Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers ran a comeback route, focusing on producing in the regular season after his trade request was denied.

• Meyers said Wednesday he met with decision-makers and decided dropping his trade request for taking the field was in the best interest of everyone involved.

  "I asked, they said no," Meyers said, chuckling at the reality of the situation. "That's where that stopped. I mean, I'm just going to keep doing my job until something shakes out either way, honestly. I don't know which way it's going to go, but I'll be ready for whatever."

  Meyers said, "I ain't tripping," and admitted he didn't know if the Raiders would extend a new contract offer.

  Unsettled and lacking clarity, Meyers said he's only back in the fold because of his teammates. There is no guaranteed money remaining on his deal beyond the $10.5 million base salary in 2025.

  "But you've got to find a way to separate yourself from all the business," he said, adding he was hopeful the Raiders would agree that he proved his worth last season. "I thought they would see it that way -- they don't."

  Meyers, 28, became the No. 1 wide receiver for the Raiders following the October 2024 trade of Davante Adams to the New York Jets. He caught 87 passes for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns.

  He plans to be in the lineup when the Raiders and new head coach Pete Carroll march into the regular season against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

  "It's a job," Meyers said. "At the end of the day, I'm happy to be doing my job with my boys, but I can be happy anywhere."

  --Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout defensive tackle Vita Vea did not participate in Wednesday's practice due to a foot injury, according to the team's injury report.

• The news casts his status for the team's season opener Sunday at Atlanta into at least some doubt.

  Vea, 30, is coming off the best season of his seven-year NFL career. He made his second career Pro Bowl in 2024, with a career-high seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss (second and third-most on the Bucs defense, respectively), along with 42 tackles and 13 quarterback hits.

  He has 30.5 total sacks and 41 tackles for loss over his professional career, all of which has been played in Tampa after the Buccaneers drafted him 12th overall in the 2018 draft.

  Safety Christian Izien (oblique) and outside linebacker Haason Reddit (personal) also didn't participate in Wednesday's practice. Wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) and offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) had DNP tags, but neither of those is a surprise, as both are expected to miss the start of the season due to their injuries.

  Cornerback Benjamin Morrison (quad) and tight end Cade Otton (groin) were limited on Wednesday, while cornerback Josh Hayes (ankle) and running back Sean Tucker (hand) were full participants.

  --Field Level Media

Chargers running back Najee Harris completed another practice and will play when Los Angeles opens the season in Brazil on Friday night.

• Head coach Jim Harbaugh plans to use Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton in tandem, but wouldn't get into a pecking order or snap count plans two days before the Week 1 international game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

  "He says he's ready, and he looks ready to go," Harbaugh said. "Those are really hard to predict, play counts and things of that nature. Get in there, play football and have at it. That's kind of the mindset. Not kind of, that is the mindset."

  Harris will wear a visor to protect what he described as a "superficial" eye injury. Harris was hurt in a fireworks mishap on July 4 and only last week was activated from the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List to be added to the 53-man roster.

  Harris said in August he would focus on getting back into football shape and let the timeshare in the backfield play out.

  "I am feeling good, though, and we'll just see where it leads," he said.

  Harris topped 1,000 rushing yards in all four of his seasons with the Steelers and has 4,312 yards and 28 rushing touchdowns in 68 NFL games (all starts). The Steelers selected him 24th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and Harris made the Pro Bowl and the NFL All-Rookie team after that season.

  Hampton was the 22nd pick in the 2025 draft in April after two All-American seasons at North Carolina. He produced 38.5 percent of North Carolina's total offense -- 2,033 yards from scrimmage -- in 2024, and finished his college career with 36 rushing touchdowns.

  --Field Level Media

There are few feel-good memories at MetLife Stadium for Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but plenty of players he considers good friends dot the New York Jets' defense opposing Pittsburgh on Sunday.

• Rodgers, 41, spent the past two seasons with the Jets before an inglorious departure in March. His focus shifted to beating the Jets, and everyone else in the path of the Steelers, when he signed to pilot another new team.

  "This is the second new, so it's the new new," said Rodgers. "I'm loving being here."

  His first season with the Jets in 2023 lasted only one game -- the opener -- when he ruptured his Achilles. Rodgers started all 17 games for the Jets last season, but the team was in turmoil early, changing coaches in October and crashing to the finish line.

  A four-time MVP with the Packers who has won 10 or more games 10 times, Rodgers starts the 2025 season five touchdowns behind Brett Favre on the all-time regular-season TD pass list. Favre, the starter in Green Bay when Rodgers was drafted in 2005, has 508. Peyton Manning, who is in third place ahead of Favre, has 539.

