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This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

TERRY McLAURIN AND TREY HENDRICKSON

Terry McLaurin's and Trey Hendrickson's contract disputes are finally, thankfully over. The Commanders and McLaurin agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $96 million, and the Bengals agreed to a revised deal that raises his salary to $30 million in 2025. Both stars had used a combination of a holdout, a hold-in and a trade request during their standoffs.

McLaurin's deal, which kicks in next season, is absolutely massive for both him and the franchise. While we haven't received all of the details, McLaurin's $32 million per year ties A.J. Brown for sixth-highest among wide receivers. That's quite the sum considering the deal begins in his age-31 season.

But McLaurin, 29, was tremendous last season, establishing an immediate rapport with Jayden Daniels as Washington made its first NFC Championship Game since the 1991 season. Daniels is pumped to get his top target back in the fold, and this resolution always made sense, Cody Benjamin writes.

  • Benjamin: "General manager Adam Peters has done little but prioritize win-now talent for the Jayden Daniels era, from stockpiling proven veterans last offseason to centering this spring's biggest swings on longtime vets like Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil. ... You never heard any whispers of any meaningful trade talks even occurring. Terry McLaurin needed a bumpy road to get his deal. But the deal was always an inevitability."

The Bengals, meanwhile, listened to trade offers, but bringing back Hendrickson, 30, finally won out. While he didn't get the big extension he may have been looking for, a pay bump from $16 million to $30 million is significant. He's one of six edge defenders making at least $30 million per year on his current deal, and if he has anything near the NFL-leading 17.5-sack season he had last year, he could be in for another big payday as an unrestricted free agent last offseason.

Both Washington and Cincinnati want to compete this year. Both teams' respective position groups would have been very suspect without these players in the fold. Now, all parties can move forward as the season nears.

😃 Honorable mentions

🤕 And not such a good morning for ...

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JOE MIXON AND THE HOUSTON TEXANS

Joe Mixon will miss at least the first four games of the season due to a foot injury, the Texans announced. Mixon, who was placed on the active/non-football injury list, will be moved to the reserve/non-football injury list.

  • Mixon's foot injury goes back several months. He landed on the reserve/NFI list on July 23, ahead of training camp opening, with reports indicating he'd be evaluated after several weeks. Now, several weeks have passed, and the injury continues to hamper him.
  • Mixon totaled 1,325 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns last season, his first in Houston. He earned his second career Pro Bowl nod.
  • The team did bring in Nick Chubb and draft Woody Marks this offseason. Jamey Eisenberg broke down the Fantasy fallout from Mixon's injury.

😑 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 College Football Playoff predictions, picks

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Mike Meredith, CBS Sports

After a Week 0 appetizer, a loaded Week 1 featuring three top-10 matchups is headed our way:

  • No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State
  • No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson
  • No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami

All six of those teams -- and plenty of others -- have College Football Playoff aspirations, and that means it's a perfect time to drop our experts' College Football Playoff predictions and picks as well as most overrated and underrated teams.

Four different teams earned at least one vote to win it all, including both teams in that second matchup listed above. Tom Fornelli explained why he's rolling with the Tigers (LSU version) ...

  • Fornelli: "I'm leaning more toward one of the teams who has a top quarterback returning, studs at the skill positions and a defense that should improve. Yes, there are questions, but everybody has them. Also, while Penn State's a popular pick for having so much returning talent, that returning talent didn't beat a top-10 team last season."

Chris Hummer is rolling with the Tigers (Clemson version). 

  • Hummer: "The Tigers maintain depth better than anyone thanks to their roster philosophy. Throw in some key transfer additions for the Tigers, and they have everything they need to win a national championship again. That includes a Heisman-caliber QB (Cade Klubnik), blossoming skill talent and good to great line play."

But until proven otherwise, Arch Manning is and will be the biggest story in the sport. And Chris has a profile fit for a superstar. Here's one portion:

  • Hummer: "Everyone might know Arch within the borders of campus. But a big reason Arch chose Texas is the escape routes Austin provides. 'That's the good thing about Austin,' Arch said. 'I'm not like Ty Simpson at Alabama or Gunner Stockton at Georgia. I can go to parts of Austin where nobody really cares about me.' He's smart enough not to out his favorite spot, but he can slip into a barbecue joint like Terry Black's BBQ or walk South Congress with his family without much attention."

🏈 NFL cuts rolling in, plus preseason grades, winners, losers

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Today is the worst day in the NFL. It's roster cutdown day, as teams go from 90(ish) players to the requisite 53, and many organizations have already started the process. Among the notable cuts so far are ...

  • The Lions waived Hendon Hooker.
  • The Buccaneers waived Desmond Watson, who, at 449 pounds, was hoping to be the heaviest player to appear in an NFL game.
  • Tampa Bay also cut Kyle Trask.
  • The Eagles cut Kenyon Greene, the former first-round pick they traded for in March.

There are lots of hard decisions, not just on a football level, but a human level, and it's a reminder that football is as much a business as it is a sport. We'll be tracking cuts from around the league through the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

With the regular season nearing, Jared Dubin has preseason winners and losers, and Jerry Jones and Cowboys fans remain losers given the Micah Parsons contract dispute, especially after the McLaurin and Hendrickson deals. While current and former teammates believe Parsons will get paid, this continues to be ugly.

Tyler Sullivan handed out preseason grades for every team, and while a successful preseason doesn't guarantee further success, three teams earned an "A," including ...

  • Sullivan: "Chiefs -- The most underrated story in the NFL right now is that the Kansas City Chiefs have totally revamped the left side of the offensive line. First-round rookie Josh Simmons has blossomed into a set-and-forget piece at left tackle, and 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia has transitioned from tackle to left guard splendidly."

We also have ...

📺 What we're watching Tuesday

🎾 US Open, starting at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN
🏀 Storm at Fever, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
⚾ Phillies at Mets, 7:10 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Mercury at Sparks, 10 p.m. on NBA TV
⚾ Tigers at Athletics or Reds at Dodgers, 10:05 p.m. on MLB Network