Samwise NFL Newsletter
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Star Running Backs Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs Stage Contract Hold-Ins at Training Camp
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs are both present at their respective teams’ training camps but refusing to participate in drills, staging hold-ins as they seek long-term contract extensions before the 2026 season begins. Both backs still have two years remaining on their rookie contracts after their teams exercised fifth-year options. Robinson is considered the more likely to secure a deal first, with Atlanta and his representatives making significant progress in negotiations toward a three-year extension that would make him one of the top-paid running backs in the league. Detroit and Gibbs have conducted fewer substantive talks, per sources.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Baker Mayfield Declares Buccaneers Talks Over, Vows to Make Team Pay on the Field
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield arrived at training camp without a new deal and publicly declared he is finished negotiating until after the 2026 season concludes. The Buccaneers had offered a two-year extension worth slightly above $100 million, but Mayfield sought more than $50 million per year and the sides could not close the gap. Mayfield told reporters the team failed to properly value its franchise quarterback and said he expects his upcoming performance to make the missed opportunity even costlier for the organization. The Buccaneers subsequently restructured his existing contract to guarantee his 2026 salary of $30 million, per reports.
Sources: Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports PFT
Three-Time Pro Bowl Guard Andrus Peat Announces Retirement After 11 NFL Seasons
Veteran offensive lineman Andrus Peat announced his retirement Friday after 11 seasons in the NFL, ending a career that included three Pro Bowl selections and nine seasons with the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans selected Peat with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2018, 2019 and 2020 while starting six playoff games during his tenure. Peat played for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and appeared in six games with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. He announced the decision via social media, writing that he had given everything he had to his career across 11 professional seasons.
Sources: NBC Sports PFT, NFL.com
Falcons Open Camp Without Either QB in Team Drills: Tua’s Back Flares Up, Penix Jr. Awaiting Clearance
The Atlanta Falcons opened training camp Friday without either of their two primary quarterbacks able to participate fully in team drills. Tua Tagovailoa is managing a flare-up of back stiffness that kept him out of team work, though he participated in individual drills and head coach Kevin Stefanski characterized the situation as minor, saying the quarterback is getting better every day. Michael Penix Jr. remains medically unavailable for team drills following knee surgery. The Falcons signed veteran backup quarterback Cooper Rush as depth cover while Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. work toward full participation ahead of the team’s preseason opener.
Sources: NFL.com, Yahoo Sports
49ers Bring Back Deebo Samuel on One-Year Deal Amid Ricky Pearsall Knee Concerns
The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, reuniting him with the franchise he left in free agency. The signing came in direct response to uncertainty surrounding Ricky Pearsall’s knee injury, which the team said Friday it is continuing to evaluate with no timetable offered. Samuel arrived at the Santa Clara facility Friday to complete his physical but did not participate in team drills. Separately, general manager John Lynch said Saturday that head coach Kyle Shanahan is expected to be cleared from a concussion protocol before the regular season begins.
Sources: Fox News, Yahoo Sports
49ers Evaluating Ricky Pearsall Knee Injury With No Timetable for Return
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has been limited during the opening days of training camp due to a knee injury that the organization is monitoring carefully. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster told reporters Friday that the team is continuing to evaluate the injury, offering no timeline for when Pearsall might return to full drills. The evaluation prompted a roster move, with the 49ers bringing back veteran receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year deal the same day. San Francisco also made several transactions Friday, signing wide receiver Trenton Irwin and tight end Josiah Deguara while waiving tight end Tanner McLachlan with an injury designation.
Sources: NFL.com
Browns Alternate Watson and Sanders With First-Team Reps Daily as QB Competition Intensifies
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken confirmed Friday that the team is alternating first-team offensive reps between quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders on a daily basis during training camp, with Watson taking those reps Friday and Sanders scheduled for the following session. Monken gave no indication of when the rotation might conclude or how the depth chart would ultimately be set. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was absent from Friday’s practice due to a personal matter, with no further details provided by the team. The open competition at quarterback is shaping up as one of the most closely watched storylines of the AFC North’s training camp period.
Sources: NFL.com
Packers TE Tucker Kraft Activated From PUP List, Returns to Practice After Torn ACL
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was activated from the physically unable to perform list Friday and will return to training camp practice, per head coach Matt LaFleur. Kraft had been sidelined after tearing his ACL in Week 9 of last season and spent the offseason on the PUP list as he worked through his recovery. His activation came on a busy day of roster moves league-wide, with the Baltimore Ravens also activating linebacker Adisa Isaac and cornerback Bilhal Kone from PUP, and the Indianapolis Colts activating linebacker C.J. Allen. Kraft’s return gives Green Bay its full complement of tight ends heading into the 2026 season.
Sources: NFL.com
NFLPA Clears Panthers After Reviewing Nic Scourton ACL Tear at Training Camp
The NFL Players Association has concluded its investigation into the circumstances surrounding Carolina Panthers linebacker Nic Scourton’s torn ACL suffered during the opening day of training camp and determined the team committed no violations of the collective bargaining agreement. The NFLPA reviewed video footage of the injury, which occurred during a no-contact drill within the mandatory five-day acclimation period when intense physical activity is restricted. The investigation concluded the injury was accidental. Scourton, the 51st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M, has been placed on injured reserve and will miss the entire 2026 season.
Sources: NBC Sports PFT, Yahoo Sports
American Conference Divisions
Preseason — regular season begins September 9
AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills — 0–0–0
2. Miami Dolphins — 0–0–0
3. New England Patriots — 0–0–0
4. New York Jets — 0–0–0
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens — 0–0–0
2. Cincinnati Bengals — 0–0–0
3. Cleveland Browns — 0–0–0
4. Pittsburgh Steelers — 0–0–0
AFC South
1. Houston Texans — 0–0–0
2. Indianapolis Colts — 0–0–0
3. Jacksonville Jaguars — 0–0–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 0–0–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 0–0–0
2. Kansas City Chiefs — 0–0–0
3. Las Vegas Raiders — 0–0–0
4. Los Angeles Chargers — 0–0–0
National Conference Divisions
Preseason — regular season begins September 9
NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys — 0–0–0
2. New York Giants — 0–0–0
3. Philadelphia Eagles — 0–0–0
4. Washington Commanders — 0–0–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 0–0–0
2. Detroit Lions — 0–0–0
3. Green Bay Packers — 0–0–0
4. Minnesota Vikings — 0–0–0
NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons — 0–0–0
2. Carolina Panthers — 0–0–0
3. New Orleans Saints — 0–0–0
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 0–0–0
NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals — 0–0–0
2. Los Angeles Rams — 0–0–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 0–0–0
4. Seattle Seahawks — 0–0–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency