DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 19: A detail view of an official Wilson game ball on the field before an NFL football game between Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 19, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings will square off in the final preseason game for both teams. We don’t expect much in the way of snaps from starters tonight, but a lot of these players are having their last chance to make a case for a roster spot – whether on the final 53 or the 16-man practice squad. Week 1 is officially just around the corner, Broncos Country!
Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Mile High time on Friday, August 28, 2026 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. You can also check local Broncos radio network affiliate stations. Join the discussion in the comments section below.
Lutz hits a 43-yard field goal to cap the Broncos' first drive. Big gain was the 26-yard pass from Stidham to Adkins. Marvin Mims Jr. comes down hard after the last play of the series. Came back to the bench, threw his helmet in frustration, sat down on the bench, then appeared…
Broncos drive stalls in the red zone after a Dane Key holding penalty. They settle for a 37-yard Wil Lutz field goal and a 13-3 lead with 5:30 left before halftime.
A nice response in the two-minute offense by the Broncos to expand their lead back to double digits on Jaleel McLaughlin's 20-yard catch-and-run from Ehlinger.. Ehlinger found Bandy for 13 yards and Dane Key for 20. Broncos up, 20-6.
Aug 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after making a field goal during the second half against the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Baltimore Ravens throttled the Washington Commanders on Friday night, leaving M&T Bank Stadium with a 41-3 win and an undefeated debut preseason for head coach Jesse Minter.
Minter, who was an assistant coach during the Ravens’ historic preseason win streak between 2016 and 2023, downplayed the result and redirected focus to his players.
“You really want to play to your identity, and you want to create a play style of how you play in all three phases,” Minter said in his postgame press conference. “What are your standards? What are you accepting as playing for the Ravens?”
Tonight, that standard was dominance on both sides of the ball for all 60 minutes. Minter’s defense held the Commanders to just 177 yards on 52 plays (a paltry 3.4 yards per play) and 1-for-14 on third and fourth down. Declan Doyle’s offense, led primarily by undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano, racked up 456 yards on 69 plays (6.6 YPP) and scored on four of their five trips to the red zone.
The only blemish came on special teams. Kicker Tyler Loop, who ended the 2025 season with a franchise-altering miss vs. the Steelers, missed two of his four field goal attempts, fueling anxiety about the 2025 sixth-round pick heading into his second NFL season.
Minter downplayed concerns about Loop after the game, noting that he “had a good camp overall,” but admitted that “it comes down to making the kicks in the pressure situations in the game.
Loop, to his credit, took questions in the locker room as he did after that fateful miss in January. He insisted that his confidence “has only gone up” this preseason, but acknowledged the frustration of missing his kicks in-game.
“My job is to go make kicks,” Loop said. “That is the expectation every time I go on the field. The 10 guys that are with me and the other guys on the sideline, they expect me to make the kick. That is my job, and I have to do that. When it does not happen, it is frustrating. When it does happen, it is fun. That is just the nature of the job.”
Minter sidestepped a question about bringing in kicker competition before Week 1, and if this offseason has been any indication, the Ravens are planning to stick with Loop.
This weekend’s roster cuts could give general manager Eric DeCosta an opportunity to add some kicking competition via the practice squad. Before that, though, he will have to set his own 53-man squad, a process that became indeterminately more difficult on Friday night. Fagnano’s impressive preseason could draw interest on waivers. So, too, could fellow undrafted rookie Ethan Burke, who has impressed off the edge throughout the summer. He and Adisa Isaac appear to be neck-and-neck for the Ravens’ fifth outside linebacker roster spot. And then there’s Baltimore’s defensive line room, which arguably has eight players who are worthy of a roster spot.
“You want the guys to make the decisions really tough for us,” Minter said. “They have all done that.”
Sorting through Friday night’s film will only be one part of the equation. Minter, DeCosta, and their staffs will go through every aspect of the Ravens’ upcoming season – including injuries, contracts, cap space, special teams roles, and more – to set their 53-man roster by Sunday evening at 6 p.m. ET.
But even those players who do not make the team will still leave Baltimore knowing that, for at least one night, they truly played like Ravens.
“The thing I am really most proud of is that all the guys out there play the way we want to play,” Minter concluded.“ And does that mean they are all going to be able to make the team? No. But, they have bought into how we want to play, and that has showed up in the games, so I’m just most happy about that.”
At a time when the scrutiny of prediction markets seems to be increasing, Polymarket has withdrawn a wager based on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes playing in his team's Week 1 game against the Broncos.
Via David Purdum of ESPN, Polymarket self-certified the wager on Tuesday. The company withdrew it the next day.
