2026 NFL Training Camp Live Updates, Rumors and Highlights from August 3

You might recall that, early in the offseason, pass-rusher Maxx Crosby was supposed to become a Baltimore Raven. The Las Vegas Raiders had agreed to deal the five-time Pro Bowler to Baltimore, but the Ravens backed out of the deal after a physical raised injury concerns.

Crosby underwent surgery to repair a meniscus tear in January.

The Raiders welcomed Crosby back into the fold, and if they had any concerns about his health heading into 2026, they've likely been alleviated now. Crosby avoided the physically unable to perform list to open camp, and on Monday, he was seen wrecking practice reps, according to The Athletic's Sam Warren:

According to Crosby, he's already been accused of practicing too hard in early camp.

"I just can't tell you how many people have come up to me already and just been like, 'All right, so you know at practice, you can't do this,'" Crosby said, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. "I got up a whole textbook full of rules that I got to follow."

Crosby has forged a reputation as one of the NFL's highest-motor defenders, and his competitive toughness clearly carries over to the practice field. It's also clear that he should be healthy enough to wreck plays for Las Vegas in the fall.

The Minnesota Vikings are hosting arguably the league's most intriguing quarterback competition—a battle between 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy and free-agent addition Kyler Murray. Over the weekend, head coach Kevin O'Connell stated that it's too early to determine how things are unfolding.

"We're just trying to implement our offense and trying to focus on some evaluation things," O'Connell said on Saturday, per Andrew Krammer of The Minnesota Star Tribune.

However, Murray still feels like the favorite to win the job.

On Monday, former Arizona Cardinals team reporter Kyle Odegard relayed some interesting comments from former Vikings star Adrian Peterson. According to the three-time NFL rushing champ, McCarthy may find it difficult to catch up to Murray this offseason.

"In my eyes, based on what I've seen from J.J., it would definitely be a surprise," Peterson said, per Odegard. "That's not to take anything away from J.J. I feel like he's still a young quarterback. He's only been around two or three years and he was injured the first year. But I feel like he has a lot of growing to do."

Murray was a two-time Pro Bowler early in his career with the Cardinals. If he does win the QB1 gig, he'll have a great opportunity to return to form in Minnesota.

During the draft, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane sixth overall. However, Delane suffered a shoulder injury during organized team activities and has been in a yellow non-contact jersey to open training camp.

This hasn't stopped the rookie defensive back from flashing during early practices.

On Monday, head coach Andy Reid spoke about Delane's toughness and the challenge of balancing practice reps and the rookie's health.

"A lot of guys probably wouldn't go out there & play with what he's got, but he wants to be out there," Reid said, per ESPN's Nate Taylor. "...But we've got to keep him out of contact. Right now, that's important until that thing heals up."

Kansas City parted with 2025 starting cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson early in the offseason, so Delane is expected to play a pivotal defensive role as a rookie. Ensuring he reaches Week 1 healthy will be a top priority.

Most expect Jacoby Brissett to be the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback in Week 1, especially after he worked out a contract adjustment with the team ahead of training camp.

If the Cardinals are going to leave the QB position open for evaluation during the preseason, though, rookie third-round pick Carson Beck will have an opportunity to close the gap.

Beck, who threw for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns with the Miami Hurricanes last season, has been splitting QB reps with Brissett and free-agent addition Gardner Minshew. According to Johnny Venerable of PHNX Sports, he was the most impressive Cardinals quarterback at the end of Monday's practice:

While Beck may not unseat Brissett ahead of Week 1, there's a very real chance that he's the first rookie quarterback to start in 2026, ahead of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

While Brissett posted a strong 94.1 quarterback rating last season, he also went 1-11 as Arizona's starter. Brissett isn't going to be the Cardinals' long-term answer at QB. Beck could.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren't exactly hurting for receiver talent heading into the 2026 preseason. Cincinnati has arguably the league's best wideout duo in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and it has a solid third option in Andrei Iosivas.

