Maryland football made a coaching change ahead of its bye week, but not the one fans were expecting. Defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino was fired Sunday, ending his time with the program.
Terrapins Make Change at Defensive Coordinator Positionhttps://t.co/269LMby1wm
Monachino's defense has conceded the eighth-most points (233) in the country this season, including nearly 44 per game during its five-game skid. The Terps gave up at least 40 points in three straight games and allowed Rutgers to score 24 second-half points Saturday.
"I appreciate Ted's hard work and dedication to our program during his time in College Park," head coach Michael Locksley said. "As I evaluate our program, I believe this change is necessary. We wish Ted all the best moving forward."
Maryland, who was tied for the Big Ten lead with 19 interceptions in 2025, has allowed 451.6 yards per game against power conference foes this season. UCLA, Nebraska and then-No. 5 Ohio State each rushed for over 200 yards during their blowout wins over the Terps.

#coach #time

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts spent an entire offseason reshaping the defense.
They signed multiple free agents to beef up the defensive line. They drafted two linebackers they projected as potential starters. They waited for two promising defensive backs to get healthy after training camp injuries cost each their entire 2025 seasons.
But on Sunday, it didn't look like a new and improved unit. Instead, the Colts allowed 506 total yards and 202 yards rushing in another troubling season-opening loss.
"This is a good gut check for the entire team, every single one of us," Pro Bowl defensive tackle and team captain DeForest Buckner said after an underwhelming reintroduction in a 41-23 loss to Baltimore. "We've got to be better, including myself. We've got to be better each and every day, have a sense of urgency and move on to the Chiefs."
It's a familiar refrain for Indy fans, who have celebrated just one opening-day win in the past 13 years. And to many, this one seemed like more of a dud than the promised fresh start. They responded with a cascade of boos as they watched more of the same.

#we 've #loss

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell met with local media Monday to open Alabama week after Michael Alford's firing as athletic director, discussing, among other things, three availability updates.
"First off, with the news of today, definitely wanted to start off just thanking Michael Alford and Laura, for all the work and the time that we get to spend together over these last few years," Norvell said. "Two of the best people I've had an opportunity to be around."
"Obviously, as we move forward into this week, all of our focus is going to be on this game," Norvell said. "It's a big game. It's our first road game of the season … an opportunity to go out there and be on an incredible stage against a very talented football team."
Norvell shared that freshman linebackers Izayia Williams and Daylen Green will miss the rest of the season. Veteran linebacker Blake Nichelson will miss an extended period of time but is expected back this year.
"Those guys, they had the injuries, Daylen in the last game and then Izayia (has) been dealing with some things," Norvell said. "With some guys going down, the opportunity for others to rise up, whether it's defensively there at linebacker, whether it's opportunities there in special teams, it'll be an open-door opportunity for guys on this team."

#izayia #daylen

The beginning of the Washington Commanders' season is not for the weak. First, they face division opponents in the first two weeks of the season, and then they play the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. Both games against division opponents are on the road, too, which doesn't help anything.
On Sunday, the Commanders opened their season against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was a difficult game to watch early on. The Commanders struggled with timing, Jayden Daniels looked uncomfortable, and Terry McLaurin was MIA. Defensively, the secondary led the team in tackles, which is concerning. Rookie Sonny Styles actually led all linebackers with four tackles (three solo), one sack, two tackles for a loss, and one quarterback hit.
They seemed to figure things out near the end of the game, but it was too little, too late, and the Commanders fell 24-22 after failing to convert a two-point attempt to tie the game. Let's take a look at the lowest and highest-graded players from the Commanders' loss, as graded by Pro Football Focus.
WR Antonio Williams (91.0)
QB Jayden Daniels (74.9)

