NFL Fines Cowboys, Saints $500K Each Following Joint Practice Altercations

The National Football League confirmed on Thursday that it has fined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each on Thursday following a series of fights during a joint practice in Oxnard, California. "The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have each been fined $500,000 for the actions that took place at the joint practice between the teams earlier this week," the league said in a statement. "The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship — including in joint practices — a point of emphasis over the past several years. All clubs were reminded by memo prior to training camp of their responsibility in preventing unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices that has the potential to result in injury." The altercations occurred throughout Tuesday's session, which prompted Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer to address his team's composure, or lack thereof. "Not the way we like to do business," Schottenheimer said. "Got to be better, but I've got to look at the film. We're certainly not going to take s--- from anybody." Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters about the league's decision. "There's certainly a very, very, let's say, strong opinion in the league that when we have these joint practices, everybody's aware of the competition, both individually as well as through the team," Jones told reporters. "We understand that you don't have the discipline of penalties that are real difference makers out here, and frankly, you probably don't have the officiating consequences." "All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport, and the taking of helmets off, swinging and hitting, and that type of thing is not good for anybody, and it's certainly not what we want to represent to our fans and as a league or as a team," Jones said. Jones added that the Cowboys plan to appeal the fine and the team will review the film and fine individual players involved in the scuffles. The NFL circulated a memo instructing teams that all personnel are expected to prevent unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices to reduce the potential for injury. The Saints are preparing for a Saturday preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood. The Cowboys will travel to face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday for their second preseason game.

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Patriots WR A.J. Brown Shows Eagles Who's No. 1 In Dominant Performance

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A.J. Brown wears the number one on his jersey. And that made sense in just about every way during the New England Patriots’ joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles this week. He was the best receiver on either team during the sessions. He was the Patriots’ No. 1 weapon. He was worth a first-round pick — a "1" — in a trade between the two teams this offseason. And he was the No. 1 point of interest as fans and media members watched practices. It’s because of the trade, of course. It’s because of the drama that unfolded between Brown and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. It’s about Brown’s criticisms of the "passing game" when he was in Philly. It’s about Brown openly mocking his own lack of production in 2025. And it’s about the fresh start in New England. "He looks a little better, a little faster," Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell said after practice Wednesday. "He’s going to keep getting better. … He just gives you so many tough battles and tough assignments. It was really just great to go out there and compete with him again today." With Brown’s unpredictability, however, there’s always the wonder of: What will he do next — on the field and off it? (And will something go wrong?) That’s why a reporter asked Hurts if he’d give any advice to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye about getting the most out of Brown. "I think Drake has had a lot of success already, so I don’t know what my advice would do," Hurts said Wednesday. "I just think he needs to continue the progression that he’s on." Brown didn’t speak to Hurts before or after that first practice. Nor did Brown connect with Eagles WR1 DeVonta Smith on day one. But during the second day, Brown walked over to Smith to chat for a few minutes. Brown then found Hurts after practice on Thursday. "It’s not about no closure or anything," Brown said after Wednesday’s joint practice. "It’s love. I won a Super Bowl ring with them. It’s always going to be love no matter how anyone feels. I love Philly and I will always love Philly. But I’m here now and this is where my feet are and that’s where I’m focusing." It felt inauspicious when Brown started competitive drills on Wednesday in a one-on-one against former teammate Quinyon Mitchell. Though Brown created easy separation on a fade route, running directly downfield for the end zone, Maye underthrew the ball and Mitchell logged a relatively easy pass breakup. But Brown argued it wasn’t exactly clean. "Q got away with a little holding," Brown said with a laugh. "I won, he pulled himself back into the play, and I just have to finish the play. My right hand didn’t get to the ball quick enough. My left hand got on the ball. That’s on me. … That could have been a 40-yard bomb, but now it’s a long foul ball. Those are the things I’m focusing on." That play did not, however, prove predictive of how Brown would fare over the two days when he had more than 10 catches in team drills and countless touchdowns. He spent most of the two days running against Mitchell — with a few matchups against cornerback Riq Woolen, the No. 2 option in Philly. In one case, Maye’s ball placement to Brown proved simply impossible to defend, with the Patriots QB dropping the pass over Woolen for a big catch-and-run for Brown. Brown’s most dominant play came in an 11-on-11 red zone drill. He couldn’t get open in the end zone, trying to work to the sideline, where Mitchell had outside leverage (blocking Brown’s path). Maye looked at the situation and, while it was a no-throw look, the QB threw it that way anyway. Brown fought back for the ball and a touchdown. It was a sign of how much Maye has come to trust Brown. They had no business attempting — let alone completing — the play. They did it, anyway. The Eagles, meanwhile, were feeling Brown’s absence — and then some. Top receivers Smith and rookie Makai Lemon were both out with hamstring strains, which left Hurts to work with Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Britain Covey, among others. Hurts threw three interceptions in 7-on-7s on Wednesday and then threw two more in 11-on-11s on Thursday. This passing offense might require patience from the fans in Philly. I’m just not sure that we can expect patience from the fans in Philly. Other Observations From Patriots-Eagles Joint Practice: Saquon Barkley looked about as quick and explosive as I’ve seen him. This is the time of year when teams blow smoke about breakout players and resurgent players and best-shape-of-their-life players. But it’s not an exaggeration to say that the 29-year-old running back dominated the Patriots' defense on the first day of practice. He was solid on day two. It was all the more impressive considering the Eagles’ struggles in the passing game. It’s easy to imagine that, without Brown, Barkley could become the lifeblood of the unit, both as a runner and pass-catcher. "We'll see the Saquon of two years ago," Eagles tackle Lane Johnson said after day one. "We'll see the big plays. We’ll see him flexed out at receiver. We’ll see him in the screen game. You saw a bit of it [Wednesday]." If that’s true (and it looked like it might be), the Eagles will once again be dangerous, even without Brown. Be careful of what you see in one-on-one drills (like in the video below) — as opposed to what’s reported about team drills. They can tell two different stories. Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredible to watch the drama unfold in a one-on-one. But it’s also not exactly real football like an 11-on-11 or even a 7-on-7. (There’s also a reason you’ll mostly see one-on-one clips on social media. Because of team rules, it’s generally OK to record one-on-ones but it’s not allowed, league-wide, for reporters to record 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s.) So that’s all to say: Some guys shine in one-on-ones and then disappear in 11-on-11s … when it counts. And in these practices, Eagles receiver Dontayvion Wicks was one of those guys. Many members of the fantasy community have already turned him into their darling — or sleeper. I’d like to offer a word of caution: Wicks had every reason to shine in team drills, with Smith and Lemon injured — and Patriots cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis also injured. Yet in all his work with Hurts on day one, Wicks had two catches on three targets — and the missed pass wasn’t just an incompletion (in 7-on-7), it tipped off Wicks' hands and deflected into the hands of Patriots safety Charles Woods. On day two, Wicks had another drop and, later, he saw Marcus Jones undercut his route for an interception on Hurts. After the Super Bowl, there was as much interest in Patriots left tackle Will Campbell as any offensive lineman in recent memory — at least in New England. Campbell struggled mightily during the playoffs, and those issues culminated in the Super Bowl when he allowed 14 pressures and a sack against the Seattle Seahawks. It was a terrible performance by the rookie, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But listen to what five-time All-Pro tackle Johnson had to say about spending the offseason working with Campbell. "Will just kind of reminds me of myself in a way. Just a country kid, drafted first round, so I know the kind of pressures that are on guys like that. And so, for me, I thought he had a really good rookie season," Johnson said Wednesday. "You can see him getting better. He looks thicker, bigger. He's healed up from his knee injury." I’ve referred to Gonzalez’s absence already in this postcard. The Pro Bowl corner was not on the field for any of the Patriots’ three joint practices with the Eagles and the Colts. It feels like it wasn’t that big of a storyline, because the opponents’ top receivers (Smith and Alec Pierce) weren’t on the field either. But Gonzalez is the Patriots’ most important defender. It’s a big deal he’s not there. It’s a bigger deal that New England still hasn’t exactly clarified why he’s not there. Head coach Mike Vrabel hasn’t outright said that Gonzalez is injured. The coach also hasn’t outright confirmed that Gonzalez is holding in. But that’s what’s clearly happening, even if no one will admit it. The cornerback wants a big contract, and while the Patriots and Gonzalez’s camps did discuss an extension back at the combine in February, per a source, there doesn’t seem to have been much progress. "Josh [McDaniels] is incredible, man. He's making my job a lot easier, and he's creating matchups for me, moving me around." — A.J. Brown, who worked with four different offensive coordinators in four years in Philly For the Eagles, it’s really about getting their top two receivers, Smith and Lemon, healthy. Barkley, Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert are good players. But this offense will need help at receiver to truly reach its full potential. That isn’t to say Philly should rush Smith and Lemon back. The Eagles have the Commanders in Week 1 and the Titans in Week 2. Both are beatable — perhaps even without those two guys. But by Weeks 3 and 4, when they’ll have to face the Bears and the Rams, the Eagles will want their receivers healthy and in-sync with Hurts. Philly's defense is definitely going to be good — but maybe not transcendent. Given what we saw from the Patriots' offense (which posted really strong performances), it seems good teams will be able to move the ball on the Eagles. And so the offense won’t be able to rely quite as much on the defense. For New England, it’s really starting to look like Super Bowl or bust. The Patriots have now drubbed the Colts and the Eagles over three total days of joint practices. Drake Maye appears to have continued to progress in the ways the Patriots wanted. He had a boneheaded interception each day, so it's not perfect. But Brown makes life a whole lot easier. And defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and receiver Romeo Doubs, both offseason additions, are quietly proving their worth, too. The Patriots still need some help off the edge. There are also some lingering questions about the quality they’ll get from their interior offensive line. But on the whole, this team will be in terrific shape when it gets Gonzalez and Davis back in the starting lineup. There’s continuity. There’s more talent. There might be a tougher schedule, but the Patriots took the time and spent the money to fortify themselves against the increased degree of difficulty.