  Pittsburgh also went the veteran route last season, signing free agent Russell Wilson after he was released by the Denver Broncos, and acquired Justin Fields in a trade with the Chicago Bears. The results were largely positive with 10 wins and a playoff berth. But Wilson and the Steelers bombed after a 10-3 start and four consecutive losses to end the regular season and a fifth, 28-14 at Baltimore, in the wild-card playoffs. Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 start before Wilson jumped into the starting lineup.

  Rodgers is 153-87-1 in his career as a starter, which equates to a .637 winning percentage. Only six quarterbacks with at least 150 career starts had a better winning percentage (Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Terry Bradshaw, Ben Roethlisberger and John Elway).

  On the other side, Fields is the new guy under center for the Jets, meaning both defenses will know plenty about the opposing passer on Sunday even if Rodgers didn't suit up in the preseason.

  "I've been playing 20 years, so I know how to execute in a game situation," Rodgers said.

  The Steelers acquired a No. 1 receiver for Rodgers in DK Metcalf, who had 48 touchdown receptions in six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. The massive Metcalf, listed at 6-4, 229, and Steelers tight end Darnell Washington (6-7, 264) have Rodgers thinking big about Pittsburgh's red-zone potential.

  Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, for now, is eager to see Rodgers carry over what he was doing on the practice field in his first six weeks in uniform.

  "His arm talent is unbelievable," Tomlin said. "Not only in terms of arm strength and accuracy, but also in his ability to release the ball from a variety of places. His game management expertise and experience is very evident. His line-of-scrimmage play, weaponizing of cadences, et cetera, his above-the-neck game, is very unique. It's been a good process. But the proof is in the pudding. I'm sure he's excited to get into a stadium with us and quarterback for us, and I know I'm excited about seeing it."

  --Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys fullback Hunter Luepke has agreed to terms on a two-year extension worth up to $7.5 million, the team announced on Wednesday.

• Luepke, going into the final year of his three-year rookie contract, was set to earn $1.03 million against the salary cap this season, which starts Thursday night for the Cowboys at the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

  He becomes the third-highest-paid fullback in the league on a per-year basis, the NFL Network reported, with more than $5 million fully guaranteed.

  Luepke, 25, played in 16 games last season (four starts), rushed 12 times for 38 yards and caught 12 passes for 111 yards. He played on 37 percent of special teams snaps and 30 percent of offensive snaps.

  For his career, Luepke has 18 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown, and 15 receptions for 129 yards in 33 games (four starts) over the past two seasons.

  Dallas signed Luepke as an undrafted free agent in May 2023 out of North Dakota State.

  The Cowboys working a new contract with Luepke came three days after All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland agreed to terms on a four-year, $92 million contract extension.

  These two extensions were both announced within a week of Dallas trading two-time All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027.

  --Field Level Media

New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez won't return to the practice field on Wednesday, mere days before the start of the 2025 season.

• Pats head coach Mike Vrabel said as much ahead of that day's practice, although he still wouldn't rule out Gonzalez from playing in Sunday's season opener vs. the Raiders.

  "I wouldn't say he's (ruled out). He's continuing to work. He'll do some stuff on the side. I'm not going to rule anybody out ...," Vrabel said. "We'll continue to work and treat and do everything we can to help him, and he's doing everything he can to get back out on the field."

  Gonzalez has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury on July 28. The No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Gonzalez played just four games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending torn labrum.

  Last season, he started 16 games, recording 59 tackles, 11 pass deflections and two interceptions to earn a second-team All-Pro honor. He made his debut in this year's NFL Top 100 players list at No. 84.

  If Gonzalez is sidelined, Marcus Jones is listed as his backup on the Patriots' unofficial depth chart on the team's website.

  --Field Level Media

The Tennessee Titans signed veteran linebacker Kyzir White, a starter for the Arizona Cardinals last season, to the practice squad on Wednesday.

• In a corresponding move, the Titans released defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes, 24, from their practice squad.

  White, 29, started all 17 games for the Cardinals last season before becoming a free agent in March. A two-time team captain, he totaled 137 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception, eight quarterback hits and three passes defensed.

  The Los Angeles Chargers selected White in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of West Virginia. He has 615 career tackles, 7.5 sacks, six interceptions, 34 tackles for loss and 20 QB hits in 92 games (73 starts) for the Chargers (2018-21), Philadelphia Eagles (2022) and Cardinals (2023-24).

  --Field Level Media

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to miss the season-opening game at the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night as he recovers from a broken bone in his foot, NFL Network reported on Wednesday.

• Likely was injured on July 29, underwent surgery and did not practice for the rest of training camp. He was injured in a non-contact play during position drills while going one-on-one against safety Sanoussi Kane.

  Ravens coach John Harbaugh had said the next day that he expected Likely to miss a few weeks of camp. The first full injury report of the season will be issued by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

  Mark Andrews is listed as the starter on the depth chart, followed by Likely and Charlie Kolar.