#daniels #loss

The UConn Huskies (1-1) struggled to stay above water in their 38-14 loss to the Maryland Terrapins (2-0).
Paving the way for Connecticut, quarterback Kalieb Osborne completed 10 of 21 (41.7%) passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Osborne also led with 62 rushing yards, while running back Kenji Christian posted 21 yards. In the air, Shamar Porter paved the way with 62 receiving yards and an end zone appearance. JD Willoughby followed with 36 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, cornerback Zion Paret racked up 12 tackles (six solo) and K'Von Sherman tallied nine (four solo).
As for Maryland, Malik Washington landed 34 of 41 (82.9%) throws for 347 yards and two touchdowns. In the backfield, running backs Iverson Howard and Harry Dalton III rushed for 57 yards and crossed the goal line three times. At wide receiver, Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding led with 130 yards and a touchdown. Behind him, Chris Durr Jr. registered 103 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, linebackers Sidney Stewart and Carlton Smith recorded six tackles and Stewart earning a sack.
"There weren't any adverse moments in our first football game. This is a whole different animal," Head Coach Jason Candle said. "They were going to try and lean on us and run the ball down your throat; play up in the face of your receiver. They're going to play pressure-style defense and we're going to figure out how we're going to respond."
To kick off the game, UConn and Maryland traded end zone appearances. With just under five minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Connecticut struck first. After forcing a quick three-and-out, the Terrapins punted from their 14-yard line. Wide receiver Julian Allen's 18-yard return spotted the ball at Maryland's 32-yard line, but a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty backed it up to the 47-yard line.

#going #touchdown #receiver #connecticut

Michigan improved to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon, beating Oklahoma 17-10.
Here are key takeaways from Michigan's win.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was just 9-of-17 passing for 111 yards and was marginally better throwing the ball than he was in Week 1. However, he did some great things on the ground, including a 38-yard rushing touchdown to put Michigan up 7-0. In all, Underwood had 87 yards on the ground and the score. Underwood will have to improve passing. While Michigan should continue to lean on what he does best (running), that approach is bound to be stopped on a given week; the defense will give up more than 10 points, and Underwood's arm will decide if Michigan loses. Today was a step in the right direction; he didn't throw an interception despite a couple near picks. Even so, Michigan has a lot of tough games coming up this season (Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State) and improvement is necessary through the air.
Michigan had 11 penalties for 90 yards, and many of these extended drives for Oklahoma. Jyaire Hill had a late hit, Dom Nichols ripped John Mateer's helmet off, Shamari Earls had a facemask penalty. Eliminating penalties was a point of emphasis heading into this game, but the team failed to follow the message that head coach Kyle Whittingham had. Michigan's lucky that all the yellow flags didn't cost them the game — because they nearly did.
Michigan held Oklahoma to just 289 yards and 3-of-13 on third down. Defensive end John Henry Daley (eight tackles, one sack) was an absolute force and disrupted Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer's timing, as was defensive end Dom Nichols (0.5 sacks). Linebackers such as Troy Bowles (nine tackles) and Nathaniel Staehling (seven tackles) played well, and safety Chris Bracy (six tackles) delivered hard hits throughout the game. It was a cohesive effort (besides the penalties).

#michigan #oklahoma #game #state

If you think Army is going to run over, around and through the South Florida defense the way the Black Knights did against Bryant in week one, think again.
There were a lot of positives to draw from as Army rolled up a school-record 648 yards of total offense and 569 rushing yards on the way to a 59-3 victory over Bryant. With a rout in progress, Army went deep into its bench and utilized 16 different ball carries, including three quarterbacks.
South Florida is not Bryant. The Bulls feature a defensive front that averages 6-foot-3, 293 pounds per man (Major Dillard is 330 pounds at nose, Asani Redwood is 300 at tackle and Michael Williams is 250 at end), compared to the Bryant squad that averaged 30 pounds less. Jump to the linebackers, and USF features a group that averages 6-3, 233 pounds, more than a dozen pounds heavier than the similar Bryant unit. You can also expect South Florida's defenders will be quicker to close off the edges, perhaps cutting off Army's success on the perimeter.
The Bulls held Florida International to 80 yards on 25 carries in a 19-9 win on the evening of Sept 5. FIU did roll up 301 yards of passing, on 62% of completed throws, but run-dominant Army has not been a passing threat for many years.
Based off last week's starting lineup (the Bulls do not release depth charts to the media), the South Florida defense fields nine starters who transferred in from other Division I schools. Linebackers C.J. Hicks (Ohio State), Grayson Howard (South Carolina and Florida) and Sam Robinson (Rutgers) played Power 4 ball, as did Redwood (West Virginia) up front. Corner Teddy Foster (Florida) and 'Star' Amanio Fortenberry (Kansas State) help anchor the secondary.

