Category: NHL

The Miami Dolphins lost to the Atlanta Falcons earlier tonight, ending an ugly preseason schedule in which the team failed to win a game. In fact, other than the opening drive of their first game when the starting offense was on the field, Miami did not score a touchdown this summer. Is that a sign of things to come?

Miami is not expected to be a good team this year. They have the second-longest odds of any team in the league to be named Super Bowl champions. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Dolphins are +50000 to claim the Lombardi Trophy, only ahead of the +100000 Arizona Cardinals.

The Dolphins are the youngest team in the league as they reset their roster from the Mike McDaniel era to new head coach Jeff Hafley’s vision of the club. They are probably going to spend plenty of time this year churning the bottom of the roster and trying to find hidden gems that will shine in the future.

Waiver claims are likely to be a favorite roster move for the Dolphins this season. When a team releases a player, he may be subject to waivers. If so, any team can put in a claim to acquire the player and assume his contract. With the 6 p.m. Eastern deadline on Sunday, August 30, for roster cuts to be made looming, waiver claims are about to take center stage.

But, what are the full rules of the waiver process and what is the waiver order?

What are waivers?

Waivers are a labor process under which a team may release a player from their roster. The player’s contract becomes “claimable” by any team in the league and, if the team is granted the waiver claim, the player moves to the new team under their current contract. It is almost like a trade with no compensation sent to the old team.

How are waiver claims made?

Once a player is waived, the rest of the teams around the league have 24 hours to exercise a claim. This is not a full free-for-all, though. Player waivers are processed at the same time each day (usually 4 p.m. Eastern), and claims are processed at the same time the next day. Teams can submit a waiver claim at any time during the 24-hour period; the league collects all claims and processes them in the order explained below.

For this year’s roster cuts, they are due by 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. The league will process waiver claims at 1 p.m. Eastern on Monday.

Are any players exempt from the waivers process? What is released vs. waived?

Players who have accrued four seasons of service time do not have to go through the waivers process. Those players are classified as “released” rather than “waived” and they become free agents immediately rather than having to wait to see if a team claims them.

A player receives credit for an accrued season if they are on a team’s active roster for six games in a season. Players on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list still receive credit for their service time.

What happens when a team is awarded a waiver claim?

Teams are limited to their 53-man roster size. If they receive a waiver claim and are already at 53 players, they must waive or release another player.

How does the waiver wire impact practice squad players?

Teams cannot start building their practice squads until after the waiver wire processes on Monday. Once players clear waivers without being claimed, they are free to sign with any team in the league, including the team that waived them. This could be on the 53-man roster, or on the 16-man practice squad.

A player on a team’s roster cannot be signed directly to the practice squad. The team will have to waive him, allow the next process deadline to pass, then, if he was not claimed, he can be signed to the practice squad.

What is the waiver order and what happens if multiple teams make a claim?

Waiver claims are processed in the inverse order of league standings. For the first three weeks of the season, the NFL uses the previous year’s standings – which basically makes the waiver order match the draft order, without any trades factored into it.

If multiple teams put in a waiver claim on a player, the higher listed team receives the waiver claim. For example, if a player is waived and both the Las Vegas Raiders and the Miami Dolphins claim him, the Raiders will receive the player and his contract because the Raiders are first in the waiver order while Miami is 11th.

For the waivers that will start being processed on Monday after the cuts have been made, the order is:

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

Miami is in a decent position to be able to put in waiver claims, but there are still some needy teams in front of them that could block any move the Dolphins try to make.

Who could be subject to waivers from the Dolphins?

The Dolphins have to make some tough decisions over the next couple of days, dropping 38 players from their current roster. If these players are cut, they will be subject to waivers rather than being immediate free agents.

I removed players who are virtual roster locks and should not find themselves waived.

Rookies

• Coleman Bennett, running back
• DJ Campbell, guard
• Kevin Cline, tackle
• Ethan Conner, tight end
• Stephen Dix, Jr., linebacker
• Jeremiah Franklin, tight end
• Mark Gronowski, quarterback
• DJ Herman, fullback
• Max Llewellyn, defensive end
• Donaven McCulley, wide receiver
• Rodney McGraw, edge
• Jai’Onte’ McMillan, cornerback
• Louis Moore, safety
• Cam Rice, defensive tackle
• Seydou Traore, tight end
• Carlos Washington, Jr., running back

