NFL Eyeing 2026 Game In Rio de Janeiro
The second game of the 2025 regular season took place in São Paulo, with the Chiefs-Chargers contest marking the second straight year in which an NFL game was played in Brazil. The league intends to continue that trend in 2026, but another city is being targeted. 
The NFL is expected to play a game in Rio de Janeiro next year, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Each of the league’s first two Brazil contests took place at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, a venue which has a capacity of under 50,000. Playing at the legendary Maracanã Stadium in Rio would represent a notable contrast.
The Maracanã has a capacity above 70,000, and it has hosted a pair of FIFA World Cup finals along with the 2016 Summer Olympics. Jones notes the NFL has long shown interest in staging games in Rio, so it would come as no surprise if that were to take place next fall. A mutual interest is known to exist for a long-term arrangement in Brazil, and discussions have taken place about multiple games per year taking place in the country.
Brazil has long been one of the NFL’s largest international markets. As such, expanding the league’s presence there would be logical given the major investment made in global outreach over recent years. The CBA allows for as many as eight international regular season games per year, and seven will take place over the course of the 2025 season.
Next year, Melbourne will host a game with the Rams operating as the designated home team for the NFL’s first contest in Australia. The 2026 season is also likely to include at least one Brazil game, and it could very well take place in Rio.
Buccaneers Move Graham Barton To LT
The Buccaneers are without left tackle Tristan Wirfs to begin the season. It has long been known their All-Pro blindside protector will miss time in September, with veteran Charlie Heck viewed as the top option to replace him on a temporary basis. 
For at least Week 1, however, that is not the case. General manager Jason Licht revealed shortly before Sunday’s game (via team reporter Scott Smith) that Heck would not be used as a starter. Instead, center Graham Barton was shifted to left tackle for Sunday’s contest. Ben Bredeson moved from guard to center as a result, with Michael Jordan taking on guard duties.
Barton primarily played as a left tackle in college, but the Duke product was viewed as an interior blocker upon entering the NFL. Indeed, Barton handled center responsibilities during his rookie season, finding immediate success in that role. The 2024 first-rounder will no doubt return to the middle of the O-line when Wirfs recovers from meniscus surgery.
That could take place at some point in September, although there is no firm timeline in place. If Barton manages to provide Tampa Bay with adequate play on the blindside, he could help stabilize the offensive line until Wirfs is back in the fold. The play of that unit will depend as well on Bredeson successfully moving to center. The sixth-year veteran has spent the majority of his career as a guard, including exclusively working there with Tampa Bay last season. Bredeson has spent limited time at center in the NFL, though.
Jordan, meanwhile, was among the Buccaneers’ roster cuts but was quickly retained on their practice squad after clearing waivers. The 27-year-old was elevated to the gameday roster for Week 1, and he will serve not as depth up front but rather as a starting presence. Based on how the first few games play out, Jordan could find himself on the active roster by the time Wirfs is healthy and Tampa Bay’s preferred offensive line setup comes into focus.
Lions, Jameson Williams Agree To Extension
Jameson Williams was already under contract with the Lions through 2026 entering the season, but he will remain in place beyond that point. The ascending wideout has an extension agreement in place. 
Team and player worked out a deal on Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This pact is three years in length, and it is worth $83MM with $67MM guaranteed. Since Williams’ fifth-year option was picked up this spring, he is now on the books through 2029.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter clarifies $83MM represents the maximum value of this pact. The average annual value of the extension at first glance – $27.67MM – is likely an inflated figure as a result. Even if so, a strong guarantee along with long-term stability has been attained via this agreement. Williams is the latest member of the Lions’ offensive core to receive a major raise.
Last offseason, fellow receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown landed an extension averaging just over $30MM per season. Quarterback Jared Goff, along with offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, as well as running back David Montgomery, each signed new deals in 2024 as well. That led to questions about whether or not Williams would fit into the team’s long-term plans, especially with Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta eligible for extensions next year.
An answer has now arrived just before Week 1. Williams, 24, will finish playing out his rookie deal in the Motor City but he will remain in place on his second contract. The Alabama product played just 18 games across his first two campaigns due to injury and multiple suspensions. When on the field, though, Williams showed his potential as a deep threat.
In 2024, a notable step forward was taken in terms of production. Williams played 16 combined regular and postseason games, and his availability yielded positive results. He recorded 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 17.3 yards per catch. A full-time role and increased expectations will await Williams in 2025 but for several years after the coming season as well.
