After going 14-3 and reaching the AFC Championship game last season, the Denver Broncos are considered a Super Bowl contender going into the 2026 campaign.
The Ringer's Diante Lee published his updated NFL power rankings on Monday, and he has the Broncos ranked third, only trailing the NFC's Los Angeles Rams (this year's Super Bowl favorite) and Seattle Seahawks (the defending Super Bowl champion).
"The Broncos have all the pieces they'll need to win their division and be an AFC front-runner again, and that was already the case before they traded for receiver Jaylen Waddle," Lee wrote for The Ringer. "Now this team is entering the season with arguably a top-three defense, a top-five offensive line, and a top-10 receiving corps led by Waddle and Courtland Sutton.
Lee is not alone in his ******* sment of the league's top three clubs. Bleacher Report's NFL experts also published their updated power rankings on Monday with the same order: L.A., Seattle, Denver.
"Most of our panelists agree that Denver is a top-three team to open the season, which seems fitting for a club coming off an AFC Championship appearance," Maurice Moton wrote for B/R.

#denver #three

Former Good Morning America host Janai Norman marked the end of summer with a selection of sweet photos highlighting her friends and family.
The 36-year-old journalist, who was fired from the ABC show back in April, shared the snaps on Instagram on Sunday (September 6). "Kissing summer goodbye," she wrote in the accompanying caption.
The photos included glamorous shots from a wedding she attended with her husband, Eli, and Fox News anchor Kenneth Moton, as well as a video of her taking a bike ride with her hubby and another where they shared a peck on the lips.
In another snap, Norman posed in front of a mirror, showing off her toned abs in a sky-blue bandeau top and high-waisted shorts. Another shot showed her three children looking into a fountain adorned with sunflowers.
Janai Norman Instagram

#janai #photos #good

There is no greater gap between the college level of a sport and the pros than there is in football. That's why so many promising rookies struggle in their first year in the league—as the learning curve is steep, with many needing as much help as they can get.
Right or wrong, the Carolina Panthers seem to believe in letting first-round pick Monroe Freeling figure things out on his own. According to Mike Kaye at ESPN, he's blocking one-on-one at a 75-percent rate as the team's starting right tackle this preseason.
Here's Kaye's ****** ysis on Freeling's work from the summer:
Freeling has been thrust into the starting lineup due to two notable absences, with longtime starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (knee/PUP) and right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clot/NFI) expected to miss a chunk of the season. Freeling, who has been at right tackle all summer, will serve as a bookend to veteran left tackle Rasheed Walker in the meantime. Freeling allowed two pressures in 12 pass-blocking snaps during his first two preseason games, but he has received little help on that side, with a 75% one-on-one rate, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Freeling has had some rough moments, especially in this week's joint practice with the Houston Texans. (But who amongst us doesn't have a rough moment with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson hunting us down?)

#starting #many

The Carolina Panthers got a rude awakening on Wednesday when they shared a joint practice with the Houston Texans, owners of the league's most disruptive defensive line and the NFL's second-stingiest scoring defense in 2025. Reports from the session all indicate that it was a brutal day for quarterback Bryce Young and the rest of Carolina's offense—with rookie right tackle Monroe Freeling, in particular, struggling against the brutal pass rush.
Well, the good news is the Panthers have at least one rookie right tackle who's definitely shining this summer. Through Week 2 of the preseason, the undrafted Albert Reese is the 11th-highest graded rookie by Pro Football Focus. **** yst Gordon McGuinness writes:
Reese has played 140 snaps so far this preseason, all at right tackle, with the Mississippi State undrafted free agent registering a 92.6 PFF run-blocking grade that leads all offensive lineman. He has also been solid in pass protection, giving up just two hurries from 104 pass-blocking snaps.
Reese's performance is a pleasant surprise. However, there are always rookies who thrive during the preseason only to crash and burn once the real games begin in September—if they ever get off the sideline to begin with.
Right now, that's the real problem for Reese. The Panthers invested a first-round draft pick in Freeling, and he's going to be starting at right tackle while Taylor Moton is out. Freeling should expect to continue to have some welcome-to-the-NFL moments, but he's going to stay on the field to develop.