Of course, there's no such thing as having too much receiver depth, and rookie fourth-round pick Colbie Young is making an early case for an offensive role, as seen in these clips from Bengals and Cincinnati Bearcats radio announcer Dan Hoard:

Young, a 6'4", 218-pound prospect out of Georgia, has the potential to be a mismatch for the Bengals in red-zone and contested-catch situations. He had just 358 yards and a touchdown with the Bulldogs last season, but his combination of size and speed (4.49-second 40-yard dash) will give him a strong chance to stick with a stacked Cincinnati offense.

Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Los Angeles Rams' newest defensive superstar at training camp have been disappointed in recent days. Prized trade acquisition Myles Garrett has missed three straight practices with lower-body soreness and will miss Monday's practice, too, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop:

However, fans shouldn't be overly concerned by Garrett's absence. Head coach Sean McVay told Barshop that the Rams are only "erring on the side of being smart."

Garrett, who set a new NFL single-season sack record in 2025, has been a very durable player during his NFL career. While he missed six games during his rookie season in 2017, he's only missed two games due to injury.

Last season, Garrett started all 17 games for the Browns and played 82 percent of the defensive snaps.

As the QB battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders continues to unfold, the Cleveland Browns remain uncertain of who will start Week 1 behind center. However, they are getting a good idea of who their top two wideouts will be.

Cleveland had one of the league's most underwhelming wide receiver groups last season, so it used two of its top three draft selections on Texas A&M's Kevin Concepcion and Washington's Denzel Boston. According to The Athletic's Zac Jackson, the two rookies are already the best wideouts on the roster:

Boston, who is a bigger perimeter target at 6'3" and 212 pounds, has been a regular standout in early Browns camp.

Concepcion, meanwhile, is a quick, shifty after-the-catch threat who should complement Boston well in Todd Monken's offense. If the two rookies aren't in Cleveland's starting lineup in Week 1, it'll be a surprise.

Early in the offseason, the Miami Dolphins released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle. In the wake of those moves, Dolphins fans—and fantasy managers searching for sleepers—have been wondering who will serve as Malik Willis' top target.

Monday's practice may have provided some clarity. According to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post, Malik Washington is trending as Willis' No. 1 option and has shown a "great connection" with Miami's new signal-caller:

Schad did admit, however, that things could look different when rookie third-round pick Chris Bell returns to practice. The Louisville product is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in November and opened camp on the active/non-football injury list.

Washington was a 2024 sixth-round pick out of Virginia. He appeared in all 17 games last season and finished with 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns. He also tallied 110 yards and a score on 17 carries.

The Philadelphia Eagles have already sunk a considerable amount of money into their defensive line this offseason. First, Philly signed Jordan Davis to a three-year, $78 million extension. Then, it made Jalen Carter the league's highest-paid defensive tackle with a four-year, $152 million deal.

On Monday, Moro Ojomo told reporters that he's also had contract discussions with the Eagles, though he made it clear that he won't be thinking about a new deal during the regular season.

"We have a football season to play," Ojomo said, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP Philadelphia. "I've got an agent and he's hired for a reason. He needs to do his job and I'll do my job and we'll see what happens."

Ojomo appeared in all 17 games last season and recorded 38 tackles, six sacks, and 12 quarterback hits. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has made it clear that he'd prefer to keep Ojomo in the team's long-term plans with Davis and Carter.

"[General manager] Howie [Roseman] has to save some money for him, too," Fangio said, per Jeff Kerr of SI.com.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young became eligible for a contract extension this offseason. While the 2023 first overall pick hasn't played up to his draft status yet, he did take some significant and positive steps in 2025.

Young posted a career-best 87.8 QB rating while helping to deliver an NFC South title.

On Monday, executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis told reporters that, while he'll keep any contract discussions quiet, the Panthers are encouraged by Young's development and potential ceiling.

"[Young] ascended last year and there's still room for him to ascend," Tilis said in a press conference (h/t ProFootballTalk's Myles Simmons). "His ceiling, currently, is unknown and I think that's exciting for us. He's working hard to get himself there."