Rumors emerged about a potential trade being considered in this situation, but Lions general manager Brad Holmes said in April that was not the case. Williams’ future in Detroit was ensured to an extent when his option – like that of former No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson – was exercised. Talks on a Hutchinson extension have taken place, but during that process work has also successfully been done on a new Williams accord.
The Lions were largely quiet this offseason with respect to outside free agent additions, looking instead to retaining as many member of their core as possible. That resulted in safety Kerby Joseph landing a monster deal of his own, and Williams has now joined him in that regard. Continued development from both players would be key in allowing for Detroit to remain among the NFL’s top contenders.
St. Brown topped 1,100 yards for the third straight season in 2024, and he will be counted on to lead the way once again this year. LaPorta figures to reprise his role as a key figure in the passing game. Williams will offer a different skillset than those two, and based on this investment the Lions are confident he will be able to consistently offer them another high-end option on offense.
Packers Tried To Trade For Trey Hendrickson Prior To Micah Parsons Acquisition
The Packers made a major investment – in terms of acquisition cost and the finances needed for an extension – by adding Micah Parsons. The now ex-Cowboy is not the only notable edge rusher Green Bay targeted this offseason. 
Before the Parsons trade, the Packers were among the top suitors for Trey Hendrickson, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. Cincinnati fielded calls through the spring for the 2024 sack leader. Green Bay was among the teams which showed the most interest in Hendrickson, per Rapoport, who adds an offer was made to the Bengals.
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Hendrickson’s future was again in question for much of the 2025 offseason. The Bengals allowed him to seek out a trade, differing from their stance on the matter in previous years. As Rapoport notes, though, retaining him was always Cincinnati’s preference. An agreement was reached on the length and value of a long-term extension, but the gap between team and player on guarantees could not be bridged.
As a result, Hendrickson agreed to a straight raise for 2025 without any new years being added to his pact. Efforts to work out a top-up did not begin until training camp, during which Hendrickson did not practice until his revised deal was in place. By that point, the Packers had been in contact about a trade, with a splashy addition along the edge being seen as a key priority.
Rapoport notes Kenny Clark would have been included in a Hendrickson-to-Green Bay deal, although the Packers were not willing to part with him during their initial discussions with the Bengals. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle ultimately wound up being on the move when Green Bay sent him and a pair of first-round picks to Dallas for Parsons. At 26, Parsons obviously represents a longer-term investment from the Packers’ perspective than Hendrickson, who will turn 31 in December.
The Eagles made a push to acquire Parsons, but to no surprise the Cowboys were not willing to deal the four-time Pro Bowler within the division. Carolina also showed interest, although no offer was made in that case. Green Bay won out based on the team’s willingness to part with Clark but also to extend Parsons on a $47MM-per-year pact, the most in NFL history for non-quarterbacks.
The back issue Parsons has been dealing with through the summer led to questions about his Week 1 availability. He is expected to suit up tomorrow, with Rapoport noting a full workload is unlikely. Having arrived one week before the start of the season, Parsons will ramp up early in the year in advance of an every-down role with his new team. The Packers are banking on a high-profile EDGE addition helping them join the NFC’s elite, something illustrated by their eventual Parsons acquisition but also the Hendrickson pursuit which preceded it.
Broncos Place DL Malcolm Roach On IR, Promote QB Sam Ehlinger
Malcolm Roach was already known to be out for Week 1. The veteran defensive lineman will be unavailable through at least the first month of the campaign. 
The Broncos announced on Saturday that Roach was placed on injured reserve. A grade two calf strain will thus keep him sidelined through Denver’s first four contests at a minimum. Roach played every regular and postseason game in 2024, his debut Broncos campaign. That will not be the case this time around.
Denver’s defensive front will be expected to remain one of the league’s best through the early portion of the season and beyond, with Zach Allen, D.J. Jones and John Franklin-Myers each set to reprise their roles as starters. Still, being without Roach will deal a blow to the Broncos’ D-line. The 27-year-old handled a 42% snap share on defense last season and set a new career high in tackles (43) and sacks (2.5).
Roach is owed $2.75MM this season, the final one of his deal. The former UDFA would stand to benefit from another productive campaign with respect to his market value, just like Franklin-Myers. Plenty of time remains for a return at some point, but Roach’s absence could hurt his free agent stock while also leaving Denver shorthanded along the defensive interior for a stretch.
In a corresponding move, quarterback Sam Ehlinger has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. The former Colts passer was among Denver’s roster cuts last week but he remained in place by signing to the team’s taxi squad. That decision came after two offers were made by outside suitors for a spot on their 53-man rosters. Ehlinger elected to stay put, and Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette notes the Broncos planned to make room for him on the active roster in the near future. That opportunity has now arrived.
