Rangers are being “proactive” in seeking a new striker after Youssef Chermiti was ruled out long term, says manager Derek McInnes, who warned defensive injuries have left the club “playing with fire”.

Chermiti, 22, sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Saturday’s defeat by Hibernian, shortly after McInnes confirmed a bid had been rejected for the Portugal Under-21 cap. Galatasaray have been linked with the former Everton player.

A specialist in London will be consulted, with a possible operation next week.

Chermiti is joined on the sidelines by left-back Tuur Rommens, who has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with a groin problem suffered in the same game.

McInnes, whose side will attempt to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit at home to Jagiellonia Bialystok in their Europa League third-round qualifier on Thursday, said of Chermiti: “Obviously, really disappointing for ourselves.

“Selfishly, he’s a big part of what we wanted to do this season and he’s obviously a talented boy.

“For Youssef himself, obviously he’s very young. It’ll be difficult for him to accept and understand what’s happened to him.

“The only saving grace from our point of view as a club is the fact it’s happened in a transfer window and we’ve got the opportunity to react to that.

“The plan was for Youssef to stay in. Obviously it was a big number that was reportedly bid for him. I don’t know exactly what the figure was. Obviously the club rejected that. It’s neither here nor there now, to be honest. It’s done.

“We are obviously looking at maybe strengthening that area of the pitch. We’re trying to be quite proactive with that and seeing what is available. Number nines are normally the most difficult ones to get.”

Lolo Jones is not backing down after a harrowing experience with Team USA.

In February 2025, Jones climbed into a team-issued bobsled at the Olympic training complex in Lake Placid, New York. The U.S. team was testing equipment before the World Championships. The sled accelerated down the ice at speeds approaching 90 mph.

At the bottom of the track, Jones knew something was wrong.

Her lower back burned. She could not bend over. She had lost control of her bladder.

“I’ve never had that happen to me ever in (my) life,” Jones said. “I immediately went up to the athletic trainer and told him what was happening.”

Jones was no inexperienced athlete struggling to read her body. She competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics as a hurdler and the 2014 Winter Olympics as a bobsled brakewoman. She had won world championships in both sports.

She understood pain. This felt different.

Lolo Jones of Team United States poses for a portrait during the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic shoot on Sept. 12, 2021, in Irvine, Calif. (Getty Images for Team USA)

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A trainer arranged a treatment for her, but Jones says the head of sports medicine at the Lake Placid training center canceled it because she had already received treatment that week.

Jones arrived for the appointment without knowing it had been canceled.

She was hurt, frightened and days away from the biggest race of the season. 

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Lolo Jones of the United States looks on after competing in the Women’s 60m Hurdles during the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on February 04, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Then Jones received notice that officials had revoked her access to sports medicine, she says, and a broader ban later kept her out of the Olympic training facility, including its rehabilitation areas, weight room, housing and push track.

The notice said her behavior violated the facility’s code of conduct, she says, but Jones claims officials never identified the specific rule she broke or gave her a formal hearing before imposing the punishment.

According to reporting by the Southern California News Group, Jones and other people familiar with the case said USOPC officials later acknowledged that the approved treatment should not have been canceled. Jones apologized during a meeting before the World Championships.

The restrictions remained.

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“I voiced my frustration that athletes should have medical access,” Jones said. “It just continued to escalate.”

The symptoms Jones described demanded more than a routine massage.

Severe back pain combined with bladder dysfunction can signal compression of the nerves at the base of the spinal cord. 

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons lists urinary incontinence, leg weakness and severe lower-back pain among the warning signs of cauda equina syndrome, a medical emergency that can cause permanent paralysis or loss of bladder control.

Jones says no one at the center examined her, ordered imaging or explained the possible severity of her injury.

Without a diagnosis, she made the decision elite athletes often make. She kept going.

