IN HIS 3RD STOP IN 3 YEARS, CAN JETS’ JUSTIN FIELDS BECOME THE NFL’S NEXT LATE-BLOOMING QUARTERBACK?
Justin Fields would seem to have the numbers — and odds — stacked against him.
The New York Jets quarterback is on his third team in as many years, learning his third offensive system in that span and being coached by a fourth coordinator during an NFL career entering only its fifth season.
There have been plenty of struggles, adjustments and criticisms along the way. But sometimes success as an NFL quarterback isn’t as easy as hut, hut, hike.
It might take a change of scenery. Or two. Maybe even three or more before a QB puts it all together and plays the way many expected earlier in his career.
Baker Mayfield can relate. So can Sam Darnold and Geno Smith. Even Rich Gannon and Vinny Testaverde.
“I do believe Justin can be one of those guys,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said last week. “I’ve seen the progress during this camp and look forward to seeing the progress throughout the season as they all come together. Obviously, it’s his third stop in three years with three different coordinators and a lot of moving parts, so it does take time.
“But I like where it’s at and I look forward to watching the progress.”
Fields, who’s still only 26, was the 11th overall pick by Chicago out of Ohio State in 2021 and deemed the Bears’ future franchise quarterback — until inconsistency and struggles sent him to Pittsburgh after three seasons. Fields opened last season as the Steelers’ starter, going 4-2 in place of an injured Russell Wilson, but went back to the sideline when Wilson got healthy.
The Jets, who moved on from Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. He has thrown for 7,780 yards with 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, along with 2,509 yards rushing and 19 TD runs.
Coach Aaron Glenn has raved about Fields’ maturity and doing all the team is asking of him as a dual-threat QB. Fields was also selected one of the Jets’ team captains.
“Seeing that growth,” Mougey said, “has been really good.”
And the Jets are banking on Fields, starting Sunday against Rodgers and the Steelers, joining a handful of other late-bloomer quarterbacks who thrived on their third — or more — NFL teams.
Sam Darnold
First stop: New York Jets. No. 3 overall pick, 2018. Had some promising moments, but struggled with consistency. 38 games, 38 starts. 8,097 yards passing, 45 TDs, 39 INTs.
Second stop: Carolina. Traded to Panthers in 2021. 18 games, 17 starts. 3,670 yards, 16 TDs, 16 INTs.
Third stop: San Francisco. Signed as backup in 2023. 10 games, 1 start. 297 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
Fourth stop: Minnesota. Signed as free agent in 2024 and became starter when rookie J.J. McCarthy went down with knee injury in preseason. Darnold thrived, making first Pro Bowl and garnering votes for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. 17 games, 17 starts. 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, 12 INTs.
Fifth stop: Seattle. Parlayed success in Minnesota into three-year deal worth $100.5 million in March.
Rich Gannon
First stop: Minnesota. Fourth-round pick, 1987. 48 games, 35 starts. 6,457 yards passing, 40 TDs, 36 INTs.
Second stop: Washington. Traded by Vikings before 1993 season. 8 games, 4 starts. 704 yards, 3 TDs, 7 INTs.
Third stop: Kansas City. After having shoulder surgery and sitting out a year, Gannon signed with Chiefs in 1995 as Elvis Grbac’s backup. 27 games, 19 starts. 3,997 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs.
Fourth stop: Oakland. Signed with Raiders as free agent in 1999 and excelled in Jon Gruden’s offense. Gannon was AP NFL MVP for 2002 season, when he led Raiders to Super Bowl. He made four straight Pro Bowls and was game’s MVP twice, and was an All-Pro twice. Gannon played six seasons with Raiders to end career. 74 games, 74 starts. 17,585 yards, 114 TDs, 50 INTs.
Baker Mayfield
First stop: Cleveland. No. 1 overall pick by Browns in 2018. Had some early success and led team to its first playoff win since 1994 — and first on road since 1969 — in 2020, but issues with turnovers and injuries affected consistency. 60 games, 59 starts. 14,125 yards passing, 92 TDs, 56 INTs.
Second stop: Carolina. After Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, Mayfield asked to be dealt and was sent to Panthers. 7 games, 6 starts. 1,313 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs.
Third stop: Los Angeles Rams. Mayfield was benched by Carolina late in 2022 season and asked to be released. He was claimed off waivers by Rams and led them to win over Las Vegas as a backup after just two days of preparation. 5 games, 4 starts. 850 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs.
