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The 2024 Paris Olympics are now over, which means it’s time to turn our sights to the NFL season. A lot happened over the past two weeks as the Olympics captured the world’s attention, so if you weren’t keeping up with what was happening in the NFL over the past few weeks, here’s a quick recap.
The Cowboys remain 0-3 in the three major contract situations
None of the Cowboys’ three major contract situations have been resolved. It sounds crazy, everyone agrees, but none of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb or Micah Parsons have agreed to a new deal with the Cowboys. Team owner Jerry Jones went so far as to say there’s no urgency to get Lamb’s contract done right now; he later clarified his comments.
Interesting.
There are still a few weeks until the regular season begins, so perhaps the Cowboys can get just one of these situations resolved before the season. Lamb hasn’t been to training camp yet, so that’s likely the No. 1 priority.
On the same front, there haven’t been any significant updates on the Brandon Aiyuk saga, and honestly, watching fencing at 3 a.m. ET was probably a better use of time and mental energy.
Over the past three weeks, Aiyuk has gone from requesting a trade, reportedly being interested in going to the Steelers, turning down a monster contract from the Patriots, snubbing the Browns, and now he’s in contract talks again with the 49ers for a long-term deal. So far, it appears Aiyuk will remain a 49ers player, but at this point, a conclusion needs to be reached.
Nick Sirianni back in the crosshairs in Philadelphia?
There hasn’t even been a game played yet and the Eagles are already dealing with unnecessary drama. ESPN reported that there has been some distance over the past season between head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts was apparently unhappy with the direction of the offense last year and is now working much more closely with Kellen Moore, the new offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. Once again, Sirianni finds himself in a delicate situation.
The Jets have a mess on their hands with Haason Reddick
The Haason Reddick drama has reached a new level, as he is now trying to be traded by the Jets after being acquired by them in April. He hasn’t shown up to anything (organized team meetings, training camp, etc.) while trying to get a new contract, and he has racked up millions of dollars in fines for not showing up. This will likely be the last time in NFL history that a team makes a trade for an expiring contract without reaching an agreement. For what it’s worth, the Jets have already said they have no intention of trading him. This is a mess.
The 2024 QB class is off to a good start
The rookie quarterbacks are getting their respective fan bases excited about the future. Caleb Williams looked to be the big promise of the future, Jayden Daniels showed his playmaking ability, Michael Penix Jr. showed off his arm talent, and Bo Nix was efficient. Drake Maye didn’t play much, but he will play more as the Patriots decide how early they will put him in the starting lineup. Of course, there is the caveat that not all of these six players will be good in the NFL, but for now, fans all feel like they did well after just one preseason game.
The new start rules are here
The new kickoff rules, adapted from recent pro football spring leagues, have made their preseason debut. Some teams have made mistakes. Rams head coach Sean McVay thinks kickoffs now look “weird.” Time will tell if people like it, but it sure is different than what has been going on.
The Raiders pull on Superman’s cape
He The Raiders trolled Patrick Mahomes with a Kermit doll After receiving two upgrades at wide receiver, that happened on the first day of the Olympics and the fire that finally reaches the Raiders’ defense will be used to light the next torch.
The biggest free agent left on the market?
For those still scoring at home: Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons still doesn’t have a home. but soon it will.