#panthers #brutal

Entering the summer, wide receiver John Metchie III was far from a lock to make the Carolina Panthers' initial 53-man roster. But now, it feels like he may be angling for more than just a spot on the program.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton named the biggest winners and losers from Week 2 of the preseason. Metchie was listed amongst the former group following his productive performance in Carolina's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night.
And with fellow wideout Xavier Legette currently dealing with an ankle injury, Moton opines that Metchie could even crack the starting lineup come September:
If Legette's injury lingers, Metchie could carve out a role in three-receiver sets alongside 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen ***** er. Because of the Panthers' injuries at the position, he's almost certain to make the roster after signing a one-year, $1.9 million deal in March.
That didn't seem like a realistic prospect when training camp began, as Metchie was one of a handful of receivers competing for the backend of a relatively crowded room. But the setback to Legette, as well as to 2026 third-round pick Chris Brazzell II, may breed some opportunity for the former second-round pick.

#year #receiver #former

Why Vikings have only a 30% chance to trade J.J. McCarthy after QB1 decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray this offseason, and after weeks of training camp, the Vikings made their decision to name him the starter.
J.J. McCarthy became the backup quarterback, and now the questions about a trade naturally come up. But there are multiple issues with a potential trade of McCarthy.
As Bleacher Report's Moe Moton highlighted, giving McCarthy a 30% chance of being traded, the Vikings' depth chart and the likely cluster of offers make this trade decision a lot easier for Minnesota.
"Given Murray's injury history, the Vikings need a capable backup," Moton writes. "So, the front office isn't likely to give McCarthy away for a late-round pick. Teams would likely need to give up a middle-round pick for Minnesota to consider a deal, which is too high a price for a project player in his early stages of development."

#likely

The Seattle Seahawks have a need at right guard, and free agent guard Kevin Zeitler may be the player that they need to address that.
Seahawks starting RG Anthony Bradford dealt with his share of struggles in 2025 despite helping Seattle win the Super Bowl at the end of the season, which has put him on the hot seat entering the upcoming season.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton listed the Seahawks as the best landing spot for Zeitler ahead of the 2026 season.
"At 36, with 213 career starts, Kevin Zeitler would be a decent plug-and-play option for the reigning Super Bowl champions," Moton said. "In 2025, he allowed just 16 pressures over 590 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The 14-year pro has played most of his snaps at right guard, which makes him a viable replacement for Bradford."
Bradford is approaching the final year of his rookie deal with the Seahawks in 2026. The Seahawks have Beau Stephens, who is in line to give Bradford a run for his money at the right guard slot next season. Zeitler may be a veteran equipped to offer the Seahawks stability at the position, as he gave up only 14 total pressures in 2025 with the Tennessee ***** ans, which was exactly half that of Bradford, who allowed 28 total pressures on the year.

#bradford #season #right #kevin

Browns urged to make horrendous roster decision with Dillon Gabriel originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation is one of the more fascinating ones to follow this preseason. With Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders in a heated QB competition, there is sure to be plenty of discourse over the winner and loser.
But behind those two polarizing QBs are a pair of very fascinating players for different reasons. Dillon Gabriel was a 2025 third-round pick, while Taylen Green is a project taken on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. One of these QBs might not make the team.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton proposed one solution, as he's urging the Browns to release Gabriel this summer, not trade him, in a move that would be totally horrendous.
"Dillon Gabriel is clearly the No. 3 quarterback," Moton writes. "... Teams may be willing to trade a late-round draft pick for him, but if not, he should be a prime cut candidate."

