For the Cincinnati Bengals, signs of optimism for a Trey Hendrickson deal are hard to find and now the Bengals are accepting offers for the star pass rusher. This is a disaster for the Bengals who need to compete right now and can't afford to lose the NFL's top sack-getter on an already concerning defense. Some of the top teams in the league like the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers should jump at the chance to acquire the all-pro Hendrickson. In rookie quarterback news, Shedeur Sanders did not play due to injury for the Cleveland Browns, but Dillon Gabriel made his debut and put on a decent performance. Jaxson Dart again looked confident for the New York Giants while Cam Ward's offense sputtered for the Tennessee Titans against the Falcons. The New York Jets got beat down by the New York Giants this weekend and it may just be preseason, but there is reason to be concerned. Especially with starting quarterback Justin Fields who not only struggled in the game, but has been struggling in practice as well. Terry McLaurin was activated off the PUP for the Washington Commanders and this could be a sign that a contract is imminent for the star receiver. 

NFL preseason Week 2 brings unexpected twists. Are the Detroit Lions' offensive struggles a cause for concern?

The New England Patriots have had ups and downs on offense during the summer and Week 1 of the preseason was not their best. That is why Drake Maye and crew need to have a good showing against the tough defense of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings need to see more out of their quarterback, JJ McCarthy, as well. To the west coast, we will see two rivalries. First, the Los Angeles Rams still have no answers on Matthew Stafford's back and it is becoming a concern. The Los Angeles Chargers have their own injuries to worry about. The San Francisco 49ers need to get more out of Brock Purdy with all they have lost and the Las Vegas Raiders need to measure themselves against a good roster before kickoff. Finally, all eyes on rookie QBs like Cam Ward, Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe with Shedeur Sanders likely sitting out due to injury.

NFL Training Camp Drama: Penix Jr.'s Fiery Attitude, Sanders' Injury, and Ravens' Super Bowl Potential

The Buffalo Bills finally got a contract extension done with talented running back James Cook, but the guaranteed money is high and it seems like a bit of an overpay for Cook. However, it does allow Buffalo to properly get ready for a season where they are prime contenders. The Miami Dolphins do not look like prime contenders and after Chop Robinson went down in practice, things only seem to be getting worse. Similarly for the Cleveland Browns, they cannot stop having quarterback injuries and now Shedeur Sanders is hurt. This adds onto some issue with Myles Garret and it's hard to see a good year coming for the Browns. Finally, Preseason Week 2 kicks off this weekend and the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will have our eye.

NFL Contract Shakeups: James Cook's $48M Deal Reshapes Bills' Strategy

The Green Bay Packers are dealing with a ton of injuries and concerns heading into Week 2 of the preseason and now Jordan Love is dealing with a surgery. Things are very shaky in Title Town at the moment. Speaking of shaky, the Cincinnati Bengals' defense look awful against the Philadelphia Eagles backups and now they have injuries in their secondary to deal with. Finally, the Denver Broncos also disappointed in preseason Week 1 and there could be some sort of step back coming from the team.

NFC landscape shaken: Eagles and Rams injuries open doors for underdogs. Can the Packers, Commanders, or Giants seize their moment?

Matthew Stafford is dealing with a back issue and despite the expectation he would return, was not with the Los Angeles Rams for practice on Monday. This is starting to become a bigger concern by the moment for the Rams. Also, with Anthony Richardson dealing with another injury, Daniel Jones will get the start for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 of the preseason, giving him a great shot to win the job. Two rookies had nice debuts over the weekend in Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe, but only Shough has a real shot to win a starting job and he might be getting closer. Finally, James Cook voluntarily sat out of the Buffalo Bills preseason game and maybe a trade to the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons would make sense.

NFL Preseason Shakeups: Chargers Threaten Chiefs, Cowboys Stumble

The Cleveland Browns got a great debut from Shedeur Sanders in their first preseason game and it has been obvious all along, but Sanders needs to be their starter in Week 1 and going forward. Sanders wasn't the only rookie with a strong debut as Cam Ward showed flashes for the Tennessee Titans that reminded us why he was the first overall pick. Jaxson Dart was the other first-round passer and he also had some nice plays in the New York Giants first work of the preseason. Travis Hunter displayed his two-way prowess for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it wasn't all pretty. Finally, JJ McCarthy checked some boxes for the Minnesota Vikings and Anthony Richardson showed some of the same problems for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Cleveland Browns take on the Carolina Panthers to kick off their preseason and Shedeur Sanders will be getting not only the start, but the bulk of the reps with injuries hitting the quarterback room. This a PRIME chance for Sanders to show what he is capable of against backups. The Minnesota Vikings will face off against the Houston Texans and J.J. McCarthy needs to see as much time as possible. The Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs are doing things backwards as the Bears don't expect to play starters much, but the Chiefs will be playing Patrick Mahomes. Finally, two teams set to potentially start a rookie passer in the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints need to take the preseason very serious.

Quarterback Expectations Soar: Young Stars and Veteran Pressure in NFL Spotlight

The NFL's REAL Week 1 of the preseason kicks off on Thursday with a trio of games that includes the league's spiciest quarterback battle. Anthony Richardson will get the start against the Baltimore Ravens, but Daniel Jones is his biggest enemy in the fight for the Indianapolis Colts' starting job. The Ravens may be as stacked as we have seen in recent years, but Lamar Jackson's playoff performance will continue to be a mystery. The Cincinnati Bengals are focused on getting a quicker start this season and that means Joe Burrow will play more, but there are still some key starters on defense that will be missing against the Philadelphia Eagles. None of the starters could play for the Eagles and it wouldn't be a concern though. Finally, revenge is a dish best served in Week 1 of the preseason as Geno Smith and Pete Carrol face off against their old squad in the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams are intriguing to see for the first time after all the change in the offseason.

NFL Training Camp Shakeups: Rookie QBs, Contract Dramas, and Team Transformations

The Cincinnati Bengals have gotten off to a slow start the last few seasons and to combat that the starters, including Joe Burrow, are expected to play more this preseason. The Bengals can't afford to get off to a bad start so this is a smart move by Zac Taylor. Kyren Williams got a big contract extension from the Los Angeles Rams, but their quarterback, Matthew Stafford will NOT be seen in the preseason. The New York Jets have hope Justin Fields can take a step forward, but it has been a struggle for Fields in recent camp sessions. Fields' former team, the Chicago Bears, need a quick start to ease concerns with Caleb Williams. Finally, Cam Ward must play early for the Tennessee Titans as he prepares for the NFL stage while J.J. McCarthy needs reps with the Minnesota Vikings so he can meet expectations.

NFL offseason shakeups: Eagles' secondary concerns, Chiefs' offensive resurgence, and surprising roster moves. Are the Philadelphia Eagles repeating as champions in jeopardy?

The top two quarterbacks in the NFL not named Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, both are desperate for their first super bowl championship and are locked in a race to be the next guy to get his. The question is whether or not the Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills are set up to deliver every where else. Joe Burrow often has his named with the previous three, but his Cincinnati Bengals defense is a major concern while his draftmate, Justin Herbert, tries to raise a pedestrian weapons group for the Los Angeles Chargers. Finally, the old cowboy, Aaron Rodgers, is battling a great defense everyday, but can they find enough balance to shock the league, or is it more likely that a young gun like Bo Nix can lead a uber-talented Broncos squad to glory?

NFL Contract Drama Heats Up: Cowboys, Commanders Face Tough Decisions

The Dallas Cowboys once again stole the NFL spotlight over the weekend when superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons released a statement condemning the franchise and requesting a trade. While it seems wise to expect Parsons to stay in Dallas, the toxicity of the situation could result in an unexpected outcome. Which could mean a trade and if so, there are plenty of teams who would be lining up to take on Parsons at his peak. Terry McLaurin is currently requesting a trade with the Washington Commanders. Maybe the two division rivals could swap problems. Finally, the Buffalo Bills could be a Parsons spot, but right now they need to worry about their wide receiver group after Khalil Shakir got banged up over the weekend.