GMs Do Not Believe Cowboys Have Made Micah Parsons Available
When Micah Parsons rolled out his trade request two weeks ago, it quickly became known the Cowboys had no intention of granting it. Considering Parsons’ status as Dallas’ top player and one of the league’s best overall talents, no deal ever seemed realistic.
We have seen similar standoffs lead to blockbuster trades in the recent past. Khalil Mack‘s Raiders negotiations devolved into a blockbuster trade with the Bears. Jamal Adams‘ 2020 Jets talks ended up leading him to Seattle. Both trades required packages headlined by two first-round picks.
Both those instances involved a team trading a player a previous regime drafted, as Reggie McKenzie and Mike Maccagnan respectively drafted those defenders in the top 10 — before Jon Gruden– and Joe Douglas-orchestrated trades occurred. The Cowboys’ Jerry Jones–Stephen Jones–Will McClay operation, of course, drafted Parsons in 2021. Although the sides are not believed to be actively negotiating an extension right now, Parsons continues to show up for practice as an observer. The Cowboys will almost definitely not take the opportunity to cash out on one of the NFL’s top assets now.
GMs have not gotten the sense Parsons is available, according to Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, who adds one anonymous front office boss informed him of a sense Parsons being available would have come with a trade price no team could realistically meet. Considering Parsons’ status as a three-time All-Pro and having posted four straight double-digit sack seasons to open his career — only Parsons and Reggie White have done that — the Cowboys would have been poised to ask for a historic trade package for an early-prime player.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year who was traded ahead of his fifth-year option season, Mack is the closest comp here. Mack’s Oakland tenure was not quite as consistent as Parsons’ first four Dallas seasons, despite ascending to a DPOY perch Parsons has yet to, and the superstar was going into an age-27 season at the time he was dealt to Chicago. Mack fetched two firsts, a third and a sixth (in a deal that sent the Raiders a second and a conditional fifth).
Were Parsons to be traded, he would be highly unlikely — given how cap growth has changed in the years since — to accept a six-year extension like Mack did. The defensive end’s preference for a shorter-term deal has brought a potential sticking point, as the Cowboys regularly prefer longer-term pacts. But the prospect of a team needing to give Parsons a deal perhaps near $45MM per year would naturally affect a trade price.
Trade rumors and speculation came up well before Parsons’ request surfaced, but it was never viewed as a likely outcome — even after the Cowboys gave Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb top-market deals. Parsons has not shifted to a holdout, which is interesting given that this process has differed from past Cowboys extension sagas due to a trade request emerging. The Cowboys could also waive Parsons’ daily fines in a holdout since he is attached to a rookie contract.
If this impasse persists, Parsons would effectively need to play the holdout card if it came down to remaining unhappy with the situation by Week 1. The Cowboys are banking on the impact pass rusher not being ready to miss out on $1.5MM game checks. The team did not complete its Lamb deal until August 26, 2024 and famously did not have Prescott’s done until hours before Week 1. Time remains during the latest overly long Dallas negotiation.
D.J. Humphries Moving Toward Rams’ LT Job?
The Rams are evaluating their left tackle options with starter Alaric Jackson still limited in practice due to blood clots — an issue that surfaced in mid-June.
McVay said at the beginning of training camp in July that Jackson would participate in a limited capacity, including individual drills and “some of the jog-throughs.” “The actual physical stuff, he will not partake in right now,” McVay said. This could deal a big blow to the Rams’ O-line to open the season, especially as the team re-signed the former UDFA on a three-year, $57.75MM deal ($30MM guaranteed).
As a result, veteran signing D.J. Humphries and 2023 fifth-round Warren McClendon have been taking turns as the first-team left tackle during full-speed reps, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. McVay has praised both, as well as David Quessenberry, who has primarily been lining up at right tackle in practice but has past NFL experience on the blind side.
“I’ve been pleased with those three guys,” said McVay (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “I think D.J. has really played his best ball as of late, which has been cool to see.”
Humphries, a 10-year veteran, would make sense as an experienced short-term fill-in as the Rams await Jackson’s return to the field. An indication Humphries is the clubhouse leader for the Jackson LT stopgap role came when the Rams held him out of their preseason opener. This should be viewed as the Rams tipping their hand on their preferred swing option, per the Orange County Register’s Grosbard.
