Category: NHL

One of the most popular topics amongst Sens Nation since the Brady Tkachuk trade has been who will replace him as captain.

Cases have been made for all four of the current alternate captains: Thomas Chabot, Claude Giroux, Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle.

With Drake Batherson’s camp in heavy negotiations and the September 15th deadline for an eight-year extension fast approaching, his name has even been thrown in the hat, with the captaincy possibly being part of the offer.

One option that's rarely been talked about is starting the 2026-27 season with no captain.

Let’s discuss.

In order to settle that debate, a few questions need answering.

Does a team need a captain to be a playoff team or win a championship?

Only two teams have won the Stanley Cup with no captain in NHL history, and it was the Boston Bruins in 1970 and again in 1972. They ran a captain by committee, and they also had Johnny Bucyk and Phil Esposito. Both are in the Hall of Fame.

They also had some guy named Bobby Orr.

Several teams in NHL history have made the playoffs with a captain by committee approach, but it is an anomaly.

It would not be the first time the Senators have gone into a season without a captain. After Erik Karlsson departed, the team was without a captain for the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons before Tkachuk signed his extension and assumed the role.

Of course, the Senators were not the Boston Bruins of ’70 & ’72. The Sens were rebuilding with very low expectations, and their 77-109-23 record during that time supports that.

It is also worth noting that, regardless of how his tenure came to end in Ottawa, Tkachuk was the obvious choice, and no one was shocked when the announcement came.

Going into the season without a captain does not mean doom for the Senators. However, it won’t inspire fan confidence if they have the whole summer to fill that hole and can’t decide from within who should fill it.

Is there an obvious choice to succeed Tkachuk?

The fact that there has been debate all summer and that five names have been bandied about as possible replacements shows there is no clear-cut choice. At least outside the dressing room.

Is there a clear-cut choice inside the dressing room? Right now, Steve Staios and Travis Green have been tight-lipped.

It’s quite possible that they know who the next captain will be. Maybe they're just using the “American Idol Ryan Seacrest dramatic pause” for effect.

Perhaps they know there won’t be one and are using the same tactic.

The soundness of that strategy can be debated. However, let’s hope it’s one of those two options, because if the organization doesn’t know the character of its own people by now, when will they?

Not having a captain was the right choice from 2018-2021. There was one clear choice, but he wasn’t ready yet. From the moment he joined the organization, Tkachuk was the presumptive captain, but by waiting, they spared him years of tough media scrums where the captain has to answer for all the losing.

Local Heroes: The Top Five Senators Who Were Born And Raised In OttawaWe take a look at the top five players who transitioned from dominating local rinks to playing important roles on Ottawa's biggest hockey stage.

What are the risks of choosing the wrong captain?

Teams may have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs and even won the Cup in the past without a captain. However, there is no stat showing how many teams have done the same with the wrong captain.

My guess is that the answer is none.

Having no captain and using a committee approach amongst the alternates may or may not be the right course of action but the wrong course of action is to choose a captain believing you have to.

The only thing worse than choosing the wrong captain is having to either trade him or remove the C while he is still playing for your team.

Being right is absolutely, fundamentally critical.

Being wrong could set the team back immeasurably.

Jason Spezza’s tenure as captain was one season. They missed the playoffs, and he asked to be traded. He was filling huge shoes in the departure of Daniel Alfredsson. Was he the right choice or did he get chosen to avoid having no captain?

Erik Karlsson’s name seemed like the obvious choice to replace him having led the team in scoring. He had a Norris Trophy on his resume, and being Daniel Alfredsson’s protégé didn’t hurt either.

In his four years as captain, he had a heroic role in the 2017 run to the conference final. He was also a central figure in the controversy that ultimately led to former GM Pierre Dorion declaring that the dressing room was “broken”.

Mark Stone was part of the team from 2014 to 2019 and is now the captain of the Vegas Golden Knights and has his name on the Stanley Cup.

Did the team rush Karlsson to ensure there was a captain, or could they have let that situation evolve organically, where Stone might have emerged as the guy?

What are the expectations for the 2026-27 Ottawa Senators?

Since Tkachuk’s trade announcement on Father’s Day, a lot has happened to the Senators' roster. One thing they have not done is replace Tkachuk as a power forward.

Steve Staois insisted at the Season Ticket Holders event earlier this month that the Senators may not have a lot of players who fight, but they are not easy to play against.

Though that may be true, Tkachuk’s absence has left a hole, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. Time will tell if the Senators can forge ahead without that tangible physical element and be successful.

