NFL Player News

Per Rapoport, the Steelers were actually on the phone with Lemon when the Eagles traded up with the Cowboys to acquire the No. 20 overall pick. The Eagles then tried calling Lemon, but could not get hold of him because he was on the line with the Steelers. Ultimately, the Eagles submitted the card anyway and came away with a new wide receiver. The Steelers instead drafted Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor one pick later. We expect the Steelers to be in the market for a new wide receiver on Day 2.

Mayfield has been seeking a new contract from the Bucs all offseason, and earlier this month it was reported that the two sides were “not close” to a new deal. Mayfield has also reportedly set a training camp deadline for when he will stop all discussions with the team, although it’s unclear if that deadline is by the time players report (Tuesday) or when the team takes the field for its first practice (Wednesday). If a new deal isn’t agreed to, Mayfield would presumably prepare to play out 2026 on the one year remaining on his deal, which will pay him a base salary of $10 million.

Jacas, a second-round rookie, recently signed his deal with the team and was placed on the NFI list shortly after. It was reported earlier this offseason that Jacas was dealing with multiple injuries, which resulted in him missing both OTAs and minicamp. We later learned that Jacas had a cleanup procedure on his knee, and it has been reported that Jacas’ contract also includes an injury waiver, although Vrabel declined to comment on that. Vrabel said he is “excited” about where Jacas is with his recovery and development, but it seems like Jacas has a long way to go before possibly getting on the field. We’ll likely get plenty of updates on him throughout training camp.

Mia Bieniemy is reportedly in stable condition and was treated for “serious injuries,” according to police in Loudon County, Virginia. The shooting reportedly took place around 7:00 p.m ET, and Elijah Bieniemy, the son of Eric and Mia, is reportedly being charged with three felonies that include use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, malicious wounding, and discharging a firearm within a building. Elijah Bieniemy was reportedly arraigned on Monday morning. Eric Bieniemy was already with the Chiefs in Missouri during the team’s training camp, and the Chiefs did release a statement saying they were aware of the incident. Our thoughts are with the Bieniemy family.

According to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, Steele was arrested on suspicion of DWI on June 7 and is also facing charges for refusing blood/breath tests and obstructing or resisting an officer without force. Steele was hired by the Commanders in February and spent time with head coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta from 2019-2020.

Speaking with the media on Monday, Vrabel said he thinks “a lot of things get fabricated, and people tell stories,” when asked about Brown’s knee. Patriots executive VP of player personnel Elliot Wolf said last month that Brown has managed a degenerative knee condition in one of his knees since he first entered the league, and he has appeared in 15 or more games in three of his last four seasons. Vrabel acknowledged that Brown won’t do “every single thing” in camp/practice, but the team doesn’t appear overly concerned about the recently acquired receiver. Brown has posted four straight 1,000-yard campaigns and has scored seven or more touchdowns in each of those seasons. He profiles as a fringe WR1/WR2 for fantasy purposes in his first season with Drake Maye.

Per The Tacoma News Tribune’s Gregg Bell, Horton is already “running smoothly” in his return from a November 2025 shin injury. That said, the Seahawks are still limiting his reps. Through the first two practices, he worked with QB Sam Darnold in group drills and fielded punts from P Michael Dickson before observing 11-on-11 drills. On Sunday, he spent time running routes with a trainer while his teammates ran 7-on-7s. Hopefully, the rest of his ramp-up period goes smoothly.

Per Bell, Seahawks coaches are “maximizing” Price’s reps. He’s played on the first-, second- and third-team offenses in 11-on-11 drills thus far. If Price hopes to smash his fantasy football ADP, earning a role in the passing game sure would help. Although he is an accomplished runner and returner, he has just 15 receptions on his college resumé. We’ll continue to monitor Price’s progress in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned.

Chiefs rookies reported for training camp on July 24, and although most veterans do not report until July 28, quarterbacks arrive early, allowing rookies to take reps with QB Patrick Mahomes. Per Taylor, Allen and Mahomes linked up for one of Sunday’s highlights, a touchdown pass thrown to the back of the end zone in 7-on-7 drills. Taylor notes that coach Andy Reid “spent a few minutes giving Allen one-on-one coaching between repetitions, too.” Is this groundbreaking news? No. But, it is positive. The fifth-round rookie was a worthwhile late-round dart throw in dynasty rookie drafts this spring, and is a player to keep an eye on this summer.

Jacas has not yet practiced with his new team. He underwent a cleanup procedure in his knee and, in what feels like a very related note from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots did include an injury waiver on his knee for his rookie contract. That’s a very unusual thing, though perhaps it’s the reason Jacas remained unsigned into training camp. Hopefully, he can begin practicing soon.

A couple of Cardinals beat reporters chimed in on this one, but the situation is still a little fuzzy. It appears as though Harrison may have tweaked his back, but in a video posted by ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, Harrison can be seen pointing to his left ankle when he initially met with the Cardinals’ training staff. After that, Harrison did seem to focus his efforts on his back, walking around while attempting to stretch it out, at times “grimacing as he bends backward” and even attempting a yoga cobra pose on the sideline — not kidding. The Cardinals have the day off tomorrow and resume practicing on Tuesday. If we do not get an update before then, his participation that day will at least tell us something. Hopefully, this is a non-issue.