#south #Bulls #linebackers

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride will play with a refined passion in 2026. With the 2025 season in his rearview mirror and the Los Angeles Chargers ahead, McBride is hoping that his passion and premier pass-catching can spark the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise.
The Chargers lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who moved on to a head coaching position with the Baltimore Ravens. Still, Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. is on the roster and his skillset poses a significant opposition for McBride. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur still has plans on making McBride the focus of the team offense and it'll come down to pure will to determine whether or not McBride can muscle up.
The Cardinals seem to have a competent offensive personnel group at the skills positions but time will tell how their offensive line fares in 2026. Play-action and the quick passing game are both strategies where LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett are likely to call on McBride's jersey number. McBride is quick and physical, plus his route running makes him a mismatch for most opposing linebackers and safeties.
Ultimately, if the Cardinals are to stand a chance on Sunday, they will rely on their passing attack to propel the offense and that'll mean that McBride must be exceptionally magnificent. The Chargers allowed just 19.8 points per game in 2025, but without the mastermind of Minter, McBride might locate a few breaches that can be exploited.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

#play #passion #coordinator

The Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers are ready to renew their annual rivalry, this time with both team's kicking off their season in Melbourne, Australia. While the location has many excited about the game, along with the rivalry's intensity, these three storylines are ones to watch.
This is a multi-layered question due to Kyle Shanahan's offensive brilliance, along with how his scheme has populated the league. The immediate questions revolve around the Rams' defense and whether they have the tools to contain Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme. On top of that, do they have the ability to stop Shanahan's layered passing attack, in which he uses short underneath passes to open up the rest of the field?
Schematics aside, the Seahawks and Cardinals also utilize Shanahan's offensive scheme, as their offensive play-callers are ex-Shanahan ****** istants.
Then, we have to account for Shanahan's tactical brilliance. If I'm Shanahan, I'm using the early portions of the game to figure out how the Rams match up against San Francisco's multi-tight end personnel, and once Chris Shula deploys multiple linebackers, the 49ers should use a fast-tempo offense to take advantage of the Rams' linebackers having to cover ****** e while depleting their energy, with the Rams being unable to substitute.
Shanahan has tricks like that in his bag to control the pen. Is Shula finally wise enough not to fall for it?

#Rams #offensive #scheme #brilliance

When the Los Angeles Rams drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson in the 2025 NFL Draft, they felt they got away with highway robbery. Grabbing Ferguson in the second round was the ultimate payoff, as some believed that Sean McVay and Les Snead wanted him so badly that they were willing to draft him in the first.
However, the Atlanta Falcons gave them an offer they couldn't refuse for their first-round pick, adding a 2026 first-round selection that would become Ty Simpson, and two more 2025 picks. The Rams turned their 2025 selections into Ferguson and Konata Mumpfield, with McVay having his new athletic weapon that would revolutionize his offense.
We got a sneak peek of what that looked like last season. While Ferguson only hauled in 11 receptions, they were a fun 11, as those catches resulted in 231 yards and three touchdowns. What those targets also revealed was that Ferguson is a matchup nightmare for defensive backs and linebackers.
On Sunday, quarterback Matthew Stafford spoke about where Ferguson is in his development, stating he has a deeper understanding of the nuances of the system and is staying level-headed through the growing process.
"I think just his comfort within the system and where he fits," said Stafford. "He's a sharp guy just like the rest of those guys. I think tight end is one of the toughest positions to come in and play early. You're an extension of the offensive line in both the pass protection and the run game, but then you've got to go out there and run routes and win versus certain coverages and leverages and all that stuff too so it's a big adjustment. It's a tough thing to do.