#gabriel #dillon #horrendous

Ravens urged to release 2024 draft pick to shakeup RB room behind Derrick Henry originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Baltimore Ravens are going to be trimming down the roster over the next few weeks as they get down to 53 players for the regular season.
While there are bound to be some tough decisions, one that should be quite easy is in the running back room behind superstar and potential future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report is urging the Ravens to cut ties with 2024 draft pick and backup RB Rasheen Ali. Moving on from Ali makes perfect sense, as the backfield behind Henry doesn't really need Ali anymore.
"Baltimore may only have room for three tailbacks," Moton writes. "If so, Ali probably loses his spot on the back end of the depth chart."

#sporting

Aaron Rodgers has reason to worry about Steelers' 2026 outlook originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have Aaron Rodgers back. That should be enough to get this franchise pumped for this upcoming season. Sure, Rodgers isn't the long-term solution for this team at quarterback. But, having a guy heading up the offense who could really be a coach at this point is a good thing.
So, expectations are high for the Steelers. They were No. 1 in the AFC. Okay, they only had a 10-7 record, but they were still No. 1.
Will they repeat that success in 2026 and then some? Not everyone thinks it will happen.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has unleashed a piece projecting every NFL division's standings going into the new season. "The first full week of the NFL preseason is another checkpoint on the offseason calendar. Adjust your regular-season expectations accordingly," he states in the piece.

#piece #preferred

Despite all their talent on both sides of the ball, the Atlanta Falcons have been getting consistently disrespected in power rankings and projections from the national media this offseason. Fully healthy and with a decent starting quarterback, Atlanta should be able to take the NFC South division this year.
However, it seems few around the league are buying what Kevin Stefanski and Co. are selling. In fact, some ***** ysts are predicting a last-place finish for the Falcons in the league's worst division.
That includes Moe Moton at Bleacher Report, who has Atlanta ending the year at 5-12, good for fourth place.
"Atlanta won't be able to slow down opponents without a respectable pass rush. According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Falcons edge-rusher James Pearce Jr. has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing police and resisting an officer with violence... Pearce has not been convicted of any offense. Last week, fellow edge-rusher Jalon Walker tore his ACL. If Tua Tagovailoa wins the starting quarterback job over Michael Penix Jr., who is still recovering from knee surgery, he will need another 4,600-plus-yard passing season to keep the Falcons out of the NFC South basement."
The twin blows of losing Jalon Walker for the year to an ACL tear and the coming suspension of Pearce (likely for at least half the season) have several ***** ysts down on Atlanta going into the preseason, understandably.

#quarterback

Thanks to a flurry of injuries, the Carolina Panthers have big needs in their wideout room, along their offensive line and off the edge—and that's before you get to any of the roster holes they had going into training camp.
But some think the Panthers should go in a different direction if they add free-agent help before the 2026 season begins.
According to Moe Moton at Bleacher Report, the reigning NFC South champs should be interested in signing veteran defensive back and former Indianapolis Colt Kenny Moore II as an upgrade for the slot corner position.
Moton writes:
The Carolina Panthers should look for an upgrade at slot cornerback. Chau Smith-Wade has manned the position for two seasons, and undrafted second-year pro Corey Thornton is his only competition for that role... Turning 31 in a couple of weeks, Moore should have at least one more optimal year left in his playing career. He's a Band-Aid option at a weak spot in the Panthers' secondary.