Bo Nix will handle starting duties in 2025 while looking to build off his impressive rookie season. Jarrett Stidham will once again operate as Denver’s backup, but Ehlinger is now in place to serve as the team’s third-string (and, on gamedays, emergency QB3) option.
Eagles Waive G Kenyon Green
Kenyon Green did not survive the Eagles’ cuts ahead of last week’s deadline. The former first-rounder quickly found himself back in the fold, but that is no longer the case. 
Green was waived once again on Saturday, per a team announcement. The offseason trade acquisition was on Philadelphia’s active roster in time for the team’s regular season opener, but he did not take part. Green will now hit the waiver wire with free agency looming in the event he does not get claimed.
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During his three years in Houston, Green was unable to live up to the expectations brought about by his draft stock. The 24-year-old managed to play 12 games last season after missing the previous campaign in its entirety. His play when on the field, however, was a key factor in the Texans’ struggles along the offensive line. The team made a number of changes up front this spring, including the decision to include Green in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade.
Four of Philadelphia’s starter along the O-line are still in place from 2024. The lone vacancy compared to last season was right guard, with Mekhi Becton landing a two-year Chargers pact in free agency after delivering a strong campaign with the Eagles. Tyler Steen won the RG gig in training camp and played there on Thursday. Without a first-team opening for Green – and without the Texas A&M product being viewed as one of Philadelphia’s top backup options along the interior – a change of scenery is likely in store.
Green could remain with the Eagles via a practice squad agreement after clearing waivers. Failing that, he will look to join a new team with the regular season underway.
Eagles, Panthers Showed Interest In Micah Parsons Trade
Last night’s season opener began the post-Micah Parsons era for the Cowboys. Dallas’ decision to trade away the All-Pro one week before their regular season began came as a shock to many and took place after interest from a number of suitors was shown. 
Following Parsons’ trade request, teams around the league did not view a swap as realistic. Dallas’ stance shifted over time, however, and calls came in before the team informed Parsons and his camp he would be play out his fifth-year option in 2025 or be dealt. Further details have now emerged regarding the trade market which took shape.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Eagles made a “strong push” to acquire Parsons this offseason. That comes as little surprise, of course. General manager Howie Roseman has a reputation for being aggressive in pursuing impact roster moves, and adding Parsons to the fold would have helped offset the losses Philadelphia suffered in the pass rush department during free agency. Josh Sweat took a Cardinals pact on the open market while Brandon Graham retired and Bryce Huff was traded to the 49ers.
The Eagles made a pair low-cost investments in Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche, inking both to one-year pacts. Their projected impacts pale in comparison to what Parsons would have been counted on to contribute, of course. In any case, a homecoming for the Pennsylvania native and Penn State product did not receive serious consideration on Dallas’ part. As Schefter notes – and as Jerry Jones stated in his post-draft press conference last week – the Cowboys were not willing to trade Parsons within the division.
In addition to the Packers, other NFC suitors were present in this case. One of those was the Panthers, per Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler. He notes Carolina called about Parsons and showed interest in a potential trade. No formal offer was made by general manager Dan Morgan, however. The Cowboys targeted a defensive tackle upgrade when evaluating partners for a Parsons trade, meaning Derrick Brown would have been involved in any serious discussions had they taken place. The Panthers opted to keep Brown (instead of wideout D.J. Moore) in place when trading with the Bears for the No. 1 pick in 2023, so it comes as no surprise Carolina was not as aggressive as other suitors.
Fowler adds Parsons was “intrigued” by a few destinations, with the Packers being one of them. Before his trade (and record-breaking extension) was in place, though, the 26-year-old also showed interest in joining the Chiefs and Ravens. Per Fowler, Kansas City was never truly in contention to pull off the move. Baltimore, like other teams, would have been hard-pressed to fit a Parsons deal into future cap planning; the Ravens also would have faced a logjam along the edge had no outside linebackers been sent back in the trade.
In the end, the Packers agreed to send Kenny Clark and their first-round pick in the next two drafts to the Cowboys for Parsons. The effects of the deal will be felt by both organizations for years to come, while other suitors will move forward with their current setups on the edge.
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward Unsure If New Contract Agreement Will Be Reached
Cameron Heyward continues to seek out an adjusted contract before the start of the regular season. With time running out for an agreement to be reached, it does not appear as though a deal will be struck.
