The last weekend of preseason may be in the books, but the NFL still managed to pack in a handful of headline-grabbing developments before the real thing begins. Aaron Donald is back with the Rams, roster cuts across the league have sent a few familiar names looking for work, and Green Bay suddenly has even more uncertainty hanging over its backfield.
Donald’s return is the biggest splash of the bunch. ESPN NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is signing a one-year, $20M deal with playoff incentives that could push the total to $30M.
Donald has not played since 2023, after spending his first 10 seasons with the franchise, but he has been working out ahead of the signing. There is still a chance he does not play a heavy snap load, and he could even sit out the Week 1 opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept.
10 (U.S. time).
Even so, his presence changes the picture in Los Angeles. The Rams were already being viewed as Super Bowl threats at +550, per FanDuel, and Donald only strengthens that case. He now joins fellow defensive star Myles Garrett, who broke the NFL’s single-season sacks record in 2025 with 23, and he brings the kind of championship résumé that tends to matter most when the stakes rise.
Sunday also brought the league’s roster deadline, with teams cutting down to 53 and several players landing on the wrong side of the numbers. Among the biggest names let go were quarterback Will Levis, wide receiver Mecole Hardman, defensive tackle Mazi Smith, QB Bailey Zappe and running back Jaydon Blue.
Levis was once viewed as a potential early draft pick before sliding to No. 33 in the second round in 2023. His run never really found stability at head coach, and he finished 5-16 in 21 regular-season games before being replaced by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Hardman’s path has been rocky too. After a difficult lone season with the Buffalo Bills in 2025, he remains far removed from the player who caught the game-winning touchdown in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII win over the 49ers.
The Cowboys made a notable call of their own, releasing backup quarterback Joe Milton III despite a preseason that saw him go 29-of-43 for 378 yards and three touchdowns. Dallas is instead taking its chances with Sam Howell.
And in Minnesota, J.J. McCarthy is still listed as QB2, though the former first-rounder’s future remains uncertain.
In Green Bay, the concern is on a different part of the depth chart. The Packers were already dealing with the news that All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons would start the season on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list after tearing his ACL and damaging his meniscus last season. Then came Sunday’s update on running back Josh Jacobs, who will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after being charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property stemming from his May arrest in Wisconsin.
That leaves Jordan Love with plenty of pressure and a lot of questions behind him. Green Bay traded for former Steeler Kaleb Johnson and is banking on MarShawn Lloyd staying healthy, but the uncertainty at running back is impossible to miss as the Packers head toward the start of the season.
In Other News...
Packers Finalize Their QB3 Plan After Kyle McCord Decision
The Packers have settled on their third-quarterback plan, bringing in former Cardinals passer Kedon Slovis to join the practice squad behind Jordan Love and Tyrod Taylor. General manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed the move in a press conference, giving Green Bay a little more clarity at a position where depth can disappear quickly over the course of a season.
Slovis also comes with a familiar face from the preseason, having played against the Packers in the finale before ending up on their side of the roster decisions. His path has been anything but straightforward, with stops across multiple teams and colleges before landing in Green Bay, and the Packers are now betting that experience can help stabilize the back end of the quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Still Have One Clear Standard For No. 56
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Still, the standard most Packers fans seem to land on is Nick Barnett, whose eight seasons gave the number its most dependable and complete identity. Barnetts production was steady from year to year, and his 789 tackles and a memorable interception return gave No. 56 the kind of sustained impact that tends to stick in a fan bases memory long after the flashier cases have faded. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Emergency Running Back Plan Is Already Drawing The Wrong Debate
When Josh Jacobs landed on the Commissioners Exempt List, Green Bay had to move quickly to stabilize the backfield, and the front office settled on Kaleb Johnson, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the kind of emergency swing teams make when the season is already moving, with the Packers needing a back who could step in and help absorb snaps while the situation around Jacobs plays out.
The wrinkle is that Johnson was not the only name under consideration. Tyrone Tracy Jr. of the New York Giants was viewed as a possible alternative, but he stayed put after a late preseason performance that helped cement his spot. Tracy also dealt with a minor injury in a recent game before returning to the sideline, while Johnson arrives in Green Bay with limited NFL experience and production, which has already pushed the conversation toward what the Packers might have preferred instead of the player they actually got. [Read more 🡒]