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Inside NFL Training Camps: 12 Head Coaches Reveal Their Favorite Drills

At training camps around the NFL, the whistle is a powerful instrument, keeping practice on time and orderly. But it’s not the whistle that builds culture. It’s not the whistle that teaches skills. It’s not even the coach himself, necessarily. It’s the repetition of targeted drills. Of course, there are an infinite number of football drills. But the right drill can instill toughness alongside technique. The right drill can create confidence through preparation. The right drill can help a team win games and, ultimately, the Super Bowl. So we asked a dozen NFL head coaches for their favorite drill — and we also asked them to explain why it's their favorite. Their answers provide a window not just into how the coaches tick but also into the kind of teams they’re building. Favorite Drill: Offensive Ball-Security Drill Drill It Down: As they weave through agility pads placed on the ground, offensive skill players focus on protecting the football while coaches try to poke the ball out with a utility stick (basically a pad on a pole). The Story Behind The Drill: There’s a reason the Rams are the overwhelming favorites to win the Super Bowl this season. Los Angeles boasts one of the most talented rosters in the league and is led by one of its best coaches. Still, injuries and inconsistent play can derail teams during the meat grinder of an NFL season. One way the forward-thinking McVay prepares his offense for the bad things that can happen is to start each practice with a ball-security drill, driving in that muscle memory to protect the football. It works. Last year, the Rams tied for fourth-best in the league with just 15 giveaways, their third straight season ranking in the top 10. "It’s important that what we do is in alignment with what we’re emphasizing," McVay told me. "Are our words in alignment with our actions? And so, when we start every single practice and we’re going full speed with a ball-security circuit, it shows the importance of ball security. "It takes all 11, and [Rams OC] Nate Scheelhaase and the offensive coaches do a great job with those different ball-security drills. We ultimately want to have every drill translate to game reality and make sure we can emulate those game-like situations." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Mamba Period Drill It Down: Competitive 11-on-11 period pitting starters against each other in simulated down-and-distance game situations. The Story Behind The Drill: They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, Coen showed his respect for former boss Sean McVay by adopting his Mamba drill. After Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in 2020, McVay established the drill to honor one of the fiercest competitors ever to play pro sports. Coen was a Rams offensive assistant at that time. "It’s kind of stolen from the Rams, but we do a Mamba period every Wednesday and Thursday in homage to Kobe Bryant," Coen told me. "It’s three plays, good on good, ones vs. ones and twos vs. twos. On Wednesdays, it’s first down, second-and-8-plus. Best out of three wins. We score it the whole day. And then the loser has something to do at the end of practice. "And then Thursday is third-down day. It’s five-man rush, man coverage. Let’s lock up ones vs. ones. Let’s play man defense, no meshes or runaways. Just play. Just win." Last year, in his first season leading the Jaguars, Coen was looking for ways to challenge a franchise that has long struggled to establish a sustainable winning culture. Drills like the Mamba period helped him flip the script, with the Jaguars winning 13 games to reach the postseason. "I think that’s something that helped our team become more competitive as a group," Coen said. "And it also allowed us to just go play, in-season, where a lot of coaches are like, ‘I ain’t doing a lot of good-on-good in-season.’ We did that for a long time." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Catch-And-Run … With A Twist Drill It Down: Two receivers run their routes together, and when one catches the pass, the other is in charge of serving as a blocker downfield. The Story Behind The Drill: Campbell might have one of the highest-scoring and flashiest offenses in the league, but he’s still that same guy who said in his 2021 introductory press conference that he expected his players to "bite a kneecap off" their opponents. This drill demonstrates that attitude — because Campbell doesn’t want the drill to simply be about who makes a play for the ball. It’s just as much about who makes a play without the ball. Big passing plays often come when a receiver serves as a willing blocker. This is a test of toughness and grit — in hopes of generating explosive plays. "It’s basically our catch-and-run, but it’s catch, knife, and both receivers … are running around the bag," Campbell said. "One of them is going to get the ball, and then one of them has to immediately turn into a blocker for that runner." He added: "I love that drill. Because you come out, you don’t know who’s getting [the ball], right … and the minute that one [receiver] catches it, man, [the other has] to turn and burn and make the block. And then [the ball carrier has to] make the adjustment off of the blocker, so it all happens fast. It kind of initiates the run after catch, the block after catch." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Blocking Drill With A Rae Crowther One-Man Sled Drill It Down: Position coaches use a movable blocking sled to work on player fundamentals and technique. The Story Behind The Drill: Rae Crowther, a former college and professional lineman who went into coaching, invented the blocking sled in 1932. Nearly a century later, his invention still helps players focus on proper hand placement, playing with a low base and exploding through contact. It’s no surprise that an old-school coach like Jim Harbaugh would lean into a simple drill that focuses on basic football fundamentals and physicality. In his introductory press conference with the Chargers in 2024, he said: "We're going to earn our winning as a tough team, a resilient team, a relentless team, a physical team. That is what we're going to aspire to be. Don't let the Powder Blues fool ya." Even into his sixties, Harbaugh is still a hands-on coach who wears cleats to practice and likes to participate in drill work with players. Harbaugh, a former quarterback, said he also has an "anticipation throwing drill" he likes for QBs. "But the Crowder sled is probably my favorite. The one-man tackling sled, yep." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: Hitting The Sled Drill It Down: If you played football at basically any level, you know what this drill looks like. Whether it’s an individual or a group of players, they work to hit and move the sled. Different sleds teach different techniques. The Story Behind The Drill: LaFleur, who’s known as an offensive guru and scheme creator, knows that football games are actually won and lost by the big guys in the trenches. "It’s what they do," LaFleur said. "It’s hand-to-hand combat." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Open-Field Tackling Drill It Down: Two players start back to back before running away from each other toward a cone. They then circle the cone and head upfield into a confined space, where the ball carrier can make a move while the defender tries to get a two-hand tag. The Story Behind The Drill: It’s fair to say that New England's defense wasn’t very good after two weeks of the 2025 regular season. At the heart of the problem? Tackling. That’s why Vrabel, a former linebacker, values this drill so much. To open last season, the Patriots missed 11 tackles and lost to the Las Vegas Raiders, who ended up picking first in the NFL Draft. In Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, New England missed 14 tackles against what would eventually be one of the weakest offenses in the NFL. "We were terrible in Miami last year," Vrabel said when asked about his favorite drill. "You guys all know. You guys all reported on it, and we worked hard to improve it. There’s so many great athletes in this league with the football, and missed tackles just end up leading to [explosive] plays." On their way to the Super Bowl, the Patriots wound up finishing fourth in total defense (yards allowed per game) and in scoring defense (18.8 points allowed per game). "I’ve seen guys improve with that drill," Vrabel said. "That has nothing to do with any sort of contact. It’s just about a body movement and being able to play balanced and be able to change direction." — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: 2-Minute Drill Drill It Down: Highly competitive, 11-on-11 simulated end-of-half and end-of-game situations between offensive and defensive starters. The Story Behind The Drill: Quinn’s reasoning for his favorite drill is simple: It’s all about creating competition, something he learned from his mentor, Pete Carroll. "I like that everybody is heightened," Quinn told me. "There’s a clock. There’s a down and distance. If you get into field-goal range, are you going for a touchdown? The pressure’s on, with the offense going against the defense. "For a long time, that’s been my favorite one. Sometimes, it’s 2-minute at the end of the half, and sometimes it’s the end of the game. I always like to see the O-line and D-line pass rush, so we don’t get into that until later in training camp. But we’ll work that drill every day, offseason included." — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: E.A.T. Drill Drill It Down: Fundamental defensive drills Seattle performs each week that focus on Effort, Angles and Tackling. The Story Behind The Drill: The Seahawks emphasize a detailed, methodical approach to practice time and to being consistent each day, stacking strong performances. The result of that approach was Macdonald leading the team to a Super Bowl victory in just his second season as head coach. At the heart of Seattle’s approach is something Macdonald calls the E.A.T. drill. This tackling drill focuses on taking the right angle to the ball carrier to get him on the ground while other defenders swarm to the football. "It’s basically how we finish plays," Macdonald told me. "So, it’s always about angles and tackling, things like that. To the naked eye, it looks like a tackling drill or a takeaway drill. But it’s applying our E.A.T. curriculum to the guys. It’s a way of life." Macdonald used this core drill to construct the top defense in the league last season, holding opponents to a league-low 17 points per game. — Eric D. Williams Favorite Drill: The Sudden-Change Drill Drill It Down: At any point in practice, Steichen interrupts the session and announces a game situation for the offense, which has to take the ball and score. The Story Behind The Drill: Sometimes the problem with practice is that it can feel routine. It can feel inauthentic. It can come up short of addressing the randomness of football. The sudden-change drill focuses on football’s randomness. "Basically, I call it up in the middle of practice at any point in time," Steichen said. "I lay out the situation for our guys. It could’ve been the defense gets a turnover, they scoop up a fumble, and get it down to the 15-yard line. It’s a sudden change, so our offense has to react and go score. "I do different sudden changes throughout practice … just to get our guys in the right mindset, because it’s going to happen in the games." It’s a way to sneak in situational work. Oftentimes, the Colts will inform quarterback Daniel Jones that he’ll be doing third-down work. Or that he’ll be repping first-down situations. But in the sudden-change drill, Jones & Co. are not prepared for what Steichen has up his sleeve. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drills: 2-Minute Drill & Open-Field Tackling Drill Drill It Down: The 2-minute drill is, of course, an 11-on-11 scrimmage that simulates the closing 120 seconds of a half or a game. For the open-field tackling drill, it’s one tackler and one runner staying within an area marked off by cones. The runner must use what space he has to avoid the tackler. The tackler is drilling pursuit angles. The Story Behind The Drills: The Panthers played 10 one-score games last year during the regular season and finished 7-3 in those contests. In the postseason, they once again found themselves in a one-score game — and they lost, 34-31, to the Rams. So it should come as little surprise that Canales likes the 2-minute drill. "It's just the heightened arousal state. It's the shortest amount of time depending on the field position, the situation, making guys have to perform quickly, do something after the catch to respond," he said. "The referees are involved. The coaches are also in a heightened awareness. "I think it's one of the greatest things you can do in terms of just getting your team to play good football, making them have to think on the fly and make critical decisions and critical plays." The former offensive coordinator's other favorite drill, interestingly enough, is a defensive drill. "It's open-field tackling — it doesn't even have to be in pads, but tracking the near hip. I think it's one of the most critical parts to having success," Canales said. "... Just learning how to take a banana path to track the hip in different positions. All of our players will face some type of a tackle or blocking people in space that makes you have to take a good angle and eliminate the field and create a one-way go for the opponent." Canales said that even quarterbacks will participate in this drill at times. After all, they become would-be tacklers after a turnover. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drills: Screen Drill And Scramble Drill Drill It Down: The screen drill simulates a screen pass, a play in which a few offensive linemen drift toward the sideline in front of a running back. And after the back catches the ball, the linemen form a wall of blockers he can run behind. The drill works on the most important part of any screen: timing. As for the scramble drill, it’s about teaching the offense how to operate when a play breaks down. Different teams have different rules for their receivers about where to go when a quarterback breaks out of the pocket. Similarly, there are different techniques and assignments to practice for defenders when dealing with a scrambling QB. The Story Behind The Drills: The common adage about screen passes is that they are an extension of the ground game. They are a way to help a passer who is constantly under fire from the pass-rush. In 2025, the Saints were far from an elite offense, but they did have the 15th-best quarterback pressure rate allowed (33.7%), per Next Gen Stats. That’s a vast improvement from 2024, when they were eighth-worst at 37.4%. That’s surely thanks to the team's offensive line improvements. But maybe those screens paid off, too. "It’s hard to replicate screens from an offensive perspective in practice — just because of the tempo at which you practice," Moore said. "That’s a little bit of a challenge, but we do as many screen drills as we can." As for the scramble drill, Moore said it's a focus "for both sides of the football just because it shows up so much in the game, so you’ve got to spend as much time as you can on it." More and more, we’re seeing mobile quarterbacks around the league get creative beyond the structure of the play. So it’s fitting to drill the second break. The initial play doesn’t actually matter in this drill. Often, the closest pass-catcher to the QB takes off downfield. The rest of the receivers are supposed to work across the field with the quarterback. Anyone who was going vertical will actually return to the QB. For players on defense, they often need to get into "plaster" coverage where they plaster themselves to the nearest receiver. — Henry McKenna Favorite Drill: Basketball? Drill It Down: Basically, it's a game of H-O-R-S-E. The Story Behind The Drill: Taylor is a coach who likes to score. He’s also a coach who’s working on generating more energy from his teams early in the season, which is primarily when they have struggled during his seven-year tenure. So perhaps this unusual "drill" makes sense, in a way. Especially for Pro Bowl receiver and former high school hoops star Tee Higgins. "I think outside the box, not necessarily a drill," Taylor said. "We wanted to start our season fast last year, and so we started our training camp every day … meeting in our basketball gym. We have a hoop in our gym — in our weight room — and two guys, offense and defense, competed. … Just to kind of get the adrenaline flowing a little bit going to meetings, going into practice. "It's maybe a little unorthodox, but that's something a little bit unique that we did." — Henry McKenna

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Here's Why These Signed NFL Players Could Return To College Football