#ferguson #round #mcvay #system

The Philadelphia Eagles are less than ten days away from opening up the 2026 regular season, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the defense far ahead of a revamped offensive unit. Vic Fangio's defense is among the NFL's best, and his personnel will change with the situation, making a traditional 11-player depth chart less useful than identifying his primary packages.
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo should anchor the defensive line, with Ty Robinson and Byron Young rotating heavily enough to receive meaningful snaps. Carter will remain the interior pass-rush centerpiece, while Davis' conditioning should allow him to handle another substantial workload.
Nolan Smith is projected to start on one edge. Jonathan Greenard was acquired to start opposite him, but his uncertain Week 1 availability could push Jalyx Hunt into the opening lineup. Epenesa and Ebiketie provide experienced rotational depth. Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell give the Eagles two linebackers capable of rushing, covering, and defending the run. Trotter should remain involved, particularly in packages that allow Campbell to move toward the line of scrimmage.
Riq Woolen and Quinyon Mitchell project as the outside cornerbacks, with Cooper DeJean operating from the slot. DeJean's versatility also allows Fangio to move him to safety and insert Carter into the nickel role. Mukuba and Epps are the projected starting safeties, but Philadelphia's actual secondary could contain six defensive backs on obvious passing downs.
The depth gives Fangio several options. The primary Week 1 question is whether Philadelphia can generate enough edge pressure if Greenard is unavailable.

#fangio

We made it.
No more trying to ******* emble linebacker depth charts like a Temu toy. We have three linebackers, two starting spots, four extra pieces and instructions that somehow skipped from Step 3 to Step 11.
The preseason is over. Put the tiny screwdriver down. It is time to see who actually stays on the field.
Over the last few weeks, we have tracked green dots, starter treatment, nickel packages, substitutions and enough linebacker rotations to make me question several life choices. Some situations became crystal clear. Others somehow became more confusing.
With Week 1 approaching, here is my final look at all 32 linebacker rooms, who I expect to stay on the field, and most importantly, who should wear the green dot.

#became

GREEN BAY, WI — Notre Dame football linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (left ACL) did not participate in pregame warmups with his position group on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
The third-year linebacker, who had been listed as questionable at the start of Wisconsin week, wore sunglasses and sweatpants as he tossed a football to his fellow linebackers along with Notre Dame graduate ****** istants.
Considered a potential high-round NFL Draft pick as soon as next spring, Viliamu-Asa suffered his second career ACL tear to his left knee in the Senior Day win over Syracuse last Nov. 22.
Homecoming: An emotional Green Bay homecoming ahead for Notre Dame's James Flanigan
With "KVA" apparently sidelined, Notre Dame figures to lean more heavily on the three-man linebacker rotation of Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry and Jaylen Sneed along with sophomore Madden Faraimo.

#homecoming #kyngstonn

TROY - The RPI football team's defensive unit could not have hoped for a better start to the 2026 season in Saturday's Transit Trophy Game against WPI.
WPI possessed the ball for nearly 44 minutes, but the RPI defense turned in a tremendous effort and sparked the Engineers to a 35-7 rout at ECAV Stadium in Troy.
"We did well on all phases of the defense," RPI sophomore defensive back J.T. Walker said. "If the D-line wasn't there, linebackers were there. If the linebackers weren't there, the DBs were there."
RPI held WPI to 294 yards of total offense and recorded five sacks, including two by junior lineman Jack Chappa, and an interception by Walker.
Engineers (1-0) junior quarterback Micah Balzarini made his first career start on Saturday. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

