Updates to both the roster and rulebook headline the happenings of the NFL preseason before the final batch of exhibitions.
We the football-loving people have officially reached purgatory.
Three more days of exhibitions loom on the NFL calendar, beginning with a four-game tally on Thursday night. It’s the last of the three preseason weeks before a few weeks of roster adjustments lead into anticipated 2026 kickoff. The week continues with 10 tilts on Friday night before one last couple closes things out, leading to one last countdown before the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks face a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots on Sept. 9.
Much has transpired in the three days bereft of any sort of on-field gridiron nourishment, so what should fans keep an eye on as the football world engages in these final preseason hours? TeamFB7 has all you need to know with five storylines …
Toss-Up in Atlanta
Quarterback depth charts are starting to be written in pen, at least in the primary portions: one of the biggest passing dominoes, that of the Cleveland Browns, fell when the team named Deshaun Watson its Week 1 starter earlier this week. Jacoby Brissett, Kirk Cousins, and Geno Smith have all felt a little heat from respective rookies in Arizona, Las Vegas, and New York but all seem on pace to lead the first offensive drives that count (even if Cousins is dealing with top pick Fernando Mendoza in his rearview mirror).
Tua Tagovailoa looks terrified as he scrambles away from the Colts D. pic.twitter.com/6mUfhNWnl7
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) August 20, 2026
The most glaring quarterback issue left on the docket no doubt resides in Atlanta, where passing pandemonium has marred a potential-packed offense. The Falcons’ quarterback battle has become so dire that Michael Penix Jr. might have the upper hand through sheer inactivity, as he continues to work his way back from last season’s knee injury. In the meantime, the last stand looms for the struggling Tua Tagovailoa against a rather familiar opponent: Atlanta wraps the preseason on Friday against Tagovailoa’s original employers from Miami, which likely carries little, if any, sympathy for his current Georgian plight after he was exposed as a false South Beach prophet over the last six seasons.
Armed with the premier talents of Drake London and Bijan Robinson, the Falcons seem tailor-made to take the meager NFC South and the home playoff game that comes with it. However, the situation under center could prove sinking: the breakout of Division II darling Jack Strand has been inspiring but the fact that he has been the most potent Atlanta quarterback so far is rather sour ingredient in the win-now recipe.
Closing Time
The final week of the preseason grants the football-loving public a chance to say goodbye to the preseason projects that captured their hearts. Some, like Strand, face an uphill battle to remain on rosters while others face cases of not goodbye but rather “see you later.”
That’s how several teams view their passing situations, assured in both their present and future in a stark contrast to Atlanta. Fans should enjoy their last looks at Drew Allar and Ty Simpson in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles respectively, as both will be backing up veterans Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford respectively. Allar and Simpson won over many doubters with dominant opening week efforts but struggled to maintain that momentum in Week 2. Both have sterling opportunities to leave lasting impressions in their preseason closers.
Carnell Tate through 2 preseason games
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 24, 2026
Week 1:
3 targets
0 receptions
Week 2:
2 targets
0 receptions pic.twitter.com/O6yRa0L5HV
Others can save themselves some trouble in the more immediate future: Carnell Tate will undoubtedly be part of the continued rebuild revolution in Tennessee but has yet to grab a reception in two showings this preseason. While his trademark route-running and athleticism has been on display, he can certainly silence some early critics with a strong statistical showing when the Titans close things out at home against Chicago.
Transfer Portal
The late stages of the preseason are frequently defined by roster-based drama, as the pressure particularly rises with the cutdown with 53 men looming. Some teams, however, couldn’t wait for that deadline, as some noticeable faces are on the move with the final exhibition kickoffs looming.
By far the biggest is the Houston Texans’ addition of Kayshon Boutte, as the fourth-year receiver heads south after a six-score season with the AFC champion New England Patriots. Houston kept quite busy on the receiving front after learning Jayden Higgins would miss the year with a torn ACL, as it also added name-brand veterans like Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard while continuing to monitor the Tank Dell situation.
DJ Humphries first rep pic.twitter.com/g8DdpdZKbV
— Mitchell Tischler (@Mitch_Tischler) August 26, 2026
Elsewhere on the late free agency front, a pair of recent Pro Bowlers found intriguing new spots: the Washington Commanders brought in DJ Humphries at left tackle, a signing that came a few days after the New Orleans Saints welcomed in Daniel Carlson. Humphries should help Washington navigate life after Larmey Tunsil while Carlson gives the New Orleans offense a continued sharpness as it attempts to build on the momentum established late last season.
Safety First
The late stages of an NFL offseason wouldn’t be complete without the announcement of a rules emphasis and the 2026 edition is no exception. Last year, for example, it was the push of the new kickoff rules, which followed previous developments like crackdowns on taunting and hits on the quarterback. This time, the league seems to be taking a page from their World Cup visitors and working with something that resembles a cumulative system that’s close to the “card” discussion that dominated the American sports conversation for about a week.
NFL players will be suspended 1 game if they commit 3 violations in any of these categories during a season:
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 26, 2026
Hip Drop tackle
Horse Collar Tackle
Launching
Hit on a Defenseless Player
Blindside Block
In an attempt to revamp the “on-field accountability system,” the NFL and its players association has agreed to take a stronger look at five in-game phenomena in the name of improving player healthy and safety. The criteria in question includes blindside blocking, hits on defenseless players, hip drop tackles, horsecollar tackles, and launching. Players that are charged with three of the five newly-established offenses during a season will now face a one-game suspension.
It’ll be interesting if there’s a crackdown on such acts now that suspensions via accumulation are on the line. Some expressed concern when the league started to place a larger emphasis on hip-drop tackles in 2024 but such flags were called on only two occasions last year, double from the year prior. The final week of the preseason, where inexperienced sloppiness often leads to an influx of yellow that rivals the final laps at Daytona, should be an intriguing testing ground for what lies ahead.
School’s Out
The continued debate about college football participation hit several landmarks this week.
While recent cuts Zxavian Harris (LT, New Orleans) and Dae’quan Wright (TE, Cleveland) reportedly tried to make their way to LSU, several conferences passed rules that would prohibit NFL participants from going back to school. The league built upon what could well be described as the “Lane Kiffin Rules” by informing teams that any player that went back to college would be ineligible to sign professionally in 2026.
Of course, the battle is likely nowhere near over for Harris, Wright, and the dozen-plus athletes from the high school class of 2022 that have been granted the legal means to engage in the “five seasons in five years” eligibility model that was unveiled in June. But the fact that the NFL wasted no time in attempting to curtail such transfers displays a steadfast look at where it stands on the issue and it will no doubt prove prevalent until the kickoffs start to count.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