  Likely played in 16 regular-season games (nine starts) last season and caught 42 of 58 targets for 477 yards and six touchdowns. He also had seven receptions on nine targets for 126 yards and one TD in two playoff games.

  He has 108 career receptions for 1,261 yards and 14 TDs in 49 regular-season games (19 starts), and another 11 catches for 176 yards and two scores in five postseason games (one start).

  The Ravens selected Likely in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Coastal Carolina.

  --Field Level Media

A previously scheduled padded practice Wednesday becomes a getting-to-know-you moment and test of health for Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons.

• Head coach Matt LaFleur said Parsons plans to test his ailing back in preparation for taking the field Sunday when the regular season begins in Green Bay with a visit from the NFC North champion Detroit Lions.

  Parsons was listed as a limited participant on the team's first injury report of the week Wednesday afternoon.

  "We'll see. He's doing everything in his power," LaFleur said. "He's rehabbing hard. We've got to get through a couple practices to see how he responds, but certainly hopeful."

  The Packers traded defensive end Kenny Clark and multiple draft picks to the Cowboys and were made aware of a back injury by team doctors in Dallas prior to performing their own physical -- and confirming the ailment -- on Friday. Parsons was sitting out of training camp for contract-related reasons but also went for an MRI on his back days before the trade to Green Bay was finalized.

  According to reports, Parsons would require an epidural in his back to be on the field this weekend because of sprained L4 and L5 facet joints, a reference to the lumbar vertebrae in his lower back. Anatomically, the joints are critical for stabilization and vital for range of motion when bending, twisting and movements that require rotating the spine.

  Parsons is preparing as if he'll take the field with his new teammates in what LaFleur said is the closest there is in the regular season to a playoff atmosphere: Week 1 at Lambeau Field.

  LaFleur said the Packers have had numerous meetings with Parsons to get him up to speed, and he's easily keeping pace.

  "We're extremely fortunate. I would say he's got an extremely high football IQ just sitting down with him," LaFleur said. "I don't think he'll have any issues. He's an extremely bright guy."

  --Field Level Media

Ben Johnson jumped from his gig as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions to become head coach of the Chicago Bears in a move that could create a seismic shift in the NFC North.

• But that leap is bound to take some time as the Bears celebrate 40 years since the Super Bowl Shuffle.

  The Bears are competitors on paper, and excitement for the Monster of the Midway to return to the playoffs might be tempered only by the reigning beast of the North in Detroit.

  The Lions dominated the conference even in the face of a revolving-door plan on defense caused by major injuries. Now without Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, hired to become head coach of the Jets, more falls to head coach Dan Campbell and 2024 MVP candidate quarterback Jared Goff to keep the talented roster churning forward.

  One roadblock to consider is a loaded defense in Green Bay, where Jordan Love is coming off of preseason thumb surgery, but the Packers acquired All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys.

  And the only team to make a change at quarterback is the Minnesota Vikings.

  J.J. McCarthy replaces Sam Darnold after a virtual redshirt rookie season prompted by knee surgery last summer. A first-round selection in the 2024 draft, McCarthy steps into an offense with Justin Jefferson as the WR1.

  1. Green Bay Packers (11-6 predicted record)

  2025 Schedule

  W1 Sun Sep 7 vs Detroit Lions

  W2 Thu Sep 11 vs Washington Commanders

  W3 Sun Sep 21 at Cleveland Browns

  W4 Sun Sep 28 at Dallas Cowboys

  W5 Bye

  W6 Sun Oct 12 vs Cincinnati Bengals

  W7 Sun Oct 19 at Arizona Cardinals

  W8 Sun Oct 26 at Pittsburgh Steelers

  W9 Sun Nov 2 vs Carolina Panthers

  W10 Mon Nov 10 vs Philadelphia Eagles

  W11 Sun Nov 16 at New York Giants

  W12 Sun Nov 23 vs Minnesota Vikings

  W13 Thu Nov 27 at Detroit Lions

  W14 Sun Dec 7 vs Chicago Bears

  W15 Sun Dec 14 at Denver Broncos

  W16 Sat Dec 20 at Chicago Bears

  W17 Sun Dec 27 vs Baltimore Ravens

  W18 Sun Jan 4 at Minnesota Vikings

  Predicted Breakout Player: If you paid attention to the Packers last season, you've already seen the relentless effort and profound impact linebacker Edgerrin Cooper can have on this overlooked defense. He's more than capable of being on All-Pro lists this season with the attention of blocking schemes elsewhere. One notch below, DE Lukas Van Ness is one of the immediate beneficiaries to the Packers moving Kenny Clark in the Parsons trade. He has the athletic tools and upside to emerge as a consistent pass-rush threat if Parsons is healthy and producing at his predicted level.