A Polymarket source told Purdum on Friday that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission asked Polymarket and other prediction market operators to remove such wagers. Polymarket did.
Kalshi, as of Friday, continued to offer the wager.
The NFL has objected to prediction markets based on injuries. The league told ESPN that it regards the Mahomes wager to be injury-related.
NFL executive V.P. Jeff Miller also told ESPN that he hopes the CFTC will prohibit such wagers, and that the CFTC eventually will create a process pursuant to which the NFL will be asked whether such wagers are viable before they are posted.
That's all the league can really do, given that it has no formal relationship with Kalshi or Polymarket.
The issue of inside information hovers over wagers of this nature. Certain people will know whether Mahomes is actually planning to play. Those people can either make wagers, or they can share the information with others who will.
And that continues to be one of the biggest threats to the overall integrity of all wagers placed on football, through sportsbooks or prediction markets. Certain people have access to information that the public doesn't, and that information easily can be misused.
The Atlanta Dream may have to face the first-place Minnesota Lynx without one of their stars.
Angel Reese picked up her eighth technical foul of the season Friday night in Atlanta’s 101-83 loss to the Portland Fire. If the call holds, Reese will receive a mandatory one-game suspension for the Dream’s home matchup against the Lynx on Sunday afternoon.
With 8:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, Reese got tangled up with Portland guard Carla Leite on a box out. The officials quickly whistled Reese for a tech, much to the surprise of both Reese and her teammates. The Atlanta All-Star walked away from the call saying, “I didn’t do anything.”
Angel Reese has picked up her 8th technical foul of the season; that will trigger an automatic 1-game suspension if it is not rescinded by the league.
Reese would be slated to miss the Dream's game Sunday vs Lynx if the technical foul is upheld. pic.twitter.com/F7lRFuDXPn
The Athletic contacted the WNBA league office to ask if Reese’s violation would be rescinded, as happened with Caitlin Clark when she picked up her eighth technical foul earlier this season. As of publication, no decision had been made.
If the call stands, this would mark the second consecutive season that Reese accumulated eight technicals. She served a suspension in Game 41 for the Chicago Sky. Atlanta’s next game is its 40th of the season.
Unlike in 2025, Reese’s team is in the postseason picture this year. However, the Dream fell to fifth in the WNBA standings with Friday night’s loss to Portland and they face an uphill battle against the Lynx without Reese and Brionna Jones, who was already ruled out of Sunday’s contest. One more defeat would tie them in the loss column with Washington, which owns the tiebreaker against Atlanta after winning the season series.
Reese can return to play for the Dream after the FIBA break, during which she will represent Team USA, and has to pick up two more technical fouls in the regular season before receiving another suspension. The tally does not carry over into the playoffs.
Kahleah Copper and Clark are both sitting at seven technical fouls and could face potential suspension before the end of the 2026 campaign.
Aug 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Mitch Van Vooren (80) makes a catch for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It has come and gone. We made it.
The preseason is over for the Dallas Cowboys, and at long last they finally lost an exhibition game as they fell to the New Orleans Saints on Friday night by a final score of 27 to 24.
For all of this calendar year our discussions around this team have centered around how “differently” things have been. The approach to roster construction, the avoidance of off-the-field drama, and now it has all served as a common denominator all the way to the regular season. That’s what this moment signifies.
There are still things to tend to before we fully get there. The Cowboys have to finalize their 53-man roster (in an initial sense at least, they’ll obviously tend to it) by Sunday afternoon. But next up… real football.
Below you will find a recap of how things went against New Orleans.
So long, preseason.
First Quarter
The Saints won the toss and elected to receive which put the Cowboys on defense first.
Spencer Rattler got things moving a little bit and before you could blink the Saints were in field goal range. Thankfully the Cowboys defense buckled and held them there, but Daniel Carlson did boot one in from 38 yards out for the game’s first points.
SCORE: COWBOYS 0, SAINTS 3
Joe Milton got the start at quarterback on the night which seemed to underscore that he is QB2 for this team. Phil Mafah did a lot of the work on that first possession, but the Cowboys also had to settle for a field goal. Brandon Aubrey was good from 49 yards out.
SCORE: COWBOYS 3, SAINTS 3
The Saints began moving the ball once again, it felt like 2024 (if you know you know), and this time were able to cash all the way in. Touchdown, visitors.
Saints 6th-round pick Barion Brown finds the end zone
The Cowboys wound up scoring on the possession, but they couldn’t quite match the Saints. Brandon Aubrey lined up from 51 and you know the drill.
