CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The signing of free agent Darren Waller makes the Carolina Panthers a more fascinating team.

Will it make them a better one?

That’s the central question when you take a leap on a tight end who will be 34 on Sept. 13, the opening day of the Panthers’ 2026 regular season.

Waller has been in the NFL since 2015 and has had...Read more

DENVER — Von’s gone. It’s time to move on.

Hey, if Von Miller could play tight end, I’d open the checkbook and roll out the orange carpet. If you think Davis Webb is hot to trot now, just wait ’til you see what our guy cooks up from “23” personnel.

Alas, the Vonster plays outside linebacker. And at age 37, he’s now a ...Read more

MIAMI — Life isn’t fair, so why should we expect football to be?

Just like children, everyone has favorites (it’s my brother for my mother) and kids they worry about (hand raised).

The NFL is no exception, and it’s quite clear the Miami Dolphins favor some youngsters — mostly the draft picks and second-year players — over others.

...Read more

NEW YORK — During Monday’s practice, the New York Jets had a bit of a scare after Breece Hall suffered a strained groin.

But the good news is Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters on Tuesday that Hall will be out 2-3 weeks.

But they anticipate he will be ready for Week 1’s matchup against the Titans on Sept. 13 in Nashville, Tenn.

...Read more

RENTON, Wash. — Mike Macdonald called it “a gift from the football gods.”

He did so in a clip distributed on social media, while addressing his team before the beginning of Seahawks training camp. While holding a pen, a notebook and a PowerPoint clicker, the 39-year-old coach faced rows of filled seats in the Virginia Mason Athletic ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Giants’ offseason-long interest in adding a running back culminated Tuesday in the signing of free agent Najee Harris.

The 6-1, 242-pound veteran is a physical runner who John Harbaugh knows well as an opponent.

Harris, 28, rushed for 1,000-plus yards in four straight seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2021-24 in the ...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai will be “week to week” after injuring his right knee in practice Sunday, coach Ben Johnson said before practice Tuesday morning in Lake Forest.

Monangai and many of the starters who didn’t play in Saturday’s preseason game participated in a one-hour practice Sunday. Players were not ...Read more

SEATTLE — Terrion Arnold will not be eligible to practice or play in games while his legal process plays out, according to a report Tuesday from the NFL Network.

The report stated that Arnold would be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List when he signs a contract, meaning he cannot practice or play but can attend meetings and can be paid...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield sat on the island in the kitchen of his South Tampa home, watching the Saints lose to the Falcons and feeling the season slip away. A day earlier, the Buccaneers had beaten the Panthers in their final game of the regular season, only to witness Carolina claim the NFC South anyway.

Tampa Bay was out of the playoffs...Read more

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive line broke into the backfield on a second-quarter rushing play Saturday afternoon, but that was actually part of the Kansas City Chiefs’ blueprint. They handed rookie Emmett Johnson the ball on a counter play, so by the time a defensive lineman and linebacker turned back to chase him, ...Read more

MIAMI — Cameron Goode is so used to being on the Miami Dolphins’ roster bubble he pays no attention to where he’s placed on the depth chart every day.

“Whenever my number is called and they put me in there I do the best that I can to make a play.” said Goode, who produced one sack in mop-up duty of Friday night’s 20-7 preseason loss...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Amid all the injuries and conspiracy theories and, believe it or not, some pretty good football being practiced every now and again, you might not have noticed a glaring problem for the San Francisco 49ers heading into the 2026 season.

They don’t have a starting left guard.

Worse yet, they have no lead on one, either....Read more

NEW YORK — During Monday’s practice, New York Jets running back Breece Hall strained his groin.

He will undergo testing to determine the extent of the injury.

Coach Aaron Glenn told reporters after practice that he is hopeful Hall’s strained groin isn’t too serious.

“I don’t think it was a big deal,” Glenn said. “But I want to...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The last time thousands of fans had entered these iconic confines, it was camouflaged as “Kansas City Stadium” amid the fever pitch of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The mesmerizing juxtaposition of colors and cultures and sights and sounds from the customary scene was punctuated July 11 by the sixth and final match here, ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys are expected to sign eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Von Miller to a one-year deal, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram learned. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Miller, 37, returns to his native DFW where it all began for him at DeSoto High School in the 2000s. The NFL’s active leader ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings veteran defender Jamal Adams will miss the 2026 NFL season because of a right knee injury suffered in Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said after the game in East Rutherford, ...Read more

CHICAGO — In a short, 70-minute practice designed primarily for players who did not participate in the preseason opener, the Chicago Bears suffered a scare Sunday afternoon.

Running back Kyle Monangai got tangled up with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett near the sideline at the end of a run and went down in pain with what appeared to be a right...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — George Kittle is “very confident” he will be cleared to play in the San Francisco 49ers’ initial games this season.

What’s not so certain is whether he’ll launch his Achilles comeback as the season opens in Australia, where the 49ers play in just 3 1/2 weeks against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia....Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Preseason games are now officially underway, and the defensive tackle is still way underpaid.

It’s a quandary, no doubt about it. Vita Vea has been loitering around training camp to avoid being fined, but he’s missed the first dozen or so practices. Officially, he’s sidelined with a minor back injury. Realistically, he’s...Read more