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New York Times

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What appeared to be another lost season for Carolina under new head coach Dave Canales instead provided a glimmer of hope down the stretch in the form of Bryce Young finally blossoming as an NFL quarterback. The 2023 No. 1 pick appeared headed for "biggest busts in NFL draft history" lists after an early-season benching, only to be re-inserted as a starter in late October after Andy Dalton was injured in a minor car accident.
Young finally showed flashes of the talent that earned him a Heisman Trophy at Alabama in 2021, with a touchdown-interception ratio of 12-3 during his final eight games. He's the unquestioned starter heading into 2025 with Carolina banking on the potential Young showed late last year.
2024 record: 5-12
Regular-season result: 3rd place in NFC South
Notable departures: RB Miles Sanders (free agency), Edge Jadeveon Clowney (release), LB Shaq Thompson (free agency)
Notable additions: WR Tetairoa McMillan (draft), Edge Nick Scourton (draft), RB Rico Dowdle (free agency), WR Hunter Renfrow (free agency)
As the NFL's second-oldest quarterback, Joe Flacco — part of a four-man competition for the Cleveland Browns' starting job — is regarded as a master of his craft who won't require many practice reps to prepare for his 18th season.
Throughout the spring, and during the first few days of training camp, Flacco spent a disproportionate amount of time standing around while fourth-year passer Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders sucked up snaps.
Having commenced a second stint with the Browns in April, the 40-year-old former Super Bowl MVP wasn't freaking out about it, but he wasn't thrilled, either.
'I think there's probably some truth to the fact that maybe I don't need as many reps,' Flacco told The Athletic last week, before the Browns' first padded practice of the summer. 'But I do need reps. And not only do I need reps, I want reps. I like reps. I want to get better. And also, I want to be able to show guys, hey, I can still do it.'
Read more on Flacco and the Browns below.
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Joe Flacco's message to the Browns: 'I can still do it'
The latest twist in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition will lead to rookie Shedeur Sanders starting tonight's preseason opener at Carolina.
With injuries leading to detours and even the addition of veteran Tyler Huntley, Sanders will go from the clear fourth choice throughout the first two weeks of camp to first on the field in the preseason.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Wednesday that Huntley will be the only other Cleveland quarterback available for the preseason matchup with the Panthers, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET today.
Read more about the Browns' quarterback situation below.
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Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders to start preseason opener vs. Panthers
The quarterback chaos of the Browns continued even in the wake of Deshaun Watson's injury, perhaps solidifying his $230 million guaranteed contract as the worst in NFL history. Cleveland brought back Joe Flacco, hero of their 2023 playoff run, in free agency and traded backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Eagles for Kenny Pickett. Then the real shockers game in the 2025 NFL Draft when Cleveland selected quarterback Dillon Gabriel at the end of the third round — and the free-falling Shedeur Sanders two rounds later. That sets up a four-way battle to be the Browns' starting quarterback in what could become a pivotal 2025 for Cleveland's current leadership regime.
Here's Shedeur Sanders entering Bank of America Stadium ahead of his first preseason start.
Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles tendon in Week 7 in what may have been his last snap with the Browns. The likelihood of that only increased when he re-tore his Achilles in January, sidelining him for likely most of the 2025 season (if not all of it) as the Browns limped to a 3-14 record. Fans did get to see the heartwarming return of star running back Nick Chubb from tearing multiple ligaments in his knee in Week 2 of 2023, but Cleveland effectively waved the white flag by trading wideout Amari Cooper to the Bills midseason.
2024 record: 3-14
Regular-season result: 4th in AFC North
Notable departures: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB Jameis Winston, RB Nick Chubb, DL Dalvin Tomlinson
Notable additions: QB Joe Flacco, QB Dillon Gabriel, QB Shedeur Sanders, QB Kenny Pickett, DL Maliek Collins
After being selected with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Michael Penix Jr. spent most of his rookie season as Kirk Cousins' backup in Atlanta, eventually starting the Falcons' last three games.
Appearing in five games overall, Penix threw for 775 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. But now, this is his show.
Throughout his collegiate career and briefly last season, the 25-year-old displayed the arm strength and willingness to push the ball down the field, quickly building a rapport with star wideout Drake London.
Not only is he a must-watch player tonight, but Penix will be a player to monitor all season.
2025 offseason: For the second straight year, the Falcons pulled off a first-round stunner in the draft. After they took Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker No. 15 overall, they fortified their woeful pass rush even more by trading nearly 20 spots back up into the first round to take Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. at No. 26 overall.
Atlanta is counting on the rookie tandem to jump-start its woeful defensive front, whose struggles helped contribute to head coach Raheem Morris firing defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake after just one season and replacing him with former Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
But just as notable is what Atlanta hasn't done (yet) — moved on from Kirk Cousins, who's still owed a large portion of guaranteed money on his contract.