The Senators are not entering the season as Cup contenders. Playoff contenders, maybe. Cup contenders, they are not. Though they are free to prove everyone wrong.

If the Senators were earmarked for greatness this season, it would have behooved them to address the captaincy sooner rather than later, as teams with a murky leadership structure generally don’t win the Cup.

Perhaps this takes the pressure off naming a captain and allows the selection to be identified organically.

Perhaps the right person will emerge during the season. No rules exist preventing teams from naming mid-season captains. Alexander Ovechkin and Eric Staal are just a couple of players who have.

The only thing that is clear about the Senators' captaincy situation is that there is no clear-cut choice. There are many attractive candidates, but no one has taken the reins yet.

The Senators can’t be wrong about who gets the next captaincy.

If they aren’t 100% sure who should get it, then no one should.

By Pat Maguire
The Hockey News

Sens Rewind: 15 Years Later, A Look Back At The Senators' Rebuild That Wasn't With the Senators moving out some key players and not doing a lot to replace them, hopes weren't particularly high entering their 2011 training camp.

The time has finally come for Behind the Steel Curtain’s most prestigious tradition: The Isaac Redman Award.

Now over a decade old (and with its own section on Wikipedia), the award, in the words of former BTSC editor Neal Coolong, is to be given to “the unheralded Steelers player who came from the furthest reaches of obscurity to reach general heightened fame and appeal among Steelers fans.”

As originally stated in that 2014 article, the basic rules are as follows:

Eligibility

• Player must not be a draft pick higher than the sixth round
• Player can only have participated in two other training camps prior to this one
• Player demonstrated frequent references in comments regarding the likelihood of significant playing time in the coming year
• Weight of general fan sentiment leans towards the player being a “diamond in the rough”
• Player does not have to make the team in the year of his nomination to qualify (this isn’t meant to be included in 53-man roster discussion)

Staff nominations

Ryan Parish: This year, it was between two rookies for me: Gabe Rubio and Robert Spears-Jennings. Both impressed, but I’m going to give the nod to Rubio. In three games, the young nose tackle racked up six solo tackles and assisted on six others. He recorded five “Stops” which are plays PFF chart as tackles that produce a negative outcome for the offense. Rubio even managed two pressures the final preseason game against the Bills. There’s an argument that outside of Germie Bernard, he was the rookie with the most impressive preseason performance, which makes him the clear Redman winner on my ballot.

Mike Nicastro: I’ll go off the grid a bit and give my nomination to Lew Nichols, who is a similar player to Isaac Redman in stature — he even won the award last year.

Nichols just keeps on trucking. He led the team in rushing with 87 yards on 20 attempts – good for a 4.35 average.

He also scored a touchdown and probably should have had another if he kept his balance on a great run in their first contest against the Packers.

He isn’t going to necessarily be the belle of any ball, but he deserves some recognition, and possibly a roster spot, for his consistency and relentless approach.

Jarrett Bailey: I’ll give mine to Robert Spears-Jennings. With the depth at safety (or lack thereof) being a big question, the seventh-round pick had a very strong summer in camp and in preseason play. He should get a spot on the 53-man roster.

Joey Bray: It would be a shame if the Pittsburgh kid Eli Heidenreich didn’t get a nomination for the Redman Award. 

Steelers fans rejoiced when the Mt. Lebanon high school alumni was selected 240th overall back in April. Heidenreich’s middle name is versatility, playing wide receiver and running back in college. His awareness and ability in the open field makes him a serious big play threat and giving Mike McCarthy no shortage of ways to use him. 

The Steelers primarily used Heidenreich as a running back throughout the summer. After missing a few weeks in camp with a leg injury, his spot on the 53-man roster doesn’t seem to be a lock. Heidenreich played well in the Steelers preseason finale, scoring a touchdown and getting some run as a return man on special teams. “The Swiss Navy Knife” deserves a spot on the 53-man roster, and potentially a Redman Award victory.

Ryland Bickley: While my vote will almost certainly go to one of Rubio or Spears-Jennings (please convince me which one), I’d be remiss if I didn’t get Will Howard onto this ballot as a former sixth-rounder who dominated preseason talking points even when his on-field performance didn’t always live up to the hype.

Sure, Howard didn’t come from the depths of obscurity as a former National Championship-winning Ohio State quarterback, but he’s built up a fanbase worthy of Redman Award consideration, leading to discussion of the Steelers keeping a whopping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster just to keep Howard from potentially being poached by another team. The point of this award is to recognize August storylines with a bit too much hype, and while Howard still has plenty of time to develop, I’m not sure if another player better encapsulates that sense of preseason overreaction than him.