#thanks

Going into training camp, the most critical position battle for the Carolina Panthers was supposed to be the left tackle competition between veteran Rasheed Walker and first-round pick Monroe Freeling. But fate had other ideas, as longtime starting right tackle Taylor Moton was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung—a development that has kicked Freeling over to Moton's spot and, effectively, ended that battle on the blindside.
But another major injury has bred another competition.
Last Wednesday, rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II went down with an LCL tear. The third-rounder will now miss the entirety of the 2026 campaign, and his setback may have given way to a fresh matchup for the No. 3 spot in the receiver room.
ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler lists that fight—between Xavier Legette and David Moore—as Carolina's biggest position battle of the summer. Fowler writes:
Legette, a first-round pick in 2024, entered camp with heat on him after a subpar start to his pro career. This camp, Letette is well-positioned to win the third receiver job opposite Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen **** er. The Panthers view Legette at his best when playing fast, and they don't want to overload his plate as a result. But Moore has been with head coach Dave Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik every step of the way, from Seattle to Tampa Bay to Carolina. He is trusted and reliable. If Legette slips, Moore -- who should have a role regardless -- can step into a larger one.

#camp #panthers

Even with 90 spots to work with, NFL rosters can feel the domino effect of summertime injuries.
That's certainly been the case for the Carolina Panthers, whose 2026 training camp has felt like a war of attrition. On top of the starters who were already sidelined going into workouts, including offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton and defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, the team has now lost rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton to season-ending knee injuries.
Head coach Dave Canales explained on Friday night, following Fan Fest, that those setbacks have held back the Panthers from adding a fourth quarterback—namely, Kyle Trask.
"Yeah, just general needs for our roster right now," stated Canales, who later mentioned the offensive line and tight end room as areas that are currently experiencing stress. "We just didn't really feel like we had the luxury. With a couple of positions, we have some guys down."
Trask, a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2021, was brought into Charlotte for a workout on Wednesday. The 28-year-old crossed paths with Canales back in 2023, when Canales served as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator.

#trask

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers scrimmaged in front of approximately 40,000 fans at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night in their first appearance on their home turf since losing in the opening round of last season's playoffs.
Injuries continue to be the story of the team's training camp with three other players kept out of the action.
Tight end Tommy Tremble, defensive tackle Derrick Brown and linebacker Devin Lloyd all sat out.
Coach Dave Canales said after the scrimmage that Tremble had "general soreness" in his right knee on which he wore a sleeve on Friday night, and Brown and Lloyd were taking their regularly scheduled "veteran days."
With starting offensive tackle Taylor Moton (blood clot) not participating in training camp and out of action until the regular season, linebacker Nic Scourton and wide receiver Chris Brazzell suffering season-ending knee injuries in the first week of training camp and tight end Mitchell Evans (ankle) carted off the practice field, injuries are a concern.

#camp #Friday

Things are not going well on the injury front for the Carolina Panthers.
Training camp got off on the wrong foot as starting linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a season-ending ACL injury. The franchise is also dealing with two offensive linemen, Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, working their way back from injuries. And starting tackles Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu are also currently injured and missing training camp, with both expected to miss the season opener.
So any new injuries at this point will be felt even harder, which is why a scary moment at camp on Tuesday immediately raised concerns.
Reports on Tuesday morning indicated that Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans, who made 17 appearances and 10 starts for Carolina as a rookie in 2025, went down with an apparent lower-body injury and had to be carted off the field – stoking concerns as injuries continued to mount for the franchise.
Luckily for the Panthers, there is a decent chance this injury won't turn out to be as serious as Scourton's was. Head coach Dave Canales said that Evans got rolled up on the play, and an initial examination did not indicate a serious injury.

