Stafford leaving practice is likely a precautionary measure for the Rams to ensure any hamstring issue does not escalate. Head coach Sean McVay said, “unfortunately, [Stafford] had some tightness” in Wednesday’s joint practice against the Cowboys. The 36-year-old just agreed to a re-worked contract in the offseason and the Rams anticipate Stafford continuing to run the offense at a high level. Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett took over reps for the second half of the practice.

Just days after it was reported Judon had multiple teams inquiring about him, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reports the Patriots are finalizing a trade to send him to the Falcons. He is entering the final year of his deal, set to make a base salary of $6.5 million. Judon was a brief hold-in to Patriots camp and now gets dealt. The Falcons presumably would be willing to give Judon a larger contract than the Patriots were and get the four-time Pro Bowler to bulk up their pass rush. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds the Falcons are sending a third-round pick to the Patriots in return. While the Falcons do not yet have a new contract in place with Judon, he has been practicing with the Patriots and this is unlikely to turn into a situation like Haason Reddick’s with the Jets. Judon will be 32 at the start of the season, performing at a high level in New England with 32 sacks in 38 games. He previously spent five productive seasons with the Ravens. The Falcons now add Judon to wreak havoc as the most experienced edge rusher on the team.

Per Lewis, Addison went up for a contested ball before going down. He hobbled off the field with the help of trainers at first but eventually left on a cart. Having just lost J.J. McCarthy for the season to a lower-body injury, this is not the news Vikings fans want to see. However, it’s fairly standard for players to be carted to the locker room with even minor injuries during camp as a precaution, so fantasy managers shouldn’t panic just yet. Should Addison miss any time, Jalen Nailor would seemingly be in line for the WR2 job opposite Justin Jefferson.

McCarthy suffered the knee injury during the Vikings’ preseason opener last weekend. It was initially reported as knee soreness, but the issue was later revealed to be a meniscus injury that required surgery. Barring any setbacks, McCarthy should be ready for training camp next year. Without the No. 10 overall pick looking over his shoulder, Sam Darnold is locked in as the Vikings starter this year. With Kevin O’Connell calling the shots and Justin Jefferson as his top receiver, this is the best situation Darnold has ever found himself in as a starter. He will rank as a QB2 to open the season.

Wright, the 120th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, fits well in head coach Mike McDaniel’s outside zone running scheme, and performed well in Miami’s preseason opener against Atlanta. Wright had ten rushes for 55 yards and a score along with one target against the Falcons. McDaniel said Wednesday that Wright, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane would “determine who gets the ball and how frequently and how much during the game.” Wright said he’s comfortable in McDaniel’s offense. “I feel like I’m explosive,” Wright said. “I’m not somebody that’s going to dance around in a hole. If I see a cut, I’m going to hit it with full speed. If I get in the open field, I mean, it’s over with. I don’t feel like nobody’s catching me. I mean, I could also lower my shoulder. I have power with me. Elusive. I feel like I got a mix of a lot of running styles.” More impressive play from Wright in preseason action and Miami’s backfield could be something of a three-way split in 2024.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday morning that Gibbs — who picked up a hamstring injury on Monday — is “gonna be fine.” Schultz confirmed Gibbs’ injury isn’t a long-term issue, and barring any setbacks in the coming weeks, the second-year back should suit up for Week 1 against LA. In Detroit’s postseason win over the Rams last season, Gibbs had 25 yards on eight carries and four catches for 43 yards.

Though he’s not taking every first-team practice rep with Brown sidelined, Watson — who had 27 catches as a wind sprinter last year in the KC offense — looks to be the favorite to join Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice in three-receiver sets until Brown is ready to return. Brown went to the hospital after sustaining a serious shoulder injury in the Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Jaguars last weekend. He could be in danger of missing the team’s season opener against the Ravens. Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore could have a rotational role while Brown is out. Moore was not targeted on seven routes last week against the Jags.

Tua Tagovailoa told reporters this week that he has only done “spot catching” with Beckham since OBJ, 31, signed with Miami in early May, allowing the veteran wideout to get used to Tagovailoa throws. Beckham, placed on the active/PUP list in late July, is dealing with an undisclosed injury. Tua said there remained uncertainty about how Beckham would be used in the Dolphins offense this season. “I’ve got to see him catching and running routes with our guys first and getting into the mix first before I can say anything,” Tagovailoa said. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that he was hesitant to get Beckham on the field for fear of a setback to whatever injury he’s dealing with. It would hardly be a shock if rookie Malik Washington started the season as Miami’s WR3. Washington was targeted on four of his 15 pass routes last week against the Falcons.

Chase missed practice for the first time in training camp, previously remaining involved in drills though he had not been practicing. With many star receivers getting big money through extensions this offseason, Chase is the latest to have some sort of contract dispute while awaiting an extension. His teammate, Tee Higgins, returned on the franchise tag while team president Mike Brown had said a deal for Chase was unlikely before the start of training camp. The 24-year-old is entering his fourth season and has two years left on his rookie deal, the second being a fully guaranteed fifth-year option. Bengals head coach Zach Taylor said Chase is “day-to-day”. A deal may be more likely to get done next offseason, but Chase missing practice time is notable.

Austin announced his retirement on his Instagram on Tuesday, saying “after an incredible ten years, I’m officially retiring from the NFL.” The former first-round pick was a phenom in college at West Virginia, totaling 4,446 yards from scrimmage in 52 games. The Rams selected Austin in the 2013 draft and he went on to total over 1,000 yards as a rusher, receiver, and returner each over his career. After five seasons with the Rams, he spent time with the Cowboys, 49ers, Packers, Jaguars, and Bills either on the active roster, practice squad, or offseason roster. Injuries derailed much of Austin’s career towards the end, but he will best be known as a triple-threat weapon with the Rams. Austin retires at 34, saying “just like seasons, they come to an end, and it’s time for me to enter my next chapter in life”.