  Holiday chopping: All bets are off in the North standings until mid-December, when this bloodbath gets real. If the Packers make a push to the postseason, all appearances of the final seven games of the season would support the belief that they will have earned it. Starting with the Vikings at Lambeau before a short-week Thanksgiving trip to Detroit and two dates with the Bears, the AFC crossover games with 2024 playoff teams -- Denver and Baltimore -- stand as a stern challenge for even a top-rated roster.

  2. Detroit Lions (11-6 predicted record)

  2025 Schedule

  W1 Sun Sep 7 at Green Bay Packers

  W2 Sun Sep 14 vs Chicago Bears

  W3 Sun Sep 22 at Baltimore Ravens

  W4 Sun Sep 28 vs Cleveland Browns

  W5 Sun Oct 5 at Cincinnati Bengals

  W6 Sun Oct 12 at Kansas City Chiefs

  W7 Mon Oct 20 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  W8 Bye

  W9 Sun Nov 2 vs Minnesota Vikings

  W10 Sun Nov 9 at Washington Commanders

  W11 Sun Nov 16 at Philadelphia Eagles

  W12 Sun Nov 23 vs New York Giants

  W13 Thu Nov 27 vs Green Bay Packers

  W14 Thu Dec 4 vs Dallas Cowboys

  W15 Sun Dec 14 at Los Angeles Rams

  W16 Sun Dec 21 vs Pittsburgh Steelers

  W17 Thu Dec 25 at Minnesota Vikings

  W18 Sun Jan 4 at Chicago Bears

  Predicted Breakout Player: WR Jameson Williams ran into multiple self-inflicted wounds and stunted his growth to a certain extent, but the former first-round pick is evolving quickly from a one-trick deep threat. He'll still be a concern for backpedaling cornerbacks and those challenges might multiply rapidly if Williams proves a disciplined route-runner on explosive in-cutting routes as advertised.

  Meet the new boss: Campbell continues to use the external concern over changing coordinators as internal motivation. He believes the roster has improved and with a healthy Aidan Hutchinson, it's hard to argue Detroit's defense will have more bite.

  3. Chicago Bears (10-7 predicted record)

  Schedule

  W1 Mon Sep 8 vs Minnesota Vikings

  W2 Sun Sep 14 at Detroit Lions

  W3 Sun Sep 21 vs Dallas Cowboys

  W4 Sun Sep 28 at Las Vegas Raiders

  W5 Bye

  W6 Mon Oct 13 at Washington Commanders

  W7 Sun Oct 19 vs New Orleans Saints

  W8 Sun Oct 26 at Baltimore Ravens

  W9 Sun Nov 2 at Cincinnati Bengals

  W10 Sun Nov 9 vs New York Giants

  W11 Sun Nov 16 at Minnesota Vikings

  W12 Sun Nov 23 vs Pittsburgh Steelers

  W13 Fri Nov 28 at Philadelphia Eagles

  W14 Sun Dec 7 at Green Bay Packers

  W15 Sun Dec 14 vs Cleveland Browns

  W16 Sat Dec. 20 vs Green Bay Packers

  W17 Sun Dec 28 at San Francisco 49ers

  W18 Sun Jan 4 vs Detroit Lions

  Mr. Williams' neighborhood: Thriving in unrehearsed situations is an ingredient for greatness in quarterbacks and, hoo boy, did Caleb Williams go through it as a rookie. Even with a handful of coaching changes -- which necessitated multiple play-caller switches -- Williams challenged Aaron Rodgers' record for pass attempts without an interception and kept Chicago in more games than the Bears probably deserved to be in. Under Johnson, the sharp-edged attention to detail could spell instant returns -- and wins -- for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick.

  Living on the edge: Is there enough of a pass rush in place for the Bears to rattle the elite quarterbacks on their schedule? One reason pundits are picking against Chicago contending is the uncertain production from their defensive ends. Montez Sweat wins consistently but without a sidekick, can they get home enough? GM Ryan Poles wrote big checks to bring in defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who is well into the back nine of his career at age 32, and Dayo Odeyingbo (6-5, 282) is the starter at left end opposite Sweat. He's big, powerful and can win one-on-one, but don't bet on him becoming the difference-maker on defense.

  4. Minnesota Vikings (8-9 predicted record)

  Schedule

  W1 Mon, Sep 8 at Chicago Bears

  W2 Sun, Sep 14 vs Atlanta Falcons

  W3 Sun, Sep 21 vs Cincinnati Bengals

  W4 Sun, Sep 28 at Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin, IE)

  W5 Sun, Oct 5 at Cleveland Browns (London, UK)

  W6 Bye

  W7 Sun Oct 19 vs Philadelphia Eagles

  W8 Thu Oct 23 at Los Angeles Chargers

  W9 Sun Nov 2 at Detroit Lions

  W10 Sun Nov 9 vs Baltimore Ravens

  W11 Sun Nov 16 vs Chicago Bears

  W12 Sun Nov 23 at Green Bay Packers

  W13 Sun Nov 30 at Seattle Seahawks

  W14 Sun Dec 7 vs Washington Commanders

  W15 Sun Dec 14 at Dallas Cowboys

  W16 Sun Dec 21 at New York Giants

  W17 Thu Dec 25 vs Detroit Lions

  W18 Sun Jan 4 vs Green Bay Packers

  Predicted Breakout Player: J.J. McCarthy (QB) -- Despite being unproven, many analysts expect McCarthy to make a leap as the Vikings' starter, with his development being a key storyline. No single standout named in sources, but his role as QB with upside suggests breakout potential.

