The Cardinals passed on making any waiver claims after roster cuts, and head coach Mike LaFleur made it clear that decision wasn’t about sitting still for the sake of it. It was about whether anyone on the wire truly represented a real upgrade.
“Well, I wouldn’t say (that, but) … yes we do like who we have, but you’re always trying to upgrade the roster,” LaFleur said, via CardsWire. “But you have to say, ‘Is this guy one do we think he is going to upgrade the roster?’
and two if it’s close; the time on task that you have with the guys currently in the building compared to a guy coming off the street that has to learn our building, have to learn the coach, have to learn the scheme, all those kind of things. So, there’s a lot that goes into it to decide if you’re going to swap someone out.”
In Los Angeles, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Aaron Donald was lined up to earn $30 million in the final year of his Rams deal before retiring. Under a revised 2026 contract, Breer wrote that Donald would have a $10 million base salary, plus another $10 million in active-roster bonuses and a final $10 million tied to playing time and playoff incentives.
Breer also expects Donald to be on the field for 30-40 snaps per game. And while there has been discussion about the veteran waiting until October or November to return, Breer said Donald wants to “be a part of the journey in full.”
Out in Seattle, the Seahawks moved forward with signing CB Terrion Arnold even though he is facing eight felony charges tied to an alleged kidnapping and armed robbery case. GM John Schneider said the team was comfortable making the move because Arnold’s character didn’t line up with the allegations.
“There is a ton of different factors that went into it,” Schneider said, via PFT. “Obviously, the legal stuff has to take care of itself, and we totally respect that.
There are tons of different buckets to this situation. Just the advocates that we had, you know.
We traded for Leon Washington the first year that we were here, and he’s basically like his father. Leon [Washington] will always be a legend here, and he has a great relationship with the organization.
The character just didn’t really fit with the allegations and everybody we’ve talked to. But yes, there’s a long-term play.
This isn’t a, ‘Let’s see how quickly we can get this done.’ Let’s get him in the building and see how it goes.”
In Other News...
Seahawks Added An Intriguing New Piece To Their Secondary Right Away
The Seahawks wasted little time adding another name to a secondary that has long been one of the more watched parts of the roster. Seattle picked up rookie cornerback Avery Smith from the Chargers shortly before the NFL roster cutdown deadline, a move that immediately drew attention because he arrived as an undrafted rookie and as part of a position group the team has repeatedly tried to keep fresh with young talent.
Smith said he was surprised to be traded before the regular season began, which only added to the curiosity around the move. For a team with a history of finding notable defensive backs and a fan base that tends to follow every cornerback addition closely, the trade sparked plenty of reaction and left Seahawks followers wondering how quickly the newcomer can carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Face An Early Defensive Problem With Real Stakes
The Seahawks may be heading into Week 1 with an unexpected hole on defense, as Nick Emmanwori is considered iffy at best for the opener against the Patriots after an ankle injury that required offseason surgery. Seattle had been counting on him to be part of the early-season mix, and his availability is already in question before the regular season even gets going.
A longer absence would matter even more because the next game comes quickly against the Cardinals, and no final decisions have been made on how long this could linger. If Emmanwori cannot go, rookie Avery Smith is the likeliest candidate to handle the nickel cornerback job, turning an early injury concern into a real test for a secondary that may have to adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Need A Familiar Answer In The Secondary
The Seahawks have added a familiar face back into the mix in the secondary, bringing veteran safety DAnthony Bell onto the practice squad after his earlier run with the team this season. Bell spent most of 2025 in Seattle before brief stops with the Panthers, and his return gives the defense a player who already knows the system and the expectations that come with it.
Seattles need at safety has grown with injuries thinning the group, which makes Bells arrival more than just a routine roster shuffle. For a team trying to steady the back end of the defense, having a known option on hand can matter quickly, even if the bigger question around the secondary still needs a longer-term answer. [Read more 🡒]