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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

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.

Highlights

Picked off! pic.twitter.com/h4IUhrajrl

— SNY Jets (@snyjets) August 28, 2026

Chip Trayanum punches it in! pic.twitter.com/bx9oSSs2bv

— SNY Jets (@snyjets) August 28, 2026

Tyrone Tracy Jr. for 6! pic.twitter.com/K8GJM6ZDcU

— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) August 29, 2026

What's next

The Jets and Giants begin their 2026-27 campaigns on Sept. 13.

Gang Green will head to Nashville, Tenn., to take on the Titans at 1 p.m. while Big Blue hosts the Cowboys in a primetime matchup at 8:20 p.m.

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.

If you sat down to watch the third Texans’ preseason game and watched the entire thing, you get nothing but respect from me. Because this game was just difficult to watch. No starters played, as was expected because who wants to put starters at risk for a meaningless game, but there were things that we could learn from the game.

First of all, the offensive line cannot afford a single injury this season. Not a one. Because the depth behind the Texans line is upsetting. The backups, in the first drive of the game, surrendered two sacks of Davis Mills. That was the opening drive when our backups should have been up for the game getting completely pants’d by future grocery stockers.

While it might not be enough to get him a spot on the roster, Sabastian Harsh had the game of his life, racking up three tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection on the day. He might make the practice squad based on that performance.

Beyond that, it was a snooze for most of the game. Neither team scored a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter of the game. It was a bad, boring game that we had to get through to watch real football. And now we are clear for the regular season.

The Houston Texans’ season starts Sunday September 6 at noon CDT against the Buffalo Bills. We’ll see you then!

Rookie cornerback Tacario Davis was taken in the third round of the NFL Draft this season. It was a bit earlier than some experts anticipated, but the measurables were simply so rare to find.

At 6’4 and a hair under 195 lbs., you simply do not find guys at that size who can play corner every year, and it’s something the Cincinnati Bengals needed more of.

So, it’s good to see he does have some pretty good ball skills, which we saw in Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, turning a pass that went through the receiver’s hands into an interception.

Bobo said no-no.#CINatPHI on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/w10BmAHb0B

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 29, 2026

This play is exactly what you want to see from your corners. Making a play on the ball in a split second that shouldn’t be there. He even had a little wiggle there on the return.

This also came after Davis had a beautiful deflection on the first drive of the game. The commentators said he is playing in this game because the coaches want to see him get more reps. They plan on deploying him in certain packages to use his size on bigger receivers.

For those that remember Tre Flowers who had a short stint with the team during their run to the Super Bowl. He was used against the talented tight ends that are such matchup nightmares for defenses. Davis may be used in a similar fashion early in his career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars closed out the preseason on a high note Friday night, turning in a dominant performance from their depth players in a convincing showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jacksonville’s defense controlled the game throughout, consistently making plays and giving the younger players an opportunity to make their case for roster spots. Several players made sure their performances would be difficult to overlook, with the defense and special teams taking the spotlight in the shutout performance featuring 5 sacks, a takeaway, no first downs surrendered after halftime, and Tampa going 2 of 12 on third down on the day.

Here’s everything you need to know from Jacksonville’s 2026 Week 2 preseason 19-0 victory over the Buccaneers.

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Game Recap

With both the Jaguars and the Buccaneers sitting the majority of starters following a week of two joint practices, Friday’s matchup was about the depth players locking in roster spots. While QB Nick Mullens’ role on the roster was never truly in jeopardy, he played his two first-quarter drives like a man fighting for something. Following last week’s 6/7, 65-yard performance, Mullens’ day wrapped with a similar 5/7 for 62 yards and a 98.5 passer rating against Tampa. While both drives ended with no points, the offense showed multiple explosive plays and three total first downs prior to punting.

One of those explosives came courtesy of Jacksonville’s stacked tight end room. Hunter Long completed his two longest receptions of the preseason on the opening two drives of the game. On the first, he rumbled down the right sideline on a 34-yard catch-and-run, then brought in a 13-yard catch in traffic before taking a hit that temporarily sent him to the medical tent in the first quarter.

Da Long way#TBvsJAX on FOX30 pic.twitter.com/zDvIHJSDQF

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 28, 2026

On defense, second-year defensive end Jalen McLeod had a busy opening half with seven tackles, including a tackle for loss while in coverage, and a quarterback hit.

Meanwhile, undrafted free agent defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. heard his name called early and often in this one with a tackle (1-yard gain), a pass deflection, two sacks, and a quarterback hit that initially looked to be a Jalen Huskey fumble returned for a touchdown. However, replay later overturned the fumble, crediting BTJ only with the quarterback pressure and hit. It was a major performance by BTJ, in his final offseason opportunity to audition for the roster.

Thomas Jr.

BRYAN Thomas Jr. 🍸#TBvsJAX on FOX30 https://t.co/lv4FJk7wo1pic.twitter.com/9znNgxJ1UO

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 29, 2026

In the secondary, the roster battle between Jabbar Muhammad and Christian Braswell may be a photo finish. Both players ended Friday with similar days, as both had two tackles, with one being solo. However, Braswell added a first-half pass breakup that was nearly intercepted by Muhammad, while Muhammad made a splash on special teams with his solo tackle coming on the punt team. With the roster cut-down taking place on Sunday at 4:00 pm, this competition will be one to watch, with two deserving players potentially vying for one role.

