NFL Player News

Browns coach Todd Monken said Wednesday that Sanders and Deshaun Watson will continue splitting first-team reps at the start of training camp, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

The plan from the offseason program carries over into training camp, with Watson and Sanders battling for the starting job while Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green are resigned to competing for depth roles. Monken said he doesn't have a timeline to name his Week 1 starter, adding that he plans to use his first-stringers during preseason games.

Coach Todd Monken confirmed Wednesday that Watson and Shedeur Sanders will continue to share first-team reps at the start of training camp, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

Meanwhile, Monken noted that at this stage he doesn't have a definite timeline for a decision on the team's starting QB for Week 1, while adding that the team plans to play its starters in the preseason. In any case, this is a job competition to monitor in the coming days and weeks, with added context on how the reps are divided between Watson and Sanders -- likely in some form of a rotation -- set to arrive once the Browns take the practice field again.

Mahomes (knee) is participating in 11-on-11 team drills during Wednesday's training camp practice, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shared that Mahomes had been "cleared to participate fully" to begin training camp, and seeing the 30-year-old signal-caller now taking part in team drills affirms his tremendous recovery progress. That said, it still remains to be seen whether Mahomes has been cleared for game action, be that in the preseason or Week 1 against the Broncos on Monday, Sept. 14. Mahomes has stated that his aim is to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Penix (ACL) said Wednesday that when speaking with doctors last week, he was told he was still one month removed from recovery, D. Orlando Ledbetter of BowTieSports.com reports.

Penix also said that doctors told him he is further along in his recovery than expected, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com, but it's possible the 2024 first-rounder won't be cleared to participate in team reps for three more weeks, which would roughly align with the nine-month mark of his recovery from knee surgery undergone to repair a torn left ACL. Meanwhile, with Tua Tagovailoa (back tightness) also currently dealing with injury, Atlanta has signed Cooper Rush to provide depth at quarterback alongside undrafted rookie Jack Strand. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that the Falcons still have optimism that Penix could be cleared in time to log preseason action, so it's possible he could be ready for 11-on-11 drills before late August. That said, head coach Kevin Stefanski relayed Wednesday that he does not have an exact timetable for Penix to be fully cleared, per Raimondi.

Atlanta released Siemian (undisclosed) on Wednesday with a non-football injury designation.

Siemian would have faced a notable opportunity had he been healthy enough to open training camp on the practice field, as top quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa (back tightness) and Michael Penix (ACL) are currently dealing with injury. Tagovailoa is expected to be cleared for team drills next week, but in the meantime undrafted rookie Jack Strand and new veteran signee Cooper Rush will handle a significant amount of reps on offense.

Klubnik (back) is participating in Wednesday's training camp practice, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Klubnik missed time during spring workouts due to back tightness, but he's now been cleared to resume practicing. The rookie fourth-round pick is competing with Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe to earn the No. 2 quarterback gig behind veteran starter Geno Smith.

Tagovailoa is dealing with a tight back, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Per Schefter, Tagovailoa's back issue isn't viewed as serious and the QB should be able to return next week. With Michael Penix (knee) not yet ready for team drills and Trevor Siemian no longer in the mix, the Falcons are signing Cooper Rush to add depth to a signal-caller corps that also includes rookie Jack Strand.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Tagovailoa (undisclosed) is working through an injury, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

While Tagovailoa is dealing with an unspecified injury, it doesn't sound like the signal caller will be sidelined for long. "He will be out there sooner rather than later," Stefanski noted. With Michael Penix (knee) not yet cleared for team work and Trevor Siemian having been released, Stefanski indicated that rookie UDFA Jack Strand will take the team's initial 11-on-11 QB reps at training camp practice.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Penix (knee) won't participate in 11-on-11 drills at the start of training camp, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

While Penix -- who is bouncing back from a left ACL injury -- isn't ready to work in team drills yet, the QB will continue doing individual and 7-on-7 work at practice. Once he's cleared to work fully, Penix will turn his focus to competing with free-agent addition Tua Tagovailoa (back) for the team's Week 1 starting job. With that in mind, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com relays that Stefanski noted that he doesn't know exactly when Penix will gain clearance to work fully. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports, however, that the Falcons are optimistic Penix could be cleared in time to log preseason action.

Coach Klint Kubiak announced Tuesday that Kirk Cousins will begin training camp as the Raiders' starting quarterback ahead of Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports.

"When we go out to practice (on Wednesday), Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback," Kubiak said. "He's the guy, and he deserves it because he's played really good football. But I want Fernando and Aidan (O'Connell) to push him." The decision isn't surprising, given that Cousins logged the majority of the first-team reps during Las Vegas' offseason program and looked "excellent" in the process, per Kubiak. While Cousins currently has the upper hand, Mendoza -- the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- could still push for the Week 1 start if he performs well during training camp and the preseason.