NFL Player News

Tagovailoa (back) did not take part in team drills Friday due to a "precautionary thing" related to back tightness and said he is unsure when he will be fully cleared for on-field activities, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports.

Tagovailoa said that if the Falcons were preparing for an actual regular-season game he would likely be ready to play, but it remains to be seen whether he will be cleared to handle more than individual drills at training camp. With Michael Penix (ACL) also capped at 7-on-7 work for the moment, Jack Strand and Cooper Rush will continue piloting Atlanta's offense during the early stages of training camp. Tagovailoa and Penix are competing for the Falcons' starting quarterback job, even as both signal-callers currently deal with their respective health-related hurdles.

Watson will continue to rotate first-team reps with Shedeur Sanders as the Browns begin practicing in pads, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

Watson is getting the first-team reps Friday, which lines Sanders up to work with the starters Monday in what Oyefusi reports will be Cleveland's first practice in pads. Cleveland's quarterback competition is unlikely to be decided until much closer to the regular season.

Murray continued to split first-team reps with J.J. McCarthy on Thursday, Rob Kleifield of the Vikings' official site reports.

Murray had an up-and-down practice as he continues to adjust to his new surroundings. The first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is the perceived favorite in Minnesota's quarterback competition against McCarthy, who struggled in 2025 after sitting out his rookie campaign in 2024 due to a knee injury.

Leonard is in a competition for the No. 2 quarterback role in Indianapolis in 2026, JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site reports.

Leonard continues to split reps with Anthony Richardson with the Colts' second-team offense as training camp gets underway. The second-year pro was impressive in his only start last season, completing 21 of 34 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing an interception in the Colts' 38-30 loss to the Texans in Week 18. Leonard and Richardson are both expected to be members of the Colts' initial 53-man roster in 2026.

Richardson is in a competition for the backup quarterback role in Indianapolis ahead of the 2026 campaign, JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site reports.

Richardson is competing with second-year pro Riley Leonard for the No. 2 role behind starter Daniel Jones. Richardson and Leonard are reportedly "neck and neck right now," according to offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. Both quarterbacks are expected to continue to rotate reps between the second- and third-team offenses, and GM Chris Ballard said Tuesday that it is his intent to carry Jones, Richardson and Leonard on the Colts' roster when it is cut to 53 players on Aug. 30.

Fields had an impressive practice Thursday, making difficult throws into tight coverage, according to Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site.

The bigger story, of course, is that QB Patrick Mahomes (knee) is already participating in 11-on-11 drills. With Mahomes on track for the Week 1 start, Fields figures to spend most of his time with the second-string offense this summer.

Jones (undisclosed) has passed his conditioning test and is cleared for participation in training camp, Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows of The Athletic report.

Jones was able to throw at George Kittle's (Achilles) Tight End University last week. The backup quarterback started eight regular-season games for the 49ers last year and will remain a key depth piece for the organization going into the 2026 season.

Bennett continues to work ahead of Ty Simpson, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today Rams Wire reports.

The Rams surprisingly drafted Simpson 13th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's likely just a matter of time until Simpson surpasses Bennett as Matthew Stafford's primary backup, but Bennett's edge in experience has the 2023 fourth-round pick ahead of the rookie first-rounder for now. Bennett has been taking second-team reps and working with the first team whenever Stafford takes a breather.

Mayfield said Thursday that he felt "disrespected a little bit" during contract negotiations with the Buccaneers this summer, ESPN.com's Jenna Laine reports.

Mayfield wanted to get a deal done before training camp but apparently never came close. He did suggest his agent could remain in contact with the team while Mayfield turns his attention to the practice field and his teammates. "If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad," said Mayfield. "Because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year."

Trusbisky (tightness) returned to practice Thursday, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Trubisky had been considered day-to-day due to general tightness, but the veteran backup has recovered from that issue. He's competing against Will Levis for the second spot on the quarterback depth chart behind 2025 first overall pick Cam Ward.