Fourth stop: Tampa Bay. Mayfield credited his run with Rams for re-energizing him and he signed with Buccaneers in 2023. He won starting job, led Tampa Bay to consecutive playoff appearances and was selected to Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. 34 games, 34 starts. 8,544 yards, 69 TDs, 56 INTs.
Geno Smith
First stop: New York Jets. Second-round pick in 2013. Smith became starter as rookie when Mark Sanchez injured shoulder in preseason. Mostly struggled in his first two seasons and was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 when his jaw was broken by punch from a teammate in locker room dispute. Smith tore an ACL the following season while making a spot start. 33 games, 30 starts. 5,962 yards, 28 TDs, 36 INTs.
Second stop: New York Giants. Signed in 2017 to be Eli Manning’s backup and then found himself at center of controversy when then-coach Ben McAdoo started Smith midway through season — ending Manning’s 210-game starting streak. Smith went back to sideline next week. 2 games, 1 start. 212 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs.
Third stop: Los Angeles Chargers. Signed in 2018 to be Philip Rivers’ backup. 5 games, 0 starts. 8 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs.
Fourth stop: Seattle. Signed with Seahawks in 2019 and served as Russell Wilson’s backup for most of his first three seasons with them. Smith won starting job over Drew Lock before 2022 season after Wilson was traded to Denver. Smith selected as Comeback Player of the Year after breakout season and made first of two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. 54 games, 52 starts. 12,961 yards, 76 TDs, 36 INTs.
Fifth stop: Las Vegas. Smith was traded in March to Raiders and is reunited with Pete Carroll, his former coach in Seattle.
Vinny Testaverde
First stop: Tampa Bay. No. 1 overall pick, 1987. Testaverde became Buccaneers’ starter as rookie and showed flashes during six seasons, but interceptions dogged him. 76 games, 72 starts. 14,820 yards, 77 TDs, 112 INTs.
Second stop: Cleveland. Signed with Browns in 1993 as backup to Bernie Kosar before becoming starter after Kosar was released later that season. 37 games, 31 starts. 7,255 yards, 47 TDs, 37 INTs.
Third stop: Baltimore. Was among Browns players who were part of franchise’s move to Baltimore in 1996. Change of scenery appeared to help, with Testaverde throwing for more than 4,000 yards for first time and making first Pro Bowl. 29 games, 29 starts. 7,148 yards, 51 TDs, 34 INTs.
Fourth stop: New York Jets. Signed with his hometown Jets in 1998 and helped Bill Parcells-led squad reach AFC championship game. Testaverde also made Pro Bowl during perhaps his best statistical season, but tore an Achilles tendon in Week 1 of 1999 season. He returned as starter in 2000 and remained under center before being replaced by Chad Pennington in 2002. Testaverde later had stops in Dallas, a second stint with Jets and then New England and Carolina before retiring in January 2008. 59 games (first Jets stint), 57 starts. 11,720 yards, 76 TDs, 52 INTs.
SEAN MCDERMOTT’S CALM CONFIDENCE: BILLS COACH ADAPTS APPROACH WHILE STAYING DRIVEN ENTERING 9TH YEAR
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Carrying his morning protein shake with “Coach” written on the plastic cup and wearing a familiar Bills bucket hat to protect him from the August sun, Sean McDermott looked at ease making his way to practice during training camp.
Amid a rash of injuries, and two days into running back James Cook’s “hold-in” over a contract dispute, McDermott casually stopped to chat with alums from his alma mater, William & Mary, before being introduced to country artist Chris Young.
His pace was unhurried, even as the pre-practice stretching period began. McDermott trusts his players and staff to take care of the fundamentals.
“Do I feel more relaxed, at ease?” McDermott said. “The older you get, the more experience you have in life and in this job, you gain not only wisdom from that experience, but perspective on what truly is important in life.”
The hard-won realization is among the rewards that come with entering his ninth season in Buffalo in a profession where long-term job security is scarce.
But make no mistake, McDermott is not getting soft.
Adapting his approach
As much as McDermott at age 51 has eased his grip and adapted his approach — for example, he now allows a DJ to make weekly appearances in the locker room — his values are unchanged.
His faith and family come first. A sloppy practice will lead to McDermott blowing his whistle to have his team run sprints. Every player earns his way on or off the roster. And one season’s success does not carry over into the next.
