Bills’ James Cook Sits Out Preseason Opener; HC Sean McDermott Wanted RB To Play
Bills running back James Cook, who was an active participant in Buffalo’s practices when training camp began, switched to a hold-in strategy last week as extension talks with the team drag on. That approach has now carried over into preseason games.
Per Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News, Cook warmed up with his teammates before the Bills’ preseason opener against the Giants on Saturday. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg adds Cook was in full uniform and even took a snap with the first-team offense during 11-on-11 drills. However, he did not play in the game.
Head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged after the game that he wanted Cook to participate. Outside of quarterback Josh Allen and several other players who have injury concerns, most of the team’s projected starters did play to some extent. McDermott also said he had a “good conversation” with Cook on Friday, at which point Cook agreed to participate in warmups but made plain he would not actually play.
“We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t really want to go into it any further,” McDermott said (via Getzenberg). “There is really no change at this point in time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today, so he warmed up, like I said, but at this point, due to the situation and position he’s in, he was not willing to play, so that’s where we’re at. Again, it was a good conversation, but really no change overall.”
Shortly after it became clear Cook was holding in, a follow-up report indicated player and team were still engaged in contract discussions and were not too far apart in those discussions. But GM Brandon Beane, while confirming he hoped to strike a deal keeping Cook in the fold beyond 2025, appeared to leave open the possibility that such an agreement may not come until after the season.
Between those comments and McDermott’s “no change” remarks, it is difficult to say where negotiations stand at this point. Cook declined to comment after the game, though his agent, Zac Hiller, did send a text to ESPN.
“I don’t know what else he can do to show he only wants to play for the Bills,” the text read (via Getzenberg). “Hopefully we can figure this out and refocus all energy on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo.”
Missing training camp practices is one thing, but missing regular season games is quite another, and it may not be a viable option for Cook. Still, the championship-caliber Bills clearly want to have their RB1 available and in football shape for the upcoming campaign, which opens with a contest against the Ravens, one of their top AFC competitors.
For now, the stare-down continues.
Patriots LB Anfernee Jennings On Roster Bubble; S Kyle Dugger A Release/Trade Candidate?
Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings started 16 games last season and enjoyed a 79% snap share, both career-high marks. However, he may not be with the team in 2025.
As ESPN’s Mike Reiss observes, Jennings was playing late in the fourth quarter of New England’s first preseason game on Friday, which is not the typical milieu for an established player. In Reiss’ estimation, that is reflective of Jennings’ precarious spot on the roster.
Now entering the second year of the three-year, $12MM contract he signed in March 2024, Jennings has failed to make much of an impact as a pass rusher but has proven himself to be a stout defender against the run. He earned a stellar 85.9 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, and though his grade slipped to 73.0 in 2024, he still turned in a solid showing.
While former head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo valued Jennings’ contributions as an edge-setter, new HC Mike Vrabel favors a more aggressive, penetrating style of play. Reiss says Jennings is firmly behind new acquisitions Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson on the depth chart, and the sixth-year pro is competing with younger talents like Truman Jones, Bradyn Swinson, and Elijah Ponder.
New England would have to eat $3.35MM in dead money if it were to move on from Jennings and would realize cap savings of just under $2MM. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal agrees with Reiss’ assessment of the situation and points out that Jennings has been “looking up at the depth chart” since spring practices began. Giardi suggests the Pats will indeed part ways with their 2020 third-rounder at some point.
Another 2020 draftee and stalwart on the Patriots’ defense, Kyle Dugger, could also be a release/trade candidate, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. While Dugger’s status in that regard could be more speculation than anything else at this point, Volin does say the 29-year-old has had a quiet camp and may only be on the roster because of his fully-guaranteed 2025 salary of $9.75MM (part of the four-year, $58MM deal he signed last April).
That said, if another team is willing to absorb some money, Volin believes Dugger could be traded. But no other club produced an offer sheet after the Patriots put the transition tag on Dugger last year — though he did attract some interest at the trade deadline — and the Lenoir-Rhyne product’s frequent struggles in coverage continued in 2024. He allowed a massive 137.4 QB rating as the nearest defender, and PFF placed him near the very bottom of the league in terms of coverage grades.