  Running men: Aaron Jones was a solid addition for the Vikings after being released by the Packers before last season, but Minnesota's ground game remained mediocre (93.4-yard average per game). Signing Jordan Mason in free agency after his breakout season with the 49ers and the return of tone-setting left tackle Christian Darrisaw sparks optimism for the rushing attack to be a featured part of the scheme. Minnesota also signed free agents Ryan Kelly, a former Pro Bowl center with the Colts, and his teammate in Indy, new right guard Will Fries, to bolster the front five.

  --Field Level Media

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell isn't shying away from the possibility of the biggest pop star on the planet singing on the league's grandest stage.

• Speaking Wednesday on NBC's "Today," Goodell welcomed the notion of having Taylor Swift perform the halftime show at Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif.

  "We would always love to have Taylor play," Goodell said. "She is a special, special talent and obviously, she would be welcome at any time."

  When asked if a Swift halftime show already was in the works, Goodell didn't deny it.

  "I can't tell you anything about that ... it's a maybe," Goodell said.

  Swift, a 14-time Grammy winner, and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce announced their engagement on Aug. 26 in a joint post on Instagram.

  Swift, however, is no stranger to performing at NFL games -- just not at a Super Bowl. She sang the national anthem ahead of the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Day game against the visiting Miami Dolphins in 2006, and she also performed at the 2010 season opener between the host New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.

  More recently, Swift has been a regular in attendance at Chiefs games during her relationship with Kelce.

  She did attend the past two Super Bowls, however.

  Swift celebrated with Kelce after Kansas City defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. She also consoled him after the Chiefs fell short in their bid for a three-peat with a setback to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February.

  --Field Level Media

The New York Jets fear right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker sustained a season-ending torn triceps, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

• Per the report, Vera-Tucker is getting a second opinion to confirm the injury and whether surgery is necessary.

  The Jets did not comment on Vera-Tucker's health on Wednesday after holding their first media availability on Tuesday.

  Vera-Tucker, 26, was selected by the Jets with the 14th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

  He was named a team captain on Monday, and it was not clear when or how the injury occurred.

  Vera-Tucker, who played in college at Southern California, has been prone to injuries in his career. After playing in, and starting, 16 games as a rookie, he played only a combined 12 in the following two seasons due to torn triceps in 2022 and a torn Achilles in 2023.

  Last season, Vera-Tucker appeared in 15 games. He has started all 43 of his NFL games and has 10 career penalties.

  While Xavier Newman is listed as Vera-Tucker's backup on New York's unofficial depth chart, it is possible center Joe Tippmann could move to right guard, with Josh Myers being plugged in at center.

  He will earn $15.3 million this season on his fifth-year team option. He is set to become a free agent in 2026.

  --Field Level Media

Fans of Friday night NFL games: savor the contest this week between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers from Sao Paolo, Brazil.

• That's because there won't be a Friday night clash in the opening week in 2026. Hans Schroeder, the COO of NFL Media, confirmed that with reporters on Tuesday.

  The little-known Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prohibits NFL games from being broadcast within 75 miles of a college or high school football game between the second Friday night in September and the second Saturday in December.

  And since the NFL now opens the season on the first Thursday after Labor Day, the date of that federal holiday dictates where the second Friday falls on the calendar.

  Under the law, the next eligible Friday night slot won't come until 2029.

  The NFL could find a way around that, however, if it decides to hold a Friday game in the afternoon on a non-holiday weekend. That wouldn't violate the law, which specifies games cannot start at 6 p.m. or later. An international game conceivably could start in prime time locally with a Friday afternoon start time in the United States.

  The league has added a Black Friday game. This year, the Chicago Bears will travel to Philadelphia to meet the Eagles in a 3 p.m. game on Nov. 29.

  --Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and right tackle Luke Goedeke agreed to a four-year, $90 million contract extension, several reports said Tuesday.

• Goedeke was a second-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2022 and swung out to tackle after spending his rookie year at left guard.

  He started all 17 games in 2023 and made 13 more starts in 2024, having recovered from an early-season concussion.