McDermott is no less driven to win a Super Bowl, not only for himself but for the community he now proudly considers home.
“I don’t forget where I was raised, believe me,” said McDermott, who is from Philadelphia and spent his first 12 NFL seasons working for the Eagles. “That said, I consider myself from Buffalo.”
McDermott is fully invested, captivated by the underdog spirit of a Rust Belt region and a passionate fan base seemingly undaunted by its teams’ notable losses. Among those: the Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl defeats in the 1990s.
Defending Buffalo
McDermott has defended Buffalo in the face of detractors, most recently following the Bills’ AFC divisional round playoff win over the Ravens in January, when a Baltimore reporter referred to Buffalo as a city of losers.
“That’s honestly what drives me more than anything to win,” McDermott said. “They don’t know this community. They don’t know us.”
McDermott deserves credit for restoring the franchise’s luster, beginning with his arrival in 2017, when the Bills ended their 17-year playoff drought. With the help of Josh Allen, McDermott has realized his vision of transforming the Bills into perennial contenders during a six-year playoff run that includes five straight AFC East titles.
He also understands his job is not complete.
“We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done here. And nobody has more internal drive and internal expectations (than) I do,” McDermott said.
“The fire to win a Super Bowl that burns within me is unmatched,” he added. “But you can’t get there tomorrow. We have to take it one day at a time.”
Trust the process
McDermott draws strength from the “trust the process” mantra he instilled into the Bills upon his arrival.
“He did a great job the first year of laying that foundation. That foundation is solid, man, and that’s why the team is always good,” said cornerback Tre’Davious White, who’s back for a second stint with Buffalo. “The standard is the standard. The young guys come in and they do a great job of buying in. And the older guys do a good job of saying it and walking it.”
General manager Brandon Beane has seen the dynamic evolve to the point where McDermott has eased his grip.
“That’s been part of his maturation,” Beane said. “These guys know what the expectations are. And he wants them to police themselves.”
Just as important are McDermott’s self-awareness and ability to learn from experience, good and bad.
“Some guys aren’t able to talk through the truth and what’s worked and what’s not working,” Beane said. “He’s as determined as ever, as confident as ever. And if he wasn’t, then I think you wouldn’t see the calmness.”
McDermott pores over video of games, especially playoff losses, to understand what was lacking. He’s grown as a communicator, learning how to hone his message — an aspect of the job that was seen as a weakness earlier in his tenure.
He’s more comfortable during news conferences, occasionally coming up with an amusing quip. This summer, the guarded coach — who barred media from revealing the weekly motivational messages posted on TVs inside the team’s headquarters — allowed HBO’s “Hard Knocks” cameras to provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse.
Being a Buffalonian
It took McDermott his entire first season to appreciate the difference between living in Buffalo and being a Buffalonian.
He was in the visitors’ locker room in Miami following a season-ending win over the Dolphins when he heard the roar of Bills fans celebrating the team qualifying for the playoffs. It got even better when thousands braved temperatures near zero degrees Fahrenheit to greet the team’s arrival at the airport.
“That’s when it really hit my heart that I was like, we’re here for a reason,” McDermott said. “And it goes well beyond the football field.”
EAGLES ARE FOCUSED ON THIS SEASON, WON’T EVEN WATCH SUPER BOWL BANNER CEREMONY
Jalen Hurts perfectly summed up the mindset of the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles entering their title defense.
“Nothing I’ve accomplished in the past will get me what I desire in the future,” Hurts said in an interview on SiriusXM during training camp.
Before the Eagles kick off against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the NFL opener, their championship banner will be unveiled at Lincoln Financial Field.
Don’t expect the celebration to be a distraction.
Coach Nick Sirianni said Tuesday that his players won’t even be on the field for the ceremony.
“I didn’t know it was banner night. We won’t be out for that,” Sirianni said.
Hurts and his teammates aren’t satisfied with winning one championship. The Eagles are aiming for multiple rings and they’re built to repeat after dominating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl seven months ago.
Hurts, All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley, star wide receiver A.J. Brown and the entire offense, including a dominant line, return. The defense lost several key players — defensive linemen Josh Sweat, Milton Williams and Brandon Graham, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay — but has a lot of talent, depth and a savvy, wise coordinator in Vic Fangio.
Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who had a pick-6 against Mahomes in the Super Bowl, finished in the top five in voting for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter has established himself as a dominant force and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun had a breakout season.
“I think we’re ready to go,” Fangio said. “We still have a lot of guys that were here last year and guys that we expect to be improved from last year.”
Sirianni has preached that it’s a new season, Hurts has reiterated it and team leaders have embraced it.
“We’re focused on our process and how we get better every single day. If your process is right, then it gives you the best chance to win,” Sirianni said earlier in the summer. “It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win, but it gives you the best chance to win. Our goal is just to focus and to focus on where we are at this particular moment, to put the work in, to overcome the adversity and the rest will take care of itself.”
Whatever it takes
Seven-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio begins his 12th season when the Cleveland Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
In an effort to help prolong his career, Bitonio last year became one of the first patients in the country to have stem cells removed, grown, then returned to his knee to treat early arthritis, which is a normal occurrence in elite athletes.
While many athletes have used stem cell treatments — notably Kobe Bryant and Ray Lewis — to help speed recovery, the difference in this procedure is that University Hospitals in Cleveland is growing the stem cells.
Bitonio said he felt a “huge” difference in his recovery time last season. He didn’t have fluid buildup on his knee after games so he was able to train and practice more often as opposed to previous seasons.
“At the bare minimum, it was a high-quality anti-inflammatory,” Bitonio said. “But as I’ve gone through this offseason, my knee just keeps feeling a little bit better, a little bit better. Going into last year, I was kind of having trouble running full speed. I felt like my knee was just not there. And then going into this year, I’ve been training pretty hard and I think it’s this stem cell treatment, man. They’re doing something, they’re helping out, it’s keeping the knee in its best shape as it can.”
Browns head team physician and chair of orthopedic surgery at University Hospitals Dr. James Voos performed the procedure, extracting stem cells from Bitonio’s hip and injecting them into his right knee several weeks later.
“The desire for our athletes to perform at their best and extend to their careers is higher than ever,” said Voos, who is president of the NFL Physicians Society. “Being a head team physician and the department chair at an academic orthopedic institution gives us a unique opportunity to address athletes’ needs and, in this case, our players are often looking for stem cells and, as we all know, there’s all sorts of places you can go in the United States and out of the country. But there’s no real regulation as to what you’re getting, what’s in it, what is standardized. And so I really felt the obligation as Joel’s physician, as our team physician within our academic role, to be able to deliver a much more science-based stem cell program. So I worked with the FDA for two years, meaning we applied to get approval with the FTA and it took two years. And we developed a process with our lab at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine where we harvest your stem cells, grow them into the millions and then come back and inject them into the body. So the unique part is you have millions more cells, millions more growth factors, and you know exactly what’s going in your body.”
Bitonio was one of 16 patients, which includes other athletes, to receive this treatment, which was approved by the FDA for knees in Phase 1 of the trial. Voos said the goal moving forward to get approval to use the stem cell treatment in other joints.
“You have to start somewhere and knee injuries are the most prevalent in our athletes so we started with the knee,” said Voos, who is also executive director of the University Hospitals Haslam Sports Innovation Center where technologies and therapies are developed to elevate performance and increase longevity in athletes of all ages.
Hollywood time
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown should be ready to go when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil on Friday night.
Brown was limited to two regular-season games and the playoffs after sustaining a shoulder injury in the preseason last year. He sat out this preseason with foot and ankle problems.
“It’s easy to build chemistry with a guy like that,” Brown said about playing with Patrick Mahomes. “It’s basically feeling our speed and feeling (out) how I like to do things and from that point on, you know the guys, he gets it there.”
BEARS CORNERBACK JOHNSON HOPES TO BE READY FOR OPENER AGAINST VIKINGS, WON’T MAKE ANY GUARANTEES
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson hopes to be ready for the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on Monday night.
He just wasn’t ready to make any promises after missing all of training camp because of a groin injury he suffered while working out in the summer.
“I’m doing everything I can to play,” he said in his first comments since last spring. “I know I had a good workout this morning, so I’m feeling good, probably the best I felt all offseason — well, training camp, per se — but just trying to do everything I can to be back.”
Johnson said he was injured in “a freak accident” while working with some receivers in Las Vegas, and he knew immediately it was serious. He expected to be cleared for practice on Tuesday, when the Bears held more of a walkthrough. Whether he’ll play against Minnesota and an offense featuring one of the NFL’s best receivers in Justin Jefferson largely hinges on how he responds this week.
