NFL

11:51 AM ET TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will be away from the team for a period of time to “deal with some personal things,” coach Todd Bowles said Thursday. Bowles said Brady’s absence was discussed in advance and that he will return after next week’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on

4:46 PM ET BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is expected to start Friday’s preseason opener against the Jaguars. The team made the announcement Wednesday just before boarding a flight to Jacksonville, Florida. Watson and the Browns are waiting to see whether he will be suspended longer than the six-game suspension he was

10:55 AM ET BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns wide receiver and kick returner Jakeem Grant Sr. has a torn Achilles and will miss the entire 2022 season after being placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Grant had to be carted off the field during Tuesday’s practice after suffering the injury. “I really feel awful for Jakeem,”

6:01 AM ET HOUSTON — WEARING BLACK Crocs accented with two Fast U buttons, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris shuffles through the doors of O Athletik just after 9 a.m. Muhammad Ali’s likeness stretches across the back of his black T-shirt. A black Nike boxing backpack is slung over a shoulder. Inside the cavernous

5:27 PM ET BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league seeks a tougher penalty for Deshaun Watson because the quarterback’s actions were “egregious” and “predatory behavior.” Last week, the NFL formally appealed Watson’s six-game suspension, which was handed down by the NFL’s disciplinary officer Sue. L Robinson earlier this month. At

7:00 AM ET SEARCHING FOR A vodka soda, Sean McVay walks me through the expansive refurbished kitchen of his new 9,000-square-foot house in a double-security-gated Hidden Hills community that also is home to Drake, Miley Cyrus, the Jenners and Kardashians just up the 101 Freeway from Los Angeles. It’s a May afternoon, in the spring

7:00 AM ET NFL NationESPN As the NFL preseason schedule hits full throttle this week, heated position battles for all 32 teams will be decided in games and training camp as kickoff for the 2022 season draws near. Some of the competitions will have huge implications for fantasy football fans — especially the undecided QB

9:42 PM ET ESPN News Services GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ use of the hallucinogenic drink ayahuasca during an offseason retreat isn’t considered a violation of the NFL’s drug policy. Rodgers discussed on “The Aubrey Marcus Podcast” last week how he went on an ayahuasca retreat to Peru in 2020,

1:32 PM ET HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders first-year coach Josh McDaniels put an end to speculation Monday that former Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs was being showcased for a possible trade by playing so many snaps in the team’s preseason opener. “We have a lot of confidence in J.J.,” McDaniels said. “And,

8:26 AM ET The NFL has asked its on-field officials to pay particular attention to illegal contact fouls during the 2022 season, a league spokesperson confirmed Monday. The request could lead to an increase in such flags following a big drop during the 2021 season. Illegal contact refers to prohibited contact by a defender when

3:36 PM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears wide receiver N’Keal Harry suffered what appeared to be a severe ankle injury during Saturday’s training camp practice, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Harry, 24, went down on the first play of team drills when a screen pass went his direction. The wide receiver appeared

3:30 PM ET ESPN staff Many NFL training camps resumed Sunday following Hall of Fame ceremonies in Canton, Ohio, though some took it easy while others took the day off. Running backs took center stage with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, where, respectively, Saquon Barkley continues to impress while video showed a vicious

11:03 AM ET ESPN News Services Running back Kareem Hunt, who is seeking a contract extension, has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns but the team has privately declined that request, a source confirmed to ESPN. Hunt, who is in the final year of a two-year, $12 million deal he signed two years ago,

4:37 PM ET CANTON, Ohio — Being part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2022 holds a special — and painful — meaning for former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Bryant Young. It’s an emotional reminder of his son Colby, who died of cancer on Oct. 11, 2016. Colby’s favorite number, his

5:07 PM ET ESPN staff San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance said Saturday that things are slowing down for him as he seeks to improve in his first training camp as a starter, but there are still uneven moments. After a solid day Friday, Lance had a couple of miscues Saturday, but he still has

6:53 AM ET ESPN Fantasy Our ESPN Fantasy staff got together for the fourth mock draft of the year, this time using a 12-team, non PPR format. Pay close attention to some of the top storylines to come out of this practice draft. How long could fantasy managers wait to get a top-tier QB? And

2:50 PM ET Mike ClayESPN Writer Close Fantasy football, NFL analyst for ESPN.com Member of Pro Football Writers of America Founding director of Pro Football Focus Fantasy 2013 FSTA award winner for most accurate preseason rankings New or inexperienced when it comes to fantasy football? No worries – we have you covered! Our PPR cheat

6:00 AM ET ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs had high hopes for their offensive line last year after they invested heavily in the position group following a Super Bowl LV loss in which the unit was overwhelmed. They spent free agency dollars on left guard Joe Thuney, traded draft picks to acquire