Jayden Daniels’ Bizarre NIL Battle With LSU and 8 Other Things You May Have Missed Around the NFL This Week

Week 1 of the preseason began on Thursday night, with six matchups taking place across the NFL. Is it hard to get too excited about exhibition football? Sure, but the action did give us a look at some highly anticipated rookies making their debuts.

For starters, we saw Raiders quarterback and 2026 No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza throw his first professional touchdown to wide receiver Jack Bech before finishing the night 10-for-16 passing for 96 yards in a loss to the Cardinals.

FERNANDO MENDOZA TOUCHDOWN!

First one in a Raiders uni 😤

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/KwcGPCNUa3
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 14, 2026

Speaking of the Cardinals, their own first-round pick—running back Jeremiyah Love—also took the field for the first time on Thursday. He carried the ball 11 times for 58 yards with a long of 16, notched an average of 5.8 yards per carry and broke out a pretty sweet hurdle to boot.

Jeremiyah Love broke out a hurdle 😯

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/rDHlfD14cD
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 14, 2026

Overall, the night that was saw several other rookies make an immediate impact as well. Steelers quarterback Drew Allar went 10-for-13 passing and scored three total touchdowns, 49ers wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards in the first half alone and Texans safety Kamari Ramsey tallied two pass deflections and an interception off Chargers quarterback Trey Lance.

And there was plenty more where that came from. So with that, here’s a look at what you may have missed from another busy week in the NFL.

Jayden Daniels battles with LSU over jersey No. 5

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is going head-to-head with his alma mater.

As reported by ESPN, the 2024 No. 2 pick and former LSU Tiger has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the university—via an attorney—informing them that they can no longer use his name, image and likeness. According to a spokesperson for Daniels, the dispute stems from the Tigers allowing cornerback DJ Pickett to wear jersey No. 5, the same number the signal caller wore during his time in Baton Rouge.

“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” reads a statement from Daniels’ spokesperson, via ESPN. “Jayden and his family had every reason to believe that his number would remain a meaningful part of his LSU legacy and would be honored and protected in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the university.”

Daniels led the Tigers to a 19–7 record over his two seasons as their starting quarterback. In 2023, he accounted for nearly 5,000 total yards and scored 50 total touchdowns on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy. The quarterback himself has since released a statement on the NIL dispute via his Instagram.

“I’ve been locked in on training camp and that’s been my number one focus,” Daniels wrote. “I have a lot of gratitude for my time at LSU and I’m proud of what my teammates and I accomplished there. Obviously there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU and my hope is that it will get done privately. My sole personal focus is on Commanders’ football. I realize the business of football is unique and I trust this can all be resolved.”

Daniels is entering his third NFL season in Washington. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and led the Commanders to the NFC championship game in 2024 before missing 10 games in ’25 due to injury.

Bears won’t change name amid potential stadium relocation

Soldier Field — The Bears are looking to relocate. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As the Bears continue to explore a move out of Illinois and into Indiana, team chairman George McCaskey insists that the team will keep the city of Chicago in their name.

“We will be the Chicago Bears whether we’re in Arlington [Heights, Illinois] or whether we’re in Hammond, [Indiana],” McCaskey said Thursday during his annual training camp address. “Our focus is on Hammond, that’s where we’re advancing our efforts and that’s where the bulk of our time, attention and resources are being devoted.”

A good sign. The “Hammond Bears” would be a ridiculous team name.

Seahawks sign CB Terrion Arnold, leaving NFL with a decision to make

The Seahawks are signing cornerback Terrion Arnold to a one-year deal after having him in Seattle for a workout earlier this week, a move that will leave the NFL with a decision to make.

Arnold was arrested earlier this offseason on eight charges stemming from a robbery and kidnapping, and was released by the Lions on June 29. He was arraigned over Zoom on Thursday and is due back in court, in person in Tampa, on Oct. 5 for a status hearing.

This leaves the NFL without a concrete reason to suspend Arnold, which could in turn see him placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.

While Puka Nacua and Josh Jacobs may begin the season with suspensions, Rashee Rice seemingly won’t

We noted earlier this week that Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Packers running back Josh Jacobs, among others, could face a possible suspension to start the 2026 campaign due to incidents that took place over the offseason. That apparently doesn’t apply to Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Rice, 26, tested positive for marijuana earlier this spring while serving a five-year probation term stemming from his plea deal for the high-speed hit-and-run crash he was involved in back in March 2024. Said plea deal included a 30-day suspended prison sentence that could be served at any point during his probation. His positive THC test, however, prompted authorities to make him serve it from May 19 to June 16.