0 accrued seasons

• Tucker Addington, long snapper
• Gottlieb Ayedze, tackle
• Miles Battle, cornerback
• Major Burns, safety
• Seth Coleman-Lyles, defensive end
• Keith Cooper, Jr., defensive tackle
• Marques Cox, tackle
• Donovan Edwards, running back
• AJ Henning, wide receiver
• Alex Huntley, defensive tackle
• Cam Miller, quarterback
• Fatorma Mulbah, defensive tackle
• Josh Priebe, guard
• Cam Riley, linebacker
• Jaheim Thomas, linebacker
• Theo Wease, Jr., wide receiver
• Jackson Woodard, linebacker

1 accrued season

• Quinn Ewers, quarterback
• Jarquez Hunter, running back

2 accrued seasons

• Ethan Bonner, cornerback
• Andrew Meyer, center
• Ryan Miller, wide receiver

3 accrued seasons

• Alex Austin, cornerback
• Robert Beal, Jr., defensive end
• Matthew Butler, defensive tackle
• Cameron Goode, defensive end
• A.J. Green III, cornerback
• Ben Sims, tight end

Sunday is cut day, which is always a tough one. Hundreds of players across the NFL suddenly find themselves looking for a new opportunity.

For many, the next stop is the waiver wire. It gives teams the chance to claim players released by another club before they become free agents. Players with fewer than four credited seasons generally must go through the waiver process, while vested veterans with at least four credited seasons can typically become unrestricted free agents immediately when released.

Once a player is placed on waivers, teams have a limited amount of time to submit a claim. If multiple teams want the same player, the team with the highest waiver priority gets him.

Waiver priority is based on the NFL’s waiver order, which is determined by team records and draft position depending on the point in the season. Unlike fantasy football, teams do not automatically drop to the bottom of the list after making a successful claim. This means a team with a high waiver priority can potentially claim multiple players if it has the highest priority for each one.

NFL 2026 waiver wire order

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

Jacksonville currently has +2700 odds to win Super Bowl LXI, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Based on the Jaguars’ position in the waiver wire order, those odds might be too high.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

On Friday night, the Kansas City Chiefs battled the Seattle Seahawks to the end of an NFL Preseason Week 3 matchup; the game ended in a 9-9 tie.

Here are five rapid-fire takeaways from the game:

1. The rookies on defense have turned up the team speed

There’s no statistic for it, but the Chiefs’ defense has looked so much faster since rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane began playing with the starters in last week’s preseason game. He started Friday’s contest off with a tackle for loss.

Five's on it 😮‍💨 @mansoordelanepic.twitter.com/eAuOD5Bear

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 29, 2026

Of course, the team needs willing, physical tacklers on the outside, but Delane’s speed to the point of contact was outstanding. It goes along with the play he made last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting up his teammate for a tackle for loss on a quick screen.

You love to see 'Thomas' turning the corner for a blindside sack in Arrowhead 🥹 pic.twitter.com/cpEyvSUUW2

— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) August 29, 2026

Up front, it’s clear rookie defensive end R Mason Thomas is going to be a difference maker for Kansas City’s pass rush in 2026. The speed with which he gets off the ball is paired with the flexibility to turn the corner and disrupt the quarterback in the back of his drop.

The ease with which Thomas flies around the corner is truly different; the closest a defensive end has come to this skill set under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo with the Chiefs was Frank Clark, and the Chiefs arguably got the latter half of Clark’s prime as a dominant pass rusher.

2. Brashard Smith and Andrew Armstrong will be hard to cut

Since training camp began, it’s been clear the Chiefs see talent in running back Brashard Smith and wide receiver Andrew Armstrong. Each has been in the starting rotation throughout the preseason, but neither is guaranteed to make it through cutdown day.

Both made statements on Friday night.

Smith’s started in the return game, a facet of his skill set that could lead to a starting spot on the Chiefs. He is battling with wide receiver Nikko Remigio for the return job, and Smith showed the speed advantage he has in that competition during the preseason finale. He took one kickoff out of the end zone and gained 57 yards by winning to the edge of the coverage.

Smith also had his best performance as a runner this preseason. He ran downhill with a purpose, using his quickness to cut back efficiently on his way to a team-leading 72 yards over 16 attempts. He was stuffed at the goal line over numerous short-yardage attempts, but that will never be Smith’s strength as a player.

Wide receiver Andrew Armstrong led the team with five catches for 54 yards. The big-bodied receiver is a strong player among a receiving corps that doesn’t boast play strength.

3. Garrett Nussmeier, impressive, is still a rookie

Rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier started this game and played the whole way through. He finished with 22 completions over 34 pass attempts, averaging 5.8 yards per pass (198 yards) and throwing one interception with a passer rating of 68.

Trevon Diggs INT!

Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/9OGOus2fgu

— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2026

The interception was certainly a rookie moment: rolling left, Nussmeier lofted a pass leading wide receiver Xaiver Worthy to the sideline, or so he thought. Throwing off his back foot, the ball hung in the air and was short, making an easy interception for Seahawks cornerback Trevon Diggs.

The play ended a nice drive that advanced to the Seattle 30-yard line. There were good stretches of rhythm from the Chiefs’ offense, especially with a commitment to the ground game. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson gained 39 yards over seven carries as the lead back in this contest. The offensive line fired off the ball and kept moving.

Late in the game, Nussmeier made an impressive throw while on the move in the pocket for the second consecutive week to move the chains on 3rd & 12.

Despite all that momentum, Nussmeier couldn’t lead the Chiefs to a touchdown, settling for field goals on three possessions that got inside the 10-yard line. There’s a lot to like about Nussmeier, but there is also reason to believe he needs more time to develop before overtaking veteran Justin Fields as the immediate backup to quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

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.” 

The Kansas City Chiefs tied with the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale of the 2026 campaign with a 9-9 score. The countdown to Week 1 is on after an 0-2-1 record in exhibition games.

Running back Brashard Smith led the team with 72 rushing yards over 16 attempts, including a team-long rush of 13 yards. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier totaled 198 yards over 22 completions. Wide receiver Andrew Armstrong led all pass catchers with 54 yards over five receptions.

Defensive tackle Marcus Harris held the game at a tie at the end with a few clutch tackles; he ended the game with a team-high six tackles. Defensive end R Mason Thomas had a strip sack, the only sack of the game for Kansas City.

First Quarter

---

The Chiefs opened the game with Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback and leaned heavily on Emmett Johnson to pick up an early first down. An 8-yard completion to Travis Kelce set up second-and-short, but a drop by Noah Gray followed by an incompletion brought out the punt team.

Kansas City’s defense started strong, with Mansoor Delane coming up from his cornerback position for a 4-yard tackle for loss. Two more stops followed as the Chiefs forced a quick three-and-out.

The Chiefs’ second possession started with a 12-yard run from Johnson followed by a 14-yard screen pass to the running back. After a short Emari Demercado run, Nussmeier connected with Tyquan Thornton for 11 yards. The drive ended on the next play when Nussmeier underthrew Xavier Worthy and was intercepted by Diggs.

Seattle immediately took advantage with a 40-yard completion from Jalen Milroe to Montorie. Foster followed by a 24-yard completion to Elijah. Arroyo. The Chiefs’ defense tightened up from there, making three consecutive stops to force a field goal and limit the Seahawks to a 3-0 lead.

Brashard Smith gave Kansas City excellent field position with a 57-yard kickoff return. Nussmeier opened the possession with a 20-yard completion to Armstrong before Johnson added 15 yards on three carries. A holding penalty eventually stalled the drive, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a field goal to tie the game 3-3.

---

Second Quarter

---

Seattle opened the second quarter with completions of 19 and 13 yards from Jalen Milroe before a holding penalty slowed the drive. On the following play, a backward pass resulted in a fumble that linebacker Cole Christiansen recovered at the Chiefs’ 36-yard line.

Kansas City turned the takeaway into points. A 17-yard completion from Nussmeier to Jared Wiley highlighted the possession before the Chiefs settled for a field goal to take a 6-3 lead.

The Seahawks picked up a quick first down on their next possession and benefited from a pass interference penalty, but R. Mason Thomas responded with a strip sack on first down that put Seattle behind the sticks. The Seahawks recovered the fumble but were eventually forced to punt.

Starting from their own 5-yard line late in the half, the Chiefs moved the ball out to the 48 behind some nice plays from Nussmeier and Emari Demercado. An intentional grounding penalty resulted in a 10-second runoff, ending the first half with Kansas City leading 6-3.

---

Third Quarter

---

The Seahawks received the ball to start the second half, but the Chiefs’ defense quickly forced a three-and-out.

Kansas City picked up two first downs on its opening possession behind a 12-yard run from Brashard Smith and a 12-yard reception by Cyrus Allen. The drive stalled from there, and Harrison Butker missed the field goal attempt wide right.

