Wednesday in the NFL brought us a little bit of everything. 

Vita Vea and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their contract dilemma, agreeing to a deal that will make the defensive tackle among the highest-paid players at his position. In terms of on-field matters, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots had a competitive joint practice just months after the teams agreed to the A.J. Brown trade. 

There’s also plenty of injury news around the league, with the Houston Texans losing a key contributor on offense for the rest of the season. Here’s what you should know about what happened around the NFL on Wednesday. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star defensive tackle Vita Vea reached an agreement on a one-year, $30 million extension, our Greg Auman confirmed on Wednesday.

The deal keeps the two-time Pro Bowler under contract for the next two seasons while giving him a $6 million raise for 2026, boosting his salary to $24 million this year. The extension is fully guaranteed, locking in $48 million over the next two seasons. 

Vea had demanded a trade at the onset of training camp, believing he and the Buccaneers were far off from agreeing to an extension. However, Tampa Bay reportedly had no desire to trade him and now has him under contract as it seeks to make the postseason after falling short last season. 

Vea has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier interior defensive linemen and the centerpiece of head coach Todd Bowles’ defense. Through eight seasons with Tampa Bay, the 347-pound nose tackle has logged 256 total tackles, 35 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He anchored a defense that ranked top-three in total yards allowed from 2019 to 2021 while surrendering just 92.6 rushing yards per game, playing a pivotal role in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV victory.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had himself a day against the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. Maye reportedly finished the day 16 of 19 and completed 13 consecutive passes.

Maye reportedly spread the ball amongst his receivers, with receptions from Pop Douglas, Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and top offseason acquisition A.J. Brown before orchestrating a crisp two-minute drill that set up a 52-yard field goal from Andy Borregales.

Hurts reportedly went 19 of 27 through the air and threw three interceptions and one of those picks was returned for a touchdown by the Patriots’ defense, according to reporters in attendance. 

Hurts enters a pivotal 2026 season adjusting to offensive coordinator Sean Mannion — his seventh playcaller in seven pro seasons. The quarterback contrast was compounded by Brown, who caught seven total passes from Maye in his first action against his former team. 

Brown also revealed to reporters following Wednesday’s practice that he hasn’t spoken to Hurts, who is the godfather to his daughter, since he was traded to New England in June. 

The Seattle Seahawks secondary added more depth on Wednesday. The Seahawks locked in former All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs on a one-year deal, first reported by ESPN, giving their defense a high-upside playmaker.

Heading into his age-28 season, Diggs is set to play for his third team in less than a year. After spending his first six years with the Dallas Cowboys, Diggs made a brief late-season pit stop with the Green Bay Packers before officially signing with the Seahawks.

The Seahawks also reportedly agreed to a deal to add former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, though the move is on hold. Arnold is expected to head straight for the commissioner’s exempt list since he faces eight felony counts of armed robbery and kidnapping.

Diggs joins a defense already stacked with talent, pairing him with All-Pro Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe at cornerback, while Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori hold down the safety position. His versatility gives them an adaptable weapon to move around the secondary.

The Seahawks aren’t new to building their roster around familiar connections and established culture. 

Diggs was teammates in Dallas with DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., and Noah Igbinoghene, and he also shared a secondary at Alabama with Jobe under defensive backs coach Karl Scott. It seems that familiarity played a key role in Diggs’ decision to sign.

Under head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks could be the ideal landing spot to revitalize Diggs’ career. He hasn’t reached the same heights since his standout 2021 season with the Cowboys, when he led the league with 11 interceptions.

The Houston Texans’ offense was dealt a tough blow on Wednesday. Tests confirmed that wide receiver Jayden Higgins tore his ACL in Tuesday’s joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his 2026 season, according to NFL Network.

Higgins’ season-ending injury leaves a gaping hole in the Texans’ passing attack as Tank Dell continues to work his way back to full health. Without Higgins, the team will lean heavily on Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins alongside Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel.

The Texans’ 2025 second-round pick put together a strong rookie season. Higgins hauled in 41 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns while proving to be a consistent playmaker in the offense.

The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have their projected starting quarterbacks take the field against the New York Jets in their upcoming preseason game. Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph will sit out Friday’s matchup. 

Instead, quarterbacks Will Howard and third-round pick Drew Allar will get the nod against the Jets. Howard is set to start before giving way to Allar as the two battle for the third-string spot and one of them potentially battling for the backup job down the line.

Allar is coming off a strong preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers. After entering in the second half, he completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, highlighted by a 74-yard strike to Kaden Wetjen.

Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, finds himself in a tight battle to make the final 53-man roster. Allar has a chance to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback as early as next season and McCarthy has been on record calling Allar a first-round talent.

The New Orleans Saints were already signaling a changing of the guard by signing free-agent running back Travis Etienne this offseason. Now, Alvin Kamara is sidelined after suffering an MCL sprain during Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN reported.

Kamara is expected to miss at least a month, putting his status for the start of the season in serious doubt. While Etienne steps into the undisputed lead role, Kamara was still expected to play a role in the Saints’ offense. The five-time Pro Bowler has seen his production dip in New Orleans over recent seasons. In 11 games last season, Kamara posted 471 rushing yards and a single touchdown, adding 33 receptions for 186 receiving yards.

Kamara’s 3.6 yards per carry last season was the lowest mark of his career. Surprisingly, he has never recorded a 1,000-yard rushing season, which is something Etienne has already accomplished in three of his four years in the league.

With Kamara and No. 8 overall pick in wide receiver Jordyn Tyson out to start the year, Chris Olave and Etienne will have to shoulder the load offensively. Head coach Kellen Moore and second-year quarterback Tyler Shough certainly have their work cut out for them.

Injury News & Notes

• Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren left Wednesday’s joint practice early after sustaining an apparent groin injury, head coach Shane Steichen announced.
• Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that quarterback Bo Nix will play in the team’s preseason Friday against the Green Bay Packers.
• The Indianapolis Colts officially announced the signing of veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen.
• With Christian McCaffrey sidelined for the San Francisco 49ers, third-round Indiana running back Kaelon Black has been taking first-team reps, The Athletic reported.
• Los Angeles Chargers center Tyler Biadasz suffered ACL damage and additional left knee injuries during Tuesday’s joint practice with the 49ers and is out indefinitely, ESPN reported.
• Baltimore Ravens’ potential starting center Danny Pinter was carted off at the joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday morning, per NFL Network.

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Lionel Messi had a goal and assist as Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union played to a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night.

Messi’s cross was headed by Luis Suarez into the path of forward Daniel Pinter for the first Inter Miami goal in the 21st minute.

Messi cut inside to his preferred left foot from 12 yards out in the 26th and curled a shot into the corner of the net for his first goal since returning to action following the death of his father.

Messi has 13 goals and nine assists in 17 MLS games this season. He has six goals and four assists in six matches in all competitions against the Union.

Indiana Vassilev scored on a volley in the first half to give the Union the lead, then 18-year-old defender Neil Pierre headed home his third goal in five games this season in the 58th minute to tie the score. Cavan Sullivan, the Union’s 16-year-old midfielder, was credited with his seventh assist of the season on Vassilev’s goal.

Union forward Milan Iloski appeared to put the Union ahead in the 62nd minute, but the goal was reviewed and waved off with Pierre offside in the buildup.

The game ended with a pair of red cards in stoppage time to Yannick Bright and Sullivan for a scuffle off the ball.

Inter Miami (11-3-6) entered the game in second place in the Eastern Conference after losing to first-place Nashville on Saturday, 4-1. Messi played 90 minutes in that loss, in which he missed a penalty, hit the post twice and assisted on Telasco Segovia’s goal. He had a game-high 11 shot attempts.

Miami had lost three straight games in all competitions entering Wednesday, having lost to a pair of Mexican clubs in the Leagues Cup. The Nashville loss ended a seven-game unbeaten run in MLS (6-0-1) dating to May 9.

Messi appeared as a sub in the Aug. 12 loss to Leon, playing 45 minutes. He missed the Aug. 8 match against Monterrey to travel home for the funeral of his father, Jorge, who died on Aug. 7.

The Union (5-10-5) are unbeaten in five games (4-0-1) since Ryan Richter was named interim coach.

Rodrigo De Paul, who like Messi was part of Argentina’s runner-up team at the World Cup, was suspended Wednesday night for yellow-card accumulation.

Inter Miami beat the Union, 6-4, on May 24, the last game before the World Cup break for both teams. Messi didn’t have a goal, but Suarez scored a hat trick in helping Miami rally from first-half deficits for 2-0 and 3-1.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Marcus Ericsson earned his first win since 2023, as he captured the victory on the new street course in the Toronto suburb of Markham.

Ericsson’s victory wasn’t a surprise. He had finished sixth in the last two races and entered Markham ninth in the overall series standings.

Here are my power rankings entering this weekend’s event, the Freedom 250 on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Dropped out: None

On the verge: Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel, Kyffin Simpson

10.

Rosenqvist dropped out early with a fuel pump issue, resulting in a 24th-place finish at Markham. 

9.

Caution flags didn’t fall the way McLaughlin needed with his strategy and he ultimately finished eighth at Markham. He had qualified third for the event.

8.

VeeKay started sixth and finished seventh at Markham for his fifth top-10 finish in his last nine starts.

7.

Malukas broke a toe link after contact with the wall and wound up a disappointing 17th on a day when he could have gotten back to second in the standings.

6.