Other notable eligibles

• DB Devan Boykin
• DL Kevin Jobity Jr.
• TE Lake McRee
• WR Max Hurleman
• DB Doneiko Slaughter
• WR Brandon Smith
• OLB Julius Welschof
• LB Carson Bruener

Vote!

But enough of what the staff wants to say — this is your decision! Vote below in the poll, and if you want to write in an eligible candidate, recs on a comment stating a player’s candidacy will count as votes.

The ballot will stay open through Saturday, with the winner announced before the cutdown deadline on Sunday.

May the best Isaac Redman Award candidate win, joining a storied fraternity that includes the likes of Mike Hilton, Roosevelt Nix, and Tyler Matakevich. And make sure to fill the comment section with civil discourse election propaganda below.

Tonight’s preseason finale between the Jets and the Giants kicks off at 7:30 pm Eastern from MetLife Stadium. Although both teams call MetLife Stadium, this is technically considered a Jets home game.

In the past, only the home team has put on a broadcast. That has changed. Both teams will conduct broadcasts of this game.

The Jets feed will be on WCBS 2. Ian Eagle and Anthony Becht will call the game.

The Giants feed will be on WNBC 4. Bob Papa, Carl Banks, and Phil Simms will be in the broadcast booth. Unlike the Jets, the Giants have an expansive television network broadcasting their preseason contests. The Giants broadcast will also be shown on WNYT 13 in Albany, WSTM 3 in Syracuse, WPNY 11 in Utica, WETM 18 in Elmira, WWTI 50 in Watertown, and WTIC 61 in Hartford. (Jets, can we expand our preseason broadcast map a bit?)

The game can also be streamed. Fans in the New York area can watch the Jets feed of this game online on the official Jets app or newyorkjets.com and the Giants feed on the Giants app and giants.com.

If you are outside the local area, you can stream the game live on NFL+. A separate subscription is required.

Fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland can also stream the game live on newyorkjets.com.

If you cannot catch the game live using any of these methods, NFL Network will reair Jets vs. Giants on Sunday August 30 at 3:00 pm Eastern.

While on his official visit to Xavier, four-star small forward Markus Kerr has decided to commit to Richard Pitino and the Musketeers, his agent Nate Conley told Rivals.

The 6-foot-6 rising senior out of Wellington Sports Academy (FL) considered  Baylor, Maryland, NC State, and Tennessee as his other finalists.

Kerr is ranked as the No. 62 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 16 ranked small forward, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).

This summer on the Nike EYBL Circuit, Kerr averaged 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while playing with Team United.

More on Markus Kerr

Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Kerr for a significant period of time. Here is what he recently had to say about his game:

You really have to lock in on Markus Kerr to understand his value. Over the past 18-plus months, he has never been the top option on his team; however, his ability to consistently find his role within the team construct and thrive has been so intriguing to watch. At Brewster (NH) Academy last season, he played more of an energetic four-man role, not having much run for him, but still able to average 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals while shooting around 48-percent from the field. This summer, with the Team United program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, Kerr played more of a hybrid-forward role, alongside two top-five ranked players, and worked his way into 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 47-percent shooting from the field.

Then you find him with Garner Road in the Adidas 3SSB Championships, and you see Kerr in more of an on-the-ball role. His 3.0 assists per game were second on the team, and given his new spot on the roster, he came off the bench to also average 10.1 points. No matter the situation or the role, Kerr has always found a way to produce and make winning-type plays. A two-way player who is 6-foot-6, with explosive burst and ball skills; there is a lot of intrigue still left in the tank.

The Phinsider Mailbag is back to answer your questions ahead of the Miami Dolphins’ Preseason Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Tonight’s game is the last chance for roster bubble players to show the coaches they deserve a spot on the 53-man roster. It is also the last tune up the Dolphins get before they head into the regular season and start playing games that actually matter.

This week, we asked for your questions and you responded. You asked questions about Miami’s backup quarterback, the importance of preseason results, and the ghost of Joe Philbin hanging over the team. It is time to get into the answers. As we did last week, Marek Brave and I had a round table like discussion to bring you our thoughts to your questions.

---

MB: I’m on record as saying that I don’t believe Miami’s QB2 is currently on the team’s roster. Quinn Ewers has been abysmal outside of Mike McDaniel’s offense — and he wasn’t all that good in that offense either. Cam Miller has gotten slightly better as the preseason has progressed, but he’s got a long way to go. Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to be scouring the waiver wire after cut-down day this Sunday.