#linebackers #junior

The Gophers did what they were supposed to do against an overmatched FCS opponent on Thursday night, thrashing Eastern Illinois 59-7 at Huntington Bank Stadium to kick off a new season.
Quarterback Drake Lindsey also did what he was supposed to do, completing 19 of 24 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game in the third quarter with a very comfortable lead. With the caveat that it's hard to learn much against an FCS foe, Lindsey's 2026 debut lived up to the NFL buzz he's been getting all offseason.
The Gophers' pro-style offense under Greg Harbaugh Jr. presents a lot of opportunities for Lindsey to make plays that are easy to see translating against much tougher defenses, both in college football and at the next level. What stands out about Lindsey, beyond his obvious size and arm strength, is how smooth he looks when operating from under center and in play action. The ball gets out of his hands in rhythm and zips to his intended target. Most of his completions came at the top of a short drop; Lindsey's average time to throw was just under 2.5 seconds, per PFF.
Perhaps the best example came late in the first quarter, with the Gophers already up 14. Lindsey took the snap, gave a slight play-action fake to draw in the linebackers, and then fired the ball to new wide receiver Noah Jennings in a big void of ****** e over the middle of the field. It was an easy 28-yard gain.
Eastern Illinois caveat, but Drake Lindsey has had a good start to the season. Several strong under center plays. https://t.co/anP2ZiunD8

#lindsey #season

CHAMPAIGN, IL — The fifth-year linebacker started out the season hot, after a ****** ed pass from QB Ryder Burton ended up right in the linebackers' hands. There was nothing but green pastures Infront of him and an orange endzone calling his name.
On top of this 59-yard pick six, the JUCO standout ended his night at Gies Memorial Stadium with six total tackles, including two solo's in Illinois 42-23 win against the UAB Blazers.

#ryder

You can find wisdom in the most unexpected places. Even watching Michael Scott attempt to run a successful sales team on The Office offers a valuable lesson IDP managers can appreciate. Every offseason, we are searching for trends, evaluating production and asking the same question:
"Who is actually good, and who just looks busy?"
It is a fair question, and one that applies perfectly to IDP fantasy football. The 2025 fantasy football season provided plenty of valuable lessons for defensive player managers. While raw fantasy points tell us who finished as a top producer, the underlying numbers often explain why those players succeeded and which trends could shape future seasons.
From the decline of every-down linebackers to the continued importance of green-dot defenders and tackle efficiency, several themes stood out throughout the year leading up to this offseason and Real IDP Hunter has you covered.
Here are some things that stood out in the 2025 season that should translate into this season.

#season #trends #stood

Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Vikings agreed to sign free agent defender Kyle Van Noy.
Sources told the Minnesota Star Tribune, The Athletic and the Ringer about the pact Tuesday night. Van Noy spent the last three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
The 12-year veteran totaled a career-high 12.5 sacks, with 14 tackles for a loss, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 16 appearances for the Ravens in 2024, en route to Pro Bowl honors. He totaled four tackles for a loss, two sacks, four passes defensed and an interception over 15 appearances last season.
Van Noy will bring depth to the Vikings' edge rusher group, which lost Jonathan Greenard through an off-season trade to the Philadelphia Eagles and Tyler Batty to an ACL tear in their preseason finale.
Van Noy is expected to play behind Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel, who played with him in 2020 under former Miami Dolphins coach Brain Flores -- the Vikings' defensive coordinator. Chaz Chambliss and Bo Richter are the other outside linebackers on the Vikings roster.

#Vikings #totaled #passes

Super Bowl-winning free agent OLB Kyle Van Noy is signing with the Minnesota Vikings.
The news was reported Wednesday evening by NFL insider Tom Pelissero, coming hours after it was confirmed that Van Noy was visiting with the Vikings.
He will be reunited with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, for whom he played in both New England and Miami, winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots.
Bring Me The Sports' Vikings reporter Will Ragatz says Van Noy's experience, versatility, and pass rush abilities would all provide a big boost to a Vikings defense that is lacking in proven edge defenders outside of starters Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner.
A second-round pick by the Lions in the 2014 NFL Draft, the BYU grad really came to the fore after he was traded to New England midway through his third year in the NFL, joining Bill Belichick's defense at the time Flores was the linebackers coach.

#super #kyle

Josiah Trotter finished the preseason with an 80.5 defensive grade, the fourth highest among rookie linebackers who played at least 20 snaps. Only Ohio State's Arvell Reese, LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. and Texas Tech's Jack Kelly finished ahead of him.
Against the Jets, Trotter played just 15 defensive snaps but earned an 82.4 PFF grade. He finished with three total tackles without being charged with a missed tackle and earned a 78.1 run defense grade. Trotter attacked downhill, forced runners to change direction, and held up when asked to cover tight ends and running backs. There wasn't much concern about Trotter's ability against the run coming out of Missouri, as he earned an 89.3 run defense grade during his final college season and built his reputation around his instincts and willingness to attack gaps. Coverage was the bigger question after he posted grades below 50 in that area during each of his final two college seasons, but those concerns haven't prevented the Bucs from giving him opportunities.
Trotter started alongside Alex Anzalone when Tampa Bay played its first team defense against Kansas City, another indication that the competition with SirVocea Dennis for a starting role has been legitimate. The rookie has also talked about how quickly the game has started to slow down for him as he's gotten more comfortable in Todd Bowles' defense. Trotter has looked capable of handling more than just early down run defense, which could make it easier for Bowles to declare him a starter come regular season.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Josiah Trotter quietly puts together impressive preseason

#played

The Philadelphia Eagles retained several familiar players Monday while announcing the first 13 members of their 2026 practice squad.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the initial group.
Covey did not make a crowded wide receiver room, but his return gives Philadelphia an experienced option who understands the offense and can handle punt-return duties. He could be elevated if injuries affect either unit.
Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele give Philadelphia two call-up candidates behind Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. Pierce supplies NFL experience and a physical running style, while Steele strengthened his case during the preseason.
Eight of the 13 additions play defense. Uar Bernard and Gabe Hall provide interior depth, while Chance Campbell joins four outside linebackers: Keyshawn James-Newby, Mason Reiger and Joshua Weru. Maximus Pulley and Cole Wisniewski give the secondary two developmental safeties.

#covey

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season, providing the clearest look yet at the team Patrick Mahomes will lead into the regular season.
Kansas City completed its roster cuts Sunday after spending the offseason evaluating a 90-man group that included established veterans, draft picks, undrafted rookies and several offseason additions.
The initial roster includes three quarterbacks, three running backs, six wide receivers, four tight ends and 10 offensive linemen. Defensively, Kansas City kept eight defensive linemen, five linebackers and 11 defensive backs, along with three specialists.
The Chiefs also placed wide receiver Jimmy Holiday on injured reserve and defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott on the physically unable to perform list.
Changes can still come through waiver claims and additional moves, something general manager Brett Veach made clear before the deadline when he described Kansas City's roster as not yet a "finished product."

#roster #three #chiefs #season

In less than one week, the Virginia Tech Hokies are back in action. It will be the first game for new head coach James Franklin when the VMI Keydets come to Lane Stadium to open the 2026 season.
Saturday's game will also feature the re-debut of defensive coordinator Brent Pry. Pry was Virginia Tech's head coach for the past four seasons, but was fired last season after an 0-3 start. Pry is excited to be back in Blacksburg, and in the offseason retained Virginia Tech's top defensive players from a year ago: defensive tackle Kemari Copeland, linebackers Noah Chambers and Kaleb Spencer and safety Quentin Reddish.
Speaking of Reddish, the Virginia Tech secondary has an interesting blend of returning players and newcomers.
We conclude our 2026 season preview today with a look at the secondary.
Number