This represents a third chance for Humphries, the longtime Cardinals left tackle who became a cap casualty after a December 2023 ACL tear. After his rehab effort ended in-season last year, the Chiefs quickly signed him in hopes he could solve their LT problem. That did not happen, as Humphries suffered a hamstring injury in his Kansas City debut. Although Humphries returned for a Week 18 start in a game in which the No. 1-seeded Chiefs rested starters, he did not make another start of consequence — as K.C. took its chances with LG Joe Thuney at LT — last season. After it looked like Humphries would sign with the 49ers as their swing tackle, no deal transpired — and a Rams pledge emerged.
Humphries made 98 starts with the Cardinals from 2016-23. Injuries were an issue during most of the former first-rounder’s Arizona tenure; he missed 11 games in 2017, seven in 2018 and nine in 2022. A 2021 Pro Bowl nod and two Cardinals extensions occurred during that nine-year tenure as well.
A 2023 fifth-round pick, McClendon (24) is nearly eight years younger than Humphries. He also made five starts last season, seeing 279 right tackle snaps in place of Rob Havenstein. It seems, regardless of Jackson’s status, McClendon will be a backup to open Week 1 of this season as well. Though, Humphries’ injury history stands to make McClendon’s readiness quite important for the Rams to open the season.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Spencer Shrader Leading Colts’ Kicking Competition
After spending 2024 as a spot starter for three different teams, Colts kicker Spencer Shrader has firmly positioned himself to take over a full-time starting job this season.
Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason indicated (via Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star) that Shrader has taken a commanding lead against undrafted rookie Maddux Trujillo in the team’s kicking competition. Shrader, 26, is expected to take every kick in Saturday’s preseason game against the Packers as well as most of the reps in practice moving forward, according to team writer Amanda Foster.
Shrader signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent last year but couldn’t beat out veteran Matt Gay for the starting job. He was activated as an injury replacement in Week 1, but Gay quickly returned to the field and Shrader was eventually released in October. The Jets signed him to their practice squad to kick in Week 9, and he replaced Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in Weeks 10 and 11. Across his four appearances, Shrader went 5-for-5 on his field goal attempts with a long of 45 yards and converted all nine extra points. He landed on injured reserve towards the end of the season with a hamstring injury and re-signed with the Colts in the offseason.
The second-year kicker has outkicked his rookie competition thus far this preseason with an 87% conversion rate in training camp compared to Trujillo’s 78%, per Foster. Shrader made three of his four kicks against the Ravens in the Colts’ first preseason game with a long of 53 yards and a 52-yarder that bounced off the goal post. Trujillo didn’t attempt any field goals and converted his lone extra point. Shrader was also noticeably stronger and more accurate than Trujillo during a joint practice in Baltimore.
Clearly, the Colts’ kicking competition is Shrader’s to lose. If he can maintain his consistency over the next few weeks, he should enter the regular season with the starting job in hand.
Jets Work Out QBs C.J. Beathard, Nathan Peterman
With backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor out for the rest of the preseason, the Jets worked out veterans C.J. Beathard and Nathan Peterman on Thursday, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Beathard, 31, is a six-year veteran with 32 career appearances and a 3-10 record as a starter. He last played in 2023 for the Jaguars; in 2024, he spent a few weeks on the Dolphins’ practice squad before returning to Jacksonville. Originally a 49ers third-round pick in 2017, Beathard had a 12:13 TD:INT ratio in 13 appearances across his first two seasons and hasn’t risen above backup on a depth chart since.
Peterman, also 31, started his career somewhat infamously with 12 interceptions in eight games for the Bills in 2017 and 2018. The former fifth-round pick has since bounced around the league, appearing in two games for the Raiders (2020-2021) and five for the Bears (2022-2023).
Either would provide depth to a Jets quarterback room that will be without Taylor for a few weeks as he recovers from a knee scope. Justin Fields recovered from a toe injury to play 10 snaps against the Packers last Saturday, but the team will want to limit their starter’s exposure in the next two preseason games.