Newgarden had a frustrating weekend. He didn’t make it out of the first round of qualifying, he started 20th and got spun during the race. He finished 13th.

5.

Power wrecked in practice Saturday and started at the rear of the field. So to rally and finish third with a combination of speed and strategy was a solid race day.

4.

Kirkwood did not have a good weekend. He never got a clean lap in qualifying, made an engine change and started 22nd. He was moving up the field until an accident with 37 laps left ended his day.

3.

Lundgaard didn’t think he had a great car and started second. He then put together a respectable race to finish sixth, one spot behind teammate Pato O’Ward.

2.

Ericsson earned his big win at Markham for his second podium of the season. But he makes the leap in points because of his consistency. The only drivers to have three consecutive top 10s are Ericsson, McLaughlin and …

1.

Palou made the most out of his day with a fourth-place finish after starting 11th. But even bigger is that he finished ahead of all the drivers challenging him for the title.

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A 30-30 performance. First-time walk offs. The Dodgers and Red Sox erupt. Monday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

PCA Does It Again

What a game between the White Sox and Cubs, who are both vying for a postseason spot. This one got started with a run out of the gate, as center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a home run on the first pitch he saw.

The White Sox would end up with the lead after DH Randal Grichuk launched a three-run shot, but it wouldn’t be for long. Shortstop Nico Hoerner made it a 4-3 game by driving in two with a single, and a throwing error got him to second.

In the eighth, Andrew Benintendi entered as a pinch-hitter, and he went yard to give the White Sox the lead once more, 5-4.

With one out in the ninth, the Cubs were still down, but then third baseman Alex Bregman walked and was replaced with pinch-runner Tyrone Taylor — he would score when Hoerner once again delivered, sending this one to extras.

The White Sox failed to score in the top of the 10th, which gave Pete Crow-Armstrong — who already had three hits, an RBI and a run on the day — an opportunity to drive in the winning run. And he did that and more: PCA’s second homer of the day made it a 7-5 Cubs victory.

This was the first career walk-off home run for PCA, and also got him his second consecutive 30 home run, 30 stolen base season. He’s the 18th player in MLB history to have multiple 30-30 seasons in his career — that’s a short list, and the 51 total players who have pulled it off was already a short one, considering how many have put on a uniform for an MLB game over the years.

And that’s on top of managing a first pitch homer and last pitch homer. What a day for PCA.

Ohtani Feeling Good, Crushes 2 Homers

Shohei Ohtani hasn’t been a two-way superstar for the Dodgers of late, since knee problems have kept him off the mound since July 3. He shared that his knee was feeling good after a recent bullpen session, however, so maybe it won’t be all that long before he gets back to pitching. If not, though? Well, there’s always the bat, and as he reminded on Monday with his performance against the Rockies, it’s some bat.

Ohtani would log four hits against Colorado, starting with a single in the third, and then in the fifth he launched his 28th homer of the season, a 428-foot blast that made it 6-1, Dodgers.

In Ohtani’s next at-bat, in the sixth, he went yard again, this time sending an 84 mph sweeper 452 feet back to center.

Also going deep was third baseman Max Muncy, who crushed a three-run, 461 footer, the longest homer by any Dodgers player in 2026. Los Angeles’ offense has been scuffling a bit of late — as have multiple aspects of this team — but nothing heals an ailing offense like a trip to Coors Field.

Mets Throw Out 3 Runners At The Plate

One runner thrown out at the plate can be a big deal. Three runners in what ends up being a one-run game? Well, that’s what the Mets pulled off against the Padres on Monday to open up that series.

Right fielder Carson Benge had two different outfield assists to get the runner at home, both in the first inning. First, it was second baseman Jake Cronenworth tossed out at the plate when first baseman Ty France singled, and then center fielder Jackson Merrill singled with Benge tossing third baseman Manny Machado out at home.

Center fielder A.J. Ewing got in on the action in the second, once again off the bat of Cronenworth on a would-be RBI single. This time it was shortstop Xander Bogaerts failing to make it home — that was three runs saved in two innings, and with the Mets winning 2-1, each of those was huge on its own. The Padres didn’t lose their hold on an NL wild-card spot despite the L, though, and that’s thanks to the Red Sox.

Every Red Sox Starter Got An RBI

Nice and easy segue right there. The Red Sox crushed the Diamondbacks, who started the day one behind the Padres for the last NL wild-card and ended it there, too. Boston dropped 11 runs on Arizona while giving up just the one, and in the process every single Red Sox batter drove in at least one run. The only player who didn’t was Anthony Seigler, who came on as a defensive replacement… but also didn’t come to the plate. He can be excused.

Center fielder Cedanne Rafaela, on a three-hit day, logged his 30th double of the season to make it a 4-0 game in the fourth.

For all the RBIs, there weren’t many homers — first baseman Willson Contreras got the big one, with his 25th dinger of the season a Monster shot that also served as a career-best mark.

