Of the Houston Texans' two major additions on offense this offseason, one is acclimating to his new quarterback, while the other won't be off the field for long. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that wide receiver Stefon Diggs is bonding nicely with quarterback CJ Stroud four days into training camp. "They've been really good," Ryans said. "You see them growing and you see their connection, bond and they're communicating. Seems like after every snap, those guys are talking pre-snap with alignments and they're getting on the same page and that takes time. It takes building a relationship outside of being on the football field. It takes building that relationship in the locker room, meeting rooms and that's what I see from both of those guys. A ton of communication, which allows their relationship to grow even stronger." Diggs, 30, forced his way out of Buffalo and was traded to the ascending Texans in April, immediately becoming the most talented receiver on the depth chart of a team that won the AFC South last year. Named to the last four Pro Bowls while catching passes from Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Diggs is coming off a 1,183-yard season with eight touchdowns. He has hauled in more than 100 receptions in five of his past six seasons, dating to his time with the Minnesota Vikings. "It's a work in progress," Diggs said of his relationship with Stroud. "I'm not going to say everything is perfect, but you see us kind of getting on that same page here and there. And nothing is going to be perfect. I starve for it, we grind for it, but getting on the same page play after play and that communication, that open line of communication, I feel like that's going to really separate it seeing that we have such a small period of time. But this isn't my first rodeo and I'm not, by any means, reinventing the (wheel). "And 7 (Stroud) is special. I think everybody kind of knows that. I must reiterate it, though, because I've seen it firsthand and taking it play after play and building, so it's a work in progress." As for the Texans' other big offseason acquisition, running back Joe Mixon has missed the past few practices for an undisclosed reason. "Joe will be fine," Ryans said. "Joe may miss a little time, but he'll be fine. Joe is (as tough) as the toughest competitor we have, so I'm not worried about Joe. He'll be fine. No issues there." The Texans acquired the one-time Pro Bowler from the Cincinnati Bengals after Mixon, 27, posted his fourth 1,000-yard season of his seven-year career. He had 1,034 rushing yards and nine touchdowns along with 52 receptions for 376 yards and three receiving scores while starting all 17 games in 2023. The Texans also brought in former Rams and Vikings running back Cam Akers, 25, after giving him a workout Sunday. "We've added Cam and we'll see if he can compete," Ryans said. --Field Level Media

Signing wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to a long-term contract was a top item on the offseason priority list for Bengals owner Mike Brown. On the eve of training camp, a deal for Chase is still marked urgent by the franchise's top decision-maker. Chase, 24, caught 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns last season and enters his fourth season with 268 receptions and 29 touchdowns. "He's a key player. Next to Joe (Burrow), he's our next one. He knows it, we know it," Brown said Monday. "This may take a while. We are gonna bend over backwards to get it done. I can't tell you when, though." Keeping Chase could cost Cincinnati more than $30 million per season based on the most recent contracts with top-of-market wide receivers. His former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson reset the market with a four-year, $140 million contract ($35 million per season) that eclipsed the $32 million per year Eagles wideout A.J. Brown receives. Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a four-year deal worth $30.002 million per year with the Lions, which is $200,000 more than All-Pro Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill ($30 million AAV). Brown said the timing for negotiations is not great, preferring to hold contract talks in the offseason. "With the cap and how it works, it's a little different," Brown said. "Things can happen. Opportunities can arise unexpectedly, and you can put deals together. We aren't going to say 'Oh no, we aren't going to do that deal' if it is the right deal. It's not so likely that this is a good time to negotiate. The offseason is a better time. We try to keep focused on the football part. I am not going to rule anything out, but I will tell you that the dye has probably been cast." Bengals No. 2 wide receiver Tee Higgins is playing on the one-year franchise tender after not signing a long-term extension in the offseason. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin made a clear delineation with where contracts stand, suggesting the blue-chip tag on Chase as a "rare" talent defines him more than the position of wide receiver. "I don't view people as receivers. I view them as individuals, and I think there's a lot of pros to having a Ja'Marr Chase. I don't call him, ‘Receiver.' I call him, ‘Ja'Marr Chase.' And Ja'Marr Chase is a rare football player," Tobin said. "We'll see what we can get done. But I view them as individuals. And they all have individual traits and they've all had production levels that mirror or don't mirror some of the other contracts." --Field Level Media