  The average annual value of his new contract -- $22.5 million -- makes Goedeke the third-highest paid right tackle in the NFL, behind only Detroit's Penei Sewell and Philadelphia's Lane Johnson. Last year the Bucs signed left tackle Tristan Wirfs to a five-year extension, making him currently the second-highest paid left tackle in the league ($28.12 million per year).

  --Field Level Media

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel says he still holds a grudge against the franchise nearly a decade after his failed NFL career.

• Speaking on the "Nightcap" podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner said his experience with the Browns left him permanently embittered.

  "I think I'm going to be pissed at them and hate them forever," said Manziel, 32. "It is what it is, man. No love for the Browns, I'm rooting for 0-16 seasons every season."

  Drafted 22nd overall in 2014 out of Texas A&M, Manziel played in 14 games over two seasons with Cleveland before being released in 2016 amid off-field troubles. He went 2-6 as a starter and in total was 147-of-258 passing (57 percent) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. Teams now play 17-game seasons.

  He later had brief stops in the Canadian Football League, the Alliance of American Football and Fan Controlled Football before leaving the sport.

  Manziel acknowledged personal responsibility, saying he "let an amazing opportunity slip," but he faulted Cleveland for failing to put him in the right situation to develop as a quarterback.

  The Browns, who have started 40 quarterbacks since 1999, went 3-14 last season and are expected to begin 2025 with veteran Joe Flacco under center and 2025 draft picks Dillon Gabriel (third round) and Shedeur Sanders (fifth) as reserves.

  --Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson returned to full practice on Tuesday after sitting out Monday because of a back issue.

• Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said the back is Dickerson's only health concern after he missed most of training camp due to an Aug. 10 right knee injury and resulting procedure.

  The defending Super Bowl champions host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the season opener.

  Philadelphia's injury report had only one player not practicing, reserve quarterback Tanner McKee (fractured right thumb), meaning recently acquired Sam Howell likely will be the backup for starter Jalen Hurts.

  Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulder), linebacker Josh Uche (groin) and safety Andrew Mukuba (hamstring) were full participants.

  Dickerson, 26, went down while blocking on a pass play and remained on the field for several minutes during the Aug. 10 practice. After an MRI, he had a procedure on the meniscus in his right knee.

  A second-round pick in 2021, Dickerson has started 62 of 63 regular-season games played for the Eagles. He has also started nine playoff games, including all four last season as Philadelphia won Super Bowl LIX.

  He has established himself as an elite interior offensive lineman and collected Pro Bowl accolades each of the last three years. He earned a 79.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade last season, ranking 13th among 136 qualifying guards.

  --Field Level Media

The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran wide receiver Robert Woods from the practice squad on Tuesday, reportedly at his request when he didn't make the 53-man roster, according to NFL Network.

• The 33-year-old Woods, going into his 13th season, was behind five receivers on the 53-man roster: Calvin Austin III, DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson.

  Pittsburgh signed Woods to a one-year, $2 million contract as a free agent in April. He received a signing bonus of $745,000.

  Woods played the past two seasons with the Houston Texans, catching 20 passes for 203 yards over 15 games (four starts) in 2024, but he did not have a receiving touchdown for the first time in his 12 NFL seasons.

  Woods' most productive seasons came with the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-21, catching 367 passes for 4,626 yards and 23 touchdowns while helping the team in an injury-shortened campaign to the Super Bowl LVI title in the 2021 season.

  Over 171 career games (145 starts), Woods has 683 receptions for 8,233 yards and 38 touchdowns for the Buffalo Bills (2013-16), Rams, Tennessee Titans (2022) and Texans.

  --Field Level Media

Bears head coach Ben Johnson stuck with incumbent starter Braxton Jones at left tackle following a months-long competition with Ozzy Trapilo and Theo Benedet.

• In February, Johnson cited upgrades on the offensive line as a critical foundation stone he planned to have in place by the time the Bears opened the regular season. The acquisition of big-ticket free agent center Drew Dalman and trades for veteran guards Joe Thuney (Chiefs) and Jonah Jackson (Rams) set the Bears up with three new starters.

  Jones' position was considered open as he recovered from a fractured left ankle that required surgery in December.

  But Johnson said at the annual NFL spring meetings in April that the Bears also challenged Jones to add weight. Johnson's assessment of Jones was that he has the light feet for the position, ideal for his primary job of protecting quarterback Caleb Williams, but not enough mass to move bodies in the running game.

  Jones, a fifth-round pick in 2022 who has played in 40 career games, and right tackle Darnell Wright will keep their jobs as the starting tackles, at least to begin the regular season.

  Trapilo, the 56th overall pick in April who played at GM Ryan Poles' alma mater (Boston College), is slotted as the "swing tackle" for the Bears to begin the season.

  He started 36 games at Boston College and spent the previous two seasons at right tackle (2023, 2024) after starting at left tackle in 2022.

