Former Oklahoma State teammates Mason Rudolph continue their big-play summers with a 41-yard touchdown, their second scoring connection this preseason. Washington got free easily and Rudolph found him deep over the middle. Both look like different players in Year 2.
That's a night for Ben Roethlisberger, who in 19 snaps went 8-of-13 with 63 yards and a 17-yard touchdown to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Steelers offense had a few mistimed passing plays on the first two drives but looked at ease on the third as receivers got open pretty easily and Roethlisberger found them quickly.
Steelers RB James Conner has improved his conditioning in each of the last two offseason, and you saw it on the first quarter with quick cuts and speed. That's 41 yards on the first five carries for Conner.
Entering a crucial preseason stretch in the Steelers No. 2 quarterback race, Josh Dobbs reviews his body of work this preseason.
Dolphins have released veteran safety T.J. McDonald. A bit of a surprise. Rumors surrounded Reshad Jones all offseason, but it looks like he will stay and McDonald instead is gone. McDonald never complained publicly about his expected decreased role, but he battled a couple of injuries in camp & Dolphins are going younger. McDonald won the Good Guy Award in 2018.
For Week 1 ... WR Sterling Shepard (thumb) is good to go. CB DeAndre Baker (knee) returned to practice Sunday. On track to face Cowboys in two weeks. LB Alec Ogletree (calf) is back on the practice field. Giants expect him ready. Giants relatively healthy heading into fourth preseason game.
The Cardinals put rookie WR Hakeem Butler (hand) and DB Josh Shaw (shoulder) on IR. They also released linebackers Andre Branch, Jeff Holland and Hayes Pullard.
Rams LB Josh Carraway suffered a torn Achilles on Saturday against the Broncos and OL Aaron Neary fractured his ankle. Both were competing for a roster spot.
Demaryius Thomas answers questions from reporters for the first time as a Patriot. He said the Patriots were the only team he was aware of that expressed interest in him in the offseason. Of how much he has left in the tank, he said humbly but confidently, "I still can go."
Recapping today's roster moves: Claimed off waivers: ILB Nicholas Grigsby (23 career NFL games with the Lions, Patriots and Rams). Signed: OLB James Folston (rookie), CB Jocquez Kalili (rookie). Waived: S Josh Jones (non-football illness).
Blake Martinez said he didn't travel to the Oakland game because he wanted to get his back checked out. It had been a bit of a bother during camp so he wanted to make sure nothing was wrong. Tests revealed no issues, he said, and he was back on the practice field today.
Packers LB Curtis Bolton said he doesn't think he has an ACL tear but was vague about his prognosis. Also, WR Allen Lazard is in the concussion protocol after leaving Thursday's game vs. Oakland.
The Patriots have signed LB Scooby Wright (Arizona alum) and RB Robert Martin (Rutgers alum), while placing core special teamer Brandon King on injured reserve and waiving DE/OLB Keionta Davis. In addition, the Patriots waived WR Maurice Harris with an injury designation. Wright was a 2016 seventh-round pick of the Browns and was signed by the Cardinals off Cleveland's practice squad deep into the '16 season. Martin entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Giants in 2018 and spent last season on New York's practice squad.
The Patriots released WR Maurice Harris on Sunday, a source told ESPN's Field Yates. Harris was one of the standout performers in spring practices, and generated some early momentum in training camp, but he sustained an undisclosed injury on Aug. 14 in a practice with the Titans and hadn't practiced since. With Julian Edelman, Demaryius Thomas and Josh Gordon all returning to practice within the last week, Harris was viewed to be on the roster bubble.
Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said it was "disheartening" to see his former pupil, Andrew Luck, retire. "This does surprise me. Something's gotta be wrong somewhere," Arians said. "He also compared the cycle of injuries to his battles with cancer. "If you've battled injuries or sickness and you got healthy, and boom, you get it again – people who have beaten cancer and they got it back and they beat it again – it wears on you."
T.Y. Hilton and Andrew Luck have a bond that can't be broken 🙌 (via @TYHilton13) pic.twitter.com/G8y7ATH4tj
What just happened? Barnwell makes sense of Andrew Luck's shocking decision - via @espn App es.pn/2U1beWu
Something that I didn't include in my Andrew Luck piece is that the XFL conspiracy theory makes no sense. Doesn't n… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
A total of 15 Packers not practicing: Allen Lazard (unknown), Eq St. Brown (ankle), Kevin King (hamstring), Mike Tyson (unknown), Ibraheim Campbell (knee), Curtis Bolton (knee), Oren Burks (pectoral), Malcolm Johnson (unknown), Kabion Ento (hamstring), Rashan Gary (unknown), Greg Roberts (abdomen), Cole Madison (unknown), David Bakhtiari (unknown), Jimmy Graham (finger), Reggie Gilbert (knee). Two players returned: Danny Vitale (calf), Ka'dar Hollman (stinger).
T.Y. Hilton is dedicating this season to his best friend ✊ (via @TYHilton13) pic.twitter.com/QEUFrhK52r
WR Josh Gordon (10) is dressed in full pads at practice today, which is an indication he is being removed from the non-football injury list.