In Sunday’s training camp practice, Dugger was running with the second-stringers, while rookie Craig Woodson took his place on the first-team unit (via Volin).
5 Key Stories: 8/3/25 – 8/10/25
Preseason is in full swing around the NFL. As the countdown to Week 1 continues, key developments on a number of fronts have taken place recently. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:
- Chargers Reunite With Allen, Lose Slater: Shortly after taking a free agent visit with the Chargers, Keenan Allen agreed to return to his original team. While playing out the 2024 season in Chicago, the six-time Pro Bowler remained a productive starter and expressed a willingness to remain with the Bears or return to Los Angeles. By taking the latter route, Allen will continue adding to his decorated Bolts tenure in a receiver room which lost Mike Williams to retirement this summer. In unwanted news for the team, left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in practice. The recently-extended Pro Bowler will miss the season as a result. Joe Alt represents an enviable contingency option on the blindside, but losing Slater marks a massive blow for the Chargers’ offense.
- Sieler Lands Dolphins Raise: Over the course of his Dolphins career, defensive tackle Zach Sieler has emerged as one of the team’s most important defenders. The 29-year-old represented an extension candidate this offseason as a reflection of his high-end production, and one was in fact worked out. Team and player agreed to a three-year, $67.75MM pact despite the fact Sieler still had two years remaining on his previous contract. The former seventh-round pick has notched 10 sacks in each of the past two seasons, and with $34MM in cashflow covering 2025 and ’26 he will be expected to remain one of the league’s standout interior defenders for years to come.
- NFLPA Taps White As Interim Leader: The NFLPA has sought stability in the wake of Lloyd Howell and, shortly thereafter, J.C. Tretter, resigning from their respective positions. A search for Howell’s interim replacement as executive director resulted in David White being hired for the role. White was the runner-up to Howell during the hiring process in 2023, and he will now get the opportunity to lead the union on at least a short-term basis. Numerous scandals led to an abrupt end for Howell and Tretter, and White will be tasked with restoring trust from the NFLPA’s members while at the helm. The search for a full-time executive director will begin shortly and include each team’s player representative along with the union’s senior committee members.
- Rams Extend Williams: Throughout the 2025 offseason, signs pointed to an extension being worked out between running back Kyren Williams and the Rams. To no surprise, then, an agreement was reached with plenty of time before Week 1. Williams landed a three-year, $33MM pact containing $23MM in guaranteed money. Los Angles’ lead back is under contract through 2028 as a result, and he is thus positioned to remain a focal point on offense for years to come. Williams, 24, received 260 offensive touches in 2023 and 350 last season. He will be counted on to continue in a workhorse role while attempting to return to his previous mark in terms of efficiency. Now seventh in the position’s pecking order for average annual value, Williams is set to serve as a core member of the Rams’ offense for the foreseeable future.
- McGary, Falcons Agree To Extension: The Falcons extended left tackle Jake Matthews in March, and they did the same with right tackle Kaleb McGary ahead of his seventh Atlanta campaign. The latter took a two-year, $30MM deal to remain in place through 2027. McGary has emerged as one of the league’s top run blockers and has been a mainstay up front for the Falcons throughout his tenure. The former first-rounder secured a raise in terms of AAV on his third career contract, and his ongoing presence will allow for continuity along Atlanta’s O-line. It will be interesting to see if the team’s notable investments in the unit will help allow for a playoff berth in 2025.
Chiefs S Deon Bush Suffered Torn Achilles
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor) that veteran safety Deon Bush suffered a torn Achilles in a preseason loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night.
Bush was entering his fourth year in Kansas City and competing for a backend roster spot as a depth safety and core special teams contributor. He filled that role during the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl runs in 2022 and 2023, but only appeared in two games in 2024, both in the regular season.
Bush’s injury will also take him out of the 53-man roster competition with the Chiefs’ other depth safeties. Kansas City is returning 17-game starter Bryan Cook as well as nickel/safety hybrid Chamarri Conner with second-year Jaden Hicks and veteran Mike Edwards leading the reserves.