KN: I think I am in the “show-me” crowd. Ewers is the backup until the team makes a move. Do I think they will make a move? I am probably 50/50 on that. If this team were in “win-now” mode, I would absolutely be screaming that they have to address the position as soon as possible, but since this team is looking toward the future, rather than a Super Bowl run this year, I do not know if Ewers being the backup actually matters. If the Dolphins are relying on Ewers for any stretch this year, they probably are in the market for a new quarterback in 2027 and an earlier draft choice might be a better option. I want this team to win now, and I am never going to be someone who advocates for a “tank” season, but I also think the Dolphins have to be smart about how they use their already limited salary cap space, and I am not sure a move at quarterback is the one I would make.

---

MB: I don’t give any importance to them at all.

KN: Absolutely agree.

MB: We’ve seen Miami’s starting offense for a single drive this preseason, and they scored a touchdown. Does that mean the Dolphins will be an offensive juggernaut this season? Umm… no. But, I think Malik Willis will be an impressive player, the team will show heart and fight each week, we’ll find out we have the right head coach and GM moving forward, we’ll be happy with our rookie class and we’ll earn the right to have some hope heading into the 2027 season. If you’re expecting much more than that from this team this season, you are probably setting your expectations too high.

KN: I do not think head coach Jeff Hafley has put any time into preparing for the specific games Miami has played this summer. He is more concerned with the players on the roster and their individual and group performance. Even when the Dolphins are getting trounced, the individual player responsibilities and performances are what Hafley is trying to see. Do I want to feel better about the team because they won this weekend? Of course. But I do not think Hafley and the rest of the coaching staff are looking at the scoreboard at all. And, like the question said, everything that happened in these three games will be forgotten as soon as Week 1 starts.

---

KN: We as fans live and die by the week when it comes to the Dolphins. This year for the Dolphins, the weekly results do not matter. They need to grow. Are they looking like a better team in Week 18 than the one that took the field in Week 1? That is the true measure. This team is pieced together with rookies, new free agents, and younger players seeing extended playing time for the first time; they will need time to get everyone on the same page. I expect rookie mistakes – even out of the veterans – early in the season because they are still growing together. I want to see those cleaned up throughout the year and a more competitive product on the field late in the year.

MB: Jeff Hafley has said himself that wins and losses won’t be the measure of success for Miami this season, so it shouldn’t be for Malik Willis either. Hafley wants to see leadership from the QB position. I think Willis has already shown a high level of leadership through the way he speaks with the media, in addition to the way he has taken accountability for getting the offense on the right page during practices and team meetings. Also, I’m a believer in all three rookie wide receivers, so to say there’s a lack of receiving talent without letting those guys attempt to prove themselves in meaningful games is a bit premature for me.

KN: I skipped over that part, but you are right. There is a ton of potential talent on the roster for Miami this year. You do not select 13 players in a single draft and not come away with potential talent. We as fans have to be content with letting them have the time to develop and blossom. We all want immediate results and we are ready to call a player a bust the first time we see him get beaten on the field. This year has to be about patience. The wide receivers have the potential to be stars. Maybe we should let them turn the potential talent into talent.

---

MB: I think he’s more of a practice squad candidate for my money. He’s an intriguing player and someone you want to keep around for sure, but I don’t know if he’s ready to be a primary backup just yet. Maybe he makes the team initially to keep him off of the waiver wire through the first round of claims, but I’m not so sure he’s on the main roster once the regular season kicks off.

KN: I am probably a bit higher on Mulbah than you are. I think he does have a shot at making the roster. He is right on the bubble for me – though in today’s 53-man roster projection, I have him on the wrong side of the cut line. I agree he is a practice squad option, especially since I think he is battling Matthew Butler for one roster spot. But, if he plays well tonight, I could see Miami looking for a way to keep him on the roster.

---

MB: Whoa, whoa, whoa… Calm down. In my opinion, Hafley and Philbin couldn’t be any more different. Don’t judge the new head coach on a mostly meaningless preseason game. The Dolphins lack depth. That’s because the Dolphins lack money. Their highest paid player will be playing AGAINST them in tonight’s preseason finale. Let’s give the new guy a bit of a grace period before we start comparing him to Mr. Queasy himself — this is a rebuild after all.

