8 Things You May Have Missed Across NFL Training Camps This Weekend

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Football is back! This time, however, I mean it.

After all 32 NFL teams officially reported to training camp last week, we now have a real-life football game to look forward to this coming Thursday night, as the Cardinals and Panthers will face off in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The bout will give us our first look at Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, as well as a Carolina team fresh off its first NFC West title in nearly a decade.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. While the preseason kicks off in a matter of days, the grind on the practice fields is still underway across the league—with several notable storylines emerging over the weekend.

Here are seven things you may have missed from around the NFL over the past several days.

Jadeveon Clowney reunites with Texans

Jadeveon Clowney is headed back to where it all started, as according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garofolo, the 33-year-old is returning to the Texans on a one-year deal.

Clowney, who was selected by Houston with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft and previously spent five seasons with the club from 2014 to ’18 , spoke with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson upon signing.

“I had more opportunities,” he explained, “[but] when I found out the Texans were interested, it was a no-brainer for me. It was comfortable for me to do that. I was excited to help the situation.

“It was a family decision. It wasn't about the money. It was about chasing my legacy and chasing a Super Bowl. I’ve got a lot of game left and want to contribute. I was excited about playing with those guys [Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter], too. Good defense and I can help contribute.”

Clowney now joins an already loaded Texans defense that includes one of the league’s best pass-rushing duos in Anderson and Hunter, and a secondary anchored by Derek Stingley Jr.

Myles Garrett sits out three straight training camp practices

Rams star defensive end Myles Garrett, who was traded to Los Angeles from the Browns in this summer’s biggest blockbuster, missed three straight practices this weekend due to what coach Sean McVay says is “a little soreness in his lower half.”

“We want to make sure that he feels as good as possible,” McVay said on Sunday. “... We’ve got a lot of opportunities to be able to get better, but we also want to make sure that we’re getting an understanding of how to work best with him.

“He’s had checkups, all that kind of stuff, so there’s nothing to worry about,” the coach continued. said. “It’s more about how do we keep him as fresh as possible ... there’s no reason for concern and I look forward to getting him back out there with us.”

Chiefs rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen avoids a serious injury

Amid an impressive start to training camp that has seen him develop an immediate connection with Patrick Mahomes, wide receiver Cyrus Allen suffered a leg injury while colliding with teammate Kaiir Elam during a special teams drill. He was carted off the field and did not return.

Luckily, tests later revealed that the 5'11" rookie simply has a bruised shin. “Nothing was torn or broken,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted on X (formerly Twitter). “A best-case scenario.”

Crisis averted.

Devin White signs with Lions

The Lions now employ two of the NFL’s top three leading tacklers from the 2025 season, as they’ve signed linebacker Devin White to pair with first-team All-Pro Jack Campbell.

White, 28, logged a career-high 174 tackles in his lone season with the Raiders last year and owns both a Super Bowl ring and second-team All-Pro nod from his time with the Buccaneers from 2019 to ’23. Though he’s had an up-and-down last several years across multiple organizations, his 2025 seasons proved he can still make plays at the highest level.

Detroit’s signing of White comes after rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder left practice on Friday with a leg injury.

Matthew Bergeron signs record-tying extension with Falcons

The Falcons locked up their top interior offensive lineman on Saturday afternoon, signing guard Matthew Bergeron to a four-year, $96 million extension. The deal includes $60 million guaranteed and carries an average annual value of $24 million, tying him with the Cowboys’ Tyler Smith as the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

Bergeron was drafted by Atlanta in the second round (pick No. 38) of the 2023 draft and has started 49 games over that span. After allowing just one sack in 2025 according to PFF, he’s now tied to the Falcons through the 2030 season.

Ricky Pearsall is having season-ending knee surgery

Ricky Pearsall’s 2026 season is over. According to 49ers general manager John Lynch, the former first-round pick will have surgery to repair his PCL injury that dates back to last season. Pearsall will be placed on injured reserve and is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2027 campaign.

“We consulted with multiple opinions, experts in the field ... along with our own doc, Tim McAdams, and the decision was made to go with a non-operative deal,” Lynch said regarding the team’s decision to not perform surgery on Pearsall’s knee this offseason. “... You get to the offseason and most [PCL injuries] resolve themselves without surgery. Unfortunately, Ricky’s did not. He did well throughout the offseason; he got to the point where he ramped it up to the last gear right before camp, and then he came into camp and [with] the rigors of camp competition and what not, he swelled up right away.”

With their wide receiver room in a tough spot just a week into camp, the 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr.—who spent his first six seasons in San Francisco—to a one-year, $7 million deal on Thursday.

Packers OL Zach Tom changes his last name to Bako-Bewele

Jordan Love’s front-side protector will have a new name in 2026, as the Packers’ right tackle (formerly known as Zach Tom) has changed his last name to Bako-Bewele.

While speaking with reporters during Green Bay’s 2026 training camp on Sunday, the 27-year-old revealed his new surname—which is a combination of his grandparents’ Nigerian last names.

“I want to have a name, especially when I start having kids and stuff, I want to have a name that I can pass down that represents where they came from, where I came from,” Bako-Bewele explained at Green Bay training camp on Sunday. “I just feel like that name, people will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am [and] where I come from.”

The Packers have since made the switch official, changing Bako-Bewele’s name on their online roster and giving him a new practice jersey.

Former second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk retires at age 24

Former Patriots and Saints wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk is calling it a career, opting to retire from football at just 24 years old.

A second-round pick in 2024, Polk spent just one season in New England before being traded to New Orleans last September as part of a late-round pick swap while on injured reserve. According to NewOrleans Football’s Nick Underhill, Polk was “healthy and happy with his role” with the Saints, but ultimately determined that retirement was the best decision for himself.

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