REPORT: TEAMS MONITORING DOLPHINS WR TYREEK HILL AS TRADE CANDIDATE
As the Miami Dolphins navigate an injury sidelining Tyreek Hill, ESPN reported on Sunday that other NFL teams are monitoring the situation with the All-Pro wide receiver as a potential trade target.
Hill is dealing with an oblique injury, head coach Mike McDaniel revealed on Friday, keeping the receiver out of practices and Sunday’s preseason opener at the Chicago Bears, which resulted in a 24-24 tie.
The 31-year-old Hill has missed only one game in his first three seasons with Miami, catching 319 passes for 4,468 yards and 26 scores in 50 regular-season starts from 2022-24.
However, despite that reliability, after the Dolphins suffered a season-ending loss to the New York Jets last winter, Hill told reporters, “I’m out.” In the months since, Hill has said he is focused and training hard for the team, while quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said in July that the pair are “still continuing to rebuild” their relationship.
ESPN reported that Hill’s injury has made his playing status uncertain. While the Dolphins have said they aren’t trading him, that hasn’t kept other teams from watching how Miami handles their extremely productive receiver going forward.
The five-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection has 798 receptions for 11,098 yards and 82 touchdowns in 141 career regular-season games (123 starts) with the Kansas City Chiefs (2016-21) and Dolphins.
Hill has another 96 receptions for 1,212 yards and six TDs and 96 yards rushing and one TD in 15 playoff games (14 starts), winning the Super Bowl with the Chiefs in the 2019 season.
Kansas City selected Hill in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
EAGLES PRO BOWL G LANDON DICKERSON (LEG) CARTED OFF AT PRACTICE
Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson was carted off the field with a leg injury during Sunday night’s open practice.
Dickerson was listed on the injury report on Saturday with a knee injury. He was not listed on the report on Sunday.
Dickerson was injured on a pass play and remained down on the field for several minutes. He was unable to put any weight on the right leg.
Dickerson was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and has started 62 of 63 games played for the Eagles in his four-year NFL career.
He has quickly established himself as an elite interior offensive lineman. Last season, he earned a 79.2 overall PFF grade, ranking 13th among 136 qualifying guards.
NFL PRESEASON ROUNDUP: BEARS, DOLPHINS OPEN WITH TIE
Tua Tagovailoa made a rare appearance in a preseason opener as the Miami Dolphins and host Chicago Bears forged a 24-24 tie on Sunday afternoon.
Tagovailoa, who hadn’t seen action in an opener since 2021, completed 5 of 6 passes on the game’s opening drive that ended at the Bears’ goal line.
He then gave way to Zach Wilson (5-of-9, 96 yards) — who directed two touchdown drives — and rookie Quinn Ewers (5-of-18, 91 yards), who led the Dolphins to 10 fourth-quarter points that erased a pair of three-point deficits.
Starting quarterback Caleb Williams did not play for the Bears in Ben Johnson’s head-coaching debut. Tyson Bagent hit 13 of 19 passes for 103 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the first half.
Case Keenum went 8-of-10 for 80 yards and two scores in the second half. His 14-yard strike to Jahdae Walker gave the Bears a 24-21 lead with 8:38 to play. Ewers directed a 23-yard drive that set up Jason Sanders’ 56-yard field goal with 6:22 left that made it 24-24.
CHARGERS’ DEFENSE STEPS UP IN 27-13 PRESEASON WIN AGAINST SAINTS
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Trey Lance scrambled for a 5-yard score and rookie Eric Rogers had a 43-yard pick-6 in a mostly sluggish offensive performance by the Los Angeles Chargers in a 27-13 exhibition win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
The Chargers had a goal-line stand and a strip-sack that led to a turnover while dominating the Saints, who committed seven penalties for 56 yards and got sacked five times.
“They just played with a lot of want-to and I’m thrilled with that,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I love guys that play like they want to be on this team. They want to show that they belong. That’s the way they practice and that’s the way they go out and play in the game. That warms the cockles of the heart.”