KN: I am so glad you answered this question first. The only comparison between the two is Green Bay. I have not seen or heard of Hafley walking around at practice picking up trash. Just based on personality alone, I think Hafley seems more like a head coach than Philbin ever did. I also go back to, I do not think Hafley had any interest in trying to scheme to win that game. I think the coaches knew what they wanted to see from the players on the field, and they called the game to get that film, not to win the game. The play calling, player packages, and formations will be different when the games matter. But, like you said, this is a rebuild. The coaches and front office know they are here to clean up a roster and a salary cap that had gotten out of control. There will be growing pains this year, and there will be times when the Dolphins simply cannot matchup to the opponent, but that is the nature of a rebuild.

The New Orleans Saints face the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the 2026 NFL Preseason.  This game is Kellen Moore’s final chance to evaluate talent to round out the 2026 roster, so don’t expect any starters to play any type of significant time.  The certified starters, who have their roster spots locked up, will likely not see any time on the field today as the Saints should be expected to protect their stars for the regular season opener on September 13th.

The Saints will need to use today’s game to decide who will ultimately round out the Week One roster as the regular season is finally upon us.  Here’s to a safe game for both teams, and here’s to the end of another Saints preseason.

Here are your links to follow all of today’s preseason action:

Game time:

Friday, August 28th – 5:00pm PST / 7:00pm CST / 8:00pm EST

Location: 

AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas

Weather Forecast:

80º – Clear (Retractable roof likely to be closed)

TV Broadcasts:

NFL Network (Re-broadcast) – Sunday 8/29 8:00 a.m. CST

WVUE FOX 8 New Orleans (Live)

Featuring: Joel Meyers, Sean Kelley, and Jon Stinchcomb

YouTube TVNFL Sunday Ticket:

Preseason games not included in the package

Radio:

WWL 870AM/105.3FM New Orleans

-Featuring: Mike Hoss, Deuce McAllister, and Steve Geller

New Orleans Saints radio network affiliates can be found here

Dallas Cowboys radio network affiliates can be found here

Online Streaming:

 ESPN Unlimited (Subscription Required)

iOS/Android Streaming:

ESPN Unlimited (Subscription Required) 

Odds: 

Saints +7; Over/Under 49.5

Opponent Blog:

Blogging The Boys

It is Day 16 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

Strap in for Day 16 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the afternoon the Cowboys’ 1990s dynasty first began to feel possible. Dallas went into Soldier Field with a young roster, a backup quarterback and no playoff victory since the 1982 season. But Jimmy Johnson’s team delivered the postseason breakthrough that opened the door to everything that followed. 

Sunday, December 29, 1991 — 12:30 p.m. ET

Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 17, Chicago Bears 13

The Cowboys, having finished 11-5, returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1985. However, Troy Aikman was still recovering from a knee injury, leaving Steve Beuerlein to start against an experienced Chicago team that had also gone 11-5. Despite the Bears producing more yardage throughout the afternoon, Dallas protected the football, created takeaways, and repeatedly stood firm near their own goal line. 

Bill Bates helped create the opening points by forcing Jim Harbaugh to fumble on Chicago’s first possession. Defensive end Tony Hill recovered near midfield, and Ken Willis eventually converted a 27-yard field goal to give Dallas a 3-0 lead. 

Special teams then presented another opportunity. Darrick Brownlow blocked a Bears’ punt, and Ken Norton Jr. recovered at the Chicago 10-yard line. Four plays later, Emmitt Smith scored from one yard out, extending the Cowboys’ advantage to 10-0 during the first quarter. 

Chicago moved the ball effectively, but struggled to convert drives. During the second quarter, they reached the Dallas two-yard line, but Jack Del Rio and Tony Tolbert stopped consecutive rushing attempts, forcing a turnover on downs. Chicago later returned to the two-yard line but settled for Kevin Butler’s 19-yard field goal just before halftime, leaving Dallas ahead 10-3. 

Butler added a 43-yard field goal during the third quarter to reduce the margin to four. Dallas answered with its most important offensive possession of the game, travelling 75 yards in 14 plays. Beuerlein kept the drive alive with two 22-yard completions to Michael Irvin before finding Jay Novacek for a three-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. The methodical response restored a 17-6 lead. 

The Bears continued their relentless pressure in the fourth quarter. Another drive reached the Dallas seven, but Harbaugh’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. However, Chicago eventually scored when Harbaugh connected with Tom Waddle for a six-yard touchdown, cutting the score to 17-13. This gave the Bears one final opportunity to secure the victory. 

Mike Saxon’s 52-yard punt pinned Chicago at its own four-yard line with 1:50 remaining. Three plays later, Bates intercepted Harbaugh at the Bears’ 16, allowing Dallas to run out the clock. The veteran who connected the Landry era to Johnson’s rebuilding project had made the first and final defensive plays that shaped the victory. 

This game belongs on the countdown because it was the moment Dallas’ young core gained postseason credibility. The Cowboys lost heavily at Detroit in the Divisional Round the following week, but the victory in Chicago proved the rebuilding process had reached a new stage.

#Cowboys vs #Bears

1991
NFC Wild Card

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 17, Chicago Bears 13#DallasCowboys                           #NFL
(📽️:@nfl) pic.twitter.com/9QIktvIth3

— Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) August 28, 2026

Interesting Facts About the Game

The victory was Dallas’ first postseason win since defeating Green Bay in the 1982 NFC playoffs.

Countdown to kickoff 

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17

In the final stages of building out their 2026 roster, the Los Angeles Rams took time out to knock off their roommates, the L.A. Chargers, 20-18 in the preseason finale. In perfect Hollywood fashion, the game and roster build was shrouded in mystery, a last-minute plot twist, and a touch of drama.

Mystery still surrounds the fate of Aaron Donald’s return. Just hours before the kickoff, the Rams turned the the table on roster projections by trading running back Jarquez Hunter, in the midst of a heated roster battle, for wide receiver Tutu Atwell, a roster lock. The controversy, amongst fans at least, is that Atwell had spent his first five years in L.A. with more potential than distinction and wasn’t offered a contract after the 2025 season. 

For the Rams newcomers, this roster was gong to be tough to make, there were just a few positions in play. General Manager Les Snead has filled the coffers with players that fit into Head coach Sean McVay’s exacting protocols. The Rams coaching staff has put together a mentally/physically tough squad that plays hard to the whistle. 

While the Charger game had a few watch-worthy individual performances, It appeared that the game had little effect on a roster reset. In fact, it was the few players that didn’t/hardly participate that told the story.

Here’s my final roster reset, an opening 53 projection (players in bold), a 17-man practice squad (PS), and individual snap counts (in parentheses) from the Rams/Chargers game.

 

Quarterback (3)

Matthew Stafford, Ty Simpson (48), Stetson Bennett

No changes, the only debate is the “official’ naming of QB#2. Simpson looked decisive and sharp on the short throws and it was cool to see Matthew Caldwell (26) get some play time. McVay doesn’t usually give his QB#4 camp arms that much action. 

TRENDING: Ty Simpson’s BEST PASSES from his first preseason in the NFL.

47/60 (78%), 382 passing yards, 3 TD’s, 0 INT’s, 19 FD’s, 109.9 passer rating 😳🎯 pic.twitter.com/lcUZveANt9

— Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) August 28, 2026

Running back (3)

Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Ronnie Rivers

All of the roster battle debate went out the window before kickoff with the trade of Jarquez Hunter.  The Rams do not usually give up on draft picks, unless their just not a fit. I’m going with Dean Conners (38) over Jordan Watwers (36) for a PS berth.

Wide receiver (6)

Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, Tutu Atwell

Welcome home, Tutu. “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

His addition almost assures that both CJ Daniels (34) and Brennan Presley (53) are the odd men out. Both are likely destined for the PS. I thought Presley was outstanding throughout the preseason slate, the best of the L.A. receivers. Tyler Scott (42) showed flashes over the preseason, but as is in his past, not near enough to justify a roster spot. Goodbye to Tru Edwards (38) and Alex Bachman (32). 

Tight end (5)

Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Max Klare (41)

No surprises, most fans would agree that this was always going to be the lineup. Mark Redman (24) to the PS for sure and the Rams initial monetary investment in Dan Villari (20) gets him there as well. Rohan Jones (12) only received a handful mop-up offensive reps over three games.

Offensive line (10)

Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon, Beaux Limmer, David Quessenberry, Justin Dedich, Keagan Trost, Dylan McMahon

Throwing in Dylan McMahon as the surprise 10th offensive lineman, he really played solidly in the first two games and got the night off in the finale. RG Austin Blaske, C Wyatt Bowles, LT AJ Arcuri, and RT Bryce Henderson all played every snap, 74. Bill Murray (30) was the fifth starter. In the first two drives, against most of the Chargers first teamer’s, they had their hands full, but over a body of work, all handled themselves quite well. Blake Hance stepped in for Murray.

Tough battle for the PS. As much as I liked Wyatt Bowles effort and C/G versatility, the combination of AJ Arcuri, Austin Blaske and Bill Murray offers the Rams comprehensive versatility insurance.

Special teams (3)

Ethan Evans, Harrison Mevis, Joe Cardona

No need to worry about the specialists, all three are solid. Again, double-teaming the gunner’s on punt returns, could really open things up. Upgrade onkick coverage? Well, fans will believe it when they see it.

What a beaut from @ethanevans 🤩

📺 @CBSLosAngeles | 📲 https://t.co/R5m5kJYWYipic.twitter.com/Oy7kp5nRIB

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 28, 2026

Defensive line (5)

Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton

The defensive interior, as a whole, has not played well in preseason. Bill Norton (30) has led the way, he’s tough to move, but doesn’t get much push. Tim Keenan (24) needs plenty of seasoning. Larrell Murchison (26) looks to be near the end. Although Payton Zdroik (27) and Jaxson Moi (27) both looked to have improved over three games, neither are ready to contend with higher grade competition.

Edge (5)

Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson, Wesley Bailey (2)

The biggest recipient of the defensive line’s ho-hum play will be Bailey. I think the Rams will want to protect him, he strikes me as the only player at the bottom of the roster that would not clear waivers. Darryl Peterson (42) improved incrementally over his three outings and wins a PS role. Latecomers Tomon Fox (45) and Devean Deal (23) were always here as camp bodies.

Darryl Peterson has been going crazy… someone to look at during final cuts 👀 possibly a practice squad player. pic.twitter.com/964EkMKBFQ

— Rams Tapes 🇵🇷 (@RamsTapes) August 28, 2026

Off-ball linebacker (4)

Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Shaun Dolac, Grant Stuard

Another position where the end result was never in doubt. Nikhai Hill-Green (49) got in a lot of work over three games and while not outstanding, showed enough for a PS berth. Elias Neal (21) is cut from the same cloth, a good guy to have on the practice squad. Monty Rice (26) was added just for preseason games.

Safety (5)

Kamren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough, Nick Andersen (8)

I’m going to stay with Andersen (8) making the 53. He appears to be from the Rams toughness/effort/IQ mold and played generally well. Nate Valcarcel (42) doesn’t justify a opening roster bid, but is a good prospect for the PS. Alex Cook (49) could challenge for the PS, but doesn’t have as much growth potential. Coaches love Tanner Ingle (29) for his hustle and work ethic, but he still struggles to take good angles.

Cornerback (4)

Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes, Josh Wallace

The Rams got Cam Lampkin (36) plenty of work both outside and in the slot, but I’m not sure his preseason play was enough to crack the billet. AZ Hamilton (44) had some flashes and will get development work on the practice squad. Didn’t see enough consistency from Alex Johnson (17) over three games, but he could sneak onto the PS. Nyzier Fourqurean (39) is in the same boat. Steven Gilmore (10) mopped up.

Practice squad (17)

RB Dean Conners

WR Brennan Presley

WR CJ Daniels

TE Mark Redman

TE Dan Villari

OL Austin Blaske

OL Bill Murray

OL AJ Arcuri

DL Tim Keenan

DL Bill Norton

E Darryl Peterson

LB Nikhai Hill-Green

LB Elias Neal

S Nate Valcarcel

CB Cam Lampkin

CB AZ Hamilton

P Jack Bouwmeester (Exchange)

The AD effect and final roster thoughts

If the Rams do come to terms and activate Aaron Donald by Monday, I would guess that edge Wesley Bailey becomes the odd man out. Bailey does strike me as the likely most sought after of the Rams final cuts and could therefore be snapped up, but 9 of 10 Rams fans would prefer Donald back in horns over a youngster who still needs a lot of development work.

The opening roster may be in line for a couple of tweaks before the opener with the 49ers, depending on a few outcomes. Fans are still in the dark about about possible suspensions to Alaric Jackson and Puka Nacua, while the severity of Keagan Trust’s hamstring also needs adjudication. And of course, the Rams Pro Personnel Department will be scouring the waiver wire and practice squads, when set, for any possible poach candidates the braintrust favors.

Tell the forum about your opening roster thoughts! 

The New England Patriots officially traded wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans this week, receiving safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028th seventh-round draft pick in return.

Boutte’s departure comes after a long offseason full of speculation over his future.

The 24-year old requested a trade this past spring as he enters a contract year and was set to see both his playing time and production dip after the Patriots upgraded their wide receiver depth chart with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Mike Vrabel even revealed Boutte would have been inactive during the season, barring injuries.

As New England’s wide receiver room remained deep even beyond Brown and Doubs, the decision was made to move off of Boutte, who never eclipsed the 600-yard mark, to add depth elsewhere on the roster and open up more opportunities for players like Kyle Williams.

But for a Patriots team that remains Super Bowl hopeful — where they currently are tied with the fifth-highest odds on FanDuel Sportsbook to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season — many believed the team should have kept the pass catcher, who has strong chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye.