And then DH Mickey Gasper highlighted one of Fenway Park’s other structural features with a home run to right, wrapped around Pesky’s Pole.

Boston used an opener, Alec Gamboa, for 1 ⅓ innings, before handing the ball off to Brayan Bello. The righty would then go 4 ⅓ allowing just three hits and one run before the bullpen took over once more, and kept the D-backs scoreless the rest of the way. This is a big series for both Boston and Arizona: the Red Sox need to get back on track, and the Diamondbacks can’t afford to let an opportunity slip while the Padres face the — it’s hard to believe but it’s true — surging Mets, who are 14-7 since avoiding a sweep against the Dodgers back on July 26.

De La Cruz Logs Career 1st

The Reds are still fighting for their lives, trying to get into wild-card contention. The Cardinals are doing better, but nothing is assured for St. Louis, either. Which made Monday’s loss to Cincinnati as much of a problem for the Cards as it was great for the opposition.

St. Louis built a 4-1 lead in the sixth, and while Cincinnati worked back to a tie in the bottom of the inning, the Cards went back up 5-4 in the eighth.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Peter Strzelecki on the mound, Dane Myers came on to pinch-hit. He ended up taking a low-and-inside sinker and driving it 396 feet to left-center to tie the game.

The Cardinals failed to score in the 10th, bringing Cincinnati up again with a runner on second to start. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz was the first to bat, and he worked a six-pitch at-bat before taking a low sweeper and turning it into a game-winning single.

That was De La Cruz’s first-ever walk-off hit, and the timing couldn’t be better: the Reds managed a win on a night that the Padres, Diamondbacks, Marlins and Pirates all lost, and by defeating the Cardinals. Cincinnati is still six games back of San Diego, but it did pick up some ground on everyone between the two in the standings.

Tigers Down Pirates, Get Wild-Card Back

Speaking of the Pirates’ losing, that happened thanks to the Tigers. Rookie third baseman Kevin McGonigle had two hits in six trips to the plate, but he made them count. McGonigle made it a 4-0 game with his 13th homer of the year…

…and would end up scoring another run in the sixth thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Hao-Yu Lee: Detroit’s second baseman went 3-for-3 with a run, two RBIs and two walks on the day.

The dub put the Tigers in a three-way tie with the Orioles and Rangers for the final wild-card spot in the AL: Baltimore holds the tiebreaker so it’s officially the O’s wild-card at the moment, but all three clubs are 61-64 with 37 games left on the schedule to break that tie.

Rays Avoid Sweep, Win No. 75

The Orioles lost thanks to the Rays, who managed to avoid being swept in the four-game series that carried over into Monday. It was a narrow victory, too: first baseman Coby Mayo crushed a ball 468 feet in the second to put Baltimore up 1-0…

…and from there, the Rays tied, the O’s went back ahead, Tampa Bay took the lead, Baltimore tied it once more then added another two runs thanks to a homer from third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, but then Tampa Bay came back, again.

First baseman Jonathan Aranda cut the lead to one with an RBI single to score Taylor Walls, who had reached base on a pinch-hit single to begin the frame. Third baseman Junior Caminero then singled to load the bases, bringing up pinch-hitter Jonny DeLuca to face new reliever, Josh Walker. The platoon advantage worked in Tampa Bay’s favor — a hopper over the infield defense drove in what would be the game-winning run.

The Rays got their 75th win of the season — Tampa Bay is the third MLB team and first AL one to reach that mark this year — while Baltimore dropped into a three-way tie for that last wild-card spot in defeat.

Schwarber Can Do Everything

Before the Phillies defeated the Marlins, 6-5, DH and leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber had some non-game activities to attend to. There was a child to corral, and Schwarber can do that, too.

Just treat kids more gently than you treat a baseball, it’s easy. Schwarber, by the way, had just one hit against Miami, but he drove in a run in what ended up being a one-run game, helping to create some separation between Philadelphia and San Diego for that second wild-card spot.

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The New York Giants have signed veteran running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal, per NFL Network. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Harris played for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 after spending the first four years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harris tore his Achilles on Sep. 21 after appearing in just three games, however, in which he rushed 15 times for 61 yards, three first downs and three catches for another 25 yards.

That Chargers contract was a one-year deal that could max out at $9.25 million, but following his Achilles tear Los Angeles moved on. The Giants now have a running back option who, prior to the injury, averaged 1,078 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns per season with Pittsburgh, with another 15.5 first downs per season in the air.

Harris made the Pro Bowl as a 23-year-old rookie in 2021, when he led the NFL in touches with 381 while rushing for a career-high 1,200 yards with 10 total touchdowns. Harris had fewer attempts in subsequent years, cutting into his overall yardage, but saw his yards per attempt climb to 4.1 and 4.0 in 2023 and 2024.