Chargers rookie Jamaree Caldwell took down Tyler Shough for a 9-yard loss in the third quarter. Rogers also intercepted Jake Haener in the fourth before getting hurt with 1:43 remaining. Harbaugh had no update on Rogers afterward.
“The pick-6 he made, that was as a good a play as I’ve ever seen,” Harbaugh said.
Lance was 7 of 14 for 55 yards. He also was the Chargers’ leading rusher with seven carries for 48 yards.
“Shout out to the defense once again,” Lance said. “Excited to build on this, this is a fun game to build on.”
Taylor Heinicke started at quarterback for the Chargers, going 1 of 5 for 8 yards. DJ Uiagalelei drew cheers with a 49-yard pass to Dalevon Campbell late in the game.
With a four-man quarterback competition, Spencer Rattler started for the Saints and was sacked twice by Caleb Murphy in the second.
“It’s what we practice at practice,” Murphy said. “We practice ball disruption, we preach it, so it’s just everything that comes from practice onto the field in the game.”
Shough replaced Rattler and was intercepted by Rogers on a pass intended for Dante Pettis on the Saints’ first possession of the third. Lance passed to Campbell for the 2-point conversion and a 17-3 lead.
Shough hit Mason Tipton for a 54-yard touchdown and Charlie Smyth made the extra point, leaving the Saints trailing 17-10. Shough was 15 of 22 for 165 yards.
“For all three, there’s going to be some good moments, some moments we’d like to have back, we get to learn from those,” first-year Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “I thought Spence did some good stuff.”
Cameron Dicker had field goals of 44 and 40 yards for the Chargers.
Coming off an 11-6 season and their first playoff appearance since 2022 in his first year, Harbaugh rested several starters including quarterback Justin Herbert.
The Chargers were without Rashawn Slater, who sustained a season-ending torn patella tendon in practice earlier in the week. Running back Najee Harris’ status for Week 1 is up in the air after he sustained an eye injury in a July 4 firework incident. He has been walking laps at practice, wearing a helmet with a visor.
The Chargers were the first team to open training camp and are playing an extra preseason game because they were in the Hall of Fame game, beating Detroit 34-7.
Moore made his head coaching debut for the Saints, having worked as offensive coordinator for Super Bowl champion Philadelphia last season. He served in the same role with the Chargers in 2023.
Brandon Staley was back at SoFi Stadium as defensive coordinator for the Saints. He was head coach of the Chargers from 2021-23.
Injuries
Saints: C/G Will Clapp was hurt on the second play of the first quarter. He was taken off the field on a cart while sitting up with his right shoe off. … WR Bub Means also had his right shoe off as he was carted off in the third. … TE Mason Pline was hurt in the third.
Chargers: DB Deane Leonard was injured with 1:38 remaining in the second. He tried to get up and went right back down before walking off between two trainers. … G Karsen Barnhart got hurt and walked off in the fourth.
Up next
The Saints host Jacksonville on Aug. 17.
The Chargers play the LA Rams on Aug. 16.
CHARGERS CANCEL JOINT PRACTICE WITH RAMS BECAUSE OF INJURY CONCERNS
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers have canceled their joint practice with the LA Rams this week.
Rams coach Sean McVay said the practice set for Wednesday at The Bolt facility in El Segundo was off because of injury concerns among the Chargers.
“Truth,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Sunday. “That’s the biggest reason. We still got two more preseason games to go.”
First-year New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore said the team was working on setting up a joint practice with the Rams. The Saints are practicing in nearby Irvine as part of a 10-day visit to California during training camp.
The Chargers were the first team to open training camp and are playing an extra preseason game because they were in the Hall of Fame game, beating Detroit 34-7 on Aug. 31.