Heyward made it known this summer he was aiming for a raise after signing an extension last summer. The 36-year-old left the door open to missing regular season games in the even no restructure was worked out, but it remains to be seen if that will take place. Heyward is still attached to his existing pact as things stand, and on Friday he said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) he is “preparing” to play this week even if no financial changes take place.
“I wish I could be more optimistic,” added Heyward, per Pryor. “Just trying to stay in the moment. I don’t have all the answers. It’s more of me just waiting and see what could happen.”
Though Heyward signed a two-year extension last September with the intention of outplaying the deal and negotiating a raise this year, the Steelers never seemed likely to oblige. They typically avoid engaging in contract talks during the season and rarely extend players with multiple years left on their deal. Though Heyward is still playing at a high level, he is under contract through 2026, per OverTheCap, his age-37 season. Another contract would cost the Steelers more money, both upfront and in guarantees, for years that Heyward may not even play. From a business perspective, it’s difficult to argue with their decision to hold him to his last deal.
Heyward was a full participant in the Steelers’ practice on Friday with no injury designation, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, meaning an absence on Sunday would clearly be a personal, contract-related decision. Would the longtime Steeler take that drastic step? He’s started every game when healthy since Week 6 of 2013 and has a reputation as the hard-nosed leader of Pittsburgh’s defense. Furthermore, holding out during the regular season has rarely led to the desired results for other players. Overall, it seems unlikely that he would take the drastic step of sitting out a regular season game with seemingly little to gain.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.
Buccaneers, CB Zyon McCollum Agree To Extension
The Buccaneers have taken care of another extension in time for Week 1. Cornerback Zyon McCollum has a new deal in place.
McCollum’s agents announced on Friday (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) an agreement has been reached on a three-year extension. The pact has a value of $48MM and includes $35.4MM guaranteed. McCollum was set to enter the season as a pending free agent, but he will now be under contract through 2028.
Today’s news comes as little surprise, considering McCollum was known to be seeking a second Tampa accord. The former fifth-rounder has developed into a mainstay on defense over the course of his first three seasons in the NFL. His rookie campaign included a part-time workload, but the following year resulted in a major jump in playing time. Last season, McCollum handled over 1,000 defensive snaps; he will be relied on as a permanent fixture in the secondary for years to come.
In 2024, the 26-year-old recorded his first two interceptions while adding 17 pass deflections. The latter stat put him in a tie for third in the NFL and helped result in a career-best PFF evaluation. McCollum finished 45th amongst qualifying corners in overall grade after setting a new personal best in completion percentage and passer rating allowed. Continued improvement in that regard would be welcomed and is certainly something the Buccaneers are investing in.
Even if McCollum doesn’t grow into a top-tier cornerback, there is an argument to be made for basic stability at one of the game’s most important positions. With a $16MM APY, McCollum is only the 15th-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with a market that should continue to grow after a major increase this offseason. Just being a healthy, consistent starter would make his deal a solid value.
With his new deal, McCollum will continue to be a key cog in Tampa Bay’s secondary for the next few years. He’s played next to Jamel Dean for his entire career, but the Buccaneers made a clear effort this offseason to find the future of their cornerback room by drafting Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish on Day 2 of April’s draft. Dean is under contract through 2026, but the exploding cornerback market may preclude another extension in Tampa Bay with younger players waiting in the wings.
Dolphins TE Darren Waller Unlikely To Play In Week 1
Darren Waller‘s Dolphins debut (and NFL return) is set to be delayed by at least one week. The unretired tight end encountered a setback this week, head coach Mike McDaniel said (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). 
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As a result, Waller is likely to miss Miami’s season opener against the Colts. A hip strain is the issue in this case, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Missed time was an issue during the latter stages of Waller’s Raiders tenure as well as his single Giants campaign; things have not gotten off to a good start with the Dolphins.
Waller was moved to the active/PUP list early this summer, but as expected he was activated late in August. That move allowed the former Pro Bowler to return to practice in preparation for his first game action since Week 18 in 2023. At least a short-term issue has now arisen, though, and it will be worth monitoring how long it will keep him sidelined.
The Dolphins included Jonnu Smith in the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, dealing him away after a career-best showing in 2024. Questions were raised in the wake of that swap about how Miami would replace Smith at the tight end spot. The team caught many off guard by agreeing to acquire Waller in a trade with the Giants after he made it clear he would only return to the NFL if he could reunite with Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith in the process.
Presuming Waller is sidelined on Sunday, the Dolphins will need to rely on Julian Hill and Jalin Conyers at the tight end spot. Hill entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and Conyers did the same this spring. Experience will be in short supply as a result for however long Waller is unavailable.