SCORE: COWBOYS 6, SAINTS 10
On the game’s fifth possession… we finally got a punt. It looked like New Orleans was going to benefit from a roughing the passer penalty that Spencer Rattler seemed to draw, but replay assist showed that the Cowboys were fine. What a world we are living in these days.
Unfortunately while the Cowboys were able to get within striking distance, they finally blinked themselves. Brandon Aubrey gave a 57-yard field goal is best effort and couldn’t quite convert.
Soon enough the Saints were back in the endzone, this time courtesy of Spencer Rattler on the ground.
It was another punt for the Cowboys. A penalty did wipe away a fresh set of downs, but by this point in the game the offense wasn’t exactly doing a ton of work.
New Orleans wound up punting. The vibe was clearly shifting towards the end of the preseason in an overall sense.
Fourth Quarter
As the fourth quarter started the Cowboys did it with a bang.
Sam Howell found Jordan Hudson for a huge touchdown to turn the mood right around.
The Saints went down and kicked a field goal and left 1:55 to work with. Kellen Moore clearly did so because New Orleans is working through kickers. You can’t blame him.
SCORE: COWBOYS 24, SAINTS 27
This set the Cowboys up with a fun opportunity. Sam Howell and co. had a chance down by 3 to go the length of the field to score a touchdown to end the preseason undefeated.
Unfortunately it wasn’t in the cards and the Cowboys lost a preseason game for the first time this year.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - AUGUST 21: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Jabbar Muhammad (37) defends near the line of scrimmage during the NFL preseason game betwee the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday, August 21, 2206 at EverBank Stadium in JAcksonville, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By Sunday dinner, the number of NFL players on active rosters will drop from nearly 5,000 to 1,696. The Jacksonville Jaguars and 31 other clubs will each part with dozens of players; the favorites from that crop will earn invitations to join the practice squad.
Depth charts are sure to be revised after this weekend. “You’re always going to stay agile,” general manager James Gladstone said earlier this offseason. As the Jaguars assemble their initial 53-man roster, though, we’ll be tracking all the moves here.
Jacksonville currently has +2700 odds to win Super Bowl LXI, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. They’re a toss-up to make the playoffs (-106 odds). One could argue it’s another sign the Jags aren’t getting the respect they deserve… but hey, maybe that’ll change in the next 48 hours.
A current Jaguar to look out for is second-year defensive back Jabbar Muhammad. After signing as an undrafted free agent, the former Oregon Duck was released into the wild in the final wave of last year’s roster cuts. He would join Jacksonville’s practice squad and earn a reserve/future contract after the season. Muhammad took this offseason by storm — head coach Liam Coen called him one of the team’s most improved players — and his rapid development carried over from OTAs to training camp as he continued making plays in practice. His performance was shakier in the preseason, however. Did he do enough in the spring and summer to warrant a spot on the 53? Or will the Jags hope to stash him on the practice squad for one more year?
WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 19: A detailed view of a Atlanta Falcons helmet seen on the field during the joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts at Grand Park Sports Campus on August 19, 2026 in Westfield, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Falcons just completed the third and final week of the 2026 NFL preseason, which means that the trimming down of the offseason roster from 90 to the 53 man final roster will begin shortly. There’s been a number of fascinating roster battles and impressive players fighting for spots, making for some tough decisions for Ian Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski. After all, the Falcons face a tough Week 1 matchup on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Atlanta has never won before and remains three-point underdogs.
This year, the cutdown deadline is earlier than usual, with teams needing to have their final cuts submitted no later than Sunday, August 30 at 6 PM ET. We’ll be keeping an eye on the transaction wire to bring you the latest news as quickly as possible throughout the coming days. Keep this page bookmarked as we’ll be updating it regularly once the announcements begin.
Odell Beckham Jr. is looking to do something he hasn't since the 2018 NFL season – suit up in a regular-season game for the New York Giants.
Beckham signed with the Giants as a free agent on June 1. It marked a reunion between him and the franchise that selected him with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and also a second partnership with John Harbaugh, who coached him with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
Few knew what to expect from Beckham with the Giants. The 33-year-old receiver had last played during the 2024 NFL season with the Miami Dolphins, generating nine catches for 55 yards across nine games.
Nonetheless, Beckham was given a legitimate chance to fight for a spot on a wide-open Giants receiver depth chart behind fellow LSU product Malik Nabers. He generated seven catches for 76 yards across his preseason action while looking to stake a claim to a roster spot.
Was Beckham able to earn a spot on the Giants' 53-man roster? Here are the latest updates about his status as the NFL's 53-man roster deadline approaches on Aug. 30.