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He joins a backfield that already includes second-year back Cam Skattebo, as well as second, third and fourth options Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary and Eric Gray. Like Harris, Skattebo’s 2025 was cut short by injury: in his case, he fractured his tibia, dislocated his right ankle and ruptured his deltoid ligament against the Philadelphia Eagles, and underwent surgery in late-October to address these injuries.

Harris represents necessary depth and insurance, even coming off his own major leg injury, given the extent of Skattebo’s own suffered 10 months ago. Giants’ head coach John Harbaugh said that Harris is not fully healthy yet however, per the Associated Press, and that there was no definite start date for his participating in training camp practices.

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Denny Hamlin is back on top after he finished fourth at Richmond. It was his fourth consecutive top five and his fifth in the last six races. 

Christopher Bell finished seventh to end his string of second-place finishes and as a result, he dropped a couple of spots.

Here are my power rankings entering this weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Dropped out: Bubba Wallace (Last Week: 6), Chris Buescher (Last Week: 10) 

On the verge: Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece, Shane van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace

10.

Berry is 30th in the standings but his eighth-place finish at Richmond was his third consecutive top 10 as he is finding his groove. Now he needs to find a ride for 2027.

9.

Over the last five races, Larson has finished 33rd or worse in four of those competitions. He rebounded with a sixth-place finish at Richmond. And then he flew to Iowa to win the Knoxville Nationals later in the night.

8.

Reddick placed 11th at Richmond. It certainly was not a great performance, but for a team that just needs some decent finishes, he got exactly that on Saturday night.

7.

Byron was ninth at Richmond as Hendrick placed three drivers in the top 10. Are they turning things around? We should still consider this a wait-and-see situation.

6.

Blaney won the pole and led 88 laps but ended up 13th at Richmond. It was a rare day for Blaney where he had speed but not the results.

5.

A week after his win at Iowa, Gibbs wasn’t able to rebound from another speeding penalty. He finished 15th at Richmond.

4.

A second win in his last four races has vaulted Logano to ninth in the overall standings and into a potential championship contender.

3.

Bell had four second-place finishes in the previous five races but placed seventh at Richmond. He’s still poised to earn his first win of the year.

2.

Briscoe finished second at Richmond for his fifth top-five in the last seven races. 

1.

Hamlin finished fourth at Richmond — good enough to regain the top spot. And he made some good social media content there, too.

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Sorry to spoil the list for you, but following a year in which a player broke the NFL’s single-season record for sacks, you can’t name any other player as the league’s top pass rusher. 

So, who is the NFL’s best pass rusher after Myles Garrett? There are a lot of names worth considering for the No. 2 spot. Micah Parsons has been one of the league’s most consistent pass rushers since he entered the league in 2021. However, he’s coming off an ACL tear. Ascending players like Will Anderson Jr. and Aidan Hutchinson should also be considered, along with veterans like T.J. Watt. 

As we continue to rank the top 10 players at key positions ahead of the 2026 season, here are our top 10 pass rushers entering the year. 

Jared Verse was sixth among edge rushers in pressures this past season, per Pro Football Focus. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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Eric D. Williams: The Defensive Rookie of the Year two seasons ago and a Pro Bowler in his first two seasons in the league, Verse is adapting to new surroundings in Cleveland after being included as part of the blockbuster trade this offseason. Verse’s former team, the Los Angeles Rams, traded him for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, making him the centerpiece of the package.  

While Verse has been among the league leaders in pressure rate since entering the league in 2024, he still only has 12 sacks in two seasons. Verse must become a more consistent closer to be considered among the elite pass rushers in the league. For now, though, he’s in the top 10 as the Browns hope he can be a cornerstone moving forward. 

T.J. Watt previously shared the record for the most sacks in a single season before Myles Garrett broke it. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Ralph Vacchiano: The 31-year-old Steelers star is coming off one of his least-productive NFL seasons, and one in which Watt missed three late-season games due to a partially collapsed lung. And it’s possible, after nine NFL seasons, that a decline has begun. 

But given Watt’s Hall of Fame-worthy track record, it’s hard to bet on that. His seven sacks in 14 games last season were definitely a downturn, and so was his pass-rush win rate of 11.7%. But he’s still had double-digit sacks in six of his nine seasons and can still be dangerous when he’s fully healthy. 

Watt could also be in line for a boost in the new, aggressive scheme of new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who plans to move Watt around more than he’s been moved in recent seasons. That could be enough to give Watt the jolt he needs to stay in the top 10 for another season or two before he heads to Canton. 

Nik Bonitto has 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Greg Auman: The Broncos had 68 sacks last season — 11 more than any other NFL team — and Bonitto led the way with 14 sacks, six more than his closest teammate. The 26-year-old had 13.5 the year before and made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. Denver rewarded him before last season with a four-year, $106 million contract, and he helped the Broncos earn the AFC’s top seed with a 14-3 record. 