Biggest play(s) of the game:

Cam Little drilling a 61-yard kick turns what most consider a long attempt into an extra point.

Cam Little making a 61-yard FG look easy 😮‍💨

Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/EzUJqzox6r

— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2026

Favorite highlight:

Anytime you can get a coach’s raw emotion, live and in the moment, it’s a great highlight.

Come for @fbthomas5's second sack, stay for Coach Coen's "Let's go!" 🥹#TBvsJAX on FOX30 pic.twitter.com/cBIcrMdBDq

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 29, 2026

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Notable performances:

• QB Nick Mullens: 5/7 for 62-yards (8.9 avg), for a 98.5 passer rating
• TE Hunter Long: 2 receptions on 2 targets (23.5 avg), with a long of 34-yards
• WR Austin Trammel: 3 receptions on 5 targets (12.0 avg), with a long of 23-yards
• WR Michael Wortham: 4 punt returns with a 27.3 avg and a 63-yard return touchdown, plus 3 receptions for 47-yards (15.7 avg) on 4 targets
• LB Jalen McLeod: 7 tackles, 1 solo, 1 TFL, and 1 QB hit
• DE Bryan Thomas Jr: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, and 4 QB hits

View the full box score here

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Game balls:

• Offense: QB Nick Mullens: 5/7 for 62-yards (8.9 avg), for a 98.5 passer rating
• Defense: Bryan Thomas Jr: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, and 4 QB hits
• Special Teams: WR Michael Wortham: 4 punt returns with a 27.3 avg and a 63-yard return touchdown

Michael Wortham takes this 63-yard punt return TO THE HOUSE 🏠

Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/wkUjxEOIcp

— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2026

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Live blog:

Catch up on all the big plays and best moments from Saturday’s game in our live blog!

What are your notables from Saturday’s game, Jaguars fans? Who surprised you most or disappointed you with their play? Let us know in the comments.

First Quarter

If you thought a game in the rain featuring no starters was going to be a slog to watch offensively, you were right. Though there were moments to enjoy from a defensive perspective.

Trevis Gipson and Trevin Wallace each registered a sack to force a punt on the Texans’ first drive. The offense didn’t do anything and punted right back, but the defense got the ball right back with an interception by Lathan Ransom that was aided by more good pressure up front.

The Panthers at least got a couple of first downs on their next drive, but Kenny Pickett wasn’t able to find anyone on a 4th and 4 and the Panthers turned the ball over. DeVonta Smith broke up a couple of passes to get the ball back to the home team.

Pickett found Ja’seem Reed over the middle for a 17 yard gain as the first quarter came to a close.

Second Quarter

A false start by John Metchie III put the Panthers behind the sticks, and they couldn’t catch up. A Sam Martin punt downed the Texans at the 10.

The defense held up again and forced another punt. Kyle Trask checked in at quarterback and promptly through a very poor interception. That gave the Texans the ball in scoring range, so they were able to put a field goal on the board despite another stop by the defense.

The Trask-led offense picked up one first down before punting once again, but the defense got the ball back a couple plays later after a botched exchange was picked up by Cam Gill. Just like with the Texans, the offense couldn’t punch it in and settled for a field goal.

The Texans put together a decent drive in the two minute, but Brett Rypien overthrew a receiver and had his pass intercepted by Cam Miller. Trask strung together a couple of nice passes to get the Panthers into field goal range, where Ryan Fitzgerald knocked in his second kick of the night.

Third Quarter

The Panthers got the ball first and Ja’Seem Reed caught another 20 yard pass from Trask to get the offense moving. The drive stalled at midfield, and Sam Martin punted away. The Texans muffed the punt and recovered it inside their own five, but it was all moot as a flag for too many players on the field gave the Panthers a first down. Jimmy Horn Jr. had a nice run on a screen pass, but it was called back. Still, Trask was able to connect on a couple of passes to keep the drive alive into the red zone, though it wouldn’t make it to the end zone. Ryan Fitzgerald field goal number three put the Panthers up 9-3.

The Texans responded with a field goal drive of their own. There weren’t any explosives, but they nickel and dimed their way to a field goal to make it 9-6.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter with a couple of quick passes to move the Panthers out past midfield. Trask seemed to have found a rhythm and was delivering his passes on time and on target. He worked the team into the red zone, then Miles Davis picked up a hard two yards on a 4th and 2. On the next play, he battered his was through the defense for what was almost a 10 yard touchdown. A review took the touchdown off the board. It took a couple more tries, but Davis eventually got his touchdown.

The Texans marched back down the field in response as they went into chase mode. They picked up a bunch of small gains and capped off the drive with a touchdown to Zay Jones.
The Panthers couldn’t put together a drive to clinch the game and had to punt back to the Texans with a little over two minutes to play.

It looked like the defense had done their job and gotten off the field with a fourth down interception, but the game was extended by a pass interference penalty. All that did was gave the Panthers a chance to rack up two more violent sacks from Elijah Garcia and Jeremiah Moon. The latter jarred the ball free, and Cam Gill pounced on it for his second fumble recovery of the game.

Overview

There’s not a whole lot to glean from a preseason game in which none of the starters played, but the defense showed out and a number of players put plays on film that are going to have the coaches talking.

Rosters have to be finalized by Sunday, and then the regular season kicks off two weeks later.