#virginia #head

The Indianapolis Colts have completely revamped their defense, and nothing emphasizes that more than comparing last season's initial 53-man roster with this season's initial 53-man roster. While there are only six new players on the offense this season, there are 15 new players on the defense.
Offensively, there are no new additions at quarterback or tight end. Indianapolis has one new running back behind Jonathan Taylor in rookie seventh-rounder Seth McGowan.
On the offensive line, there are two new additions - Jalen Farmer, a 2026 draft pick, and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, whom the Colts acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. Both players are considered depth pieces.
At wide receiver, they traded Michael Pittman away to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But there are three new additions - seasoned veteran Keenan Allen, seventh-round pick Deion Burks, and veteran Laquon Treadwell, who spent the beginning of the 2024 and 2025 seasons on the practice squad.
Defensively, the Colts have an entirely new linebacker room with the exception of Jaylon Carlies, who started last season on injured reserve (IR). Their other five linebackers - CJ Allen, Bryce Boettcher, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Austin Ajiake and Tahj Chambers - are all new to the initial 53-man roster.

#indianapolis

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are continuing to trim their roster ahead of Sunday's deadline to reach the NFL-mandated 53 players.
According to FOX Sports' Greg Auman, Tampa Bay has now made 20 cuts. The group includes quarterbacks Jake Browning and Connor Bazelak, running back Barika Kpeenu, wide receivers Dean Patterson, Eric Rivers and Jha'Quan Jackson, tight ends Devin Culp and Kenny Fletcher, guards Elijah Klein and Nash Hutmacher, and tackle Marshall Foerner.
Defensively, the Bucs have moved on from defensive linemen Jayson Jones, Josiah Green and Travis Shaw, outside linebacker Yasir Holmes, inside linebackers Nick Jackson and John Bullock, and safety Rashad Wisdom.
Tampa Bay also waived kicker B.T. Potter and long snapper Scott Daly.
The most notable move is Browning, whose departure cleared the way for undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels to serve as Baker Mayfield's backup quarterback. More moves are expected before the 6 p.m. ET deadline as the Buccaneers finalize their initial 53-man roster for the regular season.

#roster

Two weeks from Sunday, the Washington Commanders launch their 2026 season; who do you project to start?
The Commanders open the 2026 season on the road against NFC East opponents, starting in Philadelphia on September 13 and then in Dallas on September 20. Here is my starting lineup for the season opener. How does your lineup differ?
*Note: the offense will be listed as a starting lineup of two receivers and two tight ends, though that has not been declared officially. In addition, the defense will be listed as a 3-4 alignment with three interior defensive linemen, two edges, and two linebackers.
Quarterback: Jayden Daniels
Running Back: Jacory Croskey-Merritt

#season #lineup #Commanders

The Washington Commanders have until 6:00 p.m. Sunday to trim their roster from 90 to 53 players. The work has already begun, as Washington reportedly released five players on Saturday.
Of the first five moves, none were surprises. Washington released two safeties, two linebackers and an offensive lineman. The Commanders are deep at the first two positions, and Nicholas Petit-Frere, the offensive lineman released, was always a long shot when he signed during training camp.
Washington made its most surprising cut last week, releasing veteran safety Will Harris. However, if you'd been to Commanders training camp or watched Harris in action, it wasn't much of a surprise. He had struggled. His release likely means Washington is set at safety with Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin, Tyler Owens and Percy Butler.
Speaking of surprise cuts, could the Commanders move on from 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey? Washington had six receivers inactive for the preseason finale at Baltimore on Friday, which usually indicates a player is safe. Two players competing for a spot at receiver, McCaffrey and Van Jefferson, were active. What does it mean? It means McCaffrey isn't 100% safe, despite a solid training camp.
Let's look at four potential surprise cuts on Sunday and why it would be a surprise.