Jones obtained pain medication from her doctor in Louisiana and returned to the sled for the World Championships in Lake Placid. She completed four runs with pilot Elana Meyers Taylor. They finished sixth.

“If someone would’ve told me, ‘Your spinal fluid is leaking out of your back. If that pilot hits a wall, you will be paralyzed,’ there is no way I would’ve gotten back in that bobsled,” Jones said.

After the championships, Jones paid for her own MRI. She says the imaging revealed a herniated disc, another disc bulge, several lumbar tears and a cerebrospinal-fluid leak. She later underwent spinal surgery.

She also paid for rehabilitation, travel and private medical help while she remained barred from the training center. She estimates the injury and its aftermath cost her about $100,000.

For Jones, the cost exposes a larger imbalance inside Olympic sports.

Lolo Jones reacts after competing in the first round of the women’s 100 meter hurdles on Day Eight of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 28, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Many bobsled athletes survive on modest stipends while absorbing significant training and travel expenses. Jones had income from work outside the sport, but she says the bills still devastated her finances.

“I make good money, but I’m not making Michael Phelps money,” she said.

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Jones now argues that Olympic athletes need stronger due-process protections and an affordable way to challenge the institutions that control their medical care, funding and competitive futures. She says the current grievance system costs too much and gives athletes little realistic power against governing bodies.

The experience has also changed how she views the Olympics themselves.

Elana Taylor Meyers and Lolo Jones of the United States compete during heat 1 of the two-woman bobsleigh at the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y., on March 14, 2025. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Jones once imagined that a future daughter might follow her into elite sports. She no longer sees that possibility as a dream.

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“I will not let my daughter be an Olympic athlete,” she said. “She will not be treated like this.”

For more than 20 years, Jones pushed her body for Team USA. She raced through injuries, changed sports and represented the country in both the Summer and Winter Games.

When her body finally forced her to ask for help, she says the system treated her pain as a disciplinary problem.

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“I’ve given so much to Team USA and represented this country as best I can,” Jones said. “And when I needed Team USA back, they absolutely abandoned me.”

In desperate need of new direction (again), the Atlanta Falcons unveiled new uniforms in April, creating a sleek look to match a potentially high-octane offense.

More important will be the new faces that accompany the fire attire.

Owners of the league’s second-longest postseason drought, the Falcons cleaned house after an eighth straight losing season. General manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris and free agent quarterback-bust Kirk Cousins were all dismissed, ushering in a new era in Atlanta.

Replacing Fontenot and Morris were no-brainers for longtime owner Arthur Blank, who picked up Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski to take the reins.

“We found a coach with the right vision, focus and demeanor to lead our team into the future,” Blank said of Stefanski. “He has a great plan for his staff, and he’s learned many things during his stops in Cleveland and Minnesota (as an assistant) that have prepared him for this moment. Our objective is to win games and contend for championships every year and that is where our shared focus will remain.”

While the quarterback battle is still a question mark, there are certainly reasons for Falcons fans to be optimistic. Making a splash in his first offseason in charge, Cunningham inked superstar running back Bijan Robinson to a three-year contract extension worth up to $75 million, solidifying the 24-year-old as the highest-paid rusher in NFL history. The first-team All-Pro had 2,298 yards from scrimmage a year ago, marking the most ever by a Falcon.

Atlanta’s run-game will again anchor the offense after finishing with the league’s eighth-most rushing yards (2,138) in 2025.

Stefanski is no stranger to dominant backs, having coached Nick Chubb in Cleveland and Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. With the addition of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan, there’s no reason why Robinson won’t flourish as the team’s best player.

“The run game is going to be as good as we make it,” Robinson said. “All five of our o-linemen are built to run the football. I’m very happy about it and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to since Bill came in. He’s had a lot of great running backs and he knows how to use them in the right situation. Stefanski and Tommy know how to call it; it’s going to be very exciting.”

Barring an unforeseen injury, running the ball won’t be an issue. Where the Falcons have to win over their fanbase will be under center.