Several athletes, including some who signed contracts with NFL teams, were granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court that would make them eligible to return to college athletics, ESPN reported Wednesday. NFL teams are deep into training camp, and rosters have to be cut to 53 players by Aug. 30. Many who don't make those clubs could look for a fallback plan in college football, barring a successful appeal by the NCAA. According to ESPN, 16 football players were part of the lawsuit that included 33 athletes across several sports who are seeking a fifth year of eligibility. Of those, four players are currently on NFL rosters. Anthony Hankerson was an undrafted free agent running back signed by the Miami Dolphins in late-April, who was cut on Aug. 10 and then signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Hankerson attended Colorado in 2022 and 2023, before transferring to Oregon State for his final two years of college football. With the Beavers, Hankerson led all independent players in rushing attempts in both campaigns, as well as players from scrimmage, while rushing for over 1,000 yards in each and with 24 combined touchdowns. Jack Pyburn was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have held onto the pass rusher through camps so far. Pyburn played college football for Florida as a linebacker from 2022 through 2023, then switched to defensive end in 2024, before transferring to LSU and the SEC as a senior. The 6-foot-4, 264 lb. Pyburn had 60 combined tackles in 2024 and another 52 in 2025, with three combined sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss across those two seasons. The Philadelphia Eagles signed tight end Dae'Quan Wright as an undrafted free agent in April, but waived him in August – the Cleveland Browns signed the soon-to-be 23-year-old the next day. Wright played for Virginia Tech in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Ole Miss for the next two years: his top season came as a senior, when he pulled in 39 receptions in 15 games for 635 yards with five touchdowns. Wydett Williams was teammates with Wright at Mississippi, and the Arizona Cardinals signed him after his senior season, where he played safety. Williams had previously been a defensive back for Louisiana-Monroe as a junior, with his freshman and sophomore campaigns coming for Delta State, a Division II school. Williams had 73 combined tackles as a safety for Ole Miss in 2025, with three interceptions and a fumble recovery as well. Not all of these players currently appear on their respective teams' depth chart. Wydett Williams is listed as the third safety for the Cardinals, while Jack Pyburn is fourth of five outside linebackers for the Buccaneers. Anthony Hankerson and Dae'Quan Wright, both recently cut and signed elsewhere, have not made their depth charts. The NCAA has been dealt a series of legal setbacks regarding its eligibility rules. "Courts across the country granting relief to ineligible athletes who already had every opportunity to compete in college — sometimes without even having a hearing — are failing to appreciate the destabilizing effect their rulings are having on college sports," Tim Buckley, NCAA senior vice president of external affairs, said in a statement. "The lawyers bringing these cases seemingly won’t be satisfied until every professional athlete can treat college sports as a fallback option, regardless of the opportunities it strips from those who will never have a chance to begin their collegiate sports experience." On July 31, a federal court in Denver ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this academic year. That decision came a little more than a month after the NCAA passed a rule that gives athletes five years to complete five seasons of competition, starting with those who enroll in the fall of 2027. The Colorado ruling eliminated the waiting period. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former Cowboys All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs Reportedly Agrees To Deal With Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are making another move at cornerback just a few weeks before the start of the regular season. Free-agent cornerback Trevon Diggs and the Seahawks have agreed to a one-year contract, ESPN reported Wednesday. The veteran joins the defending champions after reportedly completing a workout with the Seahawks on Tuesday. Diggs' deal comes less than a week after the Seahawks agreed to terms on a contract with cornerback Terrion Arnold, but they still haven't officially signed him. Arnold, who was released by the Detroit Lions earlier this summer after he received eight felony charges, will reportedly be placed on the commissioner's exempt list, should the signing be finalized. As for Diggs, the 27-year-old is looking to revive his career with the defending Super Bowl champs. He was waived by the Dallas Cowboys late last season and was claimed by the Green Bay Packers. However, he appeared in two games and logged 34 snaps before Green Bay released him in January. Diggs, 27, spent most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, where he earned two Pro Bowl selections. The Green Bay Packers claimed Diggs off waivers last December. He appeared in two games and logged 34 snaps before Green Bay released him in January. Prior to the 2025 season, Diggs had been viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in football. The two-time Pro Bowler led the league in interceptions in 2021, recording 11 to earn a first-team All-Pro spot. But health issues have hampered his availability over the last three seasons. He sustained a torn ACL in September 2023, underwent a follow-up knee surgery in December 2024, and was limited to eight games in 2025 due to a knee injury and a concussion. Diggs has registered 20 interceptions and 63 passes defensed over 67 career games.