Given how often Conner drops into the slot, keeping Bush on the roster may have been appealing, especially given his NFL special teams experience that undrafted rookies Glendon Miller, Major Williams, and Jacobe Covington can’t match. Now, that trio might have a better chance of sticking around, though Kansas City could opt to carry an extra cornerback instead.
Bush, originally a Bears fourth-round pick in 2016, spent six years in Chicago with six starts on defense and a consistent role on special teams. The nine-year veteran will now spend the season on the sidelines as he rehabs from his injury and prepares for what would be his age-33 season in 2026.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from IR with injury settlement: WR Quez Watkins
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: S Grayland Arnold
- Released: OL Michael Gonzalez
- Signed: C Jake Hanson
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Robert Longerbeam
Buffalo Bills
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Baylon Spector
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DB Gregory Junior
- Waived/injured: DE Matt Henningsen (story)
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: OL Justin Herron, OL Colby Sorsdal, TE Kenny Yeboah
- Waived with injury settlement: RB Jabari Small
- Signed: OL Gunner Britton, OL Keaton Sutherland, TE Gunnar Oakes, RB Deon Jackson
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Deneric Prince, DE Jereme Robinson
- Waived: S Josh Minkins
- Placed on IR: RB Lan Larison
New Orleans Saints
- Waived/injured: WR Chris Tyree
Larison suffered a foot injury during a promising preseason debut against the Commanders on Friday night. He will undergo surgery and spend the season rehabbing, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, with the hope of renewing his 53-man roster push next summer.
Jets Activate Jermaine Johnson From PUP List
Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson has taken another step in his return to the field after missing most of last season with a torn Achilles.
Johnson passed his physical and was activated from the active/physically unable to perform list on Sunday, per senior team reporter Eric Allen. For the first time since he was knocked out of the Jets’ Week 2 matchup against the Titans 11 months ago, Johnson will be available to join his teammates at practice on Monday.
However, the 2022 first-rounder will likely ramp up his participation as the regular season approaches. He has a little under a month to get back to game-ready condition, though the Jets have no intention of rushing him back.
“We want to make sure we have him for the long haul,” said Jets head coach Aaron Glenn (via Allen).
Before going down last year, Johnson was expected to take another leap after his Pro Bowl campaign in 2023. He recorded 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss while also knocking down seven passes and returning an interception for a touchdown. Micheal Clemons started in Johnson’s place in 2024 but only registered 4.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.
The Jets will be hoping that Johnson can quickly return to his 2023 form and pair with Will McDonald to form a dangerous edge-rushing duo after the latter’s breakout with 10.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
Commanders To Sign LB Duke Riley
Sunday saw the Commanders host seven linebackers on a free agent visit. That effort has produced at least one signing.
Duke Riley has a deal in place with Washington, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The news comes not long after it was revealed Riley was among the veterans who took part in a workout today (h/t Mike Garafolo of NFL Network). With 124 appearances in the NFL, he will certainly add experience to the position in the nation’s capital.
The Commanders’ depth linebackers have not stood out in the preseason, according to ESPN’s John Keim, and 2024 fifth-rounder Jordan Magee has also missed time. At a minimum, Riley is a trusted camp body who can absorb preseason snaps as needed, but his extensive experience as a special teams ace could give him a chance at a roster spot.
Riley, 31, appeared in all but one game for the Dolphins over the last four years. He was a core special teams contributor with a rotational role on defense until last year, when his defensive snap count plummeted to 42 under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. It was clear that Riley would not receive another short-term contract in Miami, and he drew little interest on the free agent market this spring.
In Washington, the veteran linebacker will reunite with head coach Dan Quinn, who held the same position in Atlanta when the Falcons drafted Riley in 2017. The former third-round pick started 16 games across his first two seasons before an October 2019 trade to the Eagles, where he initially played special teams before taking over a starting role in 2020. A pre-existing relationship with Quinn and familiarity with his scheme should allow Riley to settle in quickly.
The Commanders’ group of workouts also included linebackers Amare Barno, Nicholas Morrow, Tanner Muse, Ronnie Perkins, Sione Takitaki, and Oshane Ximines, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
49ers To Bring Back RB Jeff Wilson
Jeff Wilson‘s recent workout for the 49ers did not result in a deal. With his original team dealing with a number of injuries in the backfield, though, a signing will now take place. 