“Just depends on where my body’s at,” he said. “Because again, I’ve been out for six weeks, so hopefully my body responds fairly quickly and I can feel good. And with the staff, the training staff, (we’ll) figure out what’s the best plan.”
Coach Ben Johnson expressed concern that Johnson’s conditioning could be an issue, even if he is cleared to play. He also said the Bears want to do their best to make sure their star cornerback doesn’t reinjure himself.
“I know he’s feeling significantly better than obviously he was from the start,” Ben Johnson said. “We’ll see what he looks like moving around and hopefully take it from there. I know he’s excited to get back out with his teammates here soon.”
Jaylon Johnson acknowledged he needs practice reps.
“I like to say I can go out there and play,” he said. “But I mean, it’s definitely hard too. I feel like if we had a game today, it wouldn’t be a thing. But I think really this week will be important for me to get the pads back on, get practices under my belt, game speed, moving around, covering guys, communicating. I think that all will help me. But again, there’s not too much you can replicate in the game.”
The Bears made some big moves coming off a 5-12 season, most notably hiring Ben Johnson and remaking their offensive line. They believe they’re poised to be more competitive, and they won’t have to wait long to find out how they stack up against the top teams in the NFC North. Their first two opponents were a combined 29-5 last year, with a trip to Detroit following the opener against the Vikings.
Jaylon Johnson, beginning his sixth season, made the Pro Bowl the past two years. He has six of his seven career interceptions in that span.
With the Bears expected to play more man-to-man coverage, Johnson figures to spend more time shadowing the opposing team’s No. 1 receiver. Jefferson, a two-time All-Pro, would obviously pose a huge challenge even if Johnson was completely healthy.
As for whether he’s ready to shadow receivers?
“For this game, it’s hard to say,” Johnson said. “I feel like it would be a situation where we had to figure out what that game plan looks like. But, I mean, as far as what I’ve been doing, I know I’ve been putting a lot of work outside the facility as well, so I’m confident in that. But again, that would be something I’ll feel more so in the game, in that situation.”
Johnson agreed to a four-year, $76 million contract extension in March 2004. Several cornerbacks have since signed more lucrative deals. But Johnson insisted he wasn’t holding out and that his absence was strictly injury-related.
“You know me better than that. I never held out,” he said. “I haven’t ever done any of that. So I mean, for me, again, for the media, it’s a good play as far as the contract and the timing and things, but I’m not that type of cat.”
RECEIVER GABE DAVIS IS REJOINING THE BILLS AFTER AGREEING TO A PRACTICE-SQUAD DEAL, AP SOURCE SAYS
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills are bringing back another familiar face by agreeing to a deal with Gabe Davis that adds the receiver to the team’s practice squad, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the agreement, which was first reported by ESPN.
It’s uncertain when Davis will be cleared to play. The 26-year-old receiver, who spent his first four NFL seasons with Buffalo, is recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee after he got hurt in mid-November, ending his one season in Jacksonville.
Davis had 20 catches for 239 yards and two TDs for the Jaguars. He was released in May despite having two years remaining on a $39 million, three-year contract.
The agreement comes after Davis visited the Bills last week. He’s the latest former Bills player returning to Orchard Park, joining safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who were signed to the practice squad last week.
Selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Central Florida, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Davis eventually established himself as the team’s No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs.
QB DAK PRESCOTT SURPRISED COWBOYS TRADED MICAH PARSONS
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is one of the few players on the roster who knew precisely what it was like to be in Micah Parsons’ shoes in August.
Prescott was given some of the same lines during contract negotiations that Parsons heard from franchise owner Jerry Jones and the Dallas brass, specifically about performing in a contract year to earn another one with more security. There was friction between Jones and Prescott when the quarterback played the length of his rookie contract and subsequent franchise tag year before signing a four-year extension on the first game day of the 2024 season.
So when Jones pulled the plug and traded Parsons — a two-time All-Pro pass rusher — to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday, Prescott wasn’t shocked. But he was surprised it unraveled so suddenly.
“I can’t say I was completely surprised, but I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded, I’ll say that,” Prescott said. “But just with (how) their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent … it seemed like it got personal on their ends, so that’s why I wasn’t surprised.”