Leaving Las Vegas for an on-the-road training camp atmosphere took the Raiders to Los Angeles, where the NFL rules regarding "exclusive home territory" for teams in the market will prohibit fans from attending practices. The Raiders would be in violation of the NFL rule protecting a geographic perimeter for the two teams whose home market is Los Angeles -- the AFC West rival Chargers and Rams -- if they permitted public access or invited local media to training camp. Owner Mark Davis told ESPN the Rams and Chargers enforced the restrictions, and there are no established paths to overturn the exclusivity clause. "It would be nice if all the fans could be there, but, whatever. Like I said, the Chargers and Rams have that ability," he said. Head coach Antonio Pierce said the only reason he would be concerned is if the primary objective of "team bonding" was impacted. From his perspective, the rule doesn't change things for training camp. "Team bonding, getting together and getting to know one another, to get away from all the distractions -- it's all about ball," he told ESPN. "Just ball." --Field Level Media

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery to repair MCL and ACL tears suffered on Christmas Eve. The 27-year-old Hockenson, who reported to training camp on Sunday, will begin on the physically unable to perform list, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday. "He's well ahead of schedule from a standpoint of some of the benchmarks on his rehab. T.J., looking back at the offseason program, did not miss really a day outside of going to see his surgeon in Los Angeles," O'Connell said. "He was here every single day and that continued through the summer. The significant injury that it was, we want to make sure to follow our plan to when T.J. gets on the field and continues to do more and more throughout training camp. And hopefully, at some point when he's ready to go -- we want to make sure everything is done the right way for T.J., because he's such a significant part of our organization." The Vikings signed former Packers and Bears tight end Robert Tonyan in free agency and start training camp with eight players on the depth chart at the position. The team's leading receiver in 2023, Hockenson had 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns last season -- thriving despite a revolving door at quarterback for Minnesota -- before the season-ending injury against his former team on Dec. 24. Hockenson was acquired from the Lions in 2022. --Field Level Media

Denver Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz signed a four-year extension worth a reported $80 million on Monday. ESPN and NFL Network reported the value of the deal last week. Per ESPN, the deal includes $45 million guaranteed. Meinerz, 25, is now under contract through the 2028 season. In three seasons with the Broncos, the 25-year-old Meinerz has played in 45 games, making 39 starts. He was a third-round pick (98th overall) by Denver in the 2021 draft. Denver's training camp starts Friday. --Field Level Media

CLEVELAND BROWNS (11-6) OPEN CAMP: July 23, Berea, Ohio LAST YEAR: Injuries threatened to wreck the Browns' season before a rescue from a couple of unexpected names: QB Joe Flacco found the Fountain of Youth from the futon and turned in a borderline miraculous four-game winning streak backed by Cleveland toothy defense and the 1-2 punch of Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. Flacco had three 300-yard games in five regular-season starts and averaged 323.3 passing yards with more than 2.5 TD passes per game. He took over when PJ Walker and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson failed to impress in trials as Deshaun Watson's replacement. Watson, who has one three TD game and zero 300-yard passing games with the Browns, was forced out of the lineup by a shoulder injury that required surgery. The Browns had already lost bell-cow RB Nick Chubb (knee) to a season-ending injury. With the NFL's No. 1 passing defense -- and top-ranked unit on third and fourth downs -- the Browns were able to hold the line until a mulligan-worthy showing in the playoffs. KEY ADDITIONS: LB Devin Bush, RB D'Onta Foreman, DT Michael Hall Jr., LB Jordan Hicks, RB Nyheim Hines, OL Germain Ifedi, WR Jerry Jeudy, QB Jameis Winston, K Cade York, OG Zak Zinter KEY LOSSES: QB Joe Flacco, CB Mike Ford, WR Marquise Goodwin, C Nick Harris, RB Kareem Hunt, LB Sione Takitaki, LB Anthony Walker Jr. CAMP CHECKLIST: Considering Watson and Chubb weren't with the team for the second half of the 2023 season, the relative view of the roster "additions" requires an asterisk. Getting them back up to speed and healthy are obvious camp concerns head coach Kevin Stefanski said will be day-to-day. The Browns didn't have a first-round pick again and drafted 54th after the playoff appearance, nabbing needed D-line help in Ohio State's Hall Jr., then rolling the dice on possible value selection in Zinter, who was a 13-game starter at guard for national champion Michigan before breaking his leg blocking Hall Jr. and the Buckeyes in November. Jeudy caught 54 passes with five touchdowns last season with the Broncos and immediately fits as the sidekick to Amari Cooper in the WR pecking order. 2024 EXPECTATIONS: Worlds of pressure rests on Watson's shoulders with the Flacco measuring stick as a reference point for what the Browns can achieve with a downfield passing game. Watson said he'll be full go in training camp with no pitch count, but the Browns are more concerned with where he'll be physically in September when the regular season begins. Ford and Hunt, who wasn't resigned in the offseason, combined for 18 total touchdowns. Hines missed last season recovery from a knee injury during a jetski accident and Chubb figures to be worked back into the mix slowly. PRESEASON SCHEDULE: vs. Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 10 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 4:25 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 17 at Seattle Seahawks, 10 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 24 --Field Level Media