2024 season: To understand the Falcons' regular season, you have to go back to the 2024 NFL Draft, when Atlanta shocked the world by taking quarterback Michael Penix Jr. No. 8 overall just weeks after handing Kirk Cousins a contract worth $90 million guaranteed to be their quarterback of the immediate future.
The move blindsided the veteran Cousins, who dealt with lingering effects of his 2023 Achilles injury as well as a later shoulder injury. Brief flashes of excellence for Cousins in early-season primetime wins over the Eagles and Buccaneers game way to a disappointing run down the stretch that saw him benched for Penix in Week 16 with the Falcons clinging to their playoff hopes.
Penix went 1-2 in his first three starts, and Atlanta missed the playoffs ... again.
2024 record: 8-9
Regular-season result: 2nd in NFC South
Notable departures: OL Drew Dalman (free agency), WR Rondale Moore (free agency)
Notable additions: Edge Jalon Walker (draft), edge James Pearce Jr. (draft)
2025 offseason: The good news for the Lions is that for the most part, they return the same extremely talented core of players on both sides of the ball assembled by Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, the only notable exceptions being center Frank Ragnow (retirement) and cornerback Carlton Davis (free agency).
The bad news is both of their well-regarded coordinators from the first part of Campbell's tenure left for head coaching jobs, Aaron Glenn to the Jets and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears.
Campbell hired Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton to replace Johnson and promoted linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to replace Glenn.
The Lions reinforced their trenches with their first two picks in April's draft by taking Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams and Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge, respectively, with Ratledge expected to compete for Ragnow's former job.
Detroit is coming off arguably its best season in franchise history — but there are plenty of questions surrounding whether the Lions will replicate their success...
2024 season: Dan Campbell's culture-resetting rebuild paid off in 2024 as the Lions surged to a 15-2 record, tying the Chiefs for best in the league and earning the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFC behind a dynamic, innovative offense and physical, aggressive defense.
But warning signs started popping up down the stretch as Detroit's defense was beset by a deluge of injuries, starting all the way back with superstar pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson breaking his leg against the Cowboys in Week 6.
By the end of the regular season, nearly all of Aaron Glenn's first-string defense was on the shelf, and those issues fully came to a head in the divisional round as Detroit was stunned by Jayden Daniels and an upstart Washington Commanders team hanging 45 points on the Lions to pull off a shocking upset at Ford Field.
2024 record: 15-2
Regular-season result: 1st in NFC North
Playoff result: Lost to Commanders in divisional round
Notable departures: OL Frank Ragnow (retirement), CB Carlton Davis
Notable additions: CB D.J. Reed (free agency), DL Tyliek Williams (draft), OL Tate Ratledge (draft)
The Atlanta Falcons talked loudly and publicly this offseason about their desire to add more edge rushers.
What they talked about more quietly among themselves was their need to add more actual edge, as in the sort of feistiness and fight that was too often lacking on defense last season.
Coach Raheem Morris said:
💬 'All the really great football players that I have been around, they have edge. Part of us becoming what we want to be is acquiring players with some natural edge. There's going to be some violence and physicality that's going to be required to be a part of this football team.'
Enter James Pearce Jr., the rookie edge rusher who has been all over the field through the first four days of training camp practices, including in the middle of two fights that delayed Sunday's practice but also added some energy that was missing at times from the 2024 Falcons.
Outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smith added:
💬 'Defenses are supposed to be known as ferocious, violent, all the strong words that you can use, so when you can add a little bit of edge the right way, obviously we are always looking for guys like that. He's been proving it.'
Read more on the 26th pick in the 2025 NFL draft below.
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How Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. is helping spark an attitude adjustment
The calendar demands resolution to Terry McLaurin's hold-in. This week.
In a perfect world, McLaurin won't like the result. Neither will the Commanders.
But if both sides are serious about winning football games instead of negotiations, they'll get this done. It's time to stop talking philosophically and get McLaurin back on the field, after missing OTAs, mandatory minicamp and the first two weeks of training camp.
Read more on the situation in Washington below.
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The Commanders and Terry McLaurin have to end this, now, and make a deal
After a sensational rookie year, Jayden Daniels looks to take another step forward in his second season as expectations surrounding the Washington Commanders are through the roof.
The New England Patriots have a young, talented quarterback of their own in Drake Maye as the organization aims to get back to its winning ways under former player and new head coach Mike Vrabel.
Here are a few more pieces of relevant information regarding tonight's matchup. Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
7:30 p.m. ET Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Weather: 74 degrees with a zero percent chance of rain
74 degrees with a zero percent chance of rain Betting odds: Patriots -6.5 / -290 moneyline