Did the Giants cut Odell Beckham Jr.? Latest updates
The Giants have not yet released Beckham. New York has not yet announced the players it is releasing to comply with the 53-man roster deadline, but a decision about the 33-year-old's status will be reached by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The Giants entered their Friday, Aug. 28, preseason final against the New York Jets with 11 receivers on their 90-man roster. Teams typically keep between five and seven receivers on their 53-man rosters during the NFL season, so Beckham is firmly on the Giants' roster bubble.
The Giants had seven players listed as first-, second- or third-string receivers on their most recent unofficial depth chart release. One of them, Calvin Austin III, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in practice. The remaining six were listed as follows:
The Giants also have Braxton Berrios, Xavier Gipson, Isaiah Hodgins and Jaylin Hyatt listed as fourth-string receivers. All are battling with the likes of Beckham and Cambre for spots on the back end of New York's roster.
Meanwhile, though Slayton and Mooney are listed ahead of Fields, the third-round rookie could ultimately emerge as the team's No. 2 receiver early in the season because of his size (6-4, 218 pounds) and blocking capabilities.
Odell Beckham Jr. contract details
Beckham Jr. signed a one-year contract worth $1.3 million with the Giants. He will only carry a $1.075 million cap hit, per Spotrac.com, and will not have a dead-cap charge if released.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 26: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a double against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field on June 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Make that three straight wins for the Crew after their 6-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. Tonight’s win adds another to their MLB-leading 84 wins while also extending their division lead to eight games with less than a month to play.
All around the diamond, there were standout players tonight for the Brewers, and while the likes of William Contreras, Jake Bauers, and Jackson Chourio stay hot, there’s one bat that has awakened: Christian Yelich. Yelich finishes the night with three hits and an RBI with a double. After tonight’s showing, he’s now batting .391 with a .462 OBP over his last seven games.
Sticking with the train of hot offense, Contreras came through with two men on in the bottom of the first inning to give the Brewers an early 1-0 lead. In the very next at-bat, Yelich hit his 21st double of the season, driving in Bauers to extend their lead to 2-0.
Then, the Rangers were introduced to one of the best upcoming pitchers in all of baseball in Logan Henderson, as he picked up his first of seven strikeouts. In fact, going forward, the Rangers were only able to pick up one hit, and that came on a solo home run from former Brewer Danny Jansen in the bottom of the third inning. Henderson went the rest of the way, only facing one of the minimum, finishing the night with only 91 pitches thrown.
With the number of records that this edition of the Brewers has racked up to this point in the season, Henderson continued to pile on his accolades tonight as well. Following tonight’s start, he now has the second-lowest ERA in his first 19 career starts with a 2.30 ERA. The only man above him is Bill Parsons with a 2.27 ERA.
The Brewers’ offense went silent after the first inning until Yelich kicked things off with a weak base hit. After a two-out walk from Sal Frelick, David Hamilton went the other way with it to drive in Garrett Mitchell to extend the Brewers’ lead to 3-1.
After the final 1-2-3 inning from Henderson in the top of the seventh, Contreras picked up his second RBI of the game with a base hit to center field to make it 4-1. Then, for no particular reason, the Brewers decided to play a little small ball in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Frelick and Hamilton both reached base via the drag bunt, but it was Brice Turang who bunted one foul on the third pitch of the at-bat to strike out. Chourio then poked a ball through the left side of the infield to make it 5-1, then, for good measure, Contreras added one final run for his third RBI of the night to cap it at 6-1.
After Henderson provided another stellar outing, Aaron Ashby and DL Hall shut down the Rangers in the final two innings. Hall capped off the series opener win by striking out the side.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 28: Quinn Mathews #60 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Busch Stadium on August 28, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Watching the Cardinals for the past week has been similar to that meme where the stick figure pokes the stick at an object saying “do something”. Many of us who witnessed the early season version of the St. Louis Cardinals have been anxiously waiting for the team to do something and they did some of that Friday night against the Pirates. Fortunately, those “somethings” included a big blast from Jimmy Crooks and a stellar effort from Quinn Mathews.
Quinn Mathews got off to an efficient start limiting his pitch count by getting pounding the strike zone and allowed the defense behind him to help out. Great example of that happened in the top of the 2nd inning when he handed out a one-out walk to Gonzales, but got a ground ball out of Flores Jr. which turned into a nifty double play thanks to some fancy glovework by Nolan Gorman at third.
Gorman helped out with the bat, too, in the bottom of the 3rd inning when he waited on a 94 mph changeup and smacked it into the right-centerfield gap for a double that turned into a triple with Cruz couldn’t get a handle on the ball. He was able to take a leisurely stroll to home plate when Jimmy Crooks followed that with a 90 mph slider he launched 416 feet for a 2-run homer deep into the right field stands for a 2-0 Cardinals lead.
To sum up the Cardinals pitching start Friday night, Quinn Mathews was DEALING! The Pirates didn’t have a real scoring chance until the top of the 4th inning when he gave up a leadoff single to Triolo. Two batters later, O’Neil Cruz hit a hard grounder off of Alec Burleson’s glove at first giving Pittsburgh runners at first and third with two outs, but the Pirates were held scoreless when JJ Wetherholt made a nice play on a sinking line drive for the final out of the Pittsburgh 4th. Quinn was at 65 pitches going into the top of the 5th inning which is a big improvement over his last couple of outings.
The Cardinals offense seemed determined to give Mathews some more run support as Jordan Walker started the bottom of the 5th with single he smoked into left field from a 96 mph four-seam fastball. Jose Fermin then poked a single into right field which moved Walker to third. Nathan Church took advantage of that as he lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Walker and upping the Cardinals lead to 3-0. Joshua Baez kept the party going as he ripped a double into the left field corner giving St. Louis runners at second and third with just one out as Fermin was held up at third. It was then Nolan Gorman’s turn. He had a very effective at bat as he came back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk which loaded the bases for the Cardinals. Jimmy Crooks had a prime opportunity to break the game wide open, but he was called out on a check swing for the second out of the inning. It was up to JJ Wetherholt to come through with some two out magic, but all he could manage was a first-pitch dribbler out to the pitcher. Humongous missed opportunity.
The top of the 5th inning has been the land of baseball danger for the Cardinals during the second half of the season. How many games with promise have come apart at the seams in the infamous 5th? Too many to count is the answer. Quinn Mathews ran into a bit of trouble in the 5th inning of Friday’s game, too, but fortunately it did not doom the Cardinals to a sudden deficit. With one out, he hit Mangum with a pitch. Yorke then singled to right giving the Pirates runners at first and second. It looked like Mathews might get out of it without damage when he got a ground ball out of Davis that looked like it might turn into a double play, but the Wetherholt to Fermin to Burleson turn only got the force out at second since injured Masyn Winn was not a part of it. Triolo hit a 2-out single just in front of Baez in left to drive in the first Pirate run of the night making it 3-1 Cardinals. Fortunately, Quinn struck out Valdez to end the threat and maintain the Cardinals advantage.
The Cardinals knocked Pirates starter Jared Jones out of the game in the bottom of the 5th inning when Jordan Walker and Jose Fermin hit back-to-back two out singles. It ended up being fruitless as Nathan Church bounced a ball off of Pirates reliever Evan Sisk, but could not beat the throw to first to end the Cardinals 5th.
Quinn Mathews first Busch Stadium start was a memorable one. He got the Cardinals through 5 2/3 and was in position for a win after Ryan Fernandez got the last out in the top of the 6th. Mathews left the game with a pitch count of 102 allowing 5 hits, 1 earned run while striking out 7 and walking only 1.
Ryan Fernandez stayed in the game to handle the Pirates in the top of the 7th and handle them he did 1-2-3. No runners and no drama. He was also the Cardinals answer for the top of the 8th inning after St. Louis failed to mount any kind of offensive momentum in the bottom of the 7th. Fernandez was able to lock down the Pirates for the first two outs of the 8th inning before he walked Reynolds bringing up O’Neil Cruz as the potential tying run. That brought manager Oli Marmol out of the dugout to bring in Caleb Ferguson for a lefty-on-lefty matchup. That led to a huge break for the Cardinals as Cruz hit a hard ground ball that appeared to go into right field for a single that would have given the Pirates runners at first and third, but the ball hit Reynolds for the final out of the inning. We’ll take it!
The Cardinals tried to add to their lead in the bottom of the 8th inning when Jordan Walker led off with a single into right for his third hit of the night. Jose Fermin was drilled in the chest by a pitch that he squared around to bunt on, but on replay challenge it was overturned after video showed it hit the bat first. Fermin did end up grounding out to the pitcher, but he did move Walker up into scoring position at second on the play. Jordan moved over to third on a ground out to first by Nathan Church. He would score when Joshua Baez grounded out, but shortstop Gonzalez hurried his throw which pulled Horwitz off first base giving the Cardinals a valuable insurance run increasing the lead to 4-1. Three errors on the night by the Pirates helped the St. Louis cause.