Joe Burrow enters training camp on Tuesday with full medical clearance from the torn wrist ligament that crashed the Cincinnati Bengals' No. 1 quarterback onto season-ending injured reserve last November. Burrow has no contact limitations and the Bengals plan to "most likely" play him -- albeit selectively -- in preseason games next month, head coach Zac Taylor said Monday. Burrow was limited for the month of August last year with a calf injury sustained in on-field workouts that was initially feared to be far worse. He was initially hurt July 27 and tweaked the injury Week 2 against the Ravens. In Week 11 of the 2020 season, Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury and required surgery to repair his torn ACL and MCL. Most starting quarterbacks with established No. 1 roles in the NFL did not play in preseason games the past two years. Burrow attempted one pass -- it was incomplete -- in the 2021 preseason, the last time he was on the field in a preseason game. --Field Level Media

CINCINNATI BENGALS (9-8) OPEN CAMP: July 23, Kettering Health Practice Fields, Cincinnati LAST YEAR: The Bengals went 4-3 to finish the season with Jake Browning throwing up impressive numbers -- 12 touchdowns compared to Joe Burrow's 15 in the first 11 games -- after the QB1 was lost to a wrist injury in Week 11. Cincinnati stayed in the playoff conversation into December but the Bengals were squeezed out because of back-to-back road losses to the Steelers and Chiefs in which they totaled 28 points. KEY ADDITIONS: TE Erick All, S Vonn Bell, OT Trent Brown, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Mike Gesicki, OT Amarius Mims, NT McKinnley Jackson, DT Kris Jenkins, DT Sheldon Rankins, S Geno Stone KEY LOSSES: CB Chidobe Awuzie, WR Tyler Boyd, RB Joe Mixon, DT D.J. Reader, S Nick Scott, TE Irv Smith, DT Josh Topou, OT Jonah Williams CAMP CHECKLIST: Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan left to become head coach of the Tennessee Titans. There's no change in head coach Zac Taylor's system and WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (playing this season on the franchise tag) are back. Keeping Burrow healthy is top priority. He missed most of camp last summer with a calf injury and then was lost for the majority of the final two months of the regular season with the wrist injury. There's a new backfield mate to get accustomed to with Joe Mixon in Houston. Former Colts RB Zack Moss and second-year back Chase Brown are likely to share time. Shaking out the pecking order at a few other positions -- defensive line and wide receiver to name two -- behind the established starters is an end-of-camp goal. 2024 EXPECTATIONS: Burrow is blunt assessing the Bengals' outlook and expectations as Super Bowl or else. Cincinnati is only one season removed from the AFC runner-up finish to the 2022 season, where Burrow and his boys took it to the Chiefs in the regular season but lost in a heartbreaker, 27-24, in the AFC title game. They're two full seasons removed from the Super Bowl loss to the Rams, 23-20, at the end of the 2021 season. PRESEASON SCHEDULE: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 10 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 17 vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, Aug. 22 --Field Level Media

CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-15) OPEN CAMP: July 23, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. LAST YEAR: With as many coaches as victories, the Panthers face-planted out of the gate in 2023 and coach Frank Reich paid with his job a month before Christmas with Carolina flailing at 1-10. Interim head coach Chris Tabor had little runway to work with and the Panthers scored fewer than 10 points in four of the final five regular-season games, one of which was a 9-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Owner David Tepper hit reset in what's becoming an annual ritual, contributing to the franchise treading to stay above water with no sign of the playoffs in sight. KEY ADDITIONS: RB Jonathon Brooks, OLB K'Lavon Chaisson, OLB Jadeveon Clowney, S Jordan Fuller, OG Robert Hunt, CB Dane Jackson, WR Diontae Johnson, WR Xavier Legette, OG Damien Lewis, WR David Moore, RB Rashad Penny, TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, S Nick Scott, CB Chau Smith-Wade, LB Trevin Wallace, OLB D.J. Wonnum KEY LOSSES: S Vonn Bell, S Jeremy Chinn, C Bradley Bozeman, OLB Brian Burns, WR DJ Chark, OG Gabe Jackson, CB C.J. Henderson, CB Shaquill Griffin, TE Hayden Hurst, LB Deion James, LB Frankie Luvu, WR Laviska Shenault Jr., DL DeShawn Williams CAMP CHECKLIST: The to-do list is lengthy and the target is a turnaround, which the latest Carolina brass wants to begin by changing the team's identity. That starts with the twin set of road-grading guards the Panthers signed in free agency, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. There's also a top-down reconstruction of the wide receiver depth chart that includes first-round pick Legette and former Steelers No. 1 Johnson, two pieces the Panthers hope can spark a bounceback season for Bryce Young. And don't look now, but the Panthers have enough talent to be a legitimate pace-setting defense. 2024 EXPECTATIONS: Baby steps. First-year head coach Dave Canales would welcome an instant contender, but the Panthers need to prove they can walk before they run. Contending is relative in the NFC South, where a .500 record meant a division title the past two seasons. Even so, this franchise has one two-game winning streak and one three-game streak -- to begin the 2021 season -- over the last 51 games. During that time, Carolina has 14 wins. A turnaround depends on the development of Young. He had 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, lost six fumbles and was sacked 62 times as a rookie. Carolina invested heavily in the offensive line, and the Panthers want a team that outwardly exudes the "pound the rock" slogan of recent glory years during the Ron Rivera peak. PRESEASON SCHEDULE: Week 1: at New England Patriots, 7 p.m. ET, Thursday, Aug. 8 Week 2: vs. New York Jets, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 17 Week 3: at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 24 --Field Level Media

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said it's "deceiving" to assert that he missed the team's mandatory minicamp last month since it fell within the voluntary "OTA schedule." He made the remarks on Barstool's "Pardon My Take" podcast published Monday morning. They marked his first public comments since taking an unexcused absence from the mandatory two-day minicamp to instead take a trip to Egypt. At the time, Rodgers' absence was chalked up to a prior commitment. "They can arbitrarily put a tag on whatever week of OTAs they want and say, 'This is the minicamp week,' which makes it somehow more mandatory than the other weeks," Rodgers said on the podcast. "But it was an OTA schedule. That's how words can be a little deceiving from time to time. They can make a story out of the fact that I missed minicamp, but it was really two OTA days, but (I) came to the first 10." Minicamp is still a mandatory event, per the collective bargaining agreement. "I'm sure I'll get fined for that," said Rodgers, 40. Jets training camp begins Wednesday in Florham Park, N.J. A four-time NFL MVP, Rodgers followed a celebrated tenure with the Green Bay Packers by playing just four snaps before suffering an Achilles injury during his debut with the Jets on Sept. 11, 2023. Rodgers passed for 59,055 yards, 475 touchdowns and 105 interceptions in 230 games (223 starts) for the Packers from 2005-22, compiling a record of 147-75-1. He made 10 Pro Bowls and guided Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. --Field Level Media