Carolina exercised the fifth-year option on Young's contract earlier this offseason, meaning he's currently tied to the team through 2027.

The New England Patriots' trade for A.J. Brown is one of the biggest moves of the entire offseason. The former Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles star is expected to be Drake Maye's new No. 1 target.

New England's newest star isn't about to let minor injuries slow him. He told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Brian Baldinger on Monday that he suffered a dislocated thumb and finished practice anyway.

Brown also explained why he's always looking to set a physical tone on the playing field:

Maye was an MVP finalist last season, while Brown recorded the sixth 1,000-yard season of his career. Fans should enjoy seeing the two stars continue developing their chemistry in the coming weeks.

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai went from being a seventh-round draft pick to a key contributor as a rookie. The Rutgers product didn't log double-digit carries until Week 7 but still managed to rack up 783 rushing yards, 164 receiving yards, and five touchdowns on the season.

Monangai is expected to be a significant piece of Chicago's offense in Year 2—and a potential fantasy breakout candidate—though he's currently dealing with a soft-tissue injury. Head coach Ben Johnson called it day-by-day, according to Devan Kaney of Fox Chicago:

Fortunately, it doesn't appear that Monangai's injury will sideline him for a significant portion of training camp. According to James Neveau of NBC 5 Chicago, Monangai was on the field and taking handoffs from Caleb Williams during Monday's practice.

Chicago will open its preseason against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, August 15.

The San Francisco 49ers have experienced several twists and turns at receiver in early camp. Over the weekend, they placed Ricky Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve and re-signed former San Francisco standout Deebo Samuel after a year away.

Now, the 49ers' top offseason addition is dealing with an injury. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mike Evans missed Monday's practice with a quad strain.

Evans' injury is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. For one, the soon-to-be 33-year-old has a recent history of soft-tissue injuries, though they've largely been hamstring issues. Secondly, San Francisco is hoping Evans can be one of Brock Purdy's top playmakers.

"I grew up watching him and stuff, and to now be able to throw to him and be on the same team and compete together, for sure, I pinch myself," Purdy said, per Kevin Topley of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Hopefully, Evans is only being sidelined as a precaution.

The Detroit Lions may open the regular season without safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Joseph has been dealing with a lingering knee injury, while Branch suffered a ruptured Achilles and is expected to be out until December.

"Anything before that is a bonus," Lions coach Dan Campbell said of a December return for Branch in June, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard.

While neither Joseph nor Branch appears to be on the verge of returning, they're at least healthy enough to do some work at early Lions camp. According to The Athletic's Colton Pouncy, both safeties worked off to the side during Monday's practice.

The Los Angeles Rams have made a pair of blockbuster additions to their defense this offseason by trading for both Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett. Now, the Rams are waiting to see if they'll get to add three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald to the mix as well.

Donald, who last played in 2023, is considering a move out of retirement and onto the playing field. On Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport told Good Morning Football that, while Donald hasn't made a decision, "it certainly seems like it's trending in the right direction."

According to Rapoport, Donald is transitioning to football training and wants to see if he can "go out and do it" before fully committing to a return. This meshes with the messaging we've recently heard from Rams head coach Sean McVay.

"If there's an arrow, it's trending upward," McVay said on Friday, per The Athletic's Nate Atkins.

Donald recorded eight sacks and 23 quarterback hits in 2023. If he can add a fraction of that to an L.A. pass rush that features Garrett and Byron Young, the Rams could have the scariest defensive front in the league.

The Cincinnati Bengals defense has been a liability in recent seasons. However, Cincinnati took an aggressive approach to addressing that side of the ball in the early offseason.

The Bengals signed Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe before trading for Dexter Lawrence II and drafting Cashius Howell and Tacario Davis. The new-look unit has been establishing its physical presence in early camp.

"Today felt like going against the 2016 New England defense," center Ted Karras said on Saturday, per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. "This is about as grown-man of a team as I've ever been a part of."

The Bengals are looking to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2022. Dramatically improving a defense that ranked 31st overall and 30th in points allowed last season would certainly help.

