Protector of the Year award, given to the NFL’s top offensive lineman, and he’ll do that as he tries to shift from right tackle to a new home at left tackle. It’s the same move the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tristan Wirfs has made successfully, and if it takes, it solidifies Sewell at the top of his position. Sewell has four straight Pro Bowls, three straight first-team All-Pro nods and he’s still only 25 years old. We didn’t rank offensive linemen in our individual position rankings, so he’s making the overall top 10 here much like a write-in candidate, showing the strength of his value at his position. Auman: What’s it like to be the best player on the best defense in the NFL? Anderson already has 30 sacks in three years and he hasn’t turned 25 yet. Give Houston credit. The Texans gave up a 2024 first-rounder and more to move all the way up from 12 to 3 to grab Anderson in the 2023 draft. Anderson and Danielle Hunter are one of the most dangerous edge-rush pairs in the league, and Anderson’s even better in the playoffs. He’s got eight career sacks in six playoff games, with three forced fumbles in two playoff games last year. As Houston’s offense improves and they lead late in games more often, don’t be surprised if he takes another step to the 15-plus sack level in 2026. Vacchiano: Here’s the crazy thing about the Atlanta Falcons running back: He had a combined 2,298 yards from scrimmage last season (1,478 rushing, 820 receiving) with 11 touchdowns and he touched the ball 366 times — 21.5 times per game. And there were still times he felt underused in the Falcons’ offense. It’s probably too much to ask new coach Kevin Stefanski to use him more, but it’s a good bet he’ll use him better. Robinson, still only 24 and entering his fourth NFL season, will have to be the workhorse in Atlanta as the Falcons sort through their quarterback mess, but Stefanski will surely find more creative ways to use him and get him into open space, where his moves, acceleration and breakaway speed make him one of the most dangerous weapons in the league. With his rushing ability and his receiving skills, he’s the closest thing the NFL has to Christian McCaffrey in his prime. And if the Falcons were ever good again, he’d be in the chase for MVP. Eric D. Williams: One of the best route runners in the league, Smith-Njigba showed he’s much more than a slot receiver in 2025. With DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett no longer on the roster, Smith-Njigba leveled up, engineering one of his best seasons as a pro. Just 24 years old, the Ohio State product set franchise single-season records for receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,793) last season, taking home the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. The Seahawks rewarded Smith-Njigba by signing him to a lucrative contract extension that made him the highest-paid receiver in the league, with an annual salary of $42.15 million. With Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker Jr. signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and a new offensive coordinator Brian Fluery, taking over for the departed Klint Kubiak (now the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders), Smith-Njigba will be counted on to shoulder even more of the offense. Smith-Njigba accounted for 44% of Seattle’s receiving yards, the highest percentage by any player in the league. He led Seattle in receiving yards in 16 of 17 games this year, the most in a regular season in NFL history. Vacchiano: What Stafford did at his age in 2025 was just ridiculous, especially considering the season began with a mysterious back injury that threatened to derail everything. He threw for career-highs in yards (4,707) and touchdown passes (47) while tossing just eight interceptions — the fourth quarterback ever to throw for more than 45 touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions — and he did it all at age 37. And with the Rams still loaded, there’s no reason to think he’ll be any different at age 38. It helps that Stafford’s in a perfect system for his talents, but he brings plenty of skills. His arm is still remarkably strong; he’s got picture-perfect mechanics, and no one is better at placing throws in perfect spots for his receivers. Put his mind and arm together in the Sean McVay system and you’ve got a quarterback who could win a Super Bowl and make a run at becoming just the sixth player to ever win back-to-back MVPs. He just needs his body to hold up. Arthur: Chase is the most dominant wide receiver in football today. After winning the receiving triple crown in 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals superstar again led the NFL in receptions last season (185). The 26-year-old has recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first five NFL seasons. The fifth overall pick in 2021, Chase is a high-volume target who possesses a unique blend of speed and physicality. He’s ranked in the top two in yards after the catch in each of the last two seasons. He’s been a near-unstoppable force since entering the league despite facing constant double teams. Williams: Returning from season-ending knee surgery after a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2025, Mahomes is under a lot of pressure to show last year was a fluke. Mahomes should benefit from the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and the addition of Kenneth Walker III, implementing a more bullish rushing attack to create more balance on offense. But the 30-year-old Mahomes also must get back to playing more efficient football, relying less on his legs to keep the chains moving and getting more from his receivers on the perimeter. Mahomes has the Super Bowl pedigree, appearing in the game five times and winning three of them. And at 30 years old, Mahomes remains one of the best at his position, with plenty of more years to chase more Lombardi trophies. Mahomes owns an astounding 17-4 record in the playoffs. McKenna: Allen is football’s version of Atlas, putting the world on his shoulders. It’s been like that for a while now in Buffalo, with Allen being, by far, the only most notable player on offense — but honestly, on either side of the ball. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver, tackle Dion Dawkins and running back James Cook are really great players. But receiver? Tight end? Cornerback? Edge? There really hasn’t been a big and productive name since Stefon Diggs. And Diggs’ departure coincided with the widespread respect for Allen, because people began to see just how much the QB can do for his team. The only thing he hasn’t done, of course, is win a Super Bowl. If he does that, he’ll be the No. 1 guy on this list — and perhaps even for years to come. Auman: Garrett was a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner last year with the Browns after setting the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks. The thing is, he had only four sacks in his last six games, so now, joining a loaded Rams front, could he break his own record? He got 23 sacks despite Browns opponents being ahead often enough that they only passed 487 times, third-fewest of any team. The Rams, ahead much more, had opponents throw 102 more times than the Browns’ opponents, so that’s a ton more sack opportunities for the NFL’s best. Could we see a non-QB, non-offensive NFL MVP? If Garrett has the first 25-sack season in league history and the Rams win the NFC West, he’d have a compelling case to make for that.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The business end of the annual Leagues Cup tournament between the best teams in MLS and their counterparts in Mexico’s Liga MX is here. The original field of 36 teams — 18 from each side of the Rio Grande — has been whittled down to eight, with the single-elimination quarterfinals kicking off on Tuesday before concluding with a pair of nationally televised games on Wednesday night. Here’s an in-depth look at the four matchups, plus my picks to reach next week’s final four. Tuesday, Aug. 25 Monterrey vs. Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV) The Fire went a perfect 3-0 in the first round — or Phase 1 — of the tournament, and have steadily improved under second-year coach Gregg Berhalter, who led the U.S. national team to the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Once one of MLS’s marquee franchises, Chicago returned to the playoffs last fall after an eight-season drought, and Berhalter’s team — which recently signed legendary Polish striker Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona — is currently third in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami with a game in hand. Los Rayados will be Lewandowski & Co.’s toughest opponent yet. Monterrey is third in Liga MX’s Apertura standings, and while they’re back in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2023, when they advanced to the final four, they have both the pedigree of a club that boasts five Mexican and five Concacaf titles all-time and prolific former Fire forward Hugo Cuypers, who headed south of the border shortly after Lewandowski’s arrival and will surely be extra motivated to eliminate his ex-employers. Still, Chicago is the lone quarter-finalist hosting a home match as opposed to playing at a neutral site. That’s a significant advantage even if the contest will be held at the club’s former home stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois instead of Soldier Field — and a major reason why MLS sides have won all three editions of the Leagues Cup since the expanded format was introduced in 2023. Pick: Fire Léon vs. Real Salt Lake (10:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV) Not only will RSL not be at their usual home in Sandy, Utah, Tuesday’s nightcap will be staged at the stadium of their chief MLS rival, the Colorado Rapids: in even thinner air than the Claret and Cobalt usually play in at the foot of the Wasatch Range, with a sea of green in the stands as Léon supporters are expected to make up the bulk of those in attendance. That’s part of the reason Pablo Mastroeni rested 10 starters over the weekend in Orlando to have them fresh for Léon — especially with RSL just one point above the playoff line in MLS’s Western Conference. With no guarantee of even getting the chance to make a title run in league play, prioritizing the Leagues Cup is a no-brainer, given that just reaching the final would be enough to secure a spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup. Winning would snare RSL a round of 16 berth in addition to $2 million in prize money. The same goes for Léon. Los Esmeraldas are in a similar situation to RSL, just one point above the playoff line in Mexico and in danger of missing out on the Liguilla entirely. But Léon is the team in better form, having won six consecutive matches across both Liga MX and Leagues Cup. Add in the fact that RSL just sold prize teenager and U.S. men’s national team prospect Zavier Gozo to Premier League mainstay Crystal Palace, and this mountain is probably too tall for Diego Luna and his teammates to scale. Pick: Léon Wednesday, Aug. 26 Toluca vs. Austin FC (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX One/Apple TV) Wednesday’s neutral site action gets underway far from both central Mexico and central Texas, in (of all places) Harrison, New Jersey. That’s not likely to keep Toluca fans based all over the East Coast from coming out to support their team at the New York Red Bulls’ Sports Illustrated Stadium. Toluca, the Apertura and Clausura champions in 2025, are having another fine season in domestic play, trailing only Atlas and Liga MX  leaders Club América five matches into the new campaign. Although Austin stunned América on penalties to reach the last eight, upsetting the Red Devils to reach the Leagues Cup semis would be the highlight of an otherwise miserable season. Los Verdes fired coach Nico Estévez in May; they still sit 28th out of 30 MLS teams in the Supporters Shield standings. With Austin almost certain to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years, Toluca ought to get their best game. Even that might not be enough. Pick: Toluca Club América vs. Columbus Crew (10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX One/Apple TV) The marquee match of the knockout stage pits Liga MX’s most successful, most popular and richest club — the Mexico City-based Aguilas — against the 2024 Leagues Cup champion Crew. This will be an away game for Columbus. With the LA Galaxy’s 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. assigned hosting duties, the venue will be packed to the gills by fans proudly clad in yellow — and not for the three-time MLS Cup winners. They’d have their hands full even in Ohio’s capital. It’s been a nightmare 2026 for Columbus, which has won just five of its 21 MLS games this season and is 15th — dead last — in the East. The Crew, which just sold USA World Cup defender Max Arfsten to English second-tier team Middlesbrough, has lost three straight games going into Wednesday’s encounter. Meantime, América is all alone atop Liga MX’s Apertura table and the prohibitive favorite to claim its 17th Mexican title later this year. No wonder Los Aguilas are the bookies’ overwhelming pick to advance even without their No. 10 — Arfsten’s U.S. teammate Alex Zendejas, who is still recovering from post-World Cup knee surgery. Pick: Club América​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

By now, Rod Moore can predict the question he’s going to hear when he speaks to someone outside the Michigan football program. A starting safety for the Wolverines and the first three-time captain in school history, Moore has played just 85 snaps from scrimmage since walking off the field as a national champion following the 2023 campaign. He’s endured three surgeries since then — all on the same stubborn left knee — and spent his recovery pondering his future in the sport. So he understands why one question’s been thrown at him repetitively. How are you feeling? For the first time in a long time, Moore doesn’t mind them asking. There is no lingering discomfort for him to downplay, no awkward prognosticating about the timetable. “Healthy,” Moore told me during a recent telephone conversation, “finally healthy.” The relief in his voice is noticeable. Moore’s biggest individual goal as the 2026 season approaches — his sixth with the Wolverines — is for his body to still feel this good whenever the final snap is played several months from now. His career wasn’t supposed to unfold this way — not after Moore, a former three-star recruit, forced his way into the starting lineup as a true freshman because of a heightened understanding of former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s system and a fiendish approach to film study that drew steady praise from head coach Jim Harbaugh. Not after he recorded a famous interception against Ohio State his junior year and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors on the way to Michigan’s first national championship in 26 years. Not after he believed the initial surgery to address the torn ACL would be “smooth, peaches and cream,” and then he’d return better than ever for one final collegiate season. But then came the complications. In addition to damaging his ACL, which was successfully repaired during the first procedure, Moore told me he also suffered a bone bruise and subsequent tears in both menisci. Issues with his meniscus and some lingering scar tissue triggered a second surgery. He recovered enough to make three appearances last fall — against Nebraska, Wisconsin and USC in the middle of the season — but never played again. He underwent a third surgery to clean out even more scar tissue, which doctors hoped would address Moore’s persistent discomfort, this past January. “There would be days, you know, in the past two years, where I would wake up, and I’m continuously in pain,” Moore told me. “Sometimes I really didn’t understand why it was still hurting, so some days I wouldn’t even want to do anything — or even sometimes thinking, ‘Will my knee ever feel normal again? Will I ever play football again?’ “But now, just coming in here every day, it pushes me to work, to continue pushing the guys and just work as hard as I’ve ever worked because this makes you have a different perspective of the game. Especially when you can’t control what happened — and you’ve been sitting for so long, looking from the outside in — it just gives me a sense of gratitude for the game.” Moore’s time at Michigan transcended the program’s turmoil. He first committed to Michigan on May 10, 2020, before Harbaugh’s salary was halved after a losing record during the pandemic-shortened campaign, before the Wolverines resurrected themselves with three consecutive Big Ten titles and three straight trips to the College Football Playoff, long before anyone outside Ann Arbor knew the name Connor Stalions. He handled the media frenzies that accompanied Harbaugh’s lucrative tenure. He stayed when Sherrone Moore replaced Harbaugh and then endured yet another national scandal with Moore. He remained at Michigan for a third regime change to current head coach Kyle Whittingham. Moore does his best not to “live in regret,” but there were times, he told me, when he would imagine what might have been. He considered turning pro after Michigan won the national championship in 2023, to capitalize on a season in which the coaches voted him third-team all-conference. But Moore promised his mother that he would complete his degree in communications and media, so he remained in Ann Arbor. He then suffered the career-altering knee injury in practice the following spring. “I feel like it was a blessing in disguise,” Moore told me. “I live through [the idea that] everything happens for a reason, but I think after sitting those two years and then coming back and being able to play again, it will put me at a different perspective of knowing the game and kind of being ahead of everybody else because I was essentially a coach the last two years. I learned the game from a coach’s perspective rather than just playing and playing and playing.” He operated with a coach’s mindset, too. Under the direction of former coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, the defensive coaching staff leaned on Moore like a graduate assistant. He became a teacher during defensive back meetings in classroom settings and wore a headset during games, learning how the lines of communication operated and hearing how much profanity was exchanged amid legitimate Xs and Os discussion. Moore says he’ll pursue coaching whenever his playing career ends. In between the coaching experience came endless hours in the training room, where Moore watched many of his teammates with less serious injuries recover quickly. Fellow defensive backs Makari Paige, Will Johnson and Quinten Johnson checked on him daily, as did defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny, whom Moore described as his closest friend on the team. Beyond football, his primary support group included his mother, his godbrother and several friends from back home in Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding suburbs. “Making sure that my mental is OK because a lot of people’s mental isn’t always strong going through that type of injury,” Moore told me. Moore finally returned to the field earlier this month after missing all of spring practice while recovering from his third surgery. Though Moore is fully cleared by the medical staff, Whittingham and his staff instituted a “pitch count” ahead of the season opener against Western Michigan on September 5. “It feels like, as long as he stays on the path he’s on — no setbacks — he’s going to be good to go this fall,” Whittingham said at Big Ten media days in July. “He’d be the quarterback of the whole secondary. He’s a difference-maker and an all-Big Ten-caliber player. And if he’s back there in the lineup, that makes us a whole lot better.” But no matter how well Moore performs this season, concerns from NFL teams about his long-term health will persist. For now, though, as the Wolverines embark on a new era with a new regime, Moore can finally contribute for the first time in roughly 30 months. After enduring more hardships than anyone on Michigan’s roster and coming out the other side, it’s the perfect time to ask Rod Moore how he’s feeling.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

With three (and for many drivers, four) new venues over the first 15 races of the 2026 season, the last three INDYCAR competitions will be on familiar circuits. A weekend doubleheader awaits drivers on Saturday and Sunday at The Milwaukee Mile oval before the season wraps up Labor Day weekend at the Laguna Seca road course. Here are my power rankings after the last new venue, the street course in Washington, D.C. Dropped out: Felix Rosenqvist (Last Week: 10) On the verge: Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Nolan Siegel Malukas was solid in qualifying, getting to the Fast Six. But he hit the wall in the final round and then again early in the race. He said he needs to be better and that’s because he has had moments of brilliance. His wrist injury has flared up and that hasn’t helped. VeeKay wrecked out early at Washington after contact that was initiated by Marcus Armstrong, who was penalized for the incident that included Christian Rasmussen. Still, he has three top 10s in his last five starts. A fifth-place finish at Washington was Simpson’s fourth top 10 in his last six races. It was a great rebound after his crash in qualifying had him starting 23rd. McLaughlin crashed out when trying to make a move for the lead late in the race at Washington. Typically, crashing doesn’t mean a driver moves up, but something should be said for him making a move for the win at a place where it was hard to pass. Newgarden, still nursing an injured left foot, was eighth at Washington. That’s not great. D.C. was yet another weekend where he wasn’t impressive and appeared to be taking what his car and the track were giving him. Power finished third at Washington for his third consecutive third-place finish and his sixth top 10 in the last seven races. He probably can’t wait for next year to see if he can get off to a good start and challenge for the title. Ericsson followed up his win from Markham with a fourth-place finish at Washington. After an engine penalty, he started 21st. It was a very solid day. Lundgaard finished second at Washington. It was a great result for a driver who has shown no signs of slowing down and that’s despite not being retained at Arrow McLaren next season. What a victory for Kirkwood at Washington as he dominated the race from start to finish. He remained in the championship hunt for at least one more week, as he is now 91 points behind Alex Palou. It was a disaster of a day for Palou after he won the pole at Washington. There was a pit-road miscue and then a couple of incidents where he found the wall. It was a memorable weekend but also a forgettable one as he’ll look to clinch his fifth INDYCAR title at Milwaukee.