The two quarterbacks behind Fields and Taylor are Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook. Martinez went undrafted out of Kansas State in 2023 before dominating the UFL the following year. He then spent the 2024 NFL season on the Jets’ practice squad. Cook, an undrafted rookie out of Missouri, hurt his ankle in a joint practice with the Giants, but head coach Aaron Glenn downplayed the severity (via The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt).
Cook has since returned to practice, but the Jets may need to make a last-minute signing if he is unavailable to play in their second preseason contest on Saturday night. Otherwise, Fields would be a Martinez injury away from having to re-enter the game behind the team’s depth offensive linemen. If Cook is good to go, he and Martinez should be able to carry the load against the Giants after solid showings in Green Bay.
The Jets’ QB workouts could also be an exploration of their options should Taylor’s absence extend into the regular season. Rather than installing Martinez or Cook as the backup quarterback, they may prefer another veteran behind Fields, who has never played a full season in his four-year career.
QB Jordan Love Undergoes Thumb Surgery
Packers quarterback Jordan Love had surgery this week to repair a ligament in the thumb of his left (non-throwing) hand, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
“The surgery went well, and he’s in great spirits,” said head coach Matt LaFleur on Thursday (via TMJ4’s Ashley Washburn).
Love injured his thumb during the Packers’ preseason game against the Jets last Saturday. He still practice on Monday with his thumb taped, but he opted for surgery in an effort to get back to 100%.
“Dealing with injuries last year, I wanted to go into this thing feeling good,” said Love on Thursday (via Demovsky).
The fifth-year quarterback missed two games in 2024 due to a sprained MCL and played through a groin injury later in the season. This year, Love’s thumb injury came early enough in the preseason that he could go under the knife with plenty of time before Week 1.
“If this was in the middle of the season, probably would’ve been something we didn’t get the surgery on,” continued Love. “But with it still being early and I’m having time to recover and be fully ready for Week 1, the recommendation was to get the surgery.”
With a little over three weeks until Green Bay’s regular-season opener, Love’s timeline to recover from a procedure is tight, but doable for his non-throwing hand. Had this happened to Love’s right thumb, he likely would have been sidelined into the regular season.
Neither Love nor LaFleur committed to a clear return timetable, but both indicated that the 26-year-old quarterback should back on the field in some capacity next week.
Dolphins Never Wanted To Trade Tyreek Hill
A Tyreek Hill trade seemed like a distinct possibility in January when the star wide receiver indicated that he wanted out of Miami.
However, Hill never submitted a formal trade request to the Dolphins and the two sides smoothed things over. Since then, the 31-year-old has seemed committed to the team, though his name showed up in the offseason rumor mill.
However, the Dolphins “never showed any genuine interest in moving Hill during the offseason,” according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. With the regular season only a few weeks away, it seems that the five-time All-Pro will stay in Miami for at least another year.
That’s not stopping teams from monitoring the situation, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Hill is due a $15.85MM option bonus on August 31, per OverTheCap. If the Dolphins have any nascent desire to move on from Hill, it would be ideal financially – in terms of both cash and cap space – to do so before September.
Fowler also confirmed that the Dolphins rejected overtures regarding Hill earlier this offseason and admitted that persisting interest “could be wishful thinking.” Miami has an expensive roster and spent the offseason promising culture change, two signs that they intend to compete this year. Trading Hill would obviously deal a blow to their playoff chances, but their lack of depth in the trenches on both sides of the ball as well as a shaky cornerback room may already be insurmountable weaknesses.
Such a deal seems very unlikely to come together this late in the preseason and would probably take not only renewed, but heightened tension between Hill and the team.
Hearing Date Set For Chiefs WR Rashee Rice
The matter of potential league discipline in the case of Rashee Rice is still unresolved at this point. That will continue through the start of the coming season. 
The third-year Chiefs wideout has long been viewed as a candidate for a suspension stemming from his involvement in a March 2024 hit-and-run incident. His criminal case was concluded last month with a sentence of five years probation and a 30-day prison term. Rice received deferred adjudication, so completing the probation process will close the case and allow him to avoid serving time in prison. Shortly after that key development, one of the three civil suits associated with the case was settled.
[RELATED: Suspension Length Disagreement Led To Hearing]
Attention will now turn to the NFL’s investigation into the matter and any supplemental discipline which is handed down as a result. On that note, Thursday has seen a notable update in the Rice case. A league hearing is set to take place on September 30, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. It is at that time, presumably, an announcement will be made with respect to any potential suspension. Schefter adds that judge Sue L. Robinson will preside over the hearing (having only previously done so in the Deshaun Watson case).
Today’s news means a firm timeline is now in place for Rice and the Chiefs to learn how long he will be unavailable in the event of a suspension. It also means, however, the 25-year-old will be available for Kansas City during the first four games of the campaign. That stretch covers contests against the Chargers, Eagles, Giants and Ravens.
An LCL tear limited Rice to just four games last season, one in which expectations were high regarding his production and role in Kansas City’s offense. The SMU product flashed as a rookie with 938 yards and seven touchdowns, and he could reprise his role as the Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver when on the field this season. Given today’s news, though, it will remain unclear well into the campaign how many games Rice will miss in 2025.
Kansas City’s WR depth chart also includes Xavier Worthy, who enjoyed a strong run during the playoffs (including the Super Bowl) during his rookie campaign. A step forward in Year 2 would be key for team and player in the former first-rounder’s case. The Chiefs also have the likes of Marquise Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore in place entering the season. A more consistent showing on offense will be targeted as Kansas City looks to top the AFC once again in 2025.
Rice figures to play a role in that effort, at least during the first month of the season. Once his hearing takes place, the length of any suspension handed down will of course be a key storyline for he and the Chiefs.
Court Rules Brian Flores Discrimination Case Against NFL, Three Teams Can Go To Trial
Brian Flores is an active NFL defensive coordinator, helping the Vikings into a top-five defensive ranking last season. His discrimination lawsuit, stemming from his Dolphins dismissal and time on the HC interview circuit, remains ongoing. And the veteran staffer scored a big victory Thursday.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld a prior ruling indicating Flores will be permitted to put the NFL on trial. Flores can take the league and the three teams he sued — the Broncos, Giants and Texans — to court, according to an ESPN.com report. A federal appeals court found “insurmountable flaws” with an NFL arbitration process that would have permitted Roger Goodell to be the arbitrator in this case. Rather than the deck being stacked against Flores, the third-year Minnesota DC is on track to proceed with his claims in a true courtroom.
Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes wrote Thursday NFL rules forcing Flores to take his claims to arbitration before Goodell represented “arbitration in name only.”
“The significance of the Second Circuit’s decision cannot be overstated,” Douglas H. Wigdor, David E. Gottlieb and John Elefterakis (Flores’ attorneys) said in a statement. “For too long, the NFL has relied on a fundamentally biased and unfair arbitration process — even in cases involving serious claims of discrimination. This ruling sends a clear message: that practice must end. This is a victory not only for NFL employees, but for workers across the country — and for anyone who believes in transparency, accountability and justice.”
Although NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy countered by saying the league disagrees with the panel’s ruling and that it will “seek further review,” an active assistant being set to take the league to court is a landmark ruling. Flores filed his suit in 2022, upon being fired from the Dolphins, and various legal developments have unfolded since.
The topic of Goodell potentially serving as arbitrator in this case dates back to mid-2022. Flores had initially included the Dolphins in his suit, but Judge Valerie Caproni ruled in 2023 he must pursue that discrimination claim through arbitration. Flores initially filed his suit Feb. 1, 2022. After a lengthy delay, he will operate in a rather unusual dual role: active defensive coordinator and plaintiff in a high-profile case. Flores, 44, also figures to land back on the HC carousel in January. An actual trial taking place could reinsert a hurdle in his path to such a job. It was thought Flores would see his coaching aspirations blocked while he pursued this case, but the Steelers hired him as linebackers coach in 2022. That propelled him to the Vikes’ DC gig a year later.
When Flores accused the quartet of teams and the NFL of discrimination, he was coming off a firing after back-to-back winning seasons with the Dolphins. The firing represented a shock at the time, as the Dolphins went from an overmatched 2019 roster — one that generated a Flores tanking accusation against owner Stephen Ross, one that did not lead to NFL punishment — to a 10-6 season in 2020. Flores accused the Giants of conducting a “sham” interview with him in the wake of his Dolphins firing; his Texans accusation also comes from 2022. His Broncos accusation stems from a 2019 interview.