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love will not practice at training camp without a contract extension, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed Monday. Gutekunst said that Love's representatives informed the team of the signal-caller's stance on Saturday. "We understand where he's coming from," Gutekunst told reporters. "We're working really hard to get that done. At the same time, the thing I have confidence in is we both want the same thing." "I feel we're close," he added. The Packers owe Love $11 million for the 2024 season under terms of the $13.5 million extension he signed with the plan of starting for the first time upon Aaron Rodgers' exit via trade in April 2023. Love, 25, had a modest start last season but guided Green Bay to the playoffs with a wild-card spot and completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Packers opened training camp with a practice on Monday morning in Green Bay. Love, who participated in voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) earlier this offseason, will not risk getting injured without a long-term deal. The Packers selected Love in the first round (26th overall) of the 2020 draft out of Utah State. He appeared in just 10 games (one start) over his first two NFL seasons before taking over starting duties in 2023. --Field Level Media

BUFFALO BILLS (11-6) OPEN CAMP: July 23, St. John Fisher University, Rochester, N.Y. LAST YEAR: A flip of the switch seemingly sparked a late-season run, with the Bills taking six consecutive games -- including the Week 18 division-title decider at Miami and a wild-card defeat of Pittsburgh -- to set up a divisional playoff matchup with Kansas City on Buffalo's home turf. But the painful outcome -- a 27-24 loss -- was all too familiar, watching Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs move on to more meaningful games as the Bills went back to the drawing board. KEY ADDITIONS: S Cole Bishop, WR Keon Coleman, OT La'el Collins, RB Day Davis, S Mike Edwards, LB Deion Jones, WR Mack Hollins, WR Curtis Samuel, QB Mitch Trubisky, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling KEY LOSSES: WR Gabe Davis, WR Stefon Diggs, Edge Leonard Floyd, S Micah Hyde, C Mitch Morse, DL Jordan Phillips, S Jordan Poyer, CB Tre'Davious White CAMP CHECKLIST: Introductions are out of the way, but the chemistry between Pro Bowl QB Josh Allen and the array of new faces in the wide receiver room will be closely watched and scrutinized. Allen's No. 1 WR the past four seasons, Diggs, and the No. 2 last season, Davis, are gone and head coach Sean McDermott made clear more is expected from Allen as a leader while the Bills establish their offensive identity with a fresh cast. The new-look secondary is a close second on the list of camp concerns until proven otherwise. Safeties Hyde and Poyer played huge roles in McDermott's scheme. 2024 EXPECTATIONS: Winning in the regular season to get back to the trophy round is the expectation for the Bills. Since advancing to the AFC Championship game in 2020 (38-24 loss at Kansas City), the Bills have played multiple playoff games each year but fallen short of the Super Bowl. The schedule is relentless with eight total games out of 17 in the regular season against 2023 playoff teams. PRESEASON SCHEDULE: Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET, Sat., Aug. 10 Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7 p.m. ET, Sat., Aug. 17 Week 3: vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET, Sat., Aug. 24 --Field Level Media

The Houston Texans are signing running back Cam Akers, several reports said Sunday night. Akers worked out for the Texans earlier Sunday and is set to join his third NFL team. After spending three-plus seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings last September. Akers, 25, played in six games for the Vikings and got 38 carries for 138 yards and one touchdown. He added 11 receptions for 70 yards. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Akers has played in 36 NFL games (15 starts), rushing for 1,581 yards and 11 touchdowns and adding 38 catches for 320 yards and one receiving TD. Akers missed most of the 2021 season after tearing his left Achilles tendon before training camp. He tore the same Achilles in Week 9 last season, cutting short his stay with the Vikings. Houston traded for former Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this offseason. The running back room also includes Dameon Pierce, who rushed for 1,355 yards in his first two NFL seasons. --Field Level Media

Green Bay Packers nose tackle Kenny Clark has agreed to a three-year, $64 million extension, according to multiple reports on Sunday. The Packers announced an extension for Clark later Sunday but didn't reveal terms. Clark reportedly received a $17.5 million signing bonus as part of the deal that puts him under contract through the 2027 season. He was entering the final season of his previous deal. According to spotrac.com, the $21.3 million annual average makes Clark the 10th-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL. Clark, a three-time Pro Bowler, had a career-high 7.5 sacks last season while accumulating 44 tackles, nine stops for loss and two forced fumbles in 17 games. Overall, Clark has 380 tackles, 34 sacks, 47 tackles for loss and seven forced fumbles in 123 games (109 starts) over eight seasons, all with Green Bay. He also has 71 quarterback hits, including a career-best 16 last season. Clark, 28, was a first-round draft pick (27th overall) out of UCLA in 2016. --Field Level Media