A 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots stung – it matched the fewest points allowed in a playoff loss in 28 years – and Denver will lean on Bonitto and the defense just as much in 2026 as they seek a trip to the Super Bowl.

Brian Burns had a strong Year 2 in New York after an underwhelming Year 1. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Vacchiano: In the midst of a miserable season for the Giants, the seven-year veteran re-established himself as a star with a career-high 16.5 sacks and a pass rush win-rate of 16% that ranked him just outside the top 10. Considering it was a down year for Burns’ defensive line mates — defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had just a half sack and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux played in only 10 games — his explosion was even more surprising.

This year, Burns might have to share the wealth, with Thibodeaux plus young stars Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese (whom the Giants took in the last two first rounds) all figuring to be a part of New York’s pass rush. But that’s the only thing standing in his way. He showed he’s still got the speed and explosiveness that made him so dangerous during his years in Carolina. He hasn’t slowed down at all at age 28 and should be a centerpiece of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s scheme. 

Danielle Hunter has logged at least 10.5 sacks in each of the last four seasons. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Arthur: The 31-year-old Hunter may be the most underappreciated, dominant pass rusher of this era. He’s recorded double-digit sacks in seven of his 10 NFL seasons, but has never been a first-team All-Pro selection. 

The former third-round pick is playing some of his best ball late in his career, too. He’s had at least 10.5 sacks in four consecutive years, including 15 last season (third in the NFL), which earned him a second-team All-Pro nod and a one-year, $40 million extension this spring. He also forms one half of the league’s best edge rushing tandem with Will Anderson Jr.  

Aidan Hutchinson had a career year in 2025 after suffering a leg fracture in 2024. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Henry McKenna: Last season, Hutchinson recorded career highs in sacks (14.5), QB hits (35) and pressures (90). That pressure total is the highest in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, and is often the most coveted statistic when you speak to pass rushers. 

Hutchinson has long been an ascending pass rusher since arriving in the NFL as the 2nd overall pick in the 2022 draft. But he has officially arrived as one of the NFL’s elite pass-rushers and defensive playmakers. He’s a defensive coordinator’s dream and an offensive coordinator’s nightmare.

Maxx Crosby was at the center of trade drama this offseason, but has recorded at least 10 sacks in three of the last four years. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Williams: After the Baltimore Ravens rescinded a massive trade for his services due to a failed physical. Crosby returned to the Las Vegas Raiders recommitted to ushering in sustainable winning for this once-proud franchise. Even though he turns 29 years old later in August, Crosby remains one of the most feared and productive pass rushers in the league. A five-time Pro Bowler, Crosby has posted double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons, totaling 44.5 sacks since 2022.

Micah Parsons has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his first five seasons. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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McKenna: The Packers will do everything they can to get Parsons to the top of this list in 2026. The franchise traded a massive haul before last season to acquire Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys before Green Bay awarded Parsons with a massive deal. He then posted 12.5 sacks before suffering his season-ending knee injury. 

At some point in the first half of the season, Parsons will return. And even if he’s off to a slow start, he should be among the league’s most dangerous playmakers by the time the postseason rolls around.

Will Anderson Jr.’s 48 pressures on third downs in 2025 were the most by any player in eight seasons. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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Arthur: Anderson will be a staple in the conversation for best edge rusher over the next several years. The 2023 No. 2 overall pick is already a complete player — he had 48 pressures on just third downs alone in 2025, the most by any player in a single season in at least eight years (!). His 20 tackles for loss tied for fourth among edge defenders, which shows that he wreaks at an elite level against both the pass and the run. 

Anderson’s sack, TFL, forced fumble and pass breakup numbers have improved in each of his three seasons as well. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last year. Just 24 years old, Anderson is a young superstar who is still getting better at an exponential rate. 

Myles Garrett recorded an NFL record 23 sacks in 2025 before getting traded to the Rams this offseason. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

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Bucky Brooks: The two-time Defensive Player of the Year is a destructive force off the edge, exhibiting an array of power and finesse maneuvers that keep blockers guessing in their stances. Garrett’s dominance and consistency as a sack artist, despite previously playing for a team that is routinely in “catch-up” mode, speak to his efficiency and effectiveness in hounding quarterbacks in less-than-ideal circumstances. 

With the single-season sack record in hand (23) and at least 10 sacks in eight of his nine seasons, the future Hall of Fame inductee is a lock to take down Bruce Smith’s career mark (200) before he hangs up the cleats.
 

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In 2025, Duke won the ACC despite finishing the season with a 9-5 record.

The Blue Devils survived a chaotic five-way tie for second place, going 6-2 in conference play before defeating Virginia in overtime in the ACC Championship Game.