#panthers #camp #tuesday

Good evening Panthers fans! We're into training camp and a lot of information is floating around the internet. I'm here to try and highlight some pieces I think fans want to know about and just help you keep up with all the happenings in general! This is not an all encompassing piece, so if there's something that happened that you find interesting/exciting, feel free to share below!
One day into training camp, and the Panthers have lost their first casualty for the season, and it was their promising young 2025 2nd round pick, EDGE Nic Scourton. Scourton appeared primed to have a big role on this front seven opposite Jaelen Phillips, but we're going to have to wait til 2027 as Scourton went down with what appeared to be a severe knee injury early in the day. Speculation was it was very serious due to how he and the players around him reacted, and sure enough, its a torn ACL. Horrible news for the Panthers, sending best wishes to Nic on a speedy and healthy recovery.
Running back Jonathon Brooks practiced in training camp for the first time in his career (shout-out to Mike Kaye for that factoid). While I know many fans have been skeptical of his health, he appears primed to have a significant role in the offense if this direction continues.
The Panthers have officially announced rookie first round pick Monroe Freeling will be starting at right tackle to start the year given the medical issue keeping Taylor Moton out. Initially, Freeling was set to enter a competition with Rasheed Walker at left tackle, but the team quickly created a new plan for Moton's absence.
Dave Canales said OL Brady Christensen "looked good" in his first training camp action back with the team. Christensen is coming off a torn Achilles last season, but he may be needed sooner than later if the Panthers injury luck continues.

#panthers #fans #we 're

The Panthers are set to open the season without either of their starting offensive tackles from 2025, but General Manager Dan Morgan didn't seem worried about that during a Wednesday press conference.
Carolina signed Rasheed Walker as a free agent in March because they knew left tackle Ikem Ekwonu had a long rehab ahead of him after tearing his patellar tendon, but news this week that right tackle Taylor Moton is dealing with a blood clot in his lung came as a surprise. Moton is expected to be out into the regular season and that puts first-round pick Monroe Freeling on track to start on that side of the offensive line.
Freeling played left tackle at Georgia and he appeared set to play an apprentice role as a rookie, but Morgan said he feels comfortable with how things are currently taking shape up front.
"I think we’ll be covered there," Morgan said, via the team's website. "We feel good about it, and I know T-Mo will definitely support Monroe there at right tackle and teach him all he knows. So, yeah, we feel good about it. I think that's why depth matters so much in this league. And drafting Monroe and taking the best player available, it happened to be a tackle, it worked out really well for us. So we feel really good about him. We're confident in him, and I know he's going to attack it and he's going to be out there competing."
The Panthers also have a new center in Luke Fortner and the offensive line will have to gel over the coming weeks for the team to get off on the right foot come September.

#monroe #offensive #right #panthers

The Carolina Panthers' blindside will probably look different for quite a while.
National NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe provided some of his latest takeaways on the Panthers during Tuesday's episode of The Insiders. And with yesterday's news of right tackle Taylor Moton hitting the cycle, Wolfe also touched on the other side of the line with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.
"From what I'm told, he won't be expected back until late in the season, potentially," he stated of Ekwonu.
Ekwonu is still recovering from the tear of his patellar tendon from January's wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Panthers, while seemingly encouraged by the former first-round pick's progress, have not publicly disclosed a timeline for his return.
He'll be joined on the shelf by Moton, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung last month. Carolina placed the 30-year-old lineman on the reserve/non-football injury list, and he is not expected back at the start of the regular season.

#tackle #back #season #round

Before Tuesday, the main event for the Carolina Panthers' 2026 installment of training camp was likely to be a heavyweight bout at a heavyweight position. But the outlook changed drastically, when news of right tackle Taylor Moton's medical issue became public.
The team had announced yesterday afternoon that the 30-year-old veteran was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung back in late June. And while Moton, per Panthers.com, has been responding well to treatment, the offensive pillar is expected to miss time into the regular season.
That forecast turned our aforementioned main event on its head, as the projected bout at left tackle between veteran Rasheed Walker and first-round pick Monroe Freeling seems likely to be called off. Nonetheless, one of those combatants may still have to put up a fight this summer.
Here are our four most important position battles to watch at Panthers training camp . . .
Now that Moton is shelved, the Panthers are very likely heading into the new campaign without either of their starting tackles. He'll sit out with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who is still recovering from his torn patellar tendon.