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Chargers Torch 49ers: 4 Takeaways From San Francisco-Los Angeles Joint Practice

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — New Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said he looked forward to seeing his newest student, Justin Herbert, in action for the first time executing his offense against a defense from another team. Well, in a joint practice at team headquarters against the San Francisco 49ers, the Oregon product did not disappoint, connecting on big plays with Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, Omarion Hampton and free-agent pickup David Njoku on Tuesday. And on the other side, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy admitted that his team's offense fell short against the Chargers' defense. "Honestly, I don’t think it was our best day," Purdy said about the offense. "I feel like the fundamentals and stuff were just a little off and whatnot. Obviously, there was some good stuff and stuff we need to work on. But I just feel like we could have come out with a little bit more of a chip on our shoulder offensively." The Chargers will take early training camp success, but we'll see if that translates into wins when this franchise traditionally struggles — in December and January. Here are my four takeaways from the highly competitive but controlled practice that included no fights, unlike San Francisco’s feisty joint practice session last week against the Tennessee Titans. 1. C Tyler Biadasz One Of Few Chargers Players Injured It was not all good news for the Bolts, as free-agent pickup and starting center Tyler Biadasz had to leave the field early during practice on a cart due to a leg injury suffered when left guard Kayode Awosika threw his man into the back of his leg. Biadasz was visibly frustrated as he was carted away. Rookie second-round pick Jake Slaughter replaced Biadasz in the starting lineup. The Florida product had been part of a crowded group of players competing for the starting left guard job but could be the answer for the Bolts at center if Biadasz is out long-term. "I just take it as a blessing that I can help the team in any way that I can," Slaughter said about the possibility of starting in place of Biadasz. One of L.A.’s big free-agent additions, it would be a significant blow to the offensive line to lose the anchor up front for a group that played without bookend offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt for most of last season. Slater has already missed over a week of training camp this year because of a leg injury, with Trey Pipkins taking his spot at left tackle. Johnston also had to leave practice with what appeared to be a right leg injury suffered diving for a ball out of bounds. However, after getting evaluated by team medical staff, Johnston returned to the field but did not practice. Finally, for the 49ers, Mike Evans had to leave practice with tightness. Evans was observed icing his quad afterwards, which he injured earlier this month. Fellow free agent signee receiver Christian Kirk remains out with a calf injury. "They just said he had some tightness, so we were just being smart in taking him out," San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said about Evans. "I don’t think it’s anything worse, so we’ll see when we get in there, but nothing that I’m worried about right now." 2. Herbert Commands Offense, Will Start Preseason Game vs. 49ers Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that Herbert and the rest of the starters on offense and defense will play for the first time during the preseason against San Francisco, getting in for at least a series. However, Harbaugh had to like what he saw from Herbert and the rest of the offense, who consistently carved up San Francisco’s offense for big plays. "When you see live reps, that’s really important for us as an offense," Herbert said. "We go up against our defense so much, and there’s only a level of speed that you can go when you’re not tackling and you’re just thudding up. "I think it’s great to see another defense. More reps for us to see different defenses, different coverages. So, I thought it was great for the offensive line, the receiver and everyone else as well." While Herbert heated up, the Chargers struggled to block new 49ers defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, who had a handful of pressures. 3. Chargers RB Omarion Hampton Busts Out The Truck Stick Along with Herbert, the second-year running back out of North Carolina had back-to-back plays where he lowered the boom on San Francisco defenders. On the first play, Hampton broke through a big hole in the middle of the line and bowled over 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown. And in the following play, Hampton hit the left sideline, blowing up linebacker Jaden Dugger as he angled to the sideline. Along with creating a more complex passing game, McDaniel has been tasked with bringing more physicality in the running game. And the Chargers accomplished that by consistently creating creases for Hampton to break through the line of scrimmage and make defenders pay at the second level of the defense. "He’s incredibly tough," Herbert said. "He leads by example. He doesn’t say much, but what he does on the field is loud, and guys respect him. 4. Christian McCaffrey Not Holding In, According To Shanahan Shanahan addressed speculation that All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey was not practicing because he wanted his contract sweetened after Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs signed record-setting extensions for running backs. However, Shanahan assured reporters after practice that McCaffrey was out due to tightness, not unhappiness with his current deal. "I mean, people make a lot of assumptions," Shanahan said. "And that would be one they’re wrong on." Shanahan went on to say that if it were game week, McCaffrey would be available for practice. However, San Francisco’s head coach would not divulge the injury. "Just some tightness," Shanahan said. "He’ll get sensitive if I say where." With McCaffrey out, rookie Kaelon Black looked strong running the football.