Prior to the trade, Prescott and head coach Brian Schottenheimer both expressed confidence Parsons would be on the field when the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles kick off the regular season on Thursday night. He said he’s glad not to be fielding questions about whether Parsons will play and is more comfortable knowing his former teammate is happy with the result.
“As much as anything, it’s good that a solution happened. Micah got paid, got paid very well,” Prescott said. “Great for him and his family. We’ll see him here in about a month. Just honestly glad that, I can’t say glad, but glad that we moved past that and everybody seems happy because of it.”
Parsons, 26, continues to deal with a back injury that could impact his availability in Week 1 and beyond. The Packers visit the Cowboys for a Sunday night game in Week 4 on Sept. 28.
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs still isn’t prepared to see Parsons in another uniform.
“I think everybody was surprised,” Diggs said of the trade. “I was really surprised, I really thought it was going to get done so we could just stay a family. Just him being here all his years, but unfortunately that’s not what God had for him.”
A Pro Bowl selection in each of his four seasons, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks through the first 63 games of his career. He was the 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft.
EAGLES PRO BOWL G LANDON DICKERSON PRACTICES AHEAD OF OPENER VS. COWBOYS
Philadelphia Eagles three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson returned to full practice on Tuesday after sitting out Monday because of a back issue.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said the back is Dickerson’s only health concern after he missed most of training camp due to an Aug. 10 right knee injury and resulting procedure.
The defending Super Bowl champions host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the season opener.
Philadelphia’s injury report had only one player not practicing, reserve quarterback Tanner McKee (fractured right thumb), meaning recently acquired Sam Howell likely will be the backup for starter Jalen Hurts.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulder), linebacker Josh Uche (groin) and safety Andrew Mukuba (hamstring) were full participants.
Dickerson, 26, went down while blocking on a pass play and remained on the field for several minutes during the Aug. 10 practice. After an MRI, he had a procedure on the meniscus in his right knee.
A second-round pick in 2021, Dickerson has started 62 of 63 regular-season games played for the Eagles. He has also started nine playoff games, including all four last season as Philadelphia won Super Bowl LIX.
He has established himself as an elite interior offensive lineman and collected Pro Bowl accolades each of the last three years. He earned a 79.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade last season, ranking 13th among 136 qualifying guards.
STEELERS RELEASE VETERAN WR ROBERT WOODS, REPORTEDLY AT HIS REQUEST
The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran wide receiver Robert Woods from the practice squad on Tuesday, reportedly at his request when he didn’t make the 53-man roster, according to NFL Network.
The 33-year-old Woods, going into his 13th season, was behind five receivers on the 53-man roster: Calvin Austin III, DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson.
Pittsburgh signed Woods to a one-year, $2 million contract as a free agent in April. He received a signing bonus of $745,000.
Woods played the past two seasons with the Houston Texans, catching 20 passes for 203 yards over 15 games (four starts) in 2024, but he did not have a receiving touchdown for the first time in his 12 NFL seasons.
Woods’ most productive seasons came with the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-21, catching 367 passes for 4,626 yards and 23 touchdowns while helping the team in an injury-shortened campaign to the Super Bowl LVI title in the 2021 season.
Over 171 career games (145 starts), Woods has 683 receptions for 8,233 yards and 38 touchdowns for the Buffalo Bills (2013-16), Rams, Tennessee Titans (2022) and Texans.
GIANTS LIST JAXSON DART AS QB2, NOT JAMEIS WINSTON
Rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart is listed as the backup quarterback behind New York Giants starter Russell Wilson on the team’s unofficial Week 1 depth chart.
Dart, selected 25th overall out of Ole Miss, is listed ahead of 10-year veteran Jameis Winston after a promising preseason and training camp. New York opens the regular season on Sunday on the road against the Washington Commanders.
The Giants had the day off Tuesday. Head coach Brian Daboll and Wilson are scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday.
Dart, 22, was 32-of-47 passing for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason and rushed for a TD against the New York Jets, igniting optimism around a position that became a trainwreck in 2024.
Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen moved on from Daniel Jones in November after he requested his release in response to being benched. Daboll and the Giants ran into more trouble when Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle failed to produce. New York lost 11 of its final 12 games in 2024, when it finished 3-14.
Daboll has committed to 36-year-old Wilson, a free-agent signee on his third team in three seasons, as the Giants’ starter. Wilson and Winston, 31, were signed for different roles, with Daboll and Schoen made clear early in the offseason.
