The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six, with the trade of Jordan Greenway to Chicago.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
Forward Rickard Rakell, similar to teammate Bryan Rust, was expected to be a trade commodity last season, but the Pittsburgh Penguins unexpected run to the playoffs nixed that plan. This season, many are expecting the Pens to compete for the playoffs again, but with veterans Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson another year older, GM Kyle Dubas could become a seller closer to the trade deadline if Pittsburgh falls behind in the playoff race.
Rakell was acquired as a deadline addition in 2022 from Anaheim, and except for a subpar season in 2023-24, has scored 20 or more goals each season in the Steel City. After scoring a career-high 35 goals in 2025, the 33-year-old Swede notched 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists) in just 60 games.
As with Rust, Rakell is an enticing option for Kekalainen since he would not be a rental (with two years left at $5 million AAV entering the season), but unlike his teammate, he has an eight-team no-trade clause for the rest of his contract. Dubas would likely be looking for young prospects in a trade since the Penguins are attempting to reset while keeping their aging veterans.
Buffalo has enough in their prospect pipeline to acquire Rakell, but his availability likely would not be until the All-Star break, when it is firmly ascertained whether the Pens are in the playoff mix or not.
Give team president Tim Connelly and the brain trust in Minnesota credit: They realized that the road they had gone down, a road that took them to consecutive Western Conference Finals, had reached a dead end. They made a U-turn and reshaped the roster this summer. Dramatically.
The Timberwolves that take the court in October will be radically overhauled in style and key personnel from just a season ago. Check out this likely starting five:
LaMelo Ball. Anthony Edwards. Jonathan Kuminga. Jaden McDaniels. Rudy Gobert.
It's a roster a lot of fans — not just in Minnesota — are excited about. LaMelo Ball next to an MVP-level two guard in Edwards could be dynamic. Fans believe in the potential of Jonathan Kuminga — and so do the Timberwolves, who struggled to slow him in a 2025 playoff series against the Warriors. Rudy Gobert is still a defensive force in the paint.
But are the Timberwolves really improved? Or just different?
Questions Minnesota must answer
That high-profile starting five comes with a lot of questions:
• Ball and Kuminga are immensely talented, and both have frustrated coaches and teammates in previous stops by not playing within the system and doing too much on their own.
• Kuminga took less money this season with a shorter deal so he could get back on the free agent market as soon as next season and get the payday he feels he deserves (which was not out there for him this summer). The Timberwolves need his athleticism at the four, but they also need him to play within the team system. Will he do that, or at times try to put up numbers at the expense of what is best for winning?
• LaMelo Ball is untested in the playoffs. In the play-in games last season, he scored 30 against Miami and hit the game-winner in overtime, but could/should have been ejected for taking Bam Adebayo's leg out, knocking him to the ground and out of the game. In the next play-in game, a loss to Orlando, Ball scored 23 points but on 7-of-17 shooting, had five assists and three turnovers, and was -9 (by far the best +/- of all the Hornet starters).
• With Gobert and Kuminga (and some questions about McDaniels' consistency), is there enough shooting?
• Ball is a defensive target for other teams. While he is surrounded by other quality defenders (and they can hide him some), can he step up more on that end?
• Edwards, Ball and Kuminga are all guys who prefer to operate with the ball in their hands, breaking guys down, then scoring or setting up the assist. At any moment, two of them have to play off the ball.
Overall, this is a Minnesota team that went from being huge, physical, and relying on defense, with hopefully just enough offense, to a much more dynamic offensive team but without the same depth and at least some questions about fit and defense.
Fans are excited about this team, but after talking to people in league circles over the past couple of months, there is plenty of skepticism. There is doubt Minnesota really improved after last season's 49 wins and second-round exit.
In the West, the Thunder and Spurs are the proven powerhouses we know will be elite. Then comes a group of four teams with a lot of potential but also a lot of questions: The Timberwolves, the Lakers, the Rockets and the Nuggets. Teams that are going to be good, but just how good? Can one of them break out and join the upper tier?
If the pieces fit...
Connelly and the Timberwolves front office gambled big on all those changes, but saw it as a bet worth making because more of the same wasn't going to work (and could have led to an increasingly frustrated Edwards, who is extension-eligible next summer).
Sometimes big bets pay off.
An Edwards and Ball backcourt has the potential to be one of the best in the league, a high-octane offensive engine that drives a lot of wins. Kuminga may thrive as an athletic four in the role Chris Finch and the Timberwolves lay out for him. Defense and shooting may be questions we wondered why we asked about in the first place.
If Connelly's bet pays off, if all the puzzle pieces fit together, this is at worst the third-best team in the West and one that is a threat to the existing powers in Oklahoma City and San Antonio. A return to the Western Conference Finals for the third time in four years would absolutely be on the table (and maybe more).