However, Miami proved to be the ACC’s best team. The Hurricanes secured one of the final spots in the College Football Playoff and took full advantage, making a run all the way to the National Championship Game before falling to Indiana.

In 2026, Miami is now the heavy favorites to win the conference. Check out the latest odds to win the ACC at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 17.

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ACC Championship Game Winner 2026

Miami: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
SMU: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Louisville: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Clemson: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Pittsburgh: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
NC State: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Virginia: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Virginia Tech: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Florida State: +4300 (bet $10 to win $440 total)
California: +4400 (bet $10 to win $450 total)
Georgia Tech: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Wake Forest: +7600 (bet $10 to win $770 total)
Duke: +8800 (bet $10 to win $890 total)
Syracuse: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
North Carolina: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Stanford: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Boston College: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)

Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:

The Favorite: Miami went 13-3 last season, though two of its three losses came in conference play. The Hurricanes made a historic run to the title game, beating Texas A&M on the road, Ohio State and Ole Miss before falling just short against undefeated Indiana. Now, Miami’s roster looks just as good, if not better, heading into 2026. Quarterback Darian Mensah transferred in from Duke after throwing for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns, the second-most in the country. Malachi Toney also returns as the only active sophomore to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards last season. Toney finished fifth in the country in receiving yards as a 17-year-old true freshman. Mario Cristobal and company will look to build off their breakout 2025 season and are the clear favorites to win the ACC.

Biggest Sleeper: Keep an eye on Virginia Tech. The Hokies haven’t won more than seven games in any of the last five seasons and went just 3-9 in 2025. However, a new era begins with James Franklin taking over as head coach. Franklin went a combined 128-60 as the head coach of Vanderbilt and Penn State and now takes over a roster that added the No. 16 transfer portal class in the country and third-best in the ACC. Outside of road games against Clemson and Miami, Virginia Tech also has a very favorable schedule. At +2800 in what is expected to be the weakest of the Power 4 conferences, there’s some value on the Hokies as a long shot.

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Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — It’s August, but the Atlanta Falcons are not trending in the right direction.

Two weeks ago, Atlanta was riding high on news of a massive extension for star running back Bijan Robinson, their offensive core locked up as they moved forward with new coach Kevin Stefanski.

Just hours after news of Robinson’s extension, though, the Falcons lost promising edge rusher Jalon Walker to a season-ending knee injury. Then, hours before Friday’s preseason opener, less surprising news came that their other starting edge, James Pearce, would be suspended for the first eight games of 2026 related to an offseason domestic violence arrest.

Then came a rough night against the Denver Broncos. It was only the preseason, but it was Atlanta’s only such game at home, and Denver rolled out to a 24-0 lead before halftime. At one point, the Broncos had outgained the Falcons 217-28, enough to draw a smattering of boos from the home crowd.

Atlanta held out Robinson on Friday, as well as key parts of its defensive secondary, but what was out there didn’t look good. New quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a snap go off his hand on the second play to scuttle one drive, and he managed only one first down on his only other drive. Backup Cooper Rush promptly threw two interceptions, with the second one being returned 97 yards for a touchdown.

“What we put out there is not a reflection of the hard work that we’ve put in the first two weeks of training camp,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “It does no justice for the work that our coaches as well have implemented. It starts with me. I’ve got to be better with that.”

“Our standard for our football team, offense, defense, special teams, remains the same whether it’s the first quarter or the fourth quarter of the preseason game,” Stefanski added. “So not good enough really across the board, and again, that’s why we’ll get back to work.”

Tua Tagovailoa fumbled on his second snap of the preseason. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Tagovailoa, cut by the Miami Dolphins after two straight disappointing seasons, was brought in to compete with third-year pro Michael Penix Jr., who is recovering from knee surgery but has gone 4-8 in limited work as a starter. Stefanski is an offensive-minded coach, and the team has extended its young core — Robinson, receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts — with new deals totaling $270 million.

But will the Falcons’ defense hold up without its top two pass-rushers for the first two months of the season? Atlanta took a major step forward in 2025, going from 31 sacks in 2024 (second-fewest in the NFL) to 57 sacks, second-most last year. 

The depth behind Walker and Pearce isn’t exactly starter caliber, though. Samson Ebukam, 31, had two sacks with the Indianapolis Colts last year and is playing on a one-year, $2.8 million deal and Azeez Ojulari, 26, missed much of last year with a hamstring injury and had zero sacks, signing on a league-minimum veteran deal. The response to losing Walker was signing Cam Sample, 26, who had two sacks last year with the Cleveland Browns.

“Next man up,” Ebukam said after the game. “It’s football. It’s the NFL. Obviously, we’re going to miss [Pearce], but he’s going to be back and he’s going to be strong.”