  --Field Level Media

Micah Parsons' blockbuster trade last week from the Dallas Cowboys was never the star pass rusher's intent, his agent David Mulugheta said Tuesday on ESPN's "First Take."

• Parsons, now a member of the Green Bay Packers, made it a priority to stay in Dallas, the agent said, and wasn't going to sit out the season after a sit-in at Cowboys training camp over dissatisfaction with his current contract.

  "I think the most important thing is Micah wanted to be a Cowboy," Mulugheta said. "He grew up cheering for the Cowboys, wore the blue and white at Penn State, wore it in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He wanted to be a Cowboy, and we did everything we could for him to remain a Cowboy."

  Mulugheta said that despite the impasse in negotiations, Parsons, 26, would have played in the Cowboys' season opener on Thursday against the host Philadelphia Eagles. The agent said Parsons' camp never told the Cowboys otherwise.

  "I mean, Micah loves the game too much," Mulugheta said. "He was going to play no matter what."

  Green Bay quickly extended Parsons after trading three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027 to Dallas last Thursday. Parsons' new deal is a four-year, $188 million extension that includes $136 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a $47 million annual average.

  The Cowboys and Parsons never officially got to that point, with team owner and general manager Jerry Jones believing he had a handshake agreement with the player following a direct conversation with him on March 18.

  Parsons said that the team had to then deal with his agent, Mulugheta, and that's where versions of the story went different directions. Jones said he offered the most guaranteed money for a non-quarterback in league history, reportedly more than $150 million.

  Parsons said the Cowboys refused to talk with his agent as months went by, so there was no deal. Mulugheta said he tried several times before and after Parsons' March meeting with Jones to ask about a new contract.

  "To expect somebody like Micah Parsons to be one of the best defenders in the NFL and also a great lawyer when it comes to contracts, I think it's a bit unfair," Mulugheta said. "His job is to go out there and chase quarterbacks, and our job is to go out there and chase commas for him. I'm not sure exactly why it went this way, but we were always prepared and open to negotiating a contract with the Jones family."

  The agent said his client never believed he was actually negotiating a contract, and whether or not it was a miscommunication, Parsons just listened and "nodded his head out of respect."

  "Obviously there's a power dynamic that's a little different there," Mulugheta said. "One guy's the owner of the team and the GM, and the other one is Micah Parsons, a young 25-year-old football player."

  The agent said the Cowboys talked to Parsons about a five-year extension, not four, which he estimated could have cost the player $60 million to $70 million in future earnings.

  On the health front, Parsons is dealing with a back injury, though he practiced with the Packers on what appeared to be a limited basis on Monday.

  Before the deal, the Cowboys had placed Parsons on a five-day plan of a corticosteroid to help back inflammation and had him on a physical therapy program. Parsons may need an epidural injection to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions, according to reports from ESPN, NFL Network and The Athletic.

  "What I will tell you, is that Micah is going to do everything he possibly can to get on the football field, the same way he did when he was in a Cowboys jersey," Mulugheta said.

  A Pro Bowl selection in each of his four seasons, and three-time first-team All Pro, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks through the first 63 games of his career. He was the 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft and the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season.

  --Field Level Media

Rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart is listed as the backup quarterback behind New York Giants starter Russell Wilson on the team's unofficial Week 1 depth chart.

• Dart, selected 25th overall out of Ole Miss, is listed ahead of 10-year veteran Jameis Winston after a promising preseason and training camp. New York opens the regular season on Sunday on the road against the Washington Commanders.

  The Giants had the day off Tuesday. Head coach Brian Daboll and Wilson are scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday.

  Dart, 22, was 32-of-47 passing for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason and rushed for a TD against the New York Jets, igniting optimism around a position that became a trainwreck in 2024.

  Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen moved on from Daniel Jones in November after he requested his release in response to being benched. Daboll and the Giants ran into more trouble when Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle failed to produce. New York lost 11 of its final 12 games in 2024, when it finished 3-14.

  Daboll has committed to 36-year-old Wilson, a free-agent signee on his third team in three seasons, as the Giants' starter. Wilson and Winston, 31, were signed for different roles, with Daboll and Schoen made clear early in the offseason.

  --Field Level Media

Free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis isn't healthy enough to take the field, but the Buffalo Bills are betting he can get there.

• Head coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday the Bills are completing a deal with Davis to sign a contract and join the practice squad with an injury designation. McDermott said Davis is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered last season.

  The reunion puts Davis back on familiar footing. He spent the first four seasons of his NFL career in Buffalo.

  He signed a three-year, $39 million free agent deal with Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2024.

  The Jaguars released Davis on May 7, absorbing a $20.3 million dead cap hit to be spread over two seasons.

  Davis, 26, caught 20 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games (nine starts) last season before he was injured on Nov. 17 in a 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions.

