Disagreement On Suspension Length Leading To September Rashee Rice Hearing?
AUGUST 15: The league proposed a suspension spanning double-digit games in this case, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (video link). The NFLPA and Rice’s representatives took issue with such a ban given the lack of precedent for suspensions of that length in situations such as his. Time still remains for a compromise to be worked out, but in the absence of one the wait for finding out the exact length of Rice’s absence will stretch well into the campaign.
AUGUST 14:Rashee Rice is expected to be suspended for a chunk of the 2025 season. The Chiefs wide receiver’s criminal discipline has been levied, and it had been assumed an NFL suspension would be handed out before the season.
Now, Kansas City could have its top wideout to open the year but be without him for much of the midseason stretch. An NFL disciplinary hearing is set for September 30; the wideout’s suspension length will almost definitely emerge in the wake of that summit. While Rice’s case is certainly different from Deshaun Watson‘s high-profile 2022 suspension saga, the hearing component is similar.
The NFL, NFLPA and Rice’s camp could not agree on discipline in this case, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports, leading to the hearing. The Sept. 30 date stemmed from disciplinary officer Sue Robinson’s availability. Robinson’s availability potentially determining which games Rice is available for certainly represents an interesting wrinkle here. Based on the lack of agreement here, it can be assumed the NFL is intending to suspend Rice for a significant stretch.
Rice was hit with eight felony charges in connection with a March 2024 hit-and-run incident. His criminal case 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.
However, Rice also was accused of punching a photographer at a nightclub following that freeway street-racing incident. While Rice was at SMU, Rice or a member of his party fired gunshots into an empty vehicle belonging to a Mustangs basketball player. That was believed to have been on the table to be folded into an NFL investigation. Although the accuser in the nightclub assault matter declined to press charges, these two lower-profile incidents may impact his NFL suspension duration.
The Chiefs’ September slate consists of games against the Chargers, Eagles, Giants and Ravens. The six games following the hearing go: Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Commanders, Bills and Broncos. While Rice stands to be available for the three-time reigning AFC champions’ early slate, his reemergence from an LCL tear would then be paused due to a ban. The sides could preempt a hearing by reaching a settlement beforehand, however. That is how the Watson matter produced an 11-game ban, as the NFL was aiming to have the Browns trade acquisition suspended for all of the 2022 season. A compromise stopped the offseason-overshadowing matter from dragging on even longer than it had. In her role with the NFL, Robinson has only heard the Watson case.
The Chiefs have seen a number of regulars run into off-field trouble during Andy Reid‘s time at the helm; only some produced suspensions. While Tyreek Hill‘s domestic violence arrest occurred while he was in college, a separate scandal led to a 2019 NFL investigation. A lack of cooperation by a Kansas district attorney’s office, however, helped keep the wideout from being suspended. The Chiefs also waived Kareem Hunt — who has since returned to the team — after video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. Hunt’s eight-game ban came when he was with the Browns in 2019. The Chiefs, however, saw Frank Clark banned two games midway through the 2022 season in connection with two gun-related arrests. One of their post-Clark options, free agent signee Charles Omenihu, was suspended six games for a domestic violence arrest to open the ’23 season. Backup wideout Justyn Ross also landed on the commissioner’s exempt list in 2023 for a domestic battery incident.
If/when Rice is suspended, the Chiefs will — as they did last year during his injury hiatus — lean on Xavier Worthy. Marquise Brown is also positioned to be available this year, after he missed most of last season. Those two will be Kansas City’s primary receiving weapons alongside Travis Kelce. It will be interesting to see if Rice joins these pass-game principals in Week 1 or reaches a resolution to serve his ban to open the season.
Theo Benedet Enters Bears’ LT Competition
One of the Bears’ top training camp battles has come at the left tackle spot. The competition is ongoing, and a fourth contender appears to have emerged.
[RELATED: Recapping Bears’ Offseason]
Theo Benedet has seen time with the starting offense during three practices this week, as detailed by ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. The 2024 undrafted free agent spent last season on Chicago’s practice squad, but with the left tackle competition being labeled wide open by new head coach Ben Johnson, opportunities have presented themselves recently. Benedet worked at left and right tackle during the Bears’ preseason opener.
“He’s right in the middle of it,” Johnson said. “I’ve been very, very excited about Theo and what he’s done both on the right and the left side. He was probably overlooked to start this competition, but the longer this thing’s gone on, there’s a strong argument for what he’s put on tape.”
Benedet entered the NFL after playing collegiately in Canada. The University of British Columbia product has yet to play a regular season snap, so it would certainly come as a surprise if he were to land the Week 1 job. Still, the fact that Benedet, 23, has inserted himself into the conversation is noteworthy. Incumbent Braxton Jones recently received full medical clearance and he has also seen time with the starters up front during camp.
Second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo has worked at both tackle spots this summer. The Boston College alum primarily operated as a right tackle in college, but he could find himself on the blindside depending on how the coming weeks play out. 2024 third-rounder Kiran Amegadjie has been in the mix, although he found himself with the third-team offense on Wednesday (h/t Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). The Yale product has missed considerable time this summer with a leg injury, hindering his chances of winning the starting gig. Johnson aims to have a clear-cut winner in place soon, and the upcoming preseason game could prove to be telling.
“We’ll go as long as we need to go to find the right guy,” Johnson said (via Cronen). “But we’d like to see someone go ahead and make it clear to us that he is that guy and we just haven’t seen that yet as a staff. There’s been too much up and down.”
Each of the candidates for the left tackle gig could see action on Sunday against the Bills. It will be interesting to see how Benedet in particular fares as the Bears seek out clarity regarding the overall depth chart up front.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/25
Friday’s minor moves around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Reverted to IR: OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Buffalo Bills
- Reverted to IR: WR Jalen Virgil
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Jordan Murray
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Micah Abraham
- Waived (with injury designation): CB Gregory Junior
Houston Texans
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Johnny Johnson III
Los Angeles Chargers
- Reverted to IR: CB Jordan Oladokun, WR Dez Fitzpatrick
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Jordan Petaia
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Shakel Brown
- Released: TE Ross Dwelley
Dwelley’s second stint in the Bay Area has ended before roster cuts, let alone the start of the regular season. The 30-year-old spent his first six NFL seasons with the 49ers, serving as a special teams presence while chipping in offensively. After a single Atlanta campaign in 2024, Dwelley will now hit the open market in mid-August and seek out his next opportunity.
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.