#moton #main

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton will miss the start of the regular season after being diagnosed last month with a blood clot in his lung.
The Panthers announced Tuesday that Moton and cornerback Jaycee Horn will be placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, the day before the start of training camp. Horn is sidelined after cutting his foot while running and requiring stitches. The Panthers anticipate Horn returning early in camp.
Moton was placed on blood thinners after his diagnosis and is being monitored by the team's medical staff. He's expected to return at some point during the regular season.
The 31-year-old Moton has played in 145 games — 128 starts — since being selected in the second round by the Panthers in 2017.
Carolina added left tackle Rasheed Walker through free agency as a fill-in for left tackle Ickey Ekwonu, who ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee during a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

#moton #regular

A third Carolina Panthers player has hit the shelf on Tuesday.
Cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. The 22-year-old defender and the rest of the team's rookie class reported back to Charlotte this morning, right before the start of training camp.
Guilbeau signed with the Panthers this past spring as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Texas. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder played four seasons for the Longhorns—amassing 124 combined tackles (8.0 for a loss), an interception, 10 passes defensed and a sack.
Earlier in the afternoon, Carolina placed a pair of veteran starters—right tackle Taylor Moton and cornerback Jaycee Horn—on the NFI list. Horn is expected to return soon after sustaining a cut on his foot while Moton, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung in late June, seems likely to miss some time into the regular season.
The Panthers did not provide any additional information on the nature of Guilbeau's injury.

#guilbeau #moton #placed #injury

The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that starting right tackle Taylor Moton has a blood clot in one of his lungs and is expected to miss time in the regular season.
Moton was diagnosed with the condition in June. Per the team, he's been on blood thinners since and has responded well to treatment. For now, the Panthers have placed Moton on the reserve/non-football injury list.
It's not clear how long the condition will sideline Moton, but the Panthers are expected to start the season without a stalwart of their offensive line. A second-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2017, Moton has started all but four games for Carolina in the last eight seasons.
The state of Carolina's offensive line looms large in 2026 as they continue to evaluate the play of quarterback Bryce Young.
Moton's condition likely clears the path for first-round rookie Monroe Freeling to start from Day 1. A 6-7, athletic tackle, Freeling joined the Panthers as the No. 19 pick in April's NFL Draft out of Georgia and projects as an anchor of Carolina's offensive line for years to come.

#draft #tackle #blood

Panthers RT Taylor Moton diagnosed with scary medical condition originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Carolina Panthers are already dealing with injury concerns.
On the eve of kicking off training camp Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers announced right tackle Taylor Moton was diagnosed with blood clots in a lung and will open 2026 on the non-football injury list.
Moton, who will miss the start of the regular season, has been receiving treatment since learning of the situation in late June.
Starting cornerback Jaycee Horn (foot) also will start on the non-football injury list.

#moton #sporting

The quarterback play of the Minnesota Vikings has been a rollercoaster in terms of who is under center in recent years. Despite that, the play of their passers has been decent up until last season, when an often-injured and inconsistent J.J. McCarthy made the offense come to a screeching halt.
The Minnesota Vikings need to have a better offense in 2026, plain and simple. The Vikings did what they could to improve it, and now they will be leaning on former Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray to lead them into their next chapter. That move was enough for Bleacher Report's Moe Moton to include them among his top five teams improved this offseason.
Moton writes, "Although Murray underperformed in Arizona over the last few years, he could see a career resurgence under O'Connell, who has called plays for a top-six passing offense in three of his four years with the Vikings. The 28-year-old signal-caller needs to stay healthy, though. Murray joined a team with a solid wide receiver duo in two-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Minnesota signed Jennings, who caught 55 passes for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns last season with the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings will have a new dynamic starting quarterback and one of the league's best receiver trios this year. Expect this offense to rack up points as one of the top 10 scoring units."
Murray is going to have the best supporting cast of his career. Pairing that with a coaching staff that has shown they can get the most of reclamation projects at quarterback. The perfect storm could be brewing for the Vikings on offense in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings' offense earns praise for improvements from Bleacher Report