That is why in the results of the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 30% of participants voted the trade as a neutral C.

Much of comment section agreed, largely do to what was viewed as a minimal return:

SlotMachinePlayer

The grade for this draft depends on two things:

1. Brown staying healthy, since Boutte was the guy most likely to fill that role if he’s hurt.
2. Reed turning into a useful depth player; something Boutte was.

The draft pick was meh. Could have likely gotten a higher comp pick if Boutte went elsewhere at the end of the year. Looking like a D right now, since safety wasn’t a position of need, and Reed didn’t play much.

PatriotPapa

C. Should have gotten a much higher draft pick beyond the 1-for-1 player trade. Patriots had Houston needing to make the trade having just lost Jayden Higgins with torn ACL. Getting much needed help in run defense was a solid move, but a higher draft pick IN 2027 should have been demanded.

For Pats Sake

F-
Patriots got fleeced.
Should have been for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2027 3rd or 4th Round Pick.
Instead we got a freaking 2028 7th and a player that has not been as productive as Boutte.

Sportsbozo52

I think they got what they wanted. A viable player and a 28 draft choice. Boutte will do well in Texas. May he continue to grow! I am a fan of his and will remain a fan of his, just not when he plays the Patriots. I don’t know much about Jaylin Reed, let’s hope he sticks with the Patriots and can be a contributor for the upcoming season.

new_phal3123

I think C+ in the sense that it’s just right down the middle. It’s the reality of the market for that type of WR. I think Boutte is a valuable player but in his role with 1 year left, there’s just not a huge market. The plus comes from getting an immediate contributor rather than just a future day 3 pick.

Todger

Thirty two teams could be looking for a replacement WR, due to a season ending injury, within one week of the season start

All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:

Some were in favor of the trade, as 5% of voters graded the move as an A with 24% giving the deal a B. That may have to do with the potential of Jaylen Reed taking on a larger defensive role in New England and becoming the third safety the team was looking for to pair with Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.

Most fans were on the opposite end of the spectrum, however, as 16% of voters grading the trade as a F with another 25% awarding it a D.

Following the move, the Houston Texans are now tied with the Patriots in Super Bowl odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. According to executive vice president of player personal Eliot Wolf, the Patriots were not worried about sending Boutte to a fellow AFC contender.

“No, there was no concern about that, and I don’t think there was any concern for them to send us a safety that we think can play,” Wolf said.

The Seattle Seahawks are just hours away from their preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs. Once Friday night is over, they’ll have until Sunday afternoon to cut their 90-man roster down to an initial 53 players for the regular season.

To get you up to speed on the state of Seattle’s roster, this is a final unofficial depth chart check for August. In fact, it’s so unofficial that the flip card for the Chiefs game is already obsolete. Chris Paul Jr was waived with an injury designation, so he’s off the linebacker depth chart, while offensive tackle Kellen Diesch has joined the team as a waiver wire claim. We’ll still roll with it because it’s 97.8% accurate in terms of players who are on the team.

Seattle Seahawks offense

Irv Charles being that high up the unofficial depth chart seems a bit odd. He’s never had an NFL target in four seasons and was brought in for special teams, but he’s put up a whopping zero preseason snaps. I’d consider Foster to be higher up the ladder despite how this reads.

With Mason Richman on IR, it’ll be interesting to see if Bryce Cabeldue really is the go-to at left guard for the Chiefs game over Beau Stephens, who had been with the third-team in preseason alongside Cabeldue. When Richman went down, Cabeldue took Mason’s left guard snaps.

Zach Charbonnet is obviously at the back-end of the depth chart for injury reasons and will go on regular season PUP by the end of this weekend.

The aforementioned Diesch is listed as a tackle and would be at the back-end, much like the recently signed Derrick Graham.

Seattle Seahawks defense

We obviously have to cross out Paul, although it doesn’t change much regarding Smith and Echols’ respective statuses. If nothing else, absent Julian Neal, almost all of the defensive depth chart is pretty much how it’s actually played out in preseason.

Incidentally, similar to Charbonnet, Emmanwori’s injury has him deceivingly at the back of the chart even though he’s not even on PUP anymore. He also cannot go back on PUP, and unless his ankle surgery recovery had some sort of setback I can’t envision him starting the regular season on IR.

Seattle Seahawks special teams

Cody White has been the main kick returner in preseason alongside Emmanuel Henderson. He’s also had punt return duties but I imagine in the regular season it will just be Shaheed and Horton (whenever Tory is back from his mysterious injury).