NFL News — 2026-07-25#

Read First#

The biggest shockwave of the day comes from Los Angeles, where head coach Sean McVay revealed that legendary defensive lineman Aaron Donald is actively contemplating a return from retirement. Sparked by a conversation regarding the Rams’ offseason acquisition of Myles Garrett, Donald is putting his body through a grueling process to see if he’s ready for a 2026 comeback, as noted in McVay: Aaron Donald ‘going through his process’ to decide whether to return in 2026.

Highlights by Theme#

Draft & Prospects#

The New England Patriots are finally getting their rookie class fully under contract, with reports indicating second-round pass rusher Gabe Jacas has agreed to a four-year deal in Day 1 Blogservations. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers are thrilled with their seventh-round addition, Eli Heidenreich out of Navy, who confirmed his military commitment will allow him to focus fully on football without active-duty interruptions, as outlined in Five Fast Facts: Eli Heidenreich.

Roster Moves & Free Agency#

Teams are churning the bottom of their rosters as camp opens. The San Francisco 49ers added tight end Tanner McLachlan and waived Khalil Dinkins in 49ers Sign TE Tanner McLachlan, Waive TE Khalil Dinkins, while also releasing defensive lineman Evan Anderson. To shore up offensive line depth, the Baltimore Ravens brought in veteran swing tackle Hakeem Adeniji per Reports: Ravens Signing Offensive Lineman Hakeem Adeniji. The Carolina Panthers made a flurry of moves to add defensive depth, signing Jonah Garcia, Elijah Barrs, and Cameron Nicholson in Panthers make three roster moves on Saturday. Over in Foxborough, the Patriots claimed receiver Kobe Prentice off waivers from Carolina and let go of Sebastian Gutierrez per Patriots Make a Series of Roster Moves.

Team Beats#

The start of training camp brought a mix of devastating and highly encouraging injury news. The Kansas City Chiefs received a massive boost in Chiefs Quarterbacks, Rookies and Select Veterans Report to Training Camp as Patrick Mahomes, who tore his ACL late in the 2025 season, was fully cleared for practice. Conversely, the Carolina Panthers suffered a brutal blow on Day 1 of camp when second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a torn ACL in An emotional Patrick Jones returns to the field. In San Francisco, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is dealing with concussion protocol and operating in a limited capacity after a recent car accident, leaving assistant Chris Foerster to shoulder head coaching duties per Statement from the San Francisco 49ers. Training camp PUP and NFI lists are overflowing across the league, catching prominent names like the 49ers’ George Kittle (Achilles) and Trent Williams (ACL), the Jets’ Tim Patrick and T’Vondre Sweat, the Bears’ Kyler Gordon and Noah Sewell, and the Seahawks’ Zach Charbonnet and Nick Emmanwori. We’re also seeing the dawn of several new eras: Mike McCarthy kicks off his tenure as the Steelers’ head coach in Four-Down Territory while quarterback Aaron Rodgers embarks on what he has confirmed will be his final NFL season. In Tennessee, Robert Saleh takes the reins as head coach, installing Cam Ward as the starting quarterback ahead of Mitchell Trubisky and Will Levis in Weekend Mailbag.

League News & Culture#

Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is spending time at Patriots camp to shadow coaches and the personnel department as he contemplates his post-playing career. Down in Carolina, newly acquired linebacker Devin Lloyd spent his final days of the offseason conducting an impromptu hour-and-a-half film session with soon-to-be Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly, beautifully detailed in How did Devin Lloyd get ready for training camp?.

Storylines to Watch#

The health of high-profile stars will be the dominant storyline early in camp, with franchise pillars like Patrick Mahomes, Trent Williams, and George Kittle all navigating returns from major surgeries. Meanwhile, an undeniable changing of the guard is taking place across the league. As legends like Aaron Rodgers begin their farewell tours, a new wave of signal-callers like Cam Ward and a newly comfortable Drake Maye—now reunited with Josh McDaniels in his third year—are looking to stamp their authority on the league.