But there are a lot of questions to answer before we get to that point, and don't be surprised if this team stumbles out of the gate a little as everyone tries to settle into their roles.
Ultimately, the fans may be right — this team is going to produce highlights and should rack up a lot of wins. But are they contenders? Did they improve? Color me and a lot of people skeptical.
Either way, there may be no more must-watch team in the league this season than Minnesota.
The Dolphins have been mired in mediocrity in recent years.
But with a new General Manager in Jon-Eric Sullivan and a new head coach in Jeff Hafley, the team’s path back to prominence may be a long one.
Hafley admitted as much in an interview with Stephen A. Smith that was released this week.
“Success is not gonna be measured in wins and losses this year — and I know nobody wants to hear that,” Hafley said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I want to see where we end and how far we can take this thing, and how much we develop these players ... Success for me is gonna be we go on that field and we play so hard that even you turn it on and say, 'man those guys are flying around.'
"I just think this year's so much about developing who we are as a football team, finding the right guys and by the end of the year saying, ‘We've got something real powerful moving forward.’”
The personnel moves the Dolphins have made over the course of the offseason signal that building the club is going to be a process. But getting some Ws along the way will make a difference, showing that Miami is moving in the right direction.
Sean McVay is looking to score with the Rams 2026 opening roster (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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:
Brown staying healthy, since Boutte was the guy most likely to fill that role if he’s hurt.
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.
SAN DIEGO, CA — After three portions completed, it’s come down to the final duo of this Los Angeles Kings series. It is timing that brings us to this point, as it’s the most convoluted and suspect aspect of this franchise going into the new season. It’s a massive reason why I saved it for last, and it’s going to be heavily scrutinized as the season moves along.
Who is the number one center? Easy.
This is the clearest, easiest piece of what is a convoluted puzzle heading into 2026-27. This has been a question despite having a top prospect whose ceiling has become suspect due to inconsistencies, a poor build around him, and a fleeting overarching plan the front office has failed to execute. Quinton Byfield, despite the negative superlatives regarding production, is the number one in Los Angeles. He’s had some ups and downs in LA but has found a floor, not a ceiling, a sign of hope from the franchise’s front office.
He’s broken through and flirted with 50 points over the last three seasons, breaking it twice, coming up short last season with 49. He’s now had two campaigns in the Kings system as a top-six center, boasting 45+ points, and has done so with limited talent on his flanks and a slogged-backed, defensive-grinding system to play under.
He will finally have elite capacity on both flanks, which at even strength will be a major boost to a player who has landed himself over the last season in the upper half of production amongst the league’s forwards (out of 204 forwards who logged 2,600+ minutes over the last three seasons, Byfield is 86th in goals, 55th in assists, 68th in points). Now he hasn’t broken into the top 30, a select group that rebrands itself as elite in even strength production, and for a player that a franchise desperately needs to break through that barrier, there’s cause for concern.
It will be a test that could sink or swim his ceiling moving forward, but his underlying relative analytics represent an excellent defensive player with higher offensive upside who could use new wingers (204 forward grouping, 29th in CF%, 24% in FF, 40th in SF%, 24th in GF%, 29th in SCF%, and 18th in HDGF%).
His production vs. on-ice relative rates suggest a coupling with elite wingers that could drastically boost his output.
What is killing Byfield’s overall production is the lack of points on special teams. He is rapidly heading towards stepping into a role he hasn’t fully been able to carry off yet, mostly spending time rotating between the first and second units, with the ladder being a unit he has anchored. Sinking him further is a sub-50% faceoff percentage that undermines his ability to retain possession on the man-advantage. While it is a niche skill that has its place in hockey and can sometimes be overlooked for certain players, it is absolutely needed on the man advantage and on the penalty kill.
On the penalty kill, he is excellent, with rates that are either elite or nipping away at elite (SA/60, xGA/60, SCA/60, HDCA/60), and some rates are a cause for concern (GA/60, HDGA/60). These last two (GA/60, HDGA/60) are heavily skewed based on the performance on the netminder, as Byfield’s individual relative rates of suppression are fringing upon an elite penalty killer.
Given his excellent baseline for defensive suppression, a clear tarmac for an increased arsenal of EVs offense, and ample opportunity for added production on the man advantage, there is certainly room for optimism for Byfield to firmly take hold of being the team’s number one center.
Now then, that’s the vision of the front office. If that 50-point production benchmark is the ceiling with these changes, then boy-oh-boy, the team’s outlook is rather dim. The retirement of franchise legend Anze Kopitar, the trade of Phillip Danault last season, and the wreckage caused by the Pierre Luc Dubois acquisition have left the center positioning in damage control mode. This assessment isn’t just a bird’s-eye view, but something plain and clear during the tenure of General Manager Ken Holland.
The center decisions of Holland sync rather nicely with the discussion of the other part of the ‘center duo’. His moves suggest a path that appears reactive rather than proactive, despite the greater likelihood of a timeframe of knowledge surrounding the decline of Kopitar’s brilliant career. Rob Blake tried to be proactive regarding this very aspect, the center roster column, and it backfired. For the roster under Holland’s reactive heel, it’s realistically a trio, not a duo, that has two insurance policies that carry the weight of unease.
Behind Byfield is a duo in itself and not the duo that comes knocking down any doors. Scott Laughton is a capable shutdown centerman who was acquired in a marginal push towards the playoffs last season, in the wake of the Kevin Fiala injury and Artemi Panarin's cancel-out moment.
Laughton re-upped in the offseason with the Kings and was joined by free agent Erik Haula. Laughton is a respectable defensive depth piece, and Haula, in his prime, was a respectable, speedy offensive depth piece.
Depth pieces. The team needed a top-six center and got depth pieces.
To be clear, there are quantifiable labels attached to each player, but Haula might actually be the better defensive player at this stage of his career, with excellent penalty-killing metrics that bode well for his projected partnership with Joel Armia. For Laughton, at this point, just like most of Laughton’s small tenure in the post-deadline world for the Kings, he is likely to be a faceoff specialist who can handle tough assignments. Both players are excellent in the dot. Out of 204 forwards who have logged 2,600+ minutes in the last three seasons, Laughton is the 37th-best, with Haula at 27th-best.
The fact that these two are holding center spots due to a major departure is entirely out of a Holland playbook, reusing the same play to some extent, filling the void left by Vladislav Gavrikov with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci (Jordan Spence booted for more Brandt Clarke exposure). Now Kopitar retires, and the team does patch work with depth centermen while Byfield gets more exposure. The playbook is clear; it’s just a questionable one, and looking at the recent body of work, both centers under Byfield are not remotely shoe-ins for a 2C slot but rather platoon-type rotation depending on matchups.
The numbers will typically speak for themselves, and so will the actions and actionable words from the General Manager. These words, such as Adrian Kempe being discussed as playing some center, and actions like when the team dipped its toe into unknown waters by deploying Alex Laferriere at center. Both are options per Holland.
Is this patchwork a pivot towards something more grandiose? Because in the interim, this is quite the opposite. Taking the hit to pivot towards something else makes sense, but does the front office really think that way? With the acquisition of Panarin last season, I don’t think this team is in “take a hit to make a play mode”.
Haula may very well end up on the wing, allowing one of their works-in-progress-type centermen in Kempe or Laferriere to step in. But let’s full stop there: A contender isn’t figuring out who to deploy as a 2C. A pretender, maybe, as a platoon of depth players and two wingers-turned-centermen represent a team patching holes in their boat as they gradually sink.
The Kings do not have a center duo. They will rely on their biggest strength, at the wing, to either supplement the issue or at least saddle a Ford Focus with Ferraris on the wings. They have a project in a 1C; they are finally giving the full grace to either take off or fall flat. The Kings will field Kempe, Panarin, Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Trevor Moore, Armia, Corey Perry, and Laferriere on the wing. That’s an impressive group, as we’ve covered in our wings’ duo series, but it will have a single point of failure anchoring it.
That center duo isn’t a thing in LA. What it is is a suspect trio of a team pretending to contend in the now.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 15: Montorie Foster Jr. #87 of the Seattle Seahawks gets set during the second quarter during the NFL preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field on August 15, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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).
The Edmonton Oilers spent much of the summer putting together a roster with enough options to withstand the injuries that inevitably show up over an 82-game season. Of course, they're now dealing with it right now.
Matt Savoie, Mattias Janmark, Frederik Andersen and Alec Regula are all expected to miss training camp next month. Savoie and Andersen were injured during offseason training, while Janmark and Regula are still recovering from medical procedures. Edmonton hasn't provided return dates for any of them. General manager Stan Bowman has since said Savoie will miss some time without expecting his absence to approach half a season, while Andersen is expected to be out longer.
Four injuries before camp opens on Sept. 16 isn't exactly the start Mike Babcock had in mind. It does provide an early answer to one of the questions surrounding Edmonton's roster throughout the summer.
How deep are the Oilers?
We're about to get a decent look.
Savoie played all 82 games last season, finished with 18 goals and 37 points and had worked his way onto Connor McDavid's line late in the year. Over his final 24 regular-season games, Savoie scored nine goals and 19 points. He spent 203 five-on-five minutes with McDavid during that stretch, with Edmonton holding a 13-7 advantage in goals during those minutes.
His absence leaves an opening in the top six. Isaac Howard and Colton Dach, Kasperi Kapanen will be the ones up. Vasily Podkolzin is an established top-six player for this team, and Babcock will have plenty of time during camp to move players around McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Further down the lineup are more problems. Savoie logged more than 132 minutes shorthanded last season, leading Oilers forwards in penalty-killing usage, so Babcock enters camp missing two forwards, including Janmark, who were expected to contribute in that area. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Kapanen, Mathieu Joseph and Josh Samanski are among the other options to take up more minutes on the PK.
Samanski, too, now has a better chance of staying in Edmonton all season. The same applies to Howard and Quinn Hutson.
Bowman mentioned those three when discussing the injuries on Thursday with Mark Spector, along with Eduards Tralmaks and Aku Raty.
That's where the depth Edmonton assembled over the summer starts to matter.
Samanski provel reliable enough in the NHL last season. Howard was already expected to push to stay in the lineup. Dach is ready for a more established role. Mathieu Joseph is another experienced winger, and Jason Dickinson is another veteran who can play defensively and on the penalty kill.
There are actual players available when somebody gets hurt. Edmonton spent plenty of seasons without that luxury.
The concern is where those players are being asked to play. Replacing a fourth-line winger for a few weeks is manageable. Finding somebody to take Savoie's minutes beside McDavid carries different, particularly after the way Savoie finished last season.
It's probably going to be Howard could. He can score and is slightly familiar with it already. A strong camp could force Babcock to keep him around when Savoie returns. Dach has a similar opportunity after spending the summer talking about adding more of Zach Hyman's game to his own. Samanski has a path through the bottom six and penalty kill.
These are the situations teams talk about when they praise their organizational depth. Edmonton has spent time adding players who should be capable of moving into the lineup, and September should prove it that work has paid off.
Of course, goaltending is a little harder to sort out.
Andersen signed with Edmonton on July 1 and was expected to be part of a three-goalie tandem with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi. His absence leaves the bulk of the training-camp workload in Jarry and Levi, and Bowman has indicated Andersen will be given time to recover rather than being pushed back too soon.
Levi's was supposed to give Edmonton another NHL option in goal. That option is already needed before the preseason has started.
Regula's absence won't have the same effect on the opening lineup, although it removes another defenceman from Babcock's camp. He appeared in 29 games for Edmonton last season and gives the organization another injury replacement on the blue line.
The Oilers have spent years looking for enough depth to survive stretches without regulars. Their best players have carried enormous workloads, their bottom six has gone through constant changes and injuries have occasionally exposed how quickly the options thin out once the lineup gets past the regular 12 forwards and six defencemen.
This year's group includes several players sitting outside the obvious opening-night lineup who have played in the NHL or have reasonable expectations of getting there soon. Howard, Samanski and Hutson have better roles available to them. Levi gets more work in goal. Dach should have room to move around the lineup.
Edmonton wanted enough depth to handle injuries without scrambling every time somebody went down. Four players are already unavailable, including a top-six winger and one of the goaltenders brought in this summer.
Training camp hasn't even started, and the depth chart is already moving.
Tarik Skubal returns to Detroit for the first time since being traded at the Deadline to the Dodgers when Los Angeles (80-54) takes on the Tigers (62-71).
While still comfortably in first place in the NL West, the Dodgers head to Motown following a dismal trip to Atlanta. Each game of the three-game series was decided by a single run with the Braves winning all three. They took the series finale 1-0. Chris Sale was brilliant pitching arguably the game of the season in major league baseball. Sale threw a complete game, five-hit shutout. The veteran did not allow a walk and struck out 11 Dodgers. While LA is battling for home field advantage in the playoffs, the Tigers are in a far more dire position following a lost series to the Rays earlier this week. Detroit sits 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot.
Friday marks an emotional homecoming for Skubal (8-7, 2.91 ERA), who won back-to-back Cy Young Awards with Detroit and became the face of the Tigers' rotation before being dealt to Los Angeles. Since joining the Dodgers, he has continued to pitch effectively but short of dominant, posting a 3.38 ERA in his first four starts with the club while striking out 30 batters in 24 innings. Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA) gets the ball for the Tigers. The righthander has lasted five innings and given up three runs in each of his last two starts.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
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The Latest Odds: Dodgers vs. Tigers
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: LA Dodgers (-181), Detroit Tigers (+168)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (-107), Tigers +1.5 (-113)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Dodgers vs. Tigers for August 28
Tigers: Drew Anderson Season Totals: 81.1 IP, 4-5, 4.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 91K, 30 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Dodgers vs. Tigers
Gleyber Torres is 3-10 in his career against Tarik Skubal
In his 4 starts with the Dodgers, Tarik Skubal has struck out 6, 6, 7, and 11 opposing hitters
Drew Anderson has struck out at least 4 hitters in each of his last 3 starts
Freddie Freeman has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-20)
Shohei Ohtani is 3-20 over his last 5 games
Kyle Tucker saw his 3-game hitting streak (3-11) snapped in his last game on Wednesday (0-5)
Max Muncy has 3 HRs and 8 RBI over his last 10 games
Kevin McGonigle is 3-20 over his last 5 games
Spencer Torkelson is just 3-31 over his last 11 games
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Dodgers vs. Tigers
The Dodgers are 54-79 on the Run Line this season
The Tigers are 72-61 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 57 times in Detroit’s 133 games this season (57-70-6)
The OVER has cashed 62 times in LA’s 134 games this season (62-71-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Dodgers vs. Tigers for August 28
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Tigers:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Dodgers on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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Jun 9, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Josh Sweat (10) looks on during minicamp at Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cardinals fans and fans across the country.
The Arizona Cardinals have tried to fix their defense over the last couple of seasons and yet for fans, it is incredibly worrisome.
That is why when we asked what position group are fans most worried about, the overwhelming amount picked a defensive position, with the edge position being the one most are concerned about.
Fans are concerned about the entire front seven of the defense and it makes sense. They were bad last year and they didn’t do much to change things. Yes, Roy Lopez is back, and they added Andrew Billings, Jack Gibbens and Andrew Wingard, but that did not change things for fans.
And of course they did nothing at the edge position, so that makes sense that it is the biggest concern.
It is also interesting that the offensive line, despite heavy investment is still the second biggest concern out of all position groups.
The thing is, I think every team can say this about the offensive line.
Of course when you are seeing the yo-yoing of Jeremiyah Love’s rushing total week-to-week from our friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook, it makes sense that there are concerns. Love’s total plummeted last week to 725.5 yards on the season, and moved back up to 775.5 yards this week. Does the line concern you that much combined with the ankle issue?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 1: CJ Daniels #6 of the Los Angeles Rams runs after the catch during training camp at Loyola Marymount University on August 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ty Simpson again stole headlines in the Los Angeles Rams’ 20-18 win over the Chargers on Thursday night, yet fellow rookie CJ Daniels has earned a chance in the spotlight. Following a second straight promising game, Daniels has seemingly done enough to earn a roster spot, as he’s been one of the Rams’ most consistent wideouts this preseason.
We’ll get into that more shortly, but let’s dive into the good, the bad and the ugly against the Chargers in the preseason finale on Thursday night.
The Good
Ty Simpson has secured the backup position … maybe
Did Simpson secure the backup position? There’s a chance, but Sean McVay is going to take his sweet ass time making a decision.
Sean McVay didn’t commit to a No. 2 QB tonight between Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson. He said he likes what he’s seen out of both and will make the decision after giving it more thought.
The quarterback battle in Los Angeles shouldn’t be a battle at all given what we’ve seen this preseason. Simpson has simply outplayed Stetson Bennett and should be rewarded with the backup role. Why should the Rams put up with mediocrity behind Matthew Stafford? They haven’t put up with average with the rest of the roster.
There’s more on that in a bit. The rookie has truly been sensational this preseason. He didn’t make a single mistake in his three appearances, which is crucial to note. Additionally, he demonstrated high efficiency and poise like someone who has played in this offense for years.
Simpson’s performance in the Chargers game proves he was the team’s option all along, because through three preseason appearances, he already looked more NFL-ready than Bennett has after FOUR SEASONS.
For crying out loud McVay, this shouldn’t be a difficult choice to make. Ride the hot hand and see where it takes you.
Defense did just enough
This was perhaps the defense’s worst showing of the preseason, yet they did what they could to finish on a high note.
Yes, Justin Herbert tore them up early on, and the Chargers’ running game racked up over 200 yards. Outside of Herbert, they remained strong against the pass.
DJ Uiagalelei and Trey Lance were held to a combined 11-of-20 for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Lance had zero completions, so a terrible showing is pretty on brand for him. Both QBs were also sacked four times. The Chargers were also held to a combined 3-of-10 on third- and fourth-down, and 0-for-1 in the red zone.
This preseason, the Rams finished by giving up 30 points in three games, which is really good. They also only allowed two touchdowns in that span, both coming against the Chargers.
It wasn’t the prettiest effort, yet the unit didn’t break and did enough to keep LA in a position to win every game. I can’t say it enough, but if this is how the backups play, imagine how much fun the defense will be once the regular season kicks off.
Best preseason showing in the McVay era
Who says preseason efforts don’t matter? Well, I mean, they don’t, yet an undefeated showing is nothing to sneeze at, as many of the team’s backups got valuable reps.
It goes without saying that this was the best preseason showing in the McVay era, and it’s not remotely close.
The Rams went 2-2 in each of their first three preseason slates with McVay at the helm. They’ve finished close to unbeaten in each of the last two seasons following an 0-3 finish in 2023, which hilariously included a 41-0 loss to the Broncos in Denver.
For a team that regularly doesn’t play its starters during the exhibition series — with McVay usually even handing off his play calling duties — it was refreshing to see effort. Part of what helped was Simpson’s play, which has undoubtedly made this preseason more enjoyable to watch than others.
During the 2021 campaign when LA most recently won the Super Bowl, they also finished 0-3. In all likelihood, that doesn’t mean a darn thing heading into the 2026 season. Either way, it’s still interesting.
The Bad
The CJ Daniels waiting game
Daniels should make the roster. There I said it.
After a quiet start to preseason, Daniels ended the exhibition matches with back-to-back quality games against the Saints and Chargers. In those two games, he had 13 catches for 110 yards on 19 targets. While he didn’t reach the end zone, it shouldn’t matter, as he’s been one of the team’s most consistent receivers the past two weeks.
The only issue is, his efforts might be in vain, which would be deeply unfortunate.
LA trading back for Tutu Atwell before the game certainly complicates things. It shouldn’t, though, because when has this team ever used Atwell correctly, or at all?
Daniels deserves a roster spot due to him being a quality young option who can rack up decent production and be a reliable target. If Atwell’s return is going to cut into another receiver’s reps, why should that be allowed?
Since we know enough about Bennett to know he’s not the guy, shouldn’t the front office have already known Atwell is in a similar spot? We’ve been waiting for Tutu to break out for how many years now? Give his reps to someone more deserving, like Daniels, to see if they can take off and make the most of the opportunities Atwell never could.
The waiting game is maddening while cutdowns happen, and keep your fingers crossed for Daniels. LA might regret it if they let him go to another team and it pans out.
Coaching staff’s management of QBs in a pointless battle
If there’s one gripe I’ve had about preseason — besides the common complaint that it’s pointless — it’s that the Rams completely mismanaged the quarterback situation.
A week ago, we were wondering where Simpson was. This week, we were asking the same about Bennett. Not that I was clamouring to see him attempt to cosplay as an NFL QB, but still.
With Bennett not playing Thursday, does that mean he unofficially locked up the backup job? Were the Rams preserving his health in case they intend to trade him before the season? Has McVay seen enough from him, which again, could be a good or a bad thing? What does it all mean?!
In last week’s Good, Bad and Ugly, I complained that Simpson didn’t play enough against the Saints. Every rep he receives is valuable, and it made zero sense not to have him on the field for longer. We’re already well aware that Bennett isn’t in the team’s long-term (and possibly) short-term future.
The coaching staff playing Simpson longer this week doesn’t make up for his lack of reps against New Orleans. It stole more opportunities to get valuable NFL experience that could significantly benefit him down the road should he earn the backup role.
Regardless of whatever happens, my head still hurts, and I’m off to pop a couple aspirin.
The Ugly
None for the second straight week. The Rams’ backups looked great and ended preseason on a high note. Now, we’re on to the regular season. Bring it on!
There is some positive news on the injury front for the Titans.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is not believed to have suffered a concussion after he was hit during a joint practice with the Bears this week.
While the team will continue to monitor Robinson, the early indications have been positive.
Titans head coach Robert Saleh called out Chicago safety Xavier Woods for what he termed a “cheap” hit.
Woods played for the Titans in 2025 and was released shortly after the club hired Saleh earlier this year.
Robinson, 25, signed a four-year deal with Tennessee in March, reuniting with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who previously served as Giants head coach. A second-round pick in 2022, Robinson appeared in 54 games for New York over his first four seasons. He caught 92 passes for 1,014 yards with four touchdowns in 2025.
On this day 31 years ago, José DeLeón was traded from the White Sox for the second and final time. | Getty Images
1909 In the second inning of the opener of a doubleheader at South Side Park, Washington’s Dolly Gray set two major league records against the White Sox: He walked eight batters in the inning, and seven of them consecutive. Patsy Dougherty led off the inning with a single, and No. 5 hitter Frank Isbell either sacrificed Doughtery to second or made an out (game play-by-play isn’t available). And then, the parade of walks — from No. 6 hitter Lee Tannehill all the way back through the order to Doughtery — began. The White Sox scored six in the inning, all “driven in” with walks.
The second time Doughtery went to bat, with six straight walks already in the books, White Sox manager Billy Sullivan suggested Doughtery leave his bat in the dugout.
The White Sox won, 6-4, with only Doughtery’s single hit. Gray’s one-hitter came with 11 additional walks, so there was still a lot of traffic on the bases!
Interestingly, it marks the third time Doughtery has had the only hit for his team in a game, and it still will happen once more in his career.