The Cardinals have interviewed Flores for a head coaching job since, though he backed out of a second meeting about the position in 2023. He became a much more attractive candidate after the Vikings’ defensive improvement last season. After Minnesota’s defense climbed to fifth in scoring, Flores met about the Bears, Jaguars and Jets’ jobs. None of those teams are included in the suit, and Flores is still positioned as the architect of Kevin O’Connell‘s Vikes defense.
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins Will Not Face Charges
Quinshon Judkins will be available to the Browns as planned in 2025. The rookie running back will not face charges following investigations into allegations of domestic violence, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. 
An arrest took place in Florida one month ago on charges of battery and domestic violence. The counts in question were a first-degree misdemeanor and led to investigations on the part of the Browns themselves and the NFL. Prosecutors will not move forward with the case, however, allowing Judkins to join the team soon. The league’s probe into the matter will continue, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes.
Schultz notes Judkins should be back in the fold shortly. The 21-year-old is the last unsigned member of this year’s draft class, with attention being focused on his criminal proceedings. As of late July, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was “cautiously optimistic” as resolution would take place allowing for Judkins to suit up. Given today’s update, that should indeed be the case once his rookie deal gets signed.
Judkins did not report to training camp with his legal situation still unclear at the time. The Ohio State product was alleged by his girlfriend to have struck her with a closed fist in the chin/lip area on July 7; a police report was filed after the accuser initially hesitated to bring forward the allegations, leading to the July 12 arrest. Judkins was later accused by the same woman of other domestic violence incidents, but none of them produced legal ramifications.
With new precedents being set regarding guaranteed compensation for second-round rookies, Judkins should manage to sign his contract in short order. This year’s 36th overall pick will spend the remainder of training camp and the preseason in preparation for the first season since 2017 in which the Browns do not have Nick Chubb in their backfield. A notable workload could await Judkins as a result.
Cleveland has Jerome Ford and fellow returnee Pierre Strong in place at the running back spot. The team also selected Dylan Sampson in the fourth round of the draft. Judkins – who helped the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2024 after a strong two-year run at Ole Miss – should be able to carve out a role amongst that group once he is back with the team. He should be available for the full campaign with his legal situation in the rearview.
Commanders Sign WR River Cracraft, DB Daryl Worley
Daryl Worley has reached an agreement to join a 10th NFL team. The veteran defensive back, whom the Titans turned to as a fill-in starter last season, is joining the Commanders, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.
Washington, which also added wide receivers River Cracraft and Mike Strachan (via Jhabvala), is bringing in Worley after a recent workout (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). Worley, who spent three seasons with the Ravens, will return to the mid-Atlantic region as a Commanders DB option.
None of Worley’s previous stops involved Dan Quinn or GM Adam Peters, though Worley did stop through Dallas in 2020. Worley, 30, has seen action for the Panthers, Raiders, Cowboys, Bills, Lions, Ravens and Titans. This nomadic career also included brief Eagles and Cardinals stopovers.
This is not quite Josh Johnson pace, but the double-digit team club is certainly a milestone in journeyman lore. Perhaps some discussions can commence on this topic, as the quarterback joined the Commanders this offseason.
While Worley (54 starts from 2017-20) found himself a regular Ravens practice squad callup — en route to being a PFR “Minor NFL Transactions” staple in those years — he logged seven starts for the Titans last season. A former cornerback in his regular starter days, Worley has transitioned to safety. He spent most of his Tennessee stint as a free safety or in the box for the struggling team, making 52 tackles, notching a forced fumble intercepting a pass. With Washington, the ex-third-round pick joins Will Harris, Quan Martin, Percy Butler and special teams ace Jeremy Reaves at safety.
Cracraft, 30, served as a minor Dolphins receiving contributor over the past three seasons. Following Mike McDaniel from San Francisco to Miami, Cracraft caught 25 passes for 289 yards and three TDs in Miami from 2022-24. The former UDFA, whose 49ers stint came during Peters’ time in San Francisco, has now seen game action in each of the past seven seasons. He will vie for a backup job with Washington.