#surprise #released #camp

The Washington Commanders have begun making roster cuts, releasing four players Saturday afternoon.
The Commanders still have a long way to go to reach the league limit of 53 by Sunday afternoon. The four players released thus far on Saturday are LB Boogie Basham, LB D.J. Johnson, S Joshuah Bledsoe and S Qwuantrezz Knight.
Perhaps the Commanders have begun their defensive-side discussions, as the cuts include two linebackers and two safeties.
Qwuantrezz Knight: Knight had a working relationship with Washington GM Adam Peters. The 49ers signed the undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft and spent all of the 2022 season on the practice squad. On their practice squad again in 2023, the Cardinals claimed him, and he appeared in six Cardinals games in 2023.The Cardinals released Knight following the season; Washington signed Knight to a futures contract in January of 2026. This might be the NFL end for Knight.
Joshuah Bledsoe: A 6th-round pick of the Patriots in the 2021 Draft, Bledsoe appeared in three games in 2022 and one game in 2023 for the Patriots. Since then, he has signed with the Steelers, **** ans, and Commanders but has not made a 53-man roster. This might be the end for Bledsoe, too.

#Commanders #cardinals #draft

Rapid reaction from the Tennessee ***** ans' 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium in the final of three preseason games:
Robert Saleh, deviating from the original plan, opted to rest most – but not all – of the ***** ans' starters for this final preseason game. Cam Ward, Jeffery Simmons, Wan'Dale Robinson, Calvin Ridley and others weren't in uniform, but several expected ***** ans contributors did play. Among them: Receivers Carnell Tate, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, right guard Fernando Carmona Jr., defensive linemen Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott and Jacob Martin, nickel cornerback Marcus Harris and linebackers Cedric Gray, Anthony Hill Jr. and James Williams Sr.
It wasn't the first-string this time, but the ***** ans' defense didn't start well in this preseason game, either, giving up a 97-yard touchdown on the Bears' first offensive snap when cornerback Keydrain Calligan fell down in coverage. Later in the first half, Chicago capped a 16-play, 69-yard drive with a second TD pass for quarterback Tyson Bagent, who was 16-of-17 passing for 208 yards.
Tate did not record a catch in three preseason games. He was targeted only once against the Bears, diving unsuccessfully for a deep ball thrown by quarterback Will Levis into the end zone. While the ***** ans surely would've liked to get more production from their rookie No. 4 overall draft pick in the preseason games, it eased some concerns to see Tate bounce back from a brief rough patch and play a starring role during this past week's joint practice with the Bears.
In what might've been his final game in a ***** ans' uniform, Levis started at quarterback (Mitch Trubisky didn't play, either) and went 14-of-22 passing for 143 yards. Vols legend Hendon Hooker played the rest of the way after halftime. Cut day will be here quickly on Aug. 30. It'll be interesting to see what happens with these two quarterbacks.

#tate #game

In their final preseason game, the Buccaneers were blanked by the Jacksonville Jaguars 0-19, capping off what was otherwise a solid preseason for Tampa Bay. The Bucs were disappointing, especially on offense, which couldn't get anything going regardless of who was under center, and on special teams, which reverted to old bad habits. The defense largely held up its end thanks to another great night of pass rush and secondary play. A solid defensive effort went for naught thanks to the offensive implosion, which likely saw the end of Jalon Daniels' hopes to be Baker Mayfield's primary backup.
Here are the studs and duds from the Bucs' preseason finale loss to the Jaguars:
By all appearances, Jalon Daniels was auditioning for the rare third quarterback spot on the Bucs' 53-man roster. Unfortunately for him, it went almost as badly as it could have against the Jaguars. Daniels was sharp early, but his receivers were anything but. Then came the fumbled snap in the second quarter, a problem that carried over from last week's matchup against the Chiefs.
Daniels then took three sacks, three more than in any previous preseason game. He finished with just eight completions on 15 attempts and just 57 pass yards. While Daniels remains the Bucs' most dynamic quarterback from the preseason, it is unlikely he did enough to prove himself reliable enough to overtake Jake Browning as QB2.
One of Tampa Bay's few highlights was the play of its outside linebackers, who frustrated the Jaguars' offense all night. David Walker was unstoppable once again, winning a third of his pass rushes per PFF. Anthony Nelson continued his productive preseason, recording a sack and a quarterback hit. Jack Pyburn played like someone who did not plan on playing for LSU this year, leading the team with two sacks, three tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits. Tampa Bay's edge rush looks much improved from last year heading into this season.

#jaguars #quarterback #pass