Wilson is headed back to San Francisco, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former UDFA was with the 49ers from 2018 to the midway point of the 2022 campaign. A trade from the 49ers to the Dolphins allowed him to work with Mike McDaniel, a familiar face given his previous work under Kyle Shanahan.
During his time in Miami (which wound up lasting 27 games), Wilson managed an average of 4.5 yards per attempt; that equals his career mark. The 29-year-old only received 141 carries during that span, though, so it came as no surprise when the Dolphins elected not to re-sign him in the spring. Wilson remained on the open market well into training camp, and he and Ameer Abdullah visited the 49ers late in July. Abdullah landed a deal following his workout.
At the moment, however, Abdullah has a ribs injury. As Matt Barrow of The Athletic notes, Isaac Guerendo and Jordan James are also on the mend. As a result, Wilson should be able to handle a role in the backfield rotation during upcoming practices as well as San Francisco’s two remaining preseason contests. Sorting out the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey will be a team priority over the coming weeks.
Wilson’s most productive full 49ers season came in 2020 when he amassed 733 scrimmage yards and scored 10 total touchdowns. A repeat of those figures would come as a surprise, of course, but the North Texas product could carve out a spot on the 53-man roster depending on other running back situations on the health front. San Francisco entered Sunday with nearly $47MM in cap space, so this reunion will not impact any other moves the team makes leading up to Week 1.
Raiders, S Terrell Edmunds Agree To Deal
Terrell Edmunds recently visited the Raiders, and that workout clearly went well. The veteran safety has an agreement in place, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The team has since announced the move. 
Lonnie Johnson Jr.‘s broken fibula has left the Raiders short on depth in the secondary. A return at some point during the regular season is expected, but the Edmunds visit was arranged knowing Johnson will be unavailable for a stretch. Now, Edmunds will have the remainder of training camp and the preseason to audition for a roster spot.
The former first-rounder operated as a full-time starter from 2018-22 with the Steelers. Since then, Edmunds has not managed to earn much in the way of defensive playing time. A return to Pittsburgh took place last season, following a run of backup gigs with the Eagles, Titans and Jaguars. Second-team action should also be in store upon arrival in Vegas.
The Raiders lost Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps during free agency while signing Jeremy Chinn as a new safety starter. Isaiah Pola-Mao was also retained, allowing him to remain a first-team contributor as well. Thomas Harper and Christopher Smith are also in the mix, and Edmunds will look to compete with those two for a role ahead of roster cuts at the end of the month.
In a corresponding move, receiver Seth Williams has been waived with an injury designation. The 25-year-old will revert to injured reserve once he goes unclaimed. After that, a release by means of an injury settlement will likely take place.
Broncos DE Matt Henningsen Suffers Torn Achilles
Matt Henningsen will not be available to the Broncos in 2025. The third-year Broncos defensive end suffered a torn Achilles, head coach Sean Payton said (via Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette). 
As a result of the injury, Henningsen will miss the coming campaign. The 2022 sixth-rounder managed to take part in every regular season game during his first two Denver seasons, but that will not be the case this time around. Henningsen’s attention will turn to a lengthy recovery process ahead of 2026, the final year of his rookie contract.
The 26-year-old maintained a steady workload across the 2023 and ’24 campaigns, handling a 20% snap share on defense. Henningsen has also chipped in on special teams, logging 375 snaps in that regard. The Wisconsin product has amassed 40 tackles and one sack to date, but those figures will not change until the 2026 season at the earliest.
Denver has Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper set to reprise their roles as starters along the edge. The interior of the team’s defensive line will also have continuity with Zach Allen, D.J. Jones and John Franklin-Myers returning from last season. That defensive front will be expected to remain among the league’s best as the Broncos attempt to improve off last year’s success.
Losing Henningsen will deal a blow to the team’s depth up front, though. Denver could look to add a depth piece at the defensive end spot as a replacement option, although with roughly $5.5MM in cap space the team is currently near the bottom of the league in available funds.