Jalon Walker’s ACL tear, along with James Pearce’s suspension, leave the Falcons with concerns at edge rusher. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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If the Pearce suspension was anticipated, Walker’s injury could not have been, but the Falcons have not added a proven pass-rusher since he was lost for the year. Leonard Floyd, 33, started 15 games for Atlanta last year with 3.5 sacks and remains unsigned, and other older options have recently signed elsewhere, with Jadeveon Clowney landing with the Houston Texans and Von Miller with the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Falcons were able to scoop Za’Darius Smith on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year deal with the soon-to-be 34-year-old edge rusher. But while Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler, he logged just 1.5 sacks in five games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season before stepping away. 

“Again, confident in our group. Injuries are part of this game,” Stefanski said when asked about his existing depth. “We talked about that with losing Jalon. Don’t like it, but we trust that we have the guys to step up.”

It’s possible the Falcons comb the waiver wire for edge help at final cuts, and there are still unsigned veterans, though their dropoff in production explains why they’re available in August. Haason Reddick, who had 2.5 sacks in 12 starts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, overlapped with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich with the Jets in 2024, but that might not be a positive history.

Another concern in the middle of the defense is at linebacker, where Atlanta lost Kaden Elliss, a 100-tackle starter in each of the last three seasons, in free agency to the Saints. Atlanta did little to replace him, using two third-day draft picks on linebackers and signing Christian Harris, a former Texans starter who was mostly a special-teams player in Houston last season.

The NFC South is closely bunched enough that all four teams can enter the season with the confidence they could win the division, but a slow start could be trouble for the Falcons. They open the year with three of four games on the road, including two against 2025 playoff teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers. Then they’re home to face three of their toughest opponents of the year in the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers. It’s possible they could open 2-5 or worse in the first seven without even playing that poorly.

Penix isn’t fully cleared in his recovery, and Stefanski said he’s comfortable waiting before a starting quarterback is chosen between him and Tagovailoa, whose nine-play debut Friday was a small sample, but one that left room for improvement.

“He wants to get better. Our offense wants to get better. Our coaches want to be better in those nine plays,” Stefanski said Monday. “But our focus will be continuing to get ready for this season and not getting too far ahead of ourselves. We want to be where our feet are, try to improve on some of the small things that we identify as coaches and correct them.”

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With the NFL preseason already underway, now feels like an opportune time to rip through the awards markets for the 2026 regular season.

Understand these wagers will be longer shots, and we’re betting a little to win a lot.

That said, when lightning strikes like it did with our Saquon Barkley Offensive Player of the Year tickets two years ago at 25/1, it makes for a joyous holiday season for all.

Here are three future bets I’ve made for this season.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Could Joe Burrow win his first MVP award in 2026? (Getty Images)

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Las Vegas wise guys love the Bengals this season and Joe Burrow is obviously the straw that stirs the drink.

There’s been a ton of financial support on Cincinnati to win the AFC at multiple casinos in the desert, and you know that’s lock step with belief in Burrow. When healthy, he’s one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league, and he’s got plenty of weapons at the skill positions. 

Burrow finished fourth in MVP voting in 2022 and 2024, and I believe he’ll be right near the top if he stays healthy. 

He’ll flirt with 4,500 passing yards and 40 touchdowns and his interception percentage should be sub-2% again. Pair those potential stats with a division title and Burrow will win his first MVP award.

Sammy P’s Pick: Joe Burrow to Win MVP (+900)

Justin Jefferson was unhappy with his targets in 2025, but he gets a new QB this season. (Getty Images)

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We’re deep diving on this one, but the math makes sense. 

FanDuel is dealing an 18/1 on Jefferson, which is the highest price we’ve seen on him since he won this award in 2022. 

Kirk Cousins ain’t walking through that door at quarterback, but there’s optimism inside the Vikings’ facility that Kevin O’Connell can squeeze a lot of juice out of Kyler Murray. 

Minnesota’s quarterback room was one of the worst in the NFL a year ago and Jefferson was rather outspoken about his lack of red zone targets. He somehow only caught two touchdown passes last year, and I’m buying the price dip on a player with a lot to prove.  

Sammy P’s Pick: Justin Jefferson to Win OPOY (+1800)

Arvell Reese to Win DROY

Simply put, Reese is a monster. 

At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds with unmatched size and speed, he’ll be an absolute nightmare against opposing offenses. It’s sounding more and more like the Giants will use him all over the field and that makes sense. 

He’s versatile enough to drop into coverage, stuff the run and get to the quarterback.

I can’t wait to see how John Harbaugh and Dennard Wilson deploy his talents. According to Pro Football Focus, Reese graded as an 88.2 in 16 preseason snaps against the Vikings this past weekend. 

Small sample size? Sure. 

But if he plays like that for four months, look out.

Sammy P’s Pick: Arvell Reese to Win DROY (+800)

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