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The final week of the NFL preseason is upon us, which means it’s decision week for all 32 teams around the league. The Cleveland Browns made the biggest decision on Monday. They named Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starter, giving him the honor over Shedeur Sanders after his polarizing comments toward the fanbase. That decision is one of many that will be made throughout the week as teams need to trim their rosters down to 53 players by Sunday evening. The Houston Texans and New England Patriots also made decisions on Monday, agreeing to a rare player swap in a trade that landed Houston a wide receiver. As we’re just over two weeks away from the start of the regular season, here’s what you need to know from Monday’s news around the NFL. The Cleveland Browns officially have a starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Head coach Todd Monken officially announced on Monday morning that Deshaun Watson will be the team’s Week 1 starting quarterback. Following a competitive camp battle with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Monken chose to give the nod to the veteran signal-caller. “I took in the full body of work over the course of the offseason to training camp to the games, the joint practice, and ultimately felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun [Watson] gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points,” Monken told reporters. “I mean, that’s really what it’s about.” While highlighting the team’s ongoing belief in Sanders, Monken stressed that the choice was strictly about immediate offensive production. “I think Shedeur [Sanders] has done a great job,” Monken told reporters. “Come a long way and we’re excited about his future, but this is not a week-to-week decision.” Watson hasn’t played a full season since 2020 and has logged only 19 starts in a Browns uniform. In those starts, his play has been mediocre at best, falling drastically short of the massive three-first-round-pick haul Cleveland traded to bring him in. Over three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has posted a 9–10 record while completing 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. With the decision now behind the Browns and Watson, all eyes shift towards Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Houston Texans agreed to acquire wide receiver Kayshon Boutte from the New England Patriots on Monday in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft pick. The Texans made the move to bolster their wide receiver depth following a season-ending ACL injury to Jayden Higgins during joint practice last week. Boutte will join Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones as new additions to the receiving room. Boutte recorded 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns for the Patriots last season, but became expendable after the team traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown. They also signed former Green Bay Packers pass catcher Romeo Doubs this offseason. Boutte addressed the trade speculation surrounding him during training camp last week. “I’m just blocking out the noise,” Boutte told reporters. “That’s the main thing. We all hear the stuff that’s going on. But like I always said, I’m where I’m at. My feet are here, so I’m not worried about what’s next or what’s behind me. Just being present.” Boutte joins a Houston receiving group that features Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Tank Dell. The Carolina Panthers received positive news on running back Chuba Hubbard on Monday morning. Head coach Dave Canales announced that Hubbard is on track to be ready for the Week 1 opener against the Chicago Bears. Hubbard strained his hamstring earlier this month in training camp and still has yet to play in any of the Panthers’ preseason games while working his way back to full strength. “He’s expected to be ready for Week 1,” Canales told reporters. “He hit over 20 miles per hour the other day, but that is on a controlled setting and right now we don’t want to put him back out there for someone to pull on his jersey and for him to have to pull his way through that. He’s ahead of schedule and he’s doing a great job.” Hubbard is looking to bounce back after a frustrating and regressive 2025 season plagued by a calf injury. The injury opened the door for Rico Dowdle, who took over the starting job from Hubbard before signing a free-agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Not only is Hubbard expected to suit up for the opener against the Bears, but Canales revealed the Panthers plan to ease him in with a shared backfield. Former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks is set to share carries as part of a committee approach to start the season. If Hubbard struggles once again this season, Brooks has a genuine path to take over the backfield. The second-round pick out of Texas has shown promise this preseason and possesses the talent to develop into a primary starter as long as he can find a way to stay healthy. All offseason long, eyes have been on New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers and his knee recovery. Now, Nabers seems to be heading in the right direction to play against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. While head coach John Harbaugh refrained from making any blanket statements on Nabers’ timeline, he told reporters that “it’s reasonable to assume” the receiver will be ready for the start of the regular season. Jaxson Dart is set for a big season, but a lot of that could depend on the availability of Nabers. Once Nabers is officially back on the field, he’ll join a balanced group that includes Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, Darius Slayton and Odell Beckham Jr. Nabers only played in four games last season, but when he was on the field, he was one of the most explosive receivers in the league. Across those four contests, he hauled in 18 receptions for 271 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. The Dart and Nabers connection was put on hold in Week 4 when Nabers suffered a season-ending ACL and meniscus tear against the Los Angeles Chargers.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Two weeks of preseason games are in the books, and we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This past week’s slate of preseason games, plus joint practices, brought us more glimpses of what we could expect to see in the regular season. But it brought some drama, too. Deshaun Watson was named the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback on Monday after making pointed remarks to the team’s fans following his lackluster performance on Saturday. There’s also an unusual storyline developing with players who might wind up playing college football in the next couple of weeks. So, with only one more preseason week to go, here are our takeaways from the latest slate of preseason games. 1. Deshaun Watson Didn’t Deserve The Starting Job In Cleveland. He Got It Anyway. Ralph Vacchiano: Deshaun Watson showed everyone on Saturday why he shouldn’t be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback, with a terrible on-field performance and an even worse one off the field. Then, Todd Monken gave him the job anyway. Maybe that’s a sign that the new Browns coach had nothing but bad options in his quarterback competition, but his choice still couldn’t have been any worse. He went with a 30-year-old who’ll surely be an ex-Brown next season over a somewhat promising young quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. And he did it two days after Watson was terrible in a preseason game against the Bills (5 of 12 for 36 yards and an interception) and then showed an incredible lack of self-awareness (and an abundance of immaturity) when he whined about being booed. “I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do with the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little more personal than that. So, I think that’s a disrespectful thing.” OK, that’s a little rich and a lot outrageous, coming from the man who got the biggest fully-guaranteed contract in NFL history from the Browns in 2022 (five years, $230 million) even though he hadn’t played in two years and was accused of sexual misconduct by 27 women. He then rewarded that startling generosity by only being healthy enough to play in 19 games over the last four seasons — and not particularly well, either. Even without that bad moment, though, Monken still made the wrong choice. The coach had been leaning this way, multiple team sources told me, in part because the Browns’ early schedule is overloaded with road games (their first two and six of their first nine), and Monken thought Watson’s veteran presence would help his young team. But Watson’s play didn’t warrant that faith. He was just 16 of 27 for 162 yards and an interception in two preseason games. His passer rating of 61.0 was even a notch below Sanders’ 65.2. So while it’s true that there was no good option here, it’s also true that really is no upside to Watson, who is understandably reviled by what seems to be a majority of the Browns’ fan base. Starting Sanders at least would’ve given them hope that he can get better, something to look forward to other than the QB-rich 2027 draft. Instead, Monken latched on to the anchor that has been scraping the Browns along rock bottom for the last five years. Sanders will surely get a shot later this season. But as usual in Cleveland, any hope for the future is delayed. 2. Yes, The Pipeline To The Pros Goes Both Ways Greg Auman: The most backwards trend of the NFL preseason? Marginal players testing the waters of playing in NFL preseason games and  … going back to college. It seems impossible, but these days, if you can get a judge to rule the right way, traditional lines of amateurism and eligibility can disappear. The NCAA’s shift to a five-year eligibility model wasn’t intended to be backdated for athletes who had exhausted their window – and signed a pro contract, gotten paid and even played for NFL teams. But that’s really happening, leaving general managers to wonder if they’ll lose players off their roster to the allure of NIL money from colleges. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright, an undrafted rookie with the Browns, put his name in the transfer portal. Cleveland has since waived him, setting him up to play for LSU this fall. “Man, ain’t this s— crazy?” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “I mean, I don’t even know what to say … I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago. Now I know. I didn’t call him back, guess I should have.” Speaking of LSU, consider Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted rookie linebacker Jack Pyburn, who had two sacks in Tampa Bay’s preseason opener. He’s also one of the players granted a temporary restraining order that could allow him to return to college football. He played at LSU last year, and that sets up the man-bites-dog possibility of an NFL player leaving early for college. The fall semester at LSU started on Monday, and NFL rosters will be cut from 90 players to 53 by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. It’s unlikely the Bucs will keep Pyburn for their 53, but he has (had?) a good shot at their practice squad. That pays $247,500 for a full season, and Pyburn could make three or four times that much on the Van Wilder go-back-to-college route. Pyburn said after Saturday’s preseason game that his agents had told the Bucs that college was a potential “backup plan,” but when pressed as to what he might decide if choosing between an NFL practice squad and going back to college, he was noncommittal. “Ultimately, that’s a decision I’m going to have to make with my family, talk to my agents and see what’s the best business decision and what’s the best option for me and my future career,” he said. Yes, it’s NFL “respect my decision” season. Players would have to repay their NFL employers to regain college eligibility. Pyburn got a $15,000 bonus and $100,000 in guaranteed salary, but it’s possible that college NIL payments could also be covered by “offset” language standard in such contracts, normally intended so if NFL Team B pays a player to be on their practice squad, that subtracts from the money NFL Team A was on the hook for by their guarantee. The league will have to sort out the ramifications. Can a player already passed over once in the draft get another shot, like baseball players do? This was already happening with basketball and G League players showing up on college rosters, but for NFL teams, it’s made roster-building even more complicated by the idea that players can make more money playing football at a lower level. 3. Stetson Bennett Commands Offense, Cements Role As Rams’ Backup QB Eric D. Williams: With Jimmy Garoppolo no longer on the roster, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay’s search for someone to fill that void, should reigning MVP Matthew Stafford suffer an injury during the regular season, appears to be over. In the battle between Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett, the Alabama product cracked the door open with a sparkling performance in a Week 1 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. But Bennett may have closed the door by playing well in a 34-0 victory over the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. The Georgia product finished with two rushing touchdowns in the first half, leading the Rams to scoring drives on four of his five possessions. Bennett finished 19 of 31 for 181 yards, with no touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 77.5 passer rating. Ty Simpson also played solidly, finishing 8 of 12 for 73 yards in the second half. Simpson led the offense on one scoring drive. However, Bennett impressed McVay by the way he led the offense, with quarterbacks coach and associated offensive coordinator Dave Ragone calling the plays – although he didn’t like Bennett reaching for the pylon with the ball on his first rushing touchdown. “I loved the fact that he used his legs,” McVay said. “We’ll learn from reaching the ball into the end zone, even though I challenged that and we were successful. We don’t want to leave ourselves susceptible to losing the ball out of the end zone where it goes for a touchback. “But he did a great job. I thought he got an opportunity to really showcase a lot of his skills.” 4. Daniel Jones Primed To Pick Up From Where He Left Off Last Season Ben Arthur: Watching the Indianapolis Colts quarterback at Wednesday’s joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons, it was impossible for me to tell that he tore his Achilles just eight months ago. Everything you want your passer to do — drop back, scramble, throw on the move, evade pressure — Jones looked normal in doing so. Oh, and he was carving up the Falcons’ secondary as well. With Indianapolis’ rushing attack struggling, Jones was near perfect in the pass game, targeting various receivers. We still need to see Jones move and perform in games. But all the early signs suggest that he can pick up from last season, when he was playing the best ball of his career before a broken leg slowed him down and the Achilles injury ended his season. “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 said Wednesday. “I feel really good and there’s nothing I don’t feel good doing.” The Colts’ pass-catching situation around Jones is a bit shaky at the moment, given star tight end Tyler Warren (groin) and wide receiver Alec Pierce (offseason ankle surgery) are currently sidelined. But when they return, they’ll add to a group that features one of the league’s best slot receivers in Josh Downs and recent signee Keenan Allen, who’s been a dominant force on third down. That’s a cast of receivers Jones can find success with. “I think it could be really special, to be honest,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said of the pass-catching group. “Alec (Pierce) obviously is a hell of a football player, which you guys know. [Josh] Downs, Tyler [Warren], and then adding Keenan [Allen] to the fold. I think we can do a lot with those guys and move bodies around and find matchups.” 