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid is listed as day-to-day with a right quad injury as training camp begins, coach Andy Reid said Sunday. Justin Reid is on the team's non-football injury list after sustaining the injury between OTAs and the beginning of camp, the coach said. Justin Reid wore a sleeve on his right knee during the team's first full-squad practice on Sunday. The safety played four seasons with the Houston Texans, who drafted him in the third round of the 2018 draft. Since signing a three-year contract worth $31.5 million with the Chiefs in March 2022, Justin Reid has amassed 178 tackles and 14 pass deflections with one interception during Kansas City's march to back-to-back Super Bowls victories. The Chiefs open the season with a Thursday night game against the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5. It will be a rematch of last season's AFC title game. --Field Level Media

Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett retired Saturday, four months after the 31-year-old signed with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent. "It's been a great ride and I appreciate everything that came with it over the years," Barrett wrote in an Instagram post. "I'm ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize (their) dreams." Barrett also wrote that he had considered retirement "for a while" and added that the decision "has never been more clear than it is now." On April 30, 2023, Barrett's 2-year-old daughter drowned in the family pool at his home in Tampa, Fla. Despite being undrafted out of Colorado State in 2014, Barrett made two Pro Bowls and played in 131 games (85 starts) across nine NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos (2014-18) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-23). He tallied 400 tackles (73 for loss), 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and three interceptions over his career. Barrett's best season came with the Buccaneers in 2019, when he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks and was named to his first Pro Bowl. His 10-sack season in 2021 earned him another Pro Bowl nod. Barrett won two Super Bowls, one with the Broncos as a rookie in 2015 and the other with Tampa Bay in 2020. He started 16 games for the Buccaneers in 2023, notching 52 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. Barrett signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Dolphins in March. --Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints wide receiver and All-Pro returner Rashid Shaheed has agreed to a one-year, $5.2 million contract extension with the team, ESPN reported Saturday. Shaheed, 25, was also named to the Pro Bowl last season after averaging 13.6 yards on punt returns and 21.3 yards on kickoffs. An undrafted free agent whom New Orleans signed out of Weber State in 2022, Shaheed also racked up 719 yards and five touchdowns on 46 receptions in 2023. The extension applies to the 2025 season, after the Saints tendered him a $985,000 contract for 2024. In 27 games, including 14 starts, over his first two seasons, Shaheed has amassed 74 receptions for 1,207 yards and seven scores. He also returned a punt for a touchdown last season. The Saints listed Shaheed as a starting receiver on their 2023 season-ending depth chart, along with Chris Olave. The Saints placed Olave on the non-football injury list on Friday. --Field Level Media

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed defensive lineman Arik Armstead on the active/physically unable to perform list Saturday. Armstead, 30, is recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He missed five games last season with foot and knee injuries before returning to help the San Francisco 49ers advance to Super Bowl LVIII. Armstead signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with Jacksonville on March 14, a day after being released by the 49ers. He recorded five sacks in 12 starts during the 2023 regular season. He has 33.5 sacks, 88 quarterback hits and 302 tackles in 116 career games (97 starts) since being selected by San Francisco with the 17th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. --Field Level Media

Running back Kenyan Drake announced his retirement after eight NFL seasons Friday on Instagram. Drake, 30, gained 5,521 yards from scrimmage and scored 41 touchdowns in 104 games with five teams. "It's been an incredible ride," Drake posted. "... Ready to enjoy a little retirement and see where the next chapter takes me. Thanks to everyone that was along for the ride with me -- wouldn't change a thing." Drake was limited to two games with the Baltimore Ravens and one with the Green Bay Packers last season. The Miami Dolphins drafted him in the third round (73rd overall) out of Alabama in 2016. Drake played a role in one of the most memorable plays in NFL history with the Dolphins in a clash against the visiting New England Patriots on Dec. 9, 2018. With Miami trailing New England 33-28 in the closing seconds, Drake took a lateral from Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker and raced 50 yards to the end zone as time expired to give Miami an improbable 34-33 win. Drake rushed for 3,866 yards and 33 touchdowns and had 218 catches for 1,655 yards and eight scores in 104 games (44 starts) with the Dolphins (2016-19), Arizona Cardinals (2019-20), Las Vegas Raiders (2021), Ravens (2022-23) and Packers. --Field Level Media