The Chargers lost Rashawn Slater, who sustained a season-ending torn patella tendon in practice earlier in the week. Running back Najee Harris’ status for Week 1 is up in the air after he sustained an eye injury in a July 4 firework incident. He has been walking laps at practice, wearing a helmet with a visor.
2025 NFL PRESEASON, WEEK 1: WHAT WE LEARNED FROM SUNDAY’S DOUBLEHEADER
NFL RELEASE
MIAMI DOLPHINS 24, CHICAGO BEARS 24
All three Dolphins quarterbacks see action. Appearing for the first time in the preseason since the 2021 season, Tua Tagovailoa completed all but one of his six pass attempts for 27 yards and converted a fourth-and-3 with a throw on the outside to lead the Dolphins into the red zone a 15-play drive. While Miami’s rushing attack couldn’t punch in the scoring opportunity, the Dolphins offensive line left the quarterback virtually untouched in his lone series. Zach Wilson was sacked four times, however, making it a hectic Dolphins debut but the QB did lead consecutive TD drives. Rookie Quinn Ewers ended the preseason opener with a rough outing, completing just 5-of-18 passes for 92 yards and losing a fumble on a strip sack that positioned the Bears for an easy score in the third quart and gave up another one late in the fourth. Running back Ollie Gordon II led the team in rushing (33 yards) and nearly did so receiving as well (39 yards).
Bears getting acclimated to new systems. The introduction of Ben Johnson’s offense got off to a slow start with Tyson Bagent at the helm, but after going three-and-out on their first two series came a nice 16-play, 94-yard drive that ended with a Maurice Alexander touchdown reception. Rookies Colston Loveland (8-yard reception) and Luther Burden III (two catches, 29 yards) saw their first NFL touches along the way, but poor protection for Bagent (sacked twice; interception off tipped ball) left plenty to be desired from new head coach’s first impression. Defensively, however, Dennis Allen’s unit enjoyed a sack party and second-year pass rusher Austin Booker led the charge with three sacks and a forced fumble that led to Chicago’s first lead. Collecting six total sacks, two fumbles and two turnovers on downs, the Bears defense also brought the most meaningful moment of the game, holding Miami’s best-available offense out of the end zone on their first series. Third-year linebacker Noah Sewell forced the turnover on downs with a big tackle for a three-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. The younger brother of Penei Sewell, Noah finished with six tackles and forced a fumble in what was an impactful preseason debut.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 27, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 13
Chargers’ defensive depth haunts Saints. The Chargers defense did everything it could to bother whoever was under center for New Orleans. The Saints offense with Spencer Rattler got in Chargers territory early in the game. On a fourth-and-1 at the Chargers 1-yard line, it was linebacker Troy Dye that refused to let Kendre Miller in the end zone. Veteran safety Tony Jefferson continued his high-performance level in front of Charger fans. In 16 snaps, Jefferson recorded two tackles and a sack on Rattler in the team’s first two series. Caleb Murphy also joined the Chargers’ defensive party and the Saint’s O-line couldn’t contain him as the third-year linebacker sacked Rattler twice and forced a fumble turnover. In the second half, Saints QB Tyler Shough threw a pass intended for Dante Pettis, but rookie Eric Rogers intercepted it and returned it for 43 yards for a pick-six. Rogers’ day wasn’t done. When Jake Haener went in for his first drive in the fourth quarter, Rogers once again got another interception. It was a dominant performance by Jim Harbaugh’s second-string defense against some of the Saints’ starters.
Saints WR shows off speed. The Saints offense found some rhythm in the second half of Sunday’s preseason game against the Chargers. With the Saints trailing 17-3 in the third quarter, rookie quarterback Tyler Shough was given the green light to take a deep shot. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire gave Shough the protection he needed on a blitz to deliver the 54-yard touchdown pass to Mason Tipton. Tipton did a terrific job to fake the Bolts defender on the route. Tipton showed his speed as he reached a max speed of 18.53 mph, according to Next Gen Stats.