Since Rice was already suspended six games by the NFL last season for the hit-and-run, however, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport doesn’t believe he’ll be handed any additional punishment.

“He was already disciplined for what he was in jail for,” Rapoport explained during Wednesday’s Inside Training Camp Live in Kansas City. “That was a probation violation. He had already been disciplined for that infraction; he already missed time for that. I don’t expect, from my understanding, anything new there, disciplinary-wise.”

Rice recently spoke about his time in jail, calling it a “learning experience,” and a “reality check.”

“It was mentally tough,” he continued. “They gave me ways to communicate with my teammates still and as well as my athletic trainer.” Rice underwent a right knee-cleanup surgery in May and was forced to rehab behind bars. “Besides the hard times in there, I kept my mind right watching shows and as much Kevin Hart as I could to laugh.”

After returning to 11-on-11 drills with the Chiefs earlier this week, it’s fair to assume Rice will be ready for the start of the season.

Deshaun Watson to start Browns’ first preseason game vs. Bears

Amid his battle with Shedeur Sanders for the Browns’ starting quarterback job, veteran Deshaun Watson will get the nod in the team’s first preseason game against the Bears on Saturday. Coach Todd Monken reportedly informed the two signal callers of his decision on Wednesday.

While Watson will start this weekend’s game in Chicago, it’ll be Sanders’s turn the following Saturday when the Browns return to Cleveland for their preseason home opener. The two quarterbacks have split the Browns’ first-team reps throughout the start of training camp.

“I’m super excited," Watson, who hasn’t played in an NFL game since tearing his Achilles in late 2024, said Wednesday. “I think all the hard work that I’ve put in with the training staff, with my team, my personal team, to get to this stage has been tremendous … I’m super excited for those opportunities and can’t wait for it.”

J.J. McCarthy reacts to losing starting job to Kyler Murray

The Vikings named Kyler Murray their starting quarterback for the 2026 season earlier this week, leaving third-year pro J.J. McCarthy to be his backup. McCarthy gave his take on the decision Thursday afternoon.

“Obviously, every competitor wants to play,” he said in a press conference. “But moving forward, it’s just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number’s called.”

“[Minnesota] is the place I want to be,” McCarthy added. “And I love every single person in this building. I love the state. I love the fanbase. And I’m going to continue to just do whatever I can for this team and this organization.”

McCarthy was selected by the Vikings with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, but has started just 10 games over his first two seasons while dealing with various injuries. He’s posted a 6–4 record but has thrown 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and notched a passer rating of just 72.6.

Quinnen Williams signs lucrative extension with Cowboys

Cowboys star Quinnen Williams is the latest defensive tackle to be paid.

Heading into his first full season in Dallas after being traded by the Jets at last year’s trade deadline, the 28-year-old signed a three-year, $105.9 million extension with the club that includes $101 million in guaranteed money. The deal makes Williams the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league in terms of APY ($35.3 million), behind only division rival Jalen Carter ($38 million).

Williams is a four-time Pro Bowler and earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2022 after notching a career-high 12 sacks for New York’s defense.

Panthers sign veteran tight end Darren Waller

Darren Waller is back for an 11th NFL season.

After initially retiring in 2024, the tight end returned to play for the Dolphins in ’25 and led them in receiving touchdowns with six. Now, Waller is headed to the Panthers on a one-year deal and reunites with assistant head coach Darrell Bevell, who was Miami’s pass-game coordinator last season.

Waller joins a crowded Carolina tight end room alongside Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks, James Mitchell, Caden Prieskorn, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Tommy Tremble.

Patriots lock up Hunter Henry through 2028 season

Speaking of tight ends, the Patriots are keeping one of their top leaders around for the foreseeable future. They’ve signed tight end Hunter Henry to a contract extension that keeps him under team control through the 2028 season.

Henry notched a career-high 768 receiving yards in 2025. He also caught 60 passes, scored seven touchdowns and helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl LX.

“It means a lot, man, it means a lot to me and my wife,” Henry said this week when asked about his new deal. “And just the organization as a whole … the Kraft family has taken me in, they’ve been so good to me and my family, giving me a chance in the middle of my career to come over here.”

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