Minnesota Vikings rookie defensive tackle Caleb Banks has yet to take an NFL snap, and he’s already on bust watch. That’s the verdict, according to Bleacher Report, which predicted one bust from each team this week.
Banks is on track to be ready for training camp after a foot injury at the NFL Combine, but that apparently doesn’t matter to Moe Moton.
BR on Banks as a Bust
It was Banks as a bust per Moton’s determination, and he explained, “According to The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler, Caleb Banks broke his foot at the NFL Scouting Combine and was expected to be out until June.”
“ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that teams received a letter with confirmation of that recovery timeline. The Minnesota Vikings selected Banks with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft, and he’s yet to participate in practice.”

The Atlanta Falcons have their work cut out for them as they attempt to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The team has made some major changes, bringing in Matt Ryan to be the president of football and hiring head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Training camp is just around the corner, but there's still time for the Falcons to make a move or two before players report to the team's training facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia.
In today's Falcons Wire Recap, Bleacher Report identifies a potential trade target in the AFC, ESPN predicts the winner of two key position battles, and NFL.com roasts the NFC South.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton suggested one trade for all 32 NFL teams ahead in 2026. For the Falcons, B/R listed Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. as an ideal trade target.
"Denver acquired Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins. Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin have a strong rapport with quarterback Bo Nix," wrote Moton. "The coaching staff could look to further develop second-year wideout Pat Bryant. Mims knows this year could be his last in Denver. Atlanta can speed up the process and acquire him to address a glaring roster need."

Jets, Aaron Glenn urged to make Buccaneers trade — but is it the right move? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets have to be at least a bit nervous about the upcoming season. It's going to take a lot to dig them out of the 3-14 hole they were in last season. Glenn has his hands full, so it would make sense if he's still looking for ways to reshape this lineup before September rolls around.
So, is a massive trade on the horizon for the Jets? It could happen, because a franchise that's as dire as this one has to pull out all the stops.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report thinks the Jets have an opportunity on their hands in the form of an enticing trade option. In a piece out for the publication this week, he urges the team to work out a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The idea is for the Jets to trade a late 2027 pick for Buccaneers linebacker SirVocea Dennis. Why the trade? The Jets have a 37-year-old starting linebacker in Demario Davis, but they absolutely have to plan for the future.

The Minnesota Vikings haven't had many hits in the draft in recent years. Could their top pick from the 2026 draft class be their next big disappointment?
In April, the Vikings shocked the NFL landscape by drafting Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks with the 18th overall pick. Two foot surgeries since August 2025 led most to believe Banks could potentially slide into the second round. But Minnesota is convinced Banks will be healthy when training camp begins later this month.
Still, not everyone is convinced Banks will be healthy or even live up to his potential. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report listed each NFL team's biggest bust for the 2026 season, whether a draft pick or a veteran signing. Moton listed Banks as the Vikings' biggest bust, citing health concerns.
The Minnesota Vikings selected Banks with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft, and he's yet to participate in practice. Head coach Kevin O'Connell expects the 6'6", 327-pound defensive tackle to be ready for training camp (h/t ESPN's Kevin Seifert).
Even if Banks is on the practice field in a couple of weeks, the Vikings probably won't ramp him up to full speed right away. After missing spring practices, the rookie first-rounder may see limited reps, which may delay his start to the season and push for a prominent role on the defensive line.

For now, most Cincinnati Bengals fans probably don't expect to see the team ranked in the top 10 of power rankings.
While the Bengals enjoyed a very strong offseason and look like obvious contenders, there's that little matter of actually proving it on the field before national rankings start to adjust.
Ahead of training camp, one set of new power rankings has the Bengals as a mere 15th overall.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton handled the writeup for the Bengals
"Based on the Bengals' offensive talent alone, this club should be a playoff contender, but the defense must pull its weight," Moton wrote. "Cincinnati's defensive units have ranked in the bottom half across the league in all but one season since 2018."