The unprecedented decision to draft injury-plagued Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall just a month after signing Cousins to a $180 million contract in 2024 defined the Fontenot era as a major failure. Cousins’ star fizzled out quickly, while Penix has started just 12 games in two seasons and suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 11 last season.

With Cousins off to Las Vegas, Atlanta signed fellow left-hander Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal in March. While the Falcons still have a month to decide who will take the opening snaps in the season-opener in Pittsburgh, the starter will have a solid receiving corps to fall back on.

Despite having to acclimate with five different quarterbacks – likely to be six when Tagovailoa makes his Atlanta debut – in four pro seasons, Drake London continues to emerge as a true No. 1 wide receiver. The 25-year-old was primed for a career-year before missing five games due to injury a season ago.

London, joined by recently extended tight end Kyle Pitts and rookie third round pick Zachariah Branch, spearheads a unit that should again be among the best in the NFC South.

“I think it makes us feel good that we’re part of something that’s growing and building,” said London, who signed a four-year, $141 million deal in June. “It means they have trust in us. We’re walking in the right direction towards being legendary. It’s cool to have (the extension), but there’s work to do and we’re focused on that.”

What should give Falcons fans the most optimism heading into 2026 is what lies ahead on the schedule – and the recent trend that’s on their side.

It’s no ‘hot take’ to label the NFC South as one of, if not the easiest, divisions in the league. And it’s been that way for a while.

Of the last four division winners, the 2024 Buccaneers (10-7) were the only team to reach double-digit victories. As woeful as the Falcons have been across that stretch, they’ve finished two games out of first or closer in each of those seasons.

A division that’s perennially up for grabs, paired with the fourth-easiest 2026 schedule based on opponent win percentage (.465), a new front office, coaching staff and a returning core ready to put points on the board – there’s reason for hope in Atlanta.

FIFA has issued a statement defending its president, Gianni Infantino, against what it calls a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine his leadership of the organization.

The statement was released Saturday, a day after a report by British newspaper The Daily Telegraph raising questions about an exit package paid by UEFA to a female staffer who worked with Infantino when he was general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.

UEFA confirmed that a “departure payment” was made to the employee and said it was “in line” with regulations at the time.

Infantino worked at UEFA for 16 years before being elected FIFA president.

In the statement Saturday, FIFA accused Infantino’s critics of trying to weaken his authority and remove him from office without due process.

“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its president,” the FIFA statement said. “Those who do not have the support of FIFA’s member associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through FIFA’s established democratic processes.” 

 
It said some reporting has included “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” which shouldn’t be presented as fact.

“Change inevitably challenges established interests, but disagreement with that change cannot justify efforts to undermine the democratic mandate of FIFA’s president or the institution he was elected to lead.” 
Infantino faced intense backlash after details of his plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity were published. UEFA and two other continental confederations – North America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation – rejected the plan.

He did receive backing from FIFA’s management board last Wednesday following a meeting in Morocco, and he apologized over the process. UEFA’s threat to have its 55 member countries boycott FIFA competitions until the plan was scrapped remained, with UEFA saying Thursday that the announcement “changes nothing.” 
While confirming the exit payment “was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time,” UEFA said the rules had been tightened since 2016 and currently “reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organization.

Just about every player enters training camp saying they’ve never felt better and they’re in the best shape of their life. In the case of Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, seeing is believing. 

Mateer turned heads over the summer at the Manning Passing Academy in late June for a noticeably more muscular physique. He kept the conversation going by posting multiple shirtless pictures on Instagram: 

There was chatter in social media circles, Reddit — “is that kind of muscle good for throwing?” — and on a few podcasts that Mateer’s strapping physique would affect the fluidity and mobility of his throwing motion. 

“Is John Mateer too jacked?” Tom Fornelli asked, perhaps with a scoop of sarcasm. “I don’t know if I want my QB being too big … I’m not trying to get a body-builder quarterback. When you’re that big, you’re too tight. How are you supposed to unleash a throw down the seam with that — he’s got his pecs getting in the way!” 

Below is our attempt to discern whether bulking up could have any impact on how Mateer will steer the Sooners offense through the air. 

We asked an expert  

Mateer had an up-and-down 2025 season marred by a hand injury suffered in a late September game against Auburn. He returned in time to face Texas in the Red River Rivalry but was a diminished version of himself as a passer for most of the rest of the season until late in the year.

In the offseason, he began working out with his offensive linemen and has put on anywhere from five to 10 pounds. He enters fall camp at a listed 224. Oklahoma did not respond to a request to speak to Mateer, his QB coach or the Sooners’ strength and conditioning coordinator. 

Pat Powers is throwing out any theory that Mateer added bad muscle this summer. 

A former Northern Illinois football analytics staffer, high school football assistant coach and sports science researcher for Driveline Baseball and the NFL, Powers says from a kinematic perspective the concept of Mateer’s bulk inhibiting his ability as a passer could not be further from the truth. 

“Yeah, that’s false,” Powers said. “Basketball is a good example where if you see guys say lifting is going to make you less flexible, it’s completely untrue. It doesn’t bear out in reality. And also, any decent training program is going to take that into account and work on mobility, flexibility, and that type of fitness.”

Mateer’s listed weight isn’t in any way an outlier. Arch Manning is listed at 222, Gunner Stockton is 215 and Byrum Brown in 235. If Austin Mack wins the starting job at Alabama he’d be the heaviest starting QB in the SEC at 237 pounds. According to Powers, getting bigger can actually help Mateer.  

“Different players are going to adapt differently, and it’s not typically like oh, you put on five pounds, your elbow flexion is going to fall, or your shoulder abduction is going to decrease,” Powers said..” It changes player to player, and that’s some of where like the kind of ecological dynamics comes in, where a lot of skill adaptation is learning to how your body changes, which is why there’s such things as like de-loading weeks and lifting programs, where you’re taking a week for your body to recover and kind of adapt to the changes its made. 

“So it’s not quite a one-to-one of like this happened, so this happened. It’s more a balance of general and specific training because all the weightlifting stuff is what’s known as general fitness, and then when you get to like the actual throwing exercises, that’s specific. So it’s basically improving your general fitness gives you more capacity to both practice more and have raw inputs to improve the specific skills.” 

Ground force = rotational force 

Mateer is a former baseball player. In fact, he skipped offseason 7-on-7 football camps as a high schooler to play on the diamond. You can see the baseball background in how he throws a football – his throwing motion is much more sidearm almost as if he’s a shortstop turning a double play. But zeroing in on Mateer’s arm at all can lead you down the wrong rabbit hole. 

While you may think that throwing a baseball is one-to-one with throwing a football, consider that there is much more overlap with hitting. This was applicable to another OU quarterback years ago, Kyler Murray, who was drafted by the Oakland A’s before opting to go to the NFL. Murray told The Oklahoman “I can throw a football all day and my arm doesn’t get tired,” …”If I throw a baseball more than a certain amount of time, it’s going to get a little sore.”

The reason why has to do with what exactly is happening when a quarterback throws a football, as explained by quarterback guru Yogi Roth. 

“We got a phrase that we use at Elite 11 all the time: ‘Ground force equals rotational force,’” Roth shared during a 2015 conversation. “[Murray] has a lot of that. If you think of a baseball player when they swing, and the way they generate force with the bat or when they generate force even throwing, it’s the same as a quarterback.”

Many famous quarterbacks with the types of throwing style you might remember like Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino aren’t actually doing much work with their arms. They’re using more of their core to draw rotational force from the ground and essentially fire it up through their bodies and the ball shoots off their hands almost as a byproduct. The right hip is doing most of the work. 

This also makes Mateer different from a similar example of a swole passer people had concerns about, Tim Tebow, whose arm strength wasn’t in doubt but his accuracy was because of a long, looping throwing motion. The pitfall of Tebow’s for was that it was too “armsy,” using too much of his upper body, rather than an efficient lower body. Here’s a scouting report on Tebow (who played around 235 pounds) from NFL.com:

“Release is far too slow to fit balls into spots against NFL defensive backs. Release point and mechanics (elongated, wind-mill delivery which comes out too low) likely need to be altered.” 

So what should you make of tarps-off Mateer? 

Nothing much beyond, the odds are he looks like he’s in much better shape than you do.

It doesn’t mean he’ll be too tight to go deep to Isaiah Sategna or Parker Livingstone. In fact, because Mateer runs the ball so much it might help him hold up to the wear and tear in the SEC. But there’s a lot that goes into the training and coaching of being a refined passer in the SEC, and 10ish pounds of muscle isn’t going to automatically ruin him. 

Awards futures are where the market pays you to remember. Every summer the book re-prices last year’s highlight reel, hands you the same MVP and the same rookie hype at a premium, and dares you to buy the rerun. I’d rather bet what’s coming.

Our model doesn’t grade storylines, it grades deserved records, who actually played like contenders and who performed to expectations. In 2026, that’s the whole board.

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Nearly every ticket I like sits on a team our model says ran cold last year, is better than its record and is due to rebound, but is priced like it’s still stuck in the mud.

Here is my breakdown of several NFL awards markets, including MVP:

Most Valuable Player

Josh Allen, QB, Bills (+550)

Allen will be QB1 of one of the most talked-about teams in football, so I understand the need to make him the chalk. In fact, at +4 we project Buffalo as a legit upside team overall. But this price is taxing the idea of the MVP.

Allen’s issue: Where’s his ceiling? What’s the median expectation? I’d argue it’s already near MVP levels, and to make real noise in the market from there he’d have to pull off some superman-level heroics. Pass.

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Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals (10-1)

This is the number I keep coming back to. Cincinnati is the most undervalued team on our entire luck board, a full game and a half colder than it actually played, winning six games with a roster we graded like a playoff team. Burrow is also our third-likeliest passing champ. Give a healthy Burrow 17 games with that offense, which everyone agrees has the talent to erupt but just needs to stick it out through a full season, and you’ve got a resurgence that lands him right in the middle of this race.

A Burrow bounce back is my MVP ticket. Buy.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs (10-1)

Kansas City is the other cold team hiding in plain sight, a clear positive grade buried under a six-win season. At the same 10-1 you’re buying the identical profile as Burrow, an elite quarterback on a team our model swears was better than its record. The obvious variable is injury, and whether Mahomes comes back as the player we remember. That could be a massive catalyst for good, but it could just as easily mean performances that aren’t worthy of a trophy.

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The ceiling is there, but for the price it’s not worth the bite in my opinion. Pass.

Offensive Player of the Year

Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons (+900)

Our third-most-likely rushing champ, and unlike Jahmyr Gibbs he’s a true bell cow. Atlanta runs its whole offense through him, and a workhorse on a full snap count is exactly the resume this award pays. Give me the back who gets the ball 40 times a game over the one splitting a backfield in Gibbs. I’m not sold that Atlanta knows what it’s doing at quarterback, which only makes Bijan’s consistency more important to this offense. If the Falcons do well, this price is a steal. Buy.

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Puka Nacua, WR, LA Rams (10-1)

Over the last seven seasons, wide receivers have won this award more than any other position, and with Nacua as our most likely receiving-yards champ — playing for a Rams team our ratings peg as the best in the league — this is an obvious click. A quarterback hasn’t won this award since 2018, so it’s going to a skill guy who has the system to get him the ball and create his own explosive plays. I took a bite at this 10-1 price. Buy.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals (+300)

Short price, but I’m not fighting it. Arizona is a bounce-back team on our board, and a workhorse rookie back stepping into a rising offense is the purest OROY magnet there is, especially given the quarterback situation in Arizona. Volume wins this thing, and Love is walking straight into it. This award hasn’t had a direct correlation to team success; more often it’s a star inside a rebuild, and Love fits that notion perfectly. Buy.