The White Sox also won the nightcap, 2-1, walking just twice.
1936 With a 2-for-3 effort in a White Sox win over the Senators, 6-5, Luke Appling set the mark for longest franchise hitting streak, at 23 games. Appling had tapped out 30 hits in those 23 games, batting .337 with a .427 on-base and .888 OPS. The shortstop broke Eddie Collins’ previous mark of 22 games.
Appling would hit safely in four more games, and his 27-game hit streak would remain tops in team annals for 68 years, when Carlos Lee bettered him by one game and set the current team mark of 28.
1938 It was the most grueling stretch of baseball in major league history: A series of rainouts forced the White Sox to play six consecutive doubleheaders on six consecutive days from August 23-28. They played four games against the Yankees in two days, six games against the Red Sox in three days and two games against the Athletics. All were on the road.
For the month, the White Sox had to play 13 doubleheaders! Despite the daunting stretch of games, they finished the month with a record of 16-22 — not bad at all.
1955 In front of a Sunday crowd of 50,990 — 15th-biggest in White Sox/Comiskey Park/Chicago history — the White Sox split a twinbill with the Yankees, losing, 6-1, then triumphing, 3-2. The split kept the 77-51 White Sox a half-game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL, but by their next game, a 7-5 win over Boston on August 30, the South Siders (briefly) returned to first.
1960 Of all the crazy games and things that have happened when the Sox played at Baltimore, this one topped the list. The Sox started the day 2 ½ games behind the Yankees and trailed the O’s 3-0 going into the eighth inning. With two outs, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox and Roy Sievers ripped consecutive singles, scoring a run and putting the tying runs on base. Manager Al Lopez called on Ted Kluszewski to pinch-hit.
Big Klu drilled a pitch from Milt Pappas into the right-field stands for an apparent three-run homer, except for one small thing …
Third base umpire Ed Hurley called time!
Nobody remembered seeing him do it, but he refused to change his call. Fox was ejected in the confrontation afterwards and Lopezplayed the game under protest. Hurley called time right before the pitch to tell Sox players Floyd Robinson and Earl Torgeson that they were warming up in the wrong area. The next day, Hurley was quoted in the newspapers as saying ”I wish to heck I hadn’t called it; I’d gladly take it back …”
The end result was the Sox lost, 3-1, and were now three games behind the Yankees. Kluszewskilater recalled that this game was the one that broke the team’s spirit that season.
1977 In if not the worst, then the shortest start of his career, Wilbur Wood was routed from an eventual 10-1 loss to the Brewers having recorded just one out while falling behind, 4-0. The big blow came on a Comiskey Park roof shot from Sal Bando.
It was the 21st and final “true” home run on the roof, coming before home plate was moved up eight feet, prior to the 1983 season. The final White Sox “true” roof shot had come on June 4, 1977, clubbed by Richie Zisk.
1983 Greg Luzinski completed his “downtown Triple Crown” by blasting a pitch from Boston’s Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd over the Comiskey Park roof in left-center field. It was Luzinski’s third roof shot in 1983, with the others coming against the Twins and Yankees. Greg would have four rooftop home runs in his White Sox career. The Sox took care of Boston on this afternoon, 6-2.
1990 Frank Thomas, who would become the White Sox all-time home run leader, belted his first big-league round tripper. Thomasconnected in the ninth inning of a game at the Metrodome, off of Minnesota’s Gary Wayne. The Sox lost that day, 12-6.
Thomas had 448 home runs in a Sox uniform.
1995 The White Sox swapped pitcher José DeLeón for a second time, on this occasion to the Montreal Expos for Jeff Shaw. Shaw did very little for the White Sox down the stretch, pitching in nine games to a 6.52 ERA and -0.1 WAR. The reliever signed with Cincinnati in the offseason and ended up an ancillary player in getting a franchise icon to the White Sox, as Shaw was swapped to Los Angeles in 1998 for a package including Paul Konerko, who four months later was flipped by the Reds to Chicago.
Unlike this deal, DeLeón had been a part of several big-name swaps in the past: Being acquired from Pittsburgh for Bobby Bonilla, getting traded to St. Louis for Lance Johnson and coming back to Chicago from Philadelphia for Bobby Thigpen.
1998 The White Sox and Rangers combined for 14 home runs in a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, tying the American League mark. The teams hit seven in the first game, seven in the second. Texas and the Sox split the two games on the day.
Tennessee Titans' new head coach Robert Saleh is taking all the time he can get to fine-tune his team ahead of the regular season.
"We're a very, very young football team and we need as many reps as we can possibly get," Saleh told reporters ahead of Saturday’s preseason finale with the Chicago Bears.
Saleh and the Titans are slim 2.5-point home favorites with their starters slotted to play the first half in Week 3 of the preseason. The Bears, on the other hand, will likely sit their first-teamers.
Those mixed motivations are behind my NFL picks and Bears vs. Titans predictions for Aug. 29.
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Who will win Bears vs Titans: Titans -2.5
Kalshi probability: 51%
We often see new head coaches putting a little extra pride in the preseason efforts, especially if they’re navigating a young team. That’s exactly what we have with Saleh and the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans have marched their starters out in the first two games of the exhibition slate — both wins — and intend to do the same at home on Saturday. And while QB1 Cam Ward may see limited time with the first teamers, Tennessee has starting experience behind him with Mitchell Trubisky and Will Levis taking snaps in the second half.
The Chicago Bears may opt to protect their top talents in the preseason finish, especially after a strong showing from the starters in Week 2.
Head coach Ben Johnson hasn’t officially ruled on his rotation as of this writing, but with injuries piling up on the defense, it would make sense to protect the starters and get a long look at defensive options further down the depth chart.
With the starters getting run and more motivation to keep their perfect preseason alive, I’ll lay the short spread with Tennessee at home.
TOP PICK Bears vs Titans Over/Under pick: Over 36.5
Kalshi probability: 50%
Both sides have capable passers down the depth chart, even with Chicago QB1 Caleb Williams most likely in street clothes.
Bears backups Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum, and Miller Moss powered the team to 34 points in a Week 1 preseason squash of Cleveland. That trio combined for 348 yards and three touchdowns. Moss and Keenum followed that with a collective 224 yards passing in relief of Williams in Week 2.
Tennessee shouldn’t have much trouble moving the chains with the starters in play during the opening 30 minutes Saturday, especially with Chicago’s defensive ailments limiting the involvement of their first teams.
The Titans haven’t looked great in their opening two exhibition games, scoring 19 points in both outings while going a collective 10 for 33 on third-down conversions. Those issues also apply to Ward, who is 13-for-24 passing in the preseason for 126 collective yards.
That said, Ward has been much sharper during joint practices (39 for 56) versus opponents’ starters. He’s focusing on improving his timing with the passing offense in this last tune-up game of the summer.
Temperatures are in the high 80s with humidity down to 44% around the 6 p.m. ET kickoff in Nashville. Wind gusts max out at 8 mph (south) and will not have any impact on the action.
How to watch Bears vs Titans
Location
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Date
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Kickoff
6 p.m. ET
TV
WFLD, WKRN
Bears vs Titans latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Jordan Watkins #17 of the San Francisco 49ers signals first down after catching a pass against the Tennessee Titans in the first half at Levi's Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers’ preseason is officially over. The team will make roster decisions. The coaching staff should know by now who will make the team. Realistically, we’re talking about 3-5 spots up for grabs.
Kyle Shanahan said he likes when players make it easy on him. Jacob Cowing did that with an 80+ yard punt return in the second preseason game. De’Zhaun Stribling’s roster spot was never in doubt, but he made an impact in both games.
Defensively, Jack Jones had the ball production the 49ers so desperately covet at cornerback. He gave Raheem Morris confidence during the preseason.
Now that the preseason is over, who surprised you?
Who was the biggest surprise of the preseason for the 49ers?
It’s always fun to read what people-watching practice is saying and then see for yourself how the players perform. In a practice setting, it’s easy to get caught up in one flashy play and ignore what happens on a down-to-down basis. That brings me to my answer. I have two: one pleasant surprise, and one…not so much.
Jordan Watkins is the kind of player who has preseason production in the box score, but once you go under the hood and focus on him, I’m not sure he’s an NFL player. Not for the 49ers, at least.
Football is a violent game. Unfortunately for Watkins, there were too many exposures during the preseason of him either shying away from contact or failing to produce through contact.
If we use the final preseason game as an example, Watkins turtled up on his first kickoff return when he was about to get tackled. He had an opportunity to block a safety, but he waited and was driven back instead of being the aggressor. Then you get into tracking the ball in the air, and you’re left wondering whether Watkins is worth investing in, or if you should listen to the signs he’s telling you and move on.
Kurtis Rourke only played in one game. He’s closer to Mac Jones than Adrian Martinez. It’s too bad that Rourke was banged up, because it would have been fun to see him grow over three weeks with extended reps. The good news is that we saw him drop back 16 times, and that was more than enough to see a quality backup.
Half of Rourke’s completions went for first downs. He was selectively aggressive—which is another reason multiple games would have been fun, to see if Rourke would’ve opened it up even more. Rourke completed all four of his passes beyond 10 yards. The 32-yarder to Stribling on third down was a thing of beauty, and the type of aggressive decision Kyle Shanahan wants at the position.
Rourke handled pressure well, and even avoided a sack. I thought he looked the part and wouldn’t dare think about losing him to waivers.