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NFL Catchup: Cowboys-Saints Fights, A Christian McCaffrey Update & Deals Were Made

The regular season hasn't arrived yet, but things are already getting feisty around the NFL. Tuesday featured another practice fight, but this one might have been the biggest yet in training camp. There were reportedly at least six altercations at Tuesday's Dallas Cowboys-New Orleans Saints joint practices. Elsewhere, Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza took another step forward in his progression, and the New York Giants made a notable addition. Here's what you should know about what happened in the NFL on Tuesday. The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints held a joint training camp practice on Tuesday that featured at least six separate physical altercations between players, according to reporters in attendance. Incidents included a punch thrown at Dallas running back Javonte Williams, edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku throwing punches during a confrontation, and New Orleans player Brock Rechsteiner executing a suplex on a Cowboys defender. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer expressed disappointment with the practice disruptions following the session. "A little chippy," Schottenheimer told reporters. "Not the way we like to do business. Got to be better, but I've got to look at the film. We're certainly not going to take s--- from anybody, but again, it was chippy on both sides. Like I've said, I want our guys to play on the edge without going over the edge." Neither team has announced disciplinary action ahead of their Aug. 28 preseason game. The Saints take on the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, while the Cowboys face the Arizona Cardinals later that day. The Christian McCaffrey injury saga hasn't slowed down. But 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan put rumors of a contract-related holdout to rest as the star running back has been out of practice for over a week, reiterating that McCaffrey is dealing with hamstring tightness. Shanahan clarified that McCaffrey would have practiced on Tuesday had it not been for the joint session with the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s another clear sign that his current muscle tightness is being handled with routine caution and remains a minimal concern heading into the season. McCaffrey is coming off a season with his heaviest rushing workload since entering the league out of Stanford in 2017. He logged a career-high 311 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns, while adding 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven scores. With McCaffrey limited to just four games in 2024 following an Achilles injury, any report of tightness naturally raises red flags. However, all signs point toward him being ready for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Kirk Cousins has taken the majority of first-string offensive reps for the Las Vegas Raiders throughout training camp, but rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza received first-team work during Tuesday joint practice with the Houston Texans. Head coach Klint Kubiak stated after practice that he intended to evaluate Mendoza against starting opposition. "I wanted to see him going against the Texans’ 1s," Kubiak told reporers. "That was our plan all along. I thought he did some good things. I look forward to watching the tape. He and his teammates, all these young guys that were playing, we’ve got to get them up to speed real quick." Cousins addressed the allocation of snaps following the practice session. "He did a great job," Cousins told reporters. "He’s well-prepared, made some great plays and he’s continuing to do what he’s supposed to do and pick up the system quickly." Mendoza detailed his experience taking reps against the Houston defense. "I believe overall, it was a positive day. There were plays that I loved and plays that I wish I had back, but in reality, that's a lie. I wish I didn't have them back because it's a growing experience," Mendoza told reporters. "It's practice, and this is what I love, and it's a beautiful day to play football. I'm so happy, I have so many things to learn from this." The New York Giants signed free-agent running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal on Tuesday. Harris spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers before suffering a season-ending Achilles tear. He enters the Giants backfield fully healthy. The addition of Harris comes after the Giants waived running back Dante Miller with an injury designation. Miller hurt his groin in the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings and is expected to miss time. "I think this is a good opportunity here. I think the style of play that they're heading towards is the style of play that aligns with me," Harris told reporters. In a corresponding move, the Giants plan to release veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. After pass rusher Za'Darius Smith worked out for the Cleveland Browns last week with a signing expected, he visited the Atlanta Falcons on Monday and officially signed a one-year deal on Tuesday morning, according to multiple reports. Smith is reuniting with Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, whom he played under for two seasons in Cleveland. With pass rusher James Pearce Jr. set to serve an eight-game suspension, Stefanski turned to a familiar face to help fill the void. With Pearce Jr. facing a suspension and Jalon Walker out for the entire 2026 season due to a training camp knee injury, Atlanta's edge depth is severely tested. Smith could immediately play a heavy role alongside Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari, who are listed as the Falcons' starting edge rushers on their unofficial depth chart. Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler who has bounced around the league over his 11-year NFL career. He has played for the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Browns, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and now the Falcons. Now that Smith to the Falcons is a done deal, all eyes shift towards whether he can put together a full season of health. His best season came in 2020 with the Packers, where he earned All-Pro honors with 52 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

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