5. Let’s Have A Conversation About Chiefs Breakout Rookie WR Cyrus Allen Henry McKenna: If you’ve been following training camp for Kansas City, you’ve heard of Allen. If you’re the type who combs X for potential breakout stars in fantasy football, you’ve heard of Allen. If you’re obsessed with NFL rookies and the draft, you’ve heard of Allen. His training camp highlights have been crazy. And Andy Reid didn’t slow the hype’s momentum. “He’s done a nice job,” Reid said of Allen. “The quarterback trusts him.” This was the first week of training camp. Allen was a sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech. It felt like a big proclamation, particularly given that Rashee Rice has a history of missing time due to injuries and suspensions and Xavier Worthy has failed to live up to his first-round hype. Since then, Allen has played well — steadily doing what he could to move up the depth chart. That included scoring touchdowns with the first-team when paired with Patrick Mahomes. That also included beating first-round cornerback Mansoor Delane in 1-on-1s and team drills (7×7 and 11×11), per reporters on the scene. But here’s the truth for anyone expecting the second coming of Tyreek Hill. The folks at Arrowhead Pride broke it down with depth. But it’s likely — perhaps even overly optimistic — to project 60 for Allen. And only six receivers converted 60 targets into 500+ receiving yards in 2025. But before he wows in the box score, he’ll need to land in the WR3 spot. Given that he was playing behind Tyquan Thornton and Jaylen Royals in the second preseason game, Allen appears to be WR5. For what it’s worth, Hill had 83 targets, 61 catches, 593 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season. That would be a great year for Allen. So keep an eye on him. He’s a real playmaker. But let’s stay reasonable for a rookie in a Chiefs’ offense that has a lot of mouths to feed. 6. De’Zhaun Stribling Shows Kyle Shanahan Knows How To Evaluate WRs Williams: NFL draft analysts were up in arms over the San Francisco 49ers taking Ole Miss product De’Zhaun Stribling in the second round, believing the organization had reached for a player that some consensus draft boards had going later in the draft. However, through two weeks of preseason play, Stribling has acquitted himself nicely. Stribling is tied for the league lead with 11 catches for 109 yards, with a long of 32 yards. He finished with four catches for 46 yards in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers this week. I had a chance to watch Stribling in a joint practice at the Chargers’ facility. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, Stribling is an easy mover with suction-cup hands that can make contested catches in congested areas. Along with that, Stribling has the potential for explosive playmaking ability to do something after the catch, a key attribute in Shanahan’s offense. With Ricky Pearsall out for the year and Brandon Ayiuk no longer on the roster, Stribling should find a significant role in San Francisco’s offense this season. “I love how he handles himself,” Shanahan said about Stribling. “He takes coaching well and never seems to take anything personally. He’s been a real fun guy to coach so far.” 7. Bills’ Thin WR Corps May Be More Of A Problem Than Ever Vacchiano: One great NFL mystery of this generation will surely be why the Buffalo Bills, with arguably the best quarterback in the league in Josh Allen, keep failing to surround him with top-end receivers. And once again, heading towards a season they hope will end in a Super Bowl, that failure is being exposed. Though they are getting a solid performance this summer from D.J. Moore, the veteran “No. 1” wideout they acquired from the Chicago Bears, the rest of the corps is falling apart. Keon Coleman, their second-best receiver last season (38 receptions for 404 yards and four touchdowns), is nursing a concerning sprained toe. Khalil Shakir, last season’s top wideout (72 receptions for 719 yards and four touchdowns), missed the joint practices and preseason game against the Browns last week with an undisclosed injury. And rookie Skyler Bell, their fourth-round pick, has missed two weeks with a groin injury. That leaves Allen right now with Moore, who cost the Bills a second-round pick in March, Joshua Palmer (22 receptions for 303 yards and zero touchdowns) last season, and … not much else. That, of course, is not how the Bills see it. One team source told me their belief is that Allen can win with almost anyone around him, and that he can take what looks like a below-average group and make them much better. They are also convinced that Moore, at age 29, can reverse his steep, two-year decline simply by playing with an elite quarterback. It’s a gamble, of course, because otherwise all the pieces are in place in Buffalo: A powerful running game led by James Cook, a top offensive line, a top-10 defense that gets a boost from the addition of edge rusher Bradley Chubb. And of course, the brilliance of Allen will always give them a shot. Still, it’s hard not to imagine what this team would look like with just one elite receiver by Allen’s side. It would make their path to Buffalo’s first Super Bowl in 33 years look a lot easier than it currently is.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports