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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
Checkout FanDuel, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
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.
While most of the starters weren't in action, Friday night's game was a final chance for Jets and Giants players to make their case for roster spots. After a convincing 23-6 win, the Giants can feel good about their depth.
The Jets took a 6-0 lead on their first offensive possession with a 10-play drive that ended with short touchdown run by undrafted rookie running back Chip Trayanum. However, their offense struggled for the rest of the half and the Giants overcame two turnovers to take a 10-6 lead on Tyrone Tracy's touchdown run and Dominic Zvada's short field goal.
The rookie Zvada, who looks to have secured the placekicker job over Ben Sauls, extended the lead to 16-6 with a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter and another early in the fourth. The Jets already announced that Jason Sanders has won their own kicking contest, but his early missed extra point won't fill their fans with confidence, and he also missed a 54-yard field goal.
Jake Haener's 37-yard touchdown pass to former Jets receiver Xavier Gipson made it 23-6 with 10:30 remaining. At the time, Big Blue had outgained the Jets by 354 yards to 99, as they clearly dominated in all three phases. They ran out the clock on their next possession and ultimately outgained the Jets, 400-139.
Here are the takeaways...
– With most starters on both teams sitting, the Jets opted to use defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat and edge defender Joseph Ossai on the Giants' first two possessions. These were two of the Jets' biggest offseason acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball but hadn't been able to suit up in the first two preseason games due to injuries. Both flashed as Sweat blew up a run in the backfield and Ossai got in Jameis Winston's face to break up a pass.
– John Harbaugh has been honest about wanting to see more from Tracy, who ran hard with four carries for 37 yards and a touchdown in the first half. However, he ended up being sidelined with a head/neck injury. Tracy's spot on the 53 is not entirely secure depending on how many running backs the Giants plan to carry. New addition Najee Harris, who might be his main competition, also played well with 59 yards on 12 touches.
– The Jets' defense, which was historically bad at forcing turnovers last year, showed more playmaking abilities in this game after having intercepted two passes last week. Linebacker Marcelino McCrary ball intercepted a pass that was deflected by cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers and then forced a Braxton Berrios fumble, covered by Stiggers in the end zone. Despite these two plays, Stiggers had a mixed day, getting beaten deep and a personal foul on special teams.
– The Giants haven’t had much of a chance for their starting offensive line to play together in preseason, which was probably a factor in their three interior starters -- center John Michael Schmitz and guards Francis Mauigoa and Jon Runyan Jr. -- all getting the start. For most of the game, the Giants offensive front got the better of the Jets' defensive line, but not necessarily on those early drives. Guard Evan Neal was a standout with the second unit, though.
– Gang Green would have liked to have seen more from rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik, who was at the helm during the first half, as he is expected to be the backup this season. On their scoring drive, he handed the ball to Trayanum on nine of the 10 plays, as their backup offensive line had their way with an opposing front seven also comprised of backups. Klubnik ended up with six completions on 13 passes and didn't complete one down the field until less than two minutes left in the half. He was also intercepted by linebacker Zaire Barnes.
– One Giants player who stood out was edge defender Trace Ford, who had a sack and blew up two runs in the backfield in the first half. For the Jets, Nate Lynn continued his late push for a roster spot with another sack after having had two last week.
– The Jets lost rookie guard Anez Cooper to an apparent right wrist injury in the second quarter. The sixth-round pick was probably destined to be a healthy scratch to start the season anyway, so if he needs to go on injured reserve instead, it might ironically be beneficial in terms of freeing up a roster spot for another potential contributor.
Game MVP: Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham's attempts to make the Giants' roster has been one of the stories of the summer, and he made a strong case for himself here with three catches for 53 yards before sitting out the second half. Beckham, who also drew a flag for pass interference, was looking sharp as he showcased that he still has the ability to create separation. It could have been a monster half for Beckham, who was wide open for a potential deep touchdown but unlucky not to be able to hang onto a diving catch attempt on Winston’s overthrown pass.
New York Jets safety Jarius Monroe (25) blocks the ball as New York Giants wide receiver Braxton Berrios (87) attempts to catch the ball during a game at MetLife Stadium, Aug 28, 2026, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
In the New York Jets’ third and final preseason game of 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Jets were defeated by the New York Giants, 23 – 6.
The Jets opened on defense and on third down they intercepted Jameis Winston. That set them up with first and ten at the Giants 36. The Jets proceeded to run a 10 play drive that ended with a short Chip Trayanum touchdown run. No passes were thrown in the drive. Jason Sanders missed the extra point to make the score Jets 6, Giants 0.
The Giants proceeded to put together a long drive that ended when the Jets forced a fumble by old friend Braxton Berrios into their own end zone for a touchback. The turnovers are flowing for the Jets this preseason.
Late in the first quarter the Giants took advantage of a short field to go on a drive culminating in a Tyrone Tracy touchdown run and a 7 – 6 Giants lead. The first quarter ended a few seconds later with the score still 7 – 6.
A few plays into the second quarter Cade Klubnick threw a terrible pass into tight coverage that was picked off by the Giants. The Giants then put together a long drive that bogged down inside the Jets five yard line. They converted on a chip shot field goal to take a 10 – 6 lead with less than three minutes left in the half. Neither team got much going on offense the last few minutes and the half ended with the score still Giants 10, Jets 6.
The Jets opened the third quarter on offense. Bailey Zappe took over for Cade Klubnik at quarterback and promptly led the team on a scintillating three and out. The Giants offensive scrubs took over and put together a short drive ending in a 53 yard field goal and a 13 – 6 Giants lead midway through the third quarter.
Zappe took over on offense and engineered a thrilling three and out as he made his case to be cut on Sunday.
Legendary quarterback Jake Haener took over for the Giants and led them on a long drive. The third quarter ended with the score still Giants 13, Jets 6, but the Giants were lining up for a field goal attempt. On the first play of the fourth quarter the Giants hit on a 46 yard field goal as the Giants took a 16 -6 lead to open the fourth quarter.
Bailey Zappe proceeded to lead the Jets on a stirring three and out as he continued to impress.
Jake The Legend Haener then led the Giants on a swift drive resulting in a touchdown on a 37 yard pass to old friend Xavier Gipson as the Giants piled on with 23 unanswered points. The score was Giants 23, Jets 6 with 10:30 left in the game.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Jets turned to Brady Cook at quarterback. Cook led the Jets on a short drive ending in a missed 54 yard field goal by Jason Sanders, who had a rough night and may have played himself off the team.
Jake The Goat Haener and the Giants then closed out the game with a long drive to the Jets one yard line before taking a knee on the last three plays of the game.
Final score: Giants 23, Jets 6. The loss brought the Jets’ preseason record to 1-2. The score doesn’t really matter. The record doesn’t really matter. The most important development in the game were injuries to Anez Cooper, Chip Trayanum, Dominic Richardson and Joseph Ossai. We’ll see if these end up being injuries that threaten to keep these players out for an extended period of time. Now the Jets move on to getting their roster down to 53 players by 6:00 P.M. EDT on Sunday. They then begin preparations for their opening day game against the Tennessee Titans on September 13.
The Atlanta Dream may have to face the first-place Minnesota Lynx without one of their stars.