Last week, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs were not practicing amid "conversations" about new contracts.

On Monday, Gibbs briefly spoke with reporters and said that "it's not about that" when asked if he needed a new contract to practice, though he also admitted that he doesn't know when he'll be on the field next.

"Only time will tell," Gibbs said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Gibbs and Robinson were both first-round draft picks in 2023 and have become centerpieces of their respective offenses. Gibbs has racked up 5,029 scrimmage yards and 49 touchdowns in his three seasons with Detroit and is likely looking to surpass the $20.6 million annual value on Saquon Barkley's market-leading contract.

The Hall of Fame Game rarely involves regular starters since, for the teams involved, it is an extra exhibition tacked onto the preseason. Panthers fans shouldn't expect to see Bryce Young taking the field against Arizona on Thursday.

Anyone interested in Carolina's backup situation, however, will get a look at Kenny Pickett. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 2022 first-round pick will start against the Cardinals on Thursday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made Pickett the 20th overall pick in 2022. He spent two seasons in Pittsburgh before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns and then to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025.

Pickett has started 27 games in his four seasons with a 78.2 quarterback rating. He's expected to be Young's primary backup in 2026, though he could face preseason pressure from undrafted free agent Haynes King.

Safety Coby Bryant won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last season. Early in free agency, the Chicago Bears made him a big part of their plan to reshape last year's 29th-ranked defense.

Unfortunately, that plan has hit a snag. According to Adam Hoge of CHGO Sports, Bryant suffered an apparent knee injury during Monday's practice:

Later on Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Bryant is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks with a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture.

Bryant entered the league as a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Cincinnati. He started 15 games for the Seahawks last season and signed a three-year, $40 million deal with Chicago in the spring.

Things are going to look a bit different under new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy in 2026. That will extend to the preparation of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who didn't appear in the preseason a year ago.

The Athletic's Michael Silver wrote on Monday that McCarthy wants Rodgers on the field for Pittsburgh's first two preseason games. While the 42-year-old quarterback doesn't seem thrilled about exhibition play, he's willing to comply for his former and new head coach.

"He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays," Rodgers said, per Silver. "I said, 'Mike, if you want me to play, I'll play.' I'm not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will."

As is the case for many older veteran quarterbacks, Rodgers hasn't seen extensive preseason action in recent years. However, he's looking to rekindle the magic he and McCarthy once experienced with the Green Bay Packers. While Rodgers probably doesn't need the preseason reps at this point in his career, the extra preparation will be worth it if it leads to a hot start for the Steelers.

The Houston Texans made edge-defender Jadeveon Clowney the first overall pick in the 2014 draft, and the South Carolina product spent five seasons with the franchise before he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks.

Over the weekend, Clowney rejoined the Texans as a free agent.

Clowney worked out for the Cleveland Browns last week, and he likely had other options following an 8.5-sack 2025 campaign. However, he told Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle that returning to the Texans made the most sense.

"I felt like they got a good team and I can help contribute," Clowney said, per Alexander. "It was a really easy decision. It wasn't about the money."

Clowney was arguably the top edge-defender still available on the free-agent market. He'll now join a Houston defense that recorded 49 sacks and ranked first in yards allowed last season.

San Francisco 49ers edge-defender Nick Bosa is one of several stars who are making their way back from significant 2025 injuries. The star sack artist only appeared in three games before suffering a season-ending ACL tear.

The five-time Pro Bowler recently discussed his recovery with The MMQB's Albert Breer. In their conversation, Bosa noted that he's dealt with "a little tendinitis" in his right knee since high school, but the issue was alleviated with his last surgery.

Bosa also told Breer that he's lost some mass in his legs during his recovery, which actually improved his movement.

"This is a speed game, I'm a power rusher, but speed creates power, and the way you can move is everything," Bosa told Breer. "So I think there's something to, 'I move better when my legs aren't quite as massive.' I kind of have that feeling right now."

If Bosa can rapidly return to Pro Bowl form, it would be a boon for the 49ers, who recorded just 20 sacks as a team last season.