Two-time Pro-Bowl safety Eddie Jackson agreed to a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN reported on Friday. Financial terms were not disclosed for Jackson, who played at Alabama with Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey and running back Derrick Henry. Jackson will provide depth to a safety room that features Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton, among others. Jackson, 30, was released by the Chicago Bears in February after seven seasons with the team, although his last two campaigns have been hampered by foot injuries. Jackson recorded 37 tackles and one interception in 12 games (all starts) last season. He racked up 459 tackles, 15 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries in 100 career games (all starts) since being selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Named first-team All-Pro in 2018 and to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019, Jackson's six defensive touchdowns tied him with Lance Briggs for third in Bears history, behind only Charles Tillman (nine) and Mike Brown (seven). --Field Level Media

ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-13) OPEN CAMP: July 23, Glendale, Ariz. LAST YEAR: When Kyler Murray walked back into the huddle following recovery from a torn ACL, the Arizona Cardinals went from nail to hammer -- at least in mindset. The presence of the franchise quarterback, who missed the first nine games of the season, completed the vision of head coach Jonathan Gannon and peers fed off of Murray's playmaking ability, confidence and energy. First-round pick Paris Johnson, the first offensive tackle drafted in 2023, had a rough start and didn't grade above the middle of the pack in any area last season. With big changes on both sides of the ball -- eight picks in the top 104 in the 2024 draft -- the Cardinals are eager to compete with a young roster building toward contention. KEY ADDITIONS: RB Trey Benson, C Evan Brown, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, RB DeeJay Dallas, WR Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Zay Jones, CB Max Melton, DT Bilal Nichols, TE Tip Reiman, DL Darius Robinson KEY LOSSES: WR Marquise Brown, DL Leki Fotu, OT D.J. Humphries, WR Rondale Moore CAMP CHECKLIST: Murray and Harrison already are the talk of the team. Harrison is the weapon the offense lacked last season, although Brown had his moments before Murray returned from injury. No doubt, Harrison is going to be one of the top targets in the Cardinals' offense along with breakout TE Trey McBride. But will Murray hand the ball off to rookie Trey Benson or James Conner? There's a timeshare expected, but even Conner said the offense can work best when it has a pecking order in the backfield. 2024 EXPECTATIONS: Fixing the defense sets up as a must in the loaded NFC West. Gannon's group was inconsistent and rarely generated enough pressure on the quarterback to finish last season with 33 total sacks while giving up 26.8 points per game. Arizona had five losses in one-possession games, including the 21-20 season finale against the Seahawks. PRESEASON SCHEDULE: vs. New Orleans Saints, 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 10 at Indianapolis Colts, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 17 at Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, Aug. 25 --Field Level Media --Field Level Media

