With the opening of training camps across the league, the NFL hasn’t been short on news this past week. There were finally new things to discover, ranging from position battles, contracts, and injuries for individual players to national headlines that dominated the sports conversation in recent days.

The NFL is the best reality show and it’s now back for the foreseeable future. Here are some things we learned for the week of August 1.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell officially appointed the former Attorney General of New Jersey, Peter C. Harvey, as his designee to hear the appeal of Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension on Thursday evening, as was his right in this new disciplinary process. Harvey has expertise in criminal law, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and has advised the NFL and other professional leagues on the development and implementation of workplace policies, including the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Harvey has also previously served as the commissioner’s designee in other arbitrations. The NFLPA announced they have filed their reply on Friday but there is no timetable yet for Harvey’s decision. It was reported this week that the NFL is likely still seeking an indefinite suspension with a minimum of one year for Watson’s violation of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy.
The Hall of Fame game was played Thursday night between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders ended up winning 27-11 but the most important thing is the game signified the official beginning of football.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has a throwing elbow tendon injury more commonly seen in baseball players. The Rams are limiting him this preseason as a result. It is yet to be determined if Los Angeles is downplaying an injury that has been lingering since what sounds like last season or if it really is just no big deal.
The Cowboys signed long-time Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr on Wednesday to a reported one-year deal worth up to $3 million. It’s been on the rumor mill for a while. Given Barr’s ties to George Edwards, who is currently on the Cowboys staff and was with Barr in Minnesota as his DC, this was a logical place for him to land. The Cowboys get some much-needed depth that will free up standout Micah Parsons to continue rushing the quarterback. Now if only they can get another receiver.
James Washington was carted off the field in Oxnard on Tuesday and the Cowboys fear he may have suffered a Jones fracture, per Adam Schefter. That would be a pretty big hit for Dallas given their now weirdly thin receiver corps. CeeDee Lamb is now the guy with Amari Cooper gone but Michael Gallup is going to miss at least part of the regular season. That leaves Noah Brown as the only other healthy wideout that has NFL playing experience. Lamb is the only one with an NFL touchdown under his belt in the wide receiver room.
The Ravens finally got David Ojabo under contract, signing his rookie deal on Tuesday, the team announced. All rookie deals are now done.
The Arizona Cardinals extended left tackle D.J. Humphries to a reported three-year $66.8 million extension with $34 million in guarantees. The entire team is built around quarterback Kyler Murray and after you gave him a $230.5 million extension, the Cardinals really have no choice. They brought in his former college teammate Marquise Brown, who was arrested for criminal speeding on Wednesday, by the way, and now they lock up his left tackle. Hopefully, Humphries can also help Murray with his ‘homework’.
Bad news Broncos as not one but two players tore their ACL in practice, including receiver-on-the-rise Tim Patrick and running back Damarea Crockett. Both are out for the season with reports that Patrick will undergo surgery on Tuesday. The good news is Denver still has a solid receiver corps: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and KJ Hamler lead the way as targets for quarterback Russell Wilson. But the receiver room definitely takes a hit with what Patrick could have turned into for them.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was issued a suspension and Miami was fined a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick for tampering. The league found evidence that Ross tampered with quarterback Tom Brady on three separate occasions while he was with two different teams, along with former Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. Ross is not allowed to be around the team or represent them until the end of October and will not be allowed at league meetings until 2023 and was fined $1.5 million. Owner-in-waiting Brandon Beal was also fined $500,000 for his role. This all came to light thanks to the lawsuit filed by former head coach Brian Flores. The league did not find evidence of ‘tanking’ as Flores alleged.
The possibility of the Chicago Bears moving Teven Jenkins surfaced Tuesday. Head Coach Matt Eberflus said in his post-practice press conference that Jenkins’ day-to-day status remains unchanged and he’s still working through an undisclosed injury with the trainers. He also quickly changed the subject to Thomas Graham Jr., the Bears’ second-year corner, who will miss a significant amount of time with a hamstring injury. The willingness to disclose other injury information unprompted raises some red flags. However, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy came out on Friday saying Jenkins has been participatory and ‘dialed in’ during meetings and once he works through his injury he’ll be ready to rejoin the team.