NFL Player News

Despite emerging as a quality fill-in for Brent Grimes down the stretch, Franks will be pushed into the dime role on defense this year. He’s battling Harry Douglas and Jacquizz Rodgers’ brother, James, for punt-returner duties. RB Antone Smith appears to be the early favorite on kickoff returns.

Regarding recently unretired DT Aaron Donald’s potential participation, McVay said that “if he feels good enough to go, great. If not, I’ve got a lot of confidence in the other guys.” The Rams have a two-game roster exemption for Donald, so they can take their time with him if they would like to. Regardless, the fact that he is traveling with the team suggests he has a real chance to play next week.

It is tough to say whether this will impact Jacobs’ 2026 season. The NFL placed Jacobs on the Commissioner Exempt List on August 30th, which prevents him from practicing with the team and playing in NFL games. The NFL acts independently and can make its own decision as to whether Jacobs’ behavior warrants a suspension. That said, rulings or evidence presented in court could impact the league’s decision-making. This could be consequential. Stay tuned.

The deal includes $1 million in guarantees while saving the franchise almost $2 million against the cap. Dell is reportedly nearing a return from the devastating knee injury suffered in Week 16 of the 2024 season but will begin 2026 on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he will miss the first four games of the regular season. The contract restructure hints at a potential “prove it” year for Dell, giving the team options following 2026 pending health.

The moves create a solid $17 million in savings against the cap. The team found themselves right up against the salary cap before the restructures, now entering the regular season with about $22 million in space to maneuver.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys now have $33.2 million in salary cap space this year. They also reworked DT Kenny Clark and CB DaRon Bland’s deals. Ferguson’s $7.25 million base salary was turned into a signing bonus. For fantasy purposes, this does not alter Ferguson’s standing. The front office could have a personnel move in mind, though. Stay tuned.

Well, this is a pleasant update. Swift was seen leaving practice earlier today, “apparently holding at his midsection or core area.” After a brief scare, everything appears to be fine for the Bears’ starting running back. Swift enters 2026 as a safe RB2, playing in an expectedly efficient and explosive offense. Backfield mate, RB Kyle Monangai (knee), is currently rehabbing an injury, but last we heard, he has a chance to play in Week 1 against the Panthers. Swift could vault into a top-12 positional ranking if Monangai is unable to play.

Let it be known that these are “preliminary indications” from Wiederer, but Bears fans and fantasy managers alike can breathe a sigh of relief. The team will now go on break over the weekend, and coach Ben Johnson will address the media sometime next week. The first injury report comes out on Wednesday, so we should have an update by then, at the latest. It should be noted that Odunze injured his left foot last season. Today’s injury is to his right leg, so the two issues are unrelated. This is not a re-injury. For now, there is reason for cautious optimism regarding Odunze’s health.

The Saints placed Neal on injured reserve with a hamstring injury over the weekend, but did not designate him as a candidate to return. He received an injury settlement, and could potentially return to the Saints if he passes through waivers unclaimed.

Joining the Jets would make sense for Levis. The team could be hosting a starting quarterback competition next season, albeit with a player picked early in the first round. A chance to compete should not be overlooked by a player hoping to get things back on track.

Per Hammond, Odunze “came up hobbling during an install period at the start of practice,” with what appeared to be a right leg injury. Apparently, Odunze “wasn’t overly concerned” and tried to continue practicing, but Bears trainers removed him from the field. That last bit is encouraging. Hopefully, Odunze’s Week 1 availability has not been jeopardized. Bears TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden would benefit if Odunze cannot play. Odunze is backed up by WR Kalif Raymond.