Chiefs president Mark Donovan kept the door open to moving the team over the border to Kansas if a new stadium in Missouri continues to meet resistance. "Every option is on the table," Donovan said of the Chiefs' approach to planning for a new stadium. The Chiefs are committed to home games at Arrowhead Stadium through the 2030 season and have an agreement with Jackson County (Mo.) into 2031. Donovan said the proposal from the state of Kansas using STAR bonds to finance a new stadium is "a really good option," and wants to determine a direction for the franchise by the end of the season. "What makes the most sense for our fans? What makes the most sense for our franchise and this organization? What makes the most sense and can have the biggest impact on this region? I think the positive is we do have options and we'll consider those," Donovan said Friday at a press conference marking the start of training game. "This is a generational decision. This is going to impact the future of this franchise for generations. We got to get it right." Donovan said one year ago at the start of training camp that he envisioned "three realistic options" for a new stadium. In February, Donovan and Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt revealed a design plan dubbed "Arrowhead Reimagined," and $800 million renovation and upgrade mission. Jackson County rejected an April ballot proposal that would've partially funded a new stadium for the Royals in downtown Kansas City and provided funds for the Arrowhead renovation. At present, the Royals' home park -- Kauffman Stadium -- and Arrowhead Stadium sit side-by-side separated by a parking lot. If another measure heads to the ballot this year or next, Donovan wants to have assurances from the state and county about contributions and commitments to keep the franchise. "We have committed that if we go to a public vote, we'll do it in a way which is much more binding before we get to development," Donovan said. "We'll have a lot facts, a lot of the details determined before we go. I think it's important to acknowledge that because we'd have to have agreements on the state side, as well as on the county side." --Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy have agreed to a four-year, $21.85 million contract, two days before rookies are set to report to camp in Eagan, Minn., multiple outlets reported Friday. Per ESPN, the contract is fully guaranteed and includes a $12.71 million signing bonus and option for a fifth year. McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in April's draft after leading Michigan to the national championship. He is expected to compete with veteran Sam Darnold for the starting job, though coach Kevin O'Connell has said the Vikings will not rush McCarthy into action before he's ready. Before McCarthy assumes the starting job, O'Connell told ESPN the 21-year-old must demonstrate "the comfort level that he has within our offense and his ability to then translate it to adverse situations and difficult aspects of playing quarterback in the NFL aren't magnified by inexperience" before he takes the reins. "But I want to be very clear that the expectation is for this player to not be perfect," O'Connell said. "He's going to have growing pains, he's going to learn on the fly. I'm not trying to remove that aspect of it, either, but [deciding when he will play] is not something you can write up on a board. It's a feeling." The Vikings are replacing veteran Kirk Cousins, who signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Atlanta Falcons. He had a 50-37-1 record as the Minnesota starter the past six seasons. Minnesota opens the 2024 season on Sept. 8 against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. --Field Level Media

The Dallas Cowboys will need to write some big checks to hang on to quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons. And Stephen Jones, the team's chief operating officer and co-owner, said the Cowboys are crunching the numbers to try to make it work. "You know when you're talking about CeeDee and Dak and you know somebody like a Micah coming up," Jones told The Athletic's "Scoop City" podcast. "I mean you're talking about two players that aren't quarterbacks that feel like they ought to be a little bit like (the Vikings' Justin) Jefferson, the top-paid non quarterbacks in the league. "And then of course you have Dak. Obviously, his resume speaks for itself. You know, he was second in MVP voting last year. You know, he's just had an extraordinary career here in Dallas. And, you know, those things just take time when you're talking about the amount of money involved. And of course, we're trying to a little bit play Houdini in how to keep all these guys around Dak and keep these players we were fortunate enough to draft." Jones acknowledged the financial burden ahead for the Cowboys when it comes to paying Lamb and Parsons -- first-team All-Pro selections in 2023 -- and their veteran quarterback, especially since Jefferson reset the market for non-quarterbacks. Last month, the Vikings signed Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million extension that gave him the highest annual average salary outside the QB position in NFL history. "When you start stacking them up like that, you know, it's a challenge," Jones said of potential deals for Prescott, Lamb and Parsons. "It's not that it's not doable, but you certainly got to have some give and take if you want to do that. I know the Vikings there with Jefferson when they made that inordinate deal at the receiver spot. You know, they don't have one player on their team other than Jefferson making over $20 million. "And, of course, we've got a big one in Dak. And we got (Trevon) Diggs right there. And then you got Zack Martin and (DeMarcus Lawrence). And so we got a lot of guys making, you know, quite a bit of money. And you know that's no excuse. We think we can get this done, know we can get it done. But it just takes time." Prescott, 30, is entering the final season of a four-year, $160 million contract extension and will cost the Cowboys $55.5 million in salary cap this season. Lamb, 25, will be playing under a $17.99 million fifth-year option in 2024. Parsons, 25, has one year left on his four-year, $17.1 million rookie deal, and the Cowboys exercised his $21.3 million option for 2025, making him eligible for an extension. "We are optimistic that we can get these guys done," Jones told the podcast. "I know Dak, our goal is to get him done. And he knows that. We're having conversations and with his agent, with Dak personally, both Jerry (Jones) and myself. He knows our goal is to keep him here. He also understands the challenges." --Field Level Media