Ryne Stanek was brought in to lock down the game for the Cardinals and win for Quinn Mathews. Ryne got Gonzalez to fly out to right for the first out. Next up was Flores Jr. who Stanek struck out with 99 mph HEAT. Mangum was the final Pirates hope which turned out to be no hope at all as Ryne got him out to seal the deal for St. Louis.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates will convene again Saturday afternoon for game 2 of their weekend series. Kyle Leahy is the scheduled starter for the Cardinals while the Pirates have yet to announce who they’ll send to the mound. First pitch is 1:15pm central time with the game broadcast available via Cardinals.tv.
EAST RUTHERFORD – The Jets saw what they needed to. So, in their preseason finale against the Giants, they rested just about everyone who’s anyone.
No Geno Smith. No Breece Hall. No Garrett Wilson.
It was the Cade Klubnik show and those fighting for a roster spot. Chip Trayanum scored a touchdown. Nate Lynn had another sack. For the most part, they kept the Giants at bay, but ultimately fell 23-6.
It was a solid end to the summer. Now, the Jets will spend the next 48 hours trimming their roster to 53.
Here’s our final prediction of what moves might be coming for Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey...
Quarterback (2)
Makes the cut: Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik
Gets cut: Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook
Cade won the backup quarterback job almost by default. Zappe and Cook were terrible in camp and the preseason. I’d look for the Jets to explore other quarterbacking options on the waiver wire, potentially J.J. McCarthy (Vikings) or Tanner McKee (Eagles).
Running back (5)
Makes the cut: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu, Andrew Beck (FB)
Gets cut: Dominic Richardson, Chip Trayanum
The injuries to Hall and Davis cloud this room some. The Jets expect both players back for the opener, but how close to 100 percent will they be? Nwangwu gives them an insurance policy. They can always cut him, and move him to the practice squad, if Hall and Davis are truly back to form.
Receiver (6)
Makes the cut: Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, Omar Cooper, Isaiah Williams, Tim Patrick, Arian Smith
Smith, last year’s fourth-round pick, hasn’t done much to separate himself to this point. He makes the 53-man roster just because it’s hard to see the Jets keeping five wideouts. It’s very possible a player shakes free from another team and the Jets claim him, then cut Smith, a day later.
Sep 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor (85) reacts to the play during the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Tight end (4)
Makes the cut: Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Jeremy Ruckert, Jelani Woods
Gets cut: Chase Curtis, Connor Hulstein
This is one of the deeper tight end rooms I can remember the Jets having. All four players can play. Woods might be having the best summer of anyone.
Offensive line (9)
Makes the cut: Olu Fashanu, Dylan Parham, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann, Armand Membou, Anez Cooper, Xavier Newman, Max Mitchell, Chukwuma Okorafor
Gets cut: Liam Fornadel, Marquis Hayes, Xavier Hill, Kohl Levao, Cortland Ford, Landon Young
No real surprises here. This is another spot I could see the Jets looking to fortify on the waiver wire. Their starters are very good, but there isn’t much depth.
Defensive line (10)
Makes the cut: David Bailey, T’Vondre Sweat, Harrison Phillips, Will McDonald, Kingsley Enagbare, David Onyemata, Mazi Smith, Darrell Jackson, Jowon Briggs, Joseph Ossai
Gets cut: Paschal Ekeji, Payton Page, Jack Heflin, Braiden McGregor
This unit is almost completely rebuilt from the one Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas constructed just a few years ago. McDonald, who's been working with the backup defense, is the lone remaining. This group could use some fortification in the middle.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws the ball under pressure from New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) in the first quarter during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Linebacker (4)
Makes the cut: Demario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Marcelino McCrary-Ball
The Jets have a tremendous 1-2 punch at linebacker in Davis and Sherwood. Behind them is the real concern, though. Glenn can’t feel confident in any of the other guys if they’re forced to play meaningful defensive reps. Linebackers aren’t that hard to find. The Jets might go looking.
Cornerbacks (6)
Makes the cut: Brandon Stephens, AZ Thomas, Jarvis Brownlee, D’Angelo Ponds, Qwan’tez Stiggers, Nashon Wright
Gets cut: Mory Bamba, Tre Brown, Jordan Clark, Keenan Garber, Samuel Womack
The Jets cornerback room is deep, it’s just lacking a legitimate guy at the top. They essentially have six No. 2, No. 3 guys and no lockdown presence. That’s tough in today’s NFL. It’s near impossible to find a game-changing corner on the waiver wire or trade block, so the Jets will likely have to make it work with these guys this year.
Safeties (4)
Makes the cut: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton, Andre Cisco, VJ Payne
Gets cut: Dean Clark, Jarius Monroe, Malachi Moore, Tanner Wall
Belton finally surpassed Cisco on the depth chart this week, taking over as the starter next to Fitzpatrick. It’s deserved. He’s had a far better summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Jets just cut Cisco and went with someone younger.
Special teams (3)
Makes the cut: Jason Sanders (K), Austin McNamara (P), Thomas Hennessy (LS)
Gets cut: N/A
Sanders won the kicking competition because he was the least bad. This is one that would still surprise me if he’s their Week 1 kicker. The Jets will likely look to get something else done here.
CANTON, OHIO - AUGUST 06: Akayleb Evans #29 of the Carolina Panthers looks on during the first quarter of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Arizona Cardinals at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on August 06, 2026 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The end of the offseason is here. All NFL teams are required to cut their 90-man preseason rosters down to 53 players by Sunday evening. Carolina Panthers gneral manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales (+3300 to win AP NFL Coach of the Year per FanDuel) will have their work cut out for them. Not only do they have to release 37 players and build a 16-player practice squad, but they also have to keep an eye on their favorite roster bubble players from around the league to try to bring to Charlotte via the waiver wire.
How does the waiver wire work?
Teams have until 1 PM ET the day after roster cuts—that’s Monday, August 31st for those following along at home—to file a waiver claim. That’s just 19 hours after cuts are finalized. The NFL will then review claims and assign players to teams in order of their waiver wire priority.
What is waiver wire priority?
Waiver wire priority follows, for the first three weeks of the NFL season, the pre-trade NFL draft order. That order then adjusts to a record-based order, essentially the next year’s projected draft order. The Carolina Panthers are currently 19th in the waiver wire priority order. The full list is as follows:
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 19: Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers throws a pass during a joint training camp at Miller Electric Center on August 19, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Carolina Panthers have to cut their roster down from 90 to 53 by 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, August 30th. This is your live tracker and discussion thread for all of Carolina’s cuts this season. We will not be tracking notable cuts from other teams in this space. Any of those who get added to the Panthers will be addressed if and when they are signed.
Keep in mind that the roster at 6 PM Sunday is not the same thing as the roster the Panthers will open with against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 9th. Late cuts can lead to adjustments through the rest of this week. NFL rules also make things difficult to deal with injured players at this time of year.
Two players can be placed on injured reserve before final roster cuts and still be designated to return during the season. Any other player placed on injured reserve before 6 PM Sunday is ineligible to return this season. We’ll be watching Haynes King in particular with regards to his injury status this weekend.
In short, expect things to change quickly and often, even after the deadline. With that in mind, stay tuned to this space.
2026 Roster Cuts
None yet. Check back soon.
FanDuel odds for the playoffs
Our friends at FanDuel are offering +250 odds for the Carolina Panthers to make the playoffs and -310 for them to miss them entirely. Roster cuts aren’t going to move that line all that much, but you can look to how many of other teams cast offs the Panthers pick up vs how many of their own cuts find jobs elsewhere in the league.
On the one hand, this is the deepest roster the Panthers have fielded in a long time. That also means it has been a long time since other teams have had much interest in sniffing around the Panthers cuts. If teams pick up some of our soon-to-be-former guys then maybe the Panthers are in line for a brighter season than recent years would imply. If the Panthers are dumping their training camp players in favor of folks that couldn’t make an impact with another club then we can all expect more of the same.
While it would be funny to back into the playoffs with a losing record for the second consecutive year, it would make for a necessarily stressful season. I think we’d all rather avoid that if possible.
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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 28: Miami Dolphins helmets are seen during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on August 28, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Miami Dolphins have completed their 2026 NFL Preseason schedule with a loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. The Falcons game, along with their earlier games against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants, and the summer’s training camp practices, have given the Dolphins’ coaches all the evaluations they need to build the team’s roster for this year – and they now have to start making decisions.
The NFL roster cuts deadline is fast approaching. Miami and all 31 other teams must cut from the preseason 90-man roster to the regular-season limit of 53 players over the next couple of days. Roster cuts are due by 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, August 30.
After the cuts, practice squad players will sign or re-sign with the team. We will track those on Monday, but each team can carry up to 16 additional reserve and developmental players.
The final 53-man roster is, of course, anything but final. Players will be re-signed, claimed off waivers, or signed as free agents before the season begins on Wednesday, September 9. Even after the regular season kicks off, we will see plenty of roster moves, especially for Miami who will likely churn the bottom of the roster all season long.
The 2026 season is not expected to be a good one for the Dolphins. According to the oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook, Miami has the longest odds to make the playoffs in the AFC at +1500. The New York Jets have the next worst odds at +700. Miami’s roster churn will, hopefully, help the Dolphins find players who can grow with the team as they move through this year’s rebuild and into the 2027 season and beyond.
Dolphins roster
Current size: 91 Cuts needed: 38
(Roster size includes two players on the active/physically unable to perform list.)
Rookies in italics.
Quarterbacks
Quinn Ewers Mark Gronowski Cam Miller Malik Willis
Running backs
De”Von Achane Coleman Bennett Donovan Edwards Ollie Gordon II D.J. Herman (FB) Jarquez Hunter Carlos Washington, Jr. Jaylen Wright
Wide receivers
Chris Bell Kevin Coleman, Jr. Caleb Douglas AJ Henning Terrace Marshall, Jr. Donaven McCulley Ryan Miller Jalen Reagor Jalen Tolbert Malik Washington Theo Wease, Jr.
Tight ends
Ethan Conner Greg Dulcich Jeremiah Franklin Will Kacmarek Ben Sims Seydou Traore (International Player Pathway)
Tackles
Gottlieb Ayedze Kevin Cline Marques Cox Charlie Heck Austin Jackson Patrick Paul
Guards
DJ Campbell Josh Priebe Kadyn Proctor Jonah Savaiinaea Caedan Wallace
Centers
Aaron Brewer Andrew Meyer
Defensive ends
Robert Beal, Jr. Seth Coleman-Lyles Clelin Ferrell Cameron Goode Max Llewellyn Rodney McGraw David Ojabo Chop Robinson Josh Uche
Defensive tackles
Zeek Biggers Matthew Butler Keith Cooper, Jr. Kenneth Grant Alex Huntley Fatorma Mulbah Jordan Phillips Cam Rice Zach Sieler
Inside linebackers
Jordyn Brooks Stephen Dix, Jr. Tyrel Dodson Willie Gay, Jr. Ronnie Harrison Kyle Louis Trey Moore Cam Riley Jacob Rodriguez Jaheim Thomas Jackson Woodard
Cornerbacks
Alex Austin Darrell Backer, Jr. (Active/PUP) Miles Battle Ethan Bonner JuJu Brents Storm Duck (Active/PUP) A.J. Green III Chris Johnson Jason Marshall, Jr. Jai’Onte’ McMillan Marco Wilson
Safeties
Zayne Anderson Major Burns Lonnie Johnson, Jr. Louis Moore Michael Taaffe Dante Trader, Jr.
Punters
Bradley Pinion
Kickers
Riley Patterson
Long Snappers
Tucker Addington
Injured reserve
Rene Konga, defensive tackle Cole Turner, tight end Carter Warren, tackle
Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jamree Kromah (59) stretches during a joint training camp at the Kettering Health Practice Fields, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Chicago Bears’ offseason has seen several players raise their stock. None more so than sixth-round draft pick Jordan van den Berg, who went from a fun athletic day-three prospect to getting reps with the starters. At this point, van den Berg’s roster spot is a lock, but there’s another defensive lineman who made a splash in the last couple of weeks.
Jamree Kromah came out of college in 2024 as one of the most athletic defensive tackles in his class (9.67 RAS), but he went undrafted and signed with the Bears. He moved up and down the line at James Madison, but as a pro his future was at defensive end. The 275-pounder had a nice camp and totaled 3 tackles and 2 QB hits in the preseason and was ultimately signed to Chicago’s practice squad.
The New England Patriots signed him to their active roster a couple of weeks later, but he was waived and signed back to the Bears’ practice squad, where he remained the rest of 2024.
He was back in Chicago the next year, and in the 2025 preseason he had 6 tackles and a QB hit. The Bears once again signed him to the practice squad, where he stayed all season.
This year, he came into camp a new man.
“One thing I did for sure was I changed my body, changed my nutrition, because I was much heavier last year,” Kromah said in the locker room following the preseason opener against the Browns, where he hit the D-lineman trifecta of a sack, forced fumble, and recovery all on the same play. “So I wanted to make some changes by losing weight. I lost over 20 pounds, but got stronger and then put more lean mass on. So this is the best I have felt … I had to look at the man in the mirror and be true to myself, and come up with a real plan.”
In his first two preseason games, the 6’3″, now 268-pounder, has 6 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble and fumble recovery. His second game wasn’t as impactful, but he did have a half-sack negated by a holding penalty.
In Saturday’s game in Tennessee, he’ll get another chance to shine and make a final push for a roster spot. The Bears may not play their starters, but starting defensive end Austin Booker is sidelined with a groin issue, which could create more opportunities for Kromah.
Our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook currently have the Titans as a 2.5 point favorite in the preseason finale. If you think the Bears will win outright, the moneyline is at +122, with the point total over/under at 37.5.
The Atlanta Dream may have to face the first-place Minnesota Lynx without one of their stars.