Following the missed field goal, Jalen Milroe moved the Seahawks quickly down the field for a touchdown, throwing for 67 yards on the drive. Jason Myers missed the extra point, leaving Seattle with a 9-6 lead.

The Chiefs picked up one first down on their next possession with another 12-yard run from Smith, but the drive stalled shortly afterward and Kansas City punted.

Seattle’s next possession was short-lived, as the Chiefs forced three consecutive incompletions and another punt.

---

Fourth Quarter

---

The Seahawks opened the fourth quarter but failed to pick up a first down as the Chiefs’ defense quickly forced another punt.

Kansas City was pushed behind the sticks by a first-down penalty and went three-and-out.

Seattle’s offense continued to struggle, moving backward on its next possession before another three-and-out.

The Chiefs picked up a first down on a nice completion to De Jesus, but an offensive pass interference penalty on the following play put the offense behind the sticks. Kansas City never recovered and was forced to punt.

Seattle took over at its own 20-yard line with a little over three minutes remaining. A 30-yard completion to Henderson and several short runs moved the Seahawks into field goal range, but Jason Myers missed a 52-yard attempt as time expired, ending the game in a 9-9 tie.

---

Special teams notes

Kicker Harrison Butker connected on three of his four field-goal attempts, hitting from 19, 24 and 28 yards while missing from 58 yards.

Jacob De Jesus averaged 9 yards on three punt returns, including a long of 20 yards, while Brashard Smith provided the biggest return of the night with a 50-yard kickoff return.

Punter Matt Araiza averaged 44 yards on four punts, with a long of 53 yards.

---

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

— espnW (@espnW) August 29, 2026

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.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Atlanta Dream, WNBA, women's sports

2026 The Athletic Media Company

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

Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/s3lAfyzFq0

— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2026

The quarter ended with the Cowboys somewhat threatening, partly thanks to this beauty from Joe Milton to Camden Brown.

.@CamdenBrown7 continues to make plays 😤

📺: #NOvsDAL on CBS11  
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1dpic.twitter.com/LW1eOzcvjQ

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 29, 2026

Very nice.

Second Quarter

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.

TOUCHDOWN RATTLER!#Saints | 📺: FOX-8 pic.twitter.com/9fkseoQ4O8

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 29, 2026

SCORE: COWBOYS 6, SAINTS 17

Milton and co. took over with about two minutes left which was very interesting in terms of seeing what he could do.

Joe was solid and he helped the team set up another Brandon Aubrey attempt. This one was from 58 and was as good as could be.

SCORE: COWBOYS 9, SAINTS 17

That was that and both teams went to their locker rooms for halftime.

Third Quarter

Sam Howell was in at quarterback for the second half and things weren’t exactly spectacular to start as the Cowboys punted.

New Orleans picked up where they left off and scored another touchdown. This time it was Zamir White from 11 yards out.

Zamir White runs into the endzone with ease 🤝#Saints | 📺: FOX-8 pic.twitter.com/S0X4wHyTEs

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 29, 2026

SCORE: COWBOYS 9, SAINTS 24

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.

.@Sam7Howell to @d1Jordan3 for a TD ❗️

📺: #NOvsDAL on CBS11  
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1dpic.twitter.com/Wn7kAeQ0ae

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 29, 2026

SCORE: COWBOYS 16, SAINTS 24

The Saints punted it back to the Cowboys which provided life in the game with Dallas down by one score.

With that opportunity the Cowboys seriously cashed in. Like… seriously cashed in.

Sam Howell found Mitch Van Vooren for the touchdown, and then he took care of things himself for the game-tying two-point conversion.

MITCH VAN VOOREN TOUCHDOWN

📺: #NOvsDAL on CBS11  
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1dpic.twitter.com/10ABfgrCja

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 29, 2026

.@Sam7Howell TIES THE GAME ‼️

📺: #NOvsDAL on CBS11  
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1dpic.twitter.com/LFMLhdWaas

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 29, 2026

SCORE: COWBOYS 24, SAINTS 24

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.

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.

Falcons 2026 roster cut tracker

• None yet, but we’ll keep you posted!

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?

Jaguars 2026 roster cuts

coming soon

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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
• Gets cut: Junior Bergen, Cam Camper, Malik McClain, Jamaal Pritchett, Quincy Skinner

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.

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.

 

Linebacker (4)

• Makes the cut: Demario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Marcelino McCrary-Ball
• Gets cut: Jaden Keller, Chase Wilson, Mykal Walker

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.

 

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:

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Green Bay Packers
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

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.

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