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Comeback Player of the Year

Kyler Murray, QB, Vikings (+550)

Step one is simply getting back on the field. But if Kyler clears that hurdle, he’s got the weapons around him to make a real story. His whole career has been a story, the incredible high school run, the twist of elite college football and baseball, the hot start in the league, but it’s gone quiet lately.

In a story-based award market, that’s exactly the setup I want: Kyler Murray falling right into the funnel of media attention at a great price. Buy.

The board at a glance

The first preseason game on the 2026 NFL calendar is already complete, and three weeks of action lie ahead as the rest of the league joins the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers in the ramp-up process. Last week’s Hall of Fame Game was a prime example of how the preseason can reshape the narrative surrounding an entire team. Rookie quarterbacks Carson Beck and Haynes King put on a show, asserting their squads’ bright futures. In Beck’s case, it might have even accelerated the clock on a position battle.

Between the three games per team and the practices leading up to them, the information gleaned from all 32 squads is immensely valuable, as it hints at how the season will unfold.

Here are 10 storylines for everyone to follow over the next month of preseason football news.

Quarterback competitions enter final stages

There are only two quarterback battles left to play out after the Vikings named Kyler Murray the Week 1 starter over J.J. McCarthy.

Atlanta’s is a bit unconventional as Michael Penix Jr. continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. Since the Falcons have not yet tabbed Tua Tagovailoa as their No. 1 option, it will be important to monitor whether Penix progresses enough to take live preseason reps and push for the job.

The Browns‘ competition is a true two-man contest, on the other hand. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will each start a preseason game, and coach Todd Monken will use those data points to determine which gets the nod in the third outing.

Other key position battles unfold

While nearly every team has its quarterback situation settled, most still have at least one position left to square away on the depth chart. The all-important left tackle job is still up for grabs for the Bears and Cowboys, while the Lions and Ravens have decisions to make on the interior offensive lines. Which running back breaks camp as the Steelers’ lead option is also uncertain.

These five other battles will continue into the preseason and are equally as intriguing:

• Seahawks No. 1 running back: Jadarian Price, George Holani, Emanuel Wilson
• 49ers secondary: Renardo Green, Jack Jones & Malik Mustapha, Marques Sigle
• Bengals edge rushers: Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart, Cashius Howell
• Browns wide receivers: Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Isaiah Bond
• Dolphins wide receivers: Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell, Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr., Chris Bell

Fernando Mendoza and Carson Beck aim to make first-year impacts

With first-round pick Ty Simpson locked in as the backup to reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, the two likeliest rookie quarterbacks to see meaningful playing time in 2026 are Fernando Mendoza and Carson Beck.

If the former makes waves with his preseason opportunities, there will be calls for him to quickly uproot Kirk Cousins as the face of the Raiders‘ offense, particularly because he carries tremendous upside as this year’s No. 1 overall pick.

Beck already dazzled in his debut with a Hall of Fame Game performance that made him look like a worthy contender to steal playing time from Jacoby Brissett. If he replicates his 11-for-14 effort in the next two contests, the Cardinals might want to see what he can do in a regular-season context.

Additional rookies fight for playing time

Many of the biggest names from this year’s draft class are already penciled in as rotational players, if not starters. The bigger question is just how much of an impact they can make, and that will start to become clearer in the preseason.

Jeremiyah Love and other Cardinals rookies will be in the lineup for their second preseason game, Bears safety Dillon Thieneman could see some run this month, and it remains to be seen how much the Cowboys want to get out of Caleb Downs.

Outside of those who already know they will contribute as rookies, a few other under-the-radar newcomers could also break through between now and the season opener. A few to keep an eye on include the following:

Injuries set to impact regular season

Minor muscle strains and ankle tweaks pop up regularly in the preseason and often result in rotation players missing time as their teams exercise the utmost caution. More often than not, they are nothing to worry about come Week 1. But there have also already been a large handful of serious injuries in training camp, and unfortunately, more are likely to pop up in preseason games.

At the same time, all eyes are on the stars who suffered major ailments last season and who are targeting returns for the 2026 opener or shortly thereafter. Will the following players hit the field this preseason? It would be a great sign for their Week 1 availability if they did.

Familiar faces in new places

Not all of them will see playing time until the regular season, and those who do will largely take only a modest number of snaps, but the preseason provides the first opportunity to see this year’s top free agents and trade chips take in-game snaps with their new teams. Whether the Dolphins made the right move in paying up for Malik Willis and whether the Jets will field a functioning offense behind Geno Smith could start to become clear even before Week 1 arrives.

One team that will throw all of its newcomers into the mix in its preseason opener is the Titans. Robert Saleh said he will play all his starters, which means Tennessee’s reconstructed defense will begin to take shape. As a refresher, all of these defenders joined the roster this spring:

First-year coaches, new coordinators install schemes

There are seven new head coaches on the sidelines this preseason, 19 new offensive coordinators in the booth, and 14 new defensive coordinators. Over the next three weeks, their identities and schemes will shine through, offering a clearer understanding of how they might achieve success. A few in particular stand out.

It is not clear to what extent the Eagles will use their starters in the preseason, but their adaptation to Sean Mannion’s offense might be the most intriguing new player-coach scheme fit of the year. Even if Jalen Hurts does suit up between now and September, how much will Philadelphia show of his ability to command the system? Perhaps enough to learn whether it can revitalize the talented unit.

In Dallas, do not expect to see many starters on the field this month, but the backups could give everyone a glimpse into what Christian Parker has in store for a Cowboys defense that, on paper, has a chance to take a massive leap forward.

Vita Vea continues hold-in after trade request

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea wanted to finalize a contract extension by the start of training camp, and since he and the Buccaneers did not come to terms, he requested a trade. The team has neither met his contract demands nor shipped him out of town, so the standoff carries into the preseason. Making the situation even dicier is that Vea is holding in at practice. He is not even participating in joint practice with the Jets despite traveling with the Buccaneers to New Jersey.

If the hold-in drags on too much longer, Vea’s availability for Week 1 could come into question even if he does come to terms with Tampa Bay on a new deal. The chances of seeing Vea participate in a preseason game dwindle by the day. All that really matters, of course, is whether he is ramped up enough to start the opener.

Aaron Donald progresses toward potential return

Possibly the biggest question of training camp in the NFC West is whether Aaron Donald will come out of retirement to join the Rams. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year teased a return to the NFL earlier this summer when Los Angeles traded for Myles Garrett, and he has gone so far as to work out at the team’s facility.

There are a couple of potential routes back to the NFL for Donald. The first would be to sign with the Rams during the preseason, participate in August practices, use a preseason game to aid in the transition back to live reps, and become available for Week 1. The other is to slow-play the process to ensure he is both fully capable of stepping back into game action and fresh enough in the latter stages of the season to make an impact until the final game.

Joint practices deliver drama

With the first week of the preseason underway, the opening batch of joint practices is unfolding ahead of this weekend’s games. In many cases, coaches place as much stock (if not more) in these sessions as in the preseason games themselves. For the teams that sit their starters until Week 1, these practices are the only times in which the first-team units square off against anyone other than their teammates.

Stars nowadays go head-to-head in joint practices more than in preseason games, and it took just one day for a matchup to turn heads. While not much should be made of one practice rep, A.J. Brown’s highlight-reel reception against Sauce Gardner should have the Patriots thrilled about their trade for the veteran receiver.