  Davis had 163 catches for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns in 64 games (47 starts) with the Bills, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of UCF.

  --Field Level Media

Frank Ragnow's abrupt retirement in June left the Detroit Lions without a starting center.

• His successor, Graham Glasgow, is on track to start the team's Week 1 matchup versus the Green Bay Packers on Sunday after missing time during training camp with a lower leg injury, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Tuesday.

  Glasgow, 33, is in his second stint with the Lions after they selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent 2020-2022 with the Denver Broncos before rejoining Detroit in 2023.

  He is moving over from the left guard spot, where he predominantly played last season. He did start one game at center for the Lions in 2024.

  Glasgow has big shoes to fill in replacing Ragnow, who retired after just seven seasons due to citing he needed to prioritize his health and his family's future. He made four Pro Bowls and was a three-time second-team All-Pro center.

  --Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was ruled out of the team's season opener against the New York Jets.

• Head coach Mike Tomlin said Harmon won't play but linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring) has a chance to be ready Sunday and is trending in that direction.

  Harmon, selected by Pittsburgh with the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, was carted off the field with a knee injury during the team's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 21.

  The Steelers later revealed that Harmon is dealing with an MCL sprain.

  Harmon, 22, is expected to be a starter on the defensive line alongside Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward. Isaiahh Loudermilk and rookie Yahya Black are likely to see increased playing time until Harmon returns.

  Harmon spent three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon for his senior season in 2024. He played 14 games for the Ducks and posted 45 tackles (11 for loss), five sacks, four passes defended, two fumbles forced and two fumble recoveries.

  The absence of Harmon puts more of an emphasis on Heyward playing early in the season.

  While the longtime Steeler signed a two-year, $29 million extension for the 2025-26 seasons last September, he now wants that deal to be reworked after earning his fourth career first-team All-Pro honor in 2024 with eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 20 QB hits, 11 pass deflections and 71 total tackles.

  Heyward, 36, has been around the Steelers during training camp as a hold-in during his contract dispute. But he has said that he's willing to sit out regular-season games in order to get his raise.

  Tomlin told reporters Tuesday he doesn't believe that will happen.

  "I'm certainly expecting Cam to play," Tomlin said. "Cam hasn't played a lot in team development over the last several years. My job is to get him in and out of (training camp), and I've done my job, and so there are no reservations about his participation or his readiness. I'm sure he's champing at the bit."

  Heyward, asked on his podcast "Not Just Football," if he'll be playing in Week 1, simply said, "We'll see."

  --Field Level Media

Thomas Dimitroff spent 13 seasons as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.

• On Tuesday, the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints announced Dimitroff will serve as a consultant. He is expected to assist executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis in all facets of the operation, per Sports Illustrated.

  Dimitroff, 59, reportedly has spent time with the Saints through training camp.

  He was named the NFL executive of the year in his first year with the Falcons in 2008 and again in 2010. He was fired by the team in 2020 after the team lost its first five games of the season.

  --Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is one of the few players on the roster who knew precisely what it was like to be in Micah Parsons' shoes in August.

• Prescott was given some of the same lines during contract negotiations that Parsons heard from franchise owner Jerry Jones and the Dallas brass, specifically about performing in a contract year to earn another one with more security. There was friction between Jones and Prescott when the quarterback played the length of his rookie contract and subsequent franchise tag year before signing a four-year extension on the first game day of the 2024 season.

  So when Jones pulled the plug and traded Parsons -- a two-time All-Pro pass rusher -- to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday, Prescott wasn't shocked. But he was surprised it unraveled so suddenly.

  "I can't say I was completely surprised, but I definitely didn't think he was going to get traded, I'll say that," Prescott said. "But just with (how) their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent ... it seemed like it got personal on their ends, so that's why I wasn't surprised."

  Prior to the trade, Prescott and head coach Brian Schottenheimer both expressed confidence Parsons would be on the field when the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles kick off the regular season on Thursday night. He said he's glad not to be fielding questions about whether Parsons will play and is more comfortable knowing his former teammate is happy with the result.

  "As much as anything, it's good that a solution happened. Micah got paid, got paid very well," Prescott said. "Great for him and his family. We'll see him here in about a month. Just honestly glad that, I can't say glad, but glad that we moved past that and everybody seems happy because of it."

  Parsons, 26, continues to deal with a back injury that could impact his availability in Week 1 and beyond. The Packers visit the Cowboys for a Sunday night game in Week 4 on Sept. 28.

  Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs still isn't prepared to see Parsons in another uniform.

  "I think everybody was surprised," Diggs said of the trade. "I was really surprised, I really thought it was going to get done so we could just stay a family. Just him being here all his years, but unfortunately that's not what God had for him."

  A Pro Bowl selection in each of his four seasons, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks through the first 63 games of his career. He was the 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft.

  --Field Level Media