2026 NFL Training Camp Live Updates, Rumors and Highlights from Tuesday

The Cleveland Browns were willing to deal star pass-rusher Myles Garrett in early June, but they made it known then that they had no interest in moving starting cornerback Denzel Ward.

A source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler right after the Garrett deal that a trade involving Ward would be a "hard no" for Cleveland.

On Tuesday, the Browns made it even clearer that they plan to hang onto Ward for the foreseeable future. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Cleveland and Ward have agreed to a two-year, $62.2 million extension that will make him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history in terms of annual value.

Ward was a first-round draft pick in 2018, has played his entire career in Cleveland, and is coming off his fifth Pro Bowl campaign. His new contract tops the record deal that Trent McDuffie signed after he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams by $100,000 annually.

One of the biggest stories of the early NFL offseason involved Las Vegas Raiders edge-defender Maxx Crosby and the trade to the Baltimore Ravens that did not happen. Baltimore and Las Vegas had an agreement in place, but Baltimore cancelled the trade after Crosby's physical raised medical concerns.

Crosby underwent surgery to repair a torn Meniscus in early January.

The good news for Raiders fans is that Las Vegas doesn't appear concerned with Crosby's health. Head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters on Tuesday that the five-time Pro Bowler is "ready to go" for training camp.

"He's going to get all the reps tomorrow with the ones," Kubiak said (beginning at the 3:07 mark). "He's ready to go. He's ready to practice."

Crosby started all 15 games in which he appeared last season before the Raiders decided to shut him down. He finished 2025 with 10 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and 28 tackles for loss.

The New Orleans Saints are hoping to see big things from second-year quarterback Tyler Shough this season. Fortunately, Shough should be able to work with his top two receivers ahead of Week 1.

Veteran Chris Olave has been limited since a blood clot was discovered in his lung in January. However, he has been cleared to practice, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell:

The Saints are also expected to have rookie first-round pick Jordyn Tyson, who suffered a recurrence of the hamstring issue that he battled before the draft, per Terrell. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football, Tyson has passed his conditioning test and has been cleared for camp:

Tyson was the top-ranked wide receiver on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final 2026 draft board. However, he has a lengthy injury history that includes multiple torn knee ligaments, a fractured collarbone, and lingering hamstring problems.

Expect New Orleans to exercise caution with Tyson in camp, though he and Olave should be on track to play in Week 1.

Green Bay Packers edge-rusher Micah Parsons is recovering from a torn ACL and has made it clear that he's more focused on finishing the 2026 season strong than starting it early.

"The goal isn't for me to go out there and re-hurt myself trying to force myself to get back the first few games," he said in June, per Mike Spofford of the team's official website.

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman told The Pat McAfee Show that Parsons is likely to miss more than a month of the season, possibly returning to face his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, in Week 6.

Green Bay acquired Parsons from the Cowboys just before the start of the 2025 season. In his first 14 games with Green Bay, before the injury, he recorded 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 48 quarterback pressures.

When the Minnesota Vikings signed 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray in free agency, most expected him to quickly overtake J.J. McCarthy as the team's starter. However, the Michigan product hasn't been cast aside yet.

In May, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that the Vikings "haven't given up on" McCarthy and signed Murray to help the 2024 first-round pick become "refocused on whatever they think he got away from last year."

In a Tuesday press conference, head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters that Murray and McCarthy will both get their chances with the starting offense in training camp.

"Just want to be able to articulate the vision and the plan," O'Connell said (h/t ProFootballTalk's Myles Simmons). "Both Kyler and J.J. will take reps with the first team. They'll also take reps with the second group, and I think that gives different layers to the evaluation as well."

Fans can expect Minnesota's QB battle to carry into the preseason.

Fans eager to get a look at No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza as the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback will have to continue waiting. Head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters on Tuesday that veteran Kirk Cousins will be the starter when Las Vegas holds its first camp practice.

"When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback," Kubiak said (h/t NFL Network's Mike Garafolo). "He's the guy, and he deserves it because he's played really good football."

However, Kubiak made it clear that he expects Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell to push Cousins in Camp.

Cousins spent the last two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and went 5-3 as the starter in 2025. The four-time Pro Bowler was added before the draft to serve as the Raiders' bridge to Mendoza.

The presence of Cousins and O'Connell—who has started 17 games in three seasons for the Raiders—means that Las Vegas shouldn't need to turn to Mendoza until he's absolutely ready. The timeline for that transition is unclear, but Cousins will be QB1 to open camp.

Aaron Donald's future has become one of the hottest topics of the 2026 offseason. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year last played in 2023, but he has fueled speculation about a return ever since the Los Angeles Rams traded for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

According to Rams GM Les Snead, Donald's interest in playing again is legitimate.

"This is the first time Aaron's …probably had the itch to come back, try to do something meaningful," Snead told ESPN Los Angeles (h/t ProFootballTalk's Myles Simmons).

