NFL Football 3h Briefing
×Last updated: August 14, 2026, 11:44 PM ET
NFL News and Notes
Fantasy Football Outlook
As draft season heats up, Matt Bowen has released his QB tiers espn.com for the upcoming fantasy football season, providing a crucial guide for managers preparing for their drafts. Meanwhile, in a look at training camp standouts, players, teams, and position battles have been recognized with awards, including the distinction of 'most likely to succeed with a new offense', as detailed in Solak's superlatives espn.com.
Player Suspensions and Retirements
The league has handed down a significant suspension, with Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. espn.com set to miss the first eight games of the season for violating the personal conduct policy. In other personal news, Seahawks outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence espn.com has confirmed that his upcoming 13th NFL season will be his last.
Contract and Broadcast News
The Pittsburgh Steelers have secured a key defensive player, agreeing to a four-year, $72 million extension with defensive tackle Keeanu Benton espn.com, making him the highest-paid defensive lineman in franchise history. On the broadcast side, ESPN analyst Troy Aikman espn.com will face broadcast limitations similar to those experienced by Tom Brady when covering "Monday Night Football" due to his consulting role with the Dolphins.
Preseason Updates and Injuries
NFL preseason action has provided early glimpses of talent, with the Raiders' Mendoza espn.com and Steelers' Allar making notable debuts. However, the Cardinals suffered a potential season-ending blow as rookie offensive lineman Chase Bisontis espn.com reportedly tore his MCL in a preseason game.