As ESPN's Adam Schefter pointed out on Tuesday's SportsCenter, however, Donald and the Rams will have to come to a financial compromise before he retakes the playing field.

Donald retired with one year left on a contract that ran through 2024, and he'd carry a $30 million cap hit if he were to play on that same deal this season. While $30 million is no longer a top-of-the-market salary for an NFL defensive tackle, it isn't far off.

Jalen Carter, Jeffery Simmons, and Chris Jones are the only defensive tackles who currently make more than $30 million annually. Following Donald's two-year layoff, an incentive-laden deal with a lower base price would make a lot more sense for the Rams.

Donald might well be worth $30 million for one season, but that's something he'll likely have to prove to Los Angeles on the field.

Dallas Cowboys franchise owner and general manager Jerry Jones is rarely short on confidence. However, he admitted during a Tuesday press conference (h/t Bleacher Report's Julia Stumbaugh) that he understands why Dallas isn't viewed as a Super Bowl contender.

"You guys, for all practical purposes, don't expect us to be a contender in the Super Bowl," Jones told reporters. "Y'all don't. Why would you? I like that. I do, I like that. And I like what we've put together to show you that we can do it."

However, Jones also made it clear that he likes this Cowboys team and would be willing to part with future draft picks if it meant making the current squad better in 2026.

"I feel that good about this team this year," Jones said.

The Cowboys were aggressive at last year's trade deadline, landing Quinnen Williams. They also traded for Rashan Gary early in the offseason, and Jones stated that he talked about a potential trade with another owner on Monday.

While it's unclear who Dallas might be considering now, Jones told NFL Network that he still hasn't closed the door on making a run at Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.

Crosby, of course, was expected to be dealt to the Baltimore Ravens at the start of free agency before Baltimore ultimately rescinded its offer citing a failed physical.

The big news coming out of Indianapolis Colts camp on Monday was the fact that quarterback Daniel Jones has been fully cleared from last season's torn Achilles.

"I'm gonna be full go to start training camp," Jones told The Pat McAfee Show.

With Jones on the mend and 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard in the fold, some might wonder if Anthony Richardson is expendable. The 2023 first-round pick requested a trade early in the offseason, and the Colts granted him permission to seek one.

On Tuesday, Colts general manager Chris Ballard told WISH-TV in Indiana that Richardson's trade request hasn't been rescinded and that he's comfortable keeping three quarterbacks if Indy doesn't get a fair offer.

"I think they're realistic and we're realistic," Ballard said. "We're not just giving him away. I'm not going to do that."

Standout cornerback Joey Porter Jr. wasn't on the Pittsburgh Steelers' initial physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list. However, he landed on the PUP list by Tuesday afternoon.

According to ESPN's Brook Pryor, Porter aggravated a back injury during morning workouts.

Porter, a 2023 second-round pick out of Penn State, has been a full-time starter since midway through his rookie season. He became extension-eligible this offseason and has been looking for a new deal. However, he probably won't be among the list of players getting new contracts at the start of camp.

"Nothing's imminent right now with anyone," general manager Omar Khan told reporters on Tuesday (beginning around the 2:08 mark).

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback competition involving J.J. McCarthy and free-agent addition Kyler Murray figures to be one of this season's more interesting camp battles.

While we don't know for certain which quarterback will be under center for the Vikings in Week 1, we do know that Brian O'Neill will be manning the right tackle position in front of him. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Vikings and O'Neill have agreed to a four-year, $96 million extension.

O'Neill was limited to 14 games by an MCL sprain last season but was a Pro Bowler in 2024. He's now under contract through 2030 and ranks 11th in annual salary among offensive tackles.

Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw ranks seventh among offensive tackles in terms of annual salary and is signed through 2029.

Running back De'Von Achane has become a fantasy darling and arguably the best player the Miami Dolphins retained during their offseason roster teardown. However, he underwent offseason shoulder surgery and spent the offseason in the rehab process.

Fortunately, new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said on Tuesday that Achane has been cleared for camp (h/t ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques).

This past season, Achane rushed for 1,350 yards and recorded 1.838 scrimmage yards in 16 games. He was named to the Pro Bowl for his efforts and signed a four-year, $64 million extension with Miami in the spring.

In terms of annual salary, Achane ranks behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey among running backs.

Not long after Vita Vea handed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a trade request, another prolific defensive tackle was handed a lucrative second contract.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Philadelphia Eagles and Jalen Carter have agreed to a four-year extension worth up to $160 million.

Carter was the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft. He became a full-time starter in his second season and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. He finished the 2025 season with 33 tackles, three sacks, and 12 quarterback hits, despite being limited to 11 games by shoulder injuries.

With an annual salary of $38 million, Carter's new deal will make him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL and the league's seventh-highest-paid defender at any position.

Houston Texans edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. leads all defenders with an annual salary of $50 million.

Carter is the second centerpiece defensive lineman Philadelphia has extended this offseason. Back in March, the Eagles and Jordan Davis agreed to a three-year, $78 million extension.

Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans previously led the defensive-tackle market with a contract worth $35.3 million annually.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract and is seeking a new deal. However, he had set training camp as a self-imposed deadline for contract talks. By reporting to camp on Tuesday without a new deal, Mayfield is set to play out his current contract.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Jenna Laine, Mayfield and the Bucs aren't close to an agreement:

"Sources told ESPN that Mayfield and his agent have not made significant progress with the Bucs on a new contract. A deal is largely not expected by the start of the Bucs' first camp practice on July 29, but there is still time to sort through it and potentially reach a deal, sources added."

Mayfield has made two Pro Bowls as Tampa's starter and is scheduled to carry a cap hit of just under $30 million in 2026.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2026. However, the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has said that this will be his final season.

Rodgers confirmed that he doesn't plan to play in 2027 when asked about the possibility by reporters on Tuesday (h/t ESPN's Brooke Pryor).

Rodgers started 16 games for the Steelers last season and played well enough (94.8 QB rating) to help Pittsburgh win the AFC North. This season, he'll reunite with his former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.

On Tuesday, Rodgers also made clear that the hiring of McCarthy played a big role in his decision to return.

"I thought last year might be it, but then Mike got hired and I talked to my wife and she said, 'You can do one more year.'"

Rodgers and the Steelers will hope that they can go a step further than they did last season, which ended with a blowout loss to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.

Pittsburgh Steelers veterans reported on Tuesday, and veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey is opening training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list.

According to ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Ramsey suffered an injury during minicamp and may not be ready to go for a couple more weeks. However, he is expected to be ready before the start of the regular season.

"It isn't something where we don't anticipate him being ready for the season," GM Omar Khan said, per Pryor.

On a positive note, Pryor reported that offensive tackle Broderick Jones has been cleared for training camp.

Jones, who started 11 games in 2025, has spent the offseason recovering from a neck injury that required spinal-fusion surgery.

With Troy Fautanu expected to move to left tackle, Jones' return should increase the camp competition at right tackle. Dylan Cook and rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor should also be involved.

Another notable free agent is off the board.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, safety Jamal Adams has agreed to a contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Adams seemingly confirmed the news himself on social media.

The 30-year-old three-time Pro Bowler spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. He appeared in all 17 games for Las Vegas and finished with 45 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.

A 2017 first-round pick of the New York Jets, Adams was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in a 2020 blockbuster deal that included a pair of first-round picks. He had a 9.5-sack Pro Bowl campaign in his first year with the Seahawks but suffered a torn labrum in 2021 and a torn quad that limited him to one game in 2022.

Adams has spent the past few seasons trying to get his career back on track. His latest opportunity comes with a Vikings defense that may not have safety Harrison Smith for a 15th season. Smith remains unsigned and may decide to call it a career.

"I suspect he'll come back for one more year, but it wouldn't surprise me either way," head coach Kevin O'Connell said of Smith, per Davis Shama of The Free Press.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has requested a trade after failing to secure a new contract. Per Garafolo, Vea is expected to be present for training camp after sitting out the early offseason, though it's unclear whether he'll participate.

While the trade request doesn't mean that Vea will be dealt, Tampa could realistically expect to get a conditional second-round pick or more in return for the two-time Pro Bowler. Vea, who turned 31 in February, wouldn't bring as much as a 28-year-old Dexter Lawrence did in April, but he's a top-tier interior defender who will draw interest if the Bucs do make him available.

The list of landing spots that would make sense for Vea includes:

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a terrific edge duo in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. However, they could use a player of Vea's caliber on the defensive interior. Jacksonville has a strong Buccaneers connection in head coach Liam Coen, and general manager James Gladstone has shown that he's not afraid to make aggressive moves.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders aren't as ready to win now as the Jaguars are. However, adding Vea would fill a big defensive need as Las Vegas looks to build for the future with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. According to The Athletic's Ted Nguyen, Vea wants to go to a California team "or the Raiders."

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers traded a third-round pick to acquire defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa earlier this offseason, so they might not be eager to trade for another pricey interior defender. However, the 49ers are firmly in their contention window, and after seeing their defense decimated by injuries a year ago, they can't possibly view too much defensive talent as a bad thing.

San Francisco could also afford to give Vea the pay raise he's seeking. No team has more available cap space, according to Spotrac.

The Carolina Panthers are dealing with a couple of key injuries heading into the preseason. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is recovering from a ruptured Patellar tendon that he suffered in January, while right tackle Taylor Moton was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list after a blood clot in his lung was discovered in late June.

Fortunately, it hasn't been all bad news on the injury front for Carolina. On Tuesday, the team announced that Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn has been activated from the NFI list and has been cleared to practice.

Horn had suffered a cut on his toe that required stitches earlier in the summer, but the face of Carolina's secondary is ready to make his return. He's coming off his second straight Pro Bowl campaign, which included a career-high five interceptions.