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Another week has come and gone in the NFL, with the unfortunate reality of roster cuts quickly approaching this weekend.
By Sunday night at 6 p.m. ET, all 32 teams must cut their rosters down from 90 to 53 players. Before we get there, though, there are still a handful of preseason games to be played—12, to be exact, following Thursday night’s four contests—and plenty of news to parse through.
From rule changes, trades, contract extensions and more, here are seven things you may have missed around the league this week.
The Pro Bowl is officially dead
In a decision that was likely years in the making, the NFL has officially done away with the Pro Bowl Games.
According to multiple reports, the league has decided to eliminate its annual all-star showcase and will “shift to celebrating the honor of being a Pro Bowl selection” beginning with the 2026 season.
RELATED: Five Moves That Led to the Pro Bowl’s Demise
With that, the NFL is keeping the Pro Bowl honor and will highlight 88 selections as the best players on offense, defense and special teams across both conferences—with no alternates—and fans continuing to have a say. Coaches, players and fans will continue to each make up 33.3% of the vote.
“Smart to move on from the game,” an NFC coach told Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano this week. “I like fans having a vote. All-Pro will always mean more anyway. But the fans matter, and that’s why the sport is as popular as it is.”
<section data-block="SingleChoice"><h2>Did the NFL make the right call eliminating the Pro Bowl?</h2><p><p><span style="font-size: 12px;">Make your pick and continue to the final results page to see how your answer compares</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"> ➡️</span></p></p><ul><li>Yes</li><li>No</li></ul></section>
NFL makes changes to in-game fine system
The way the NFL fines players for on-field incidents is getting a makeover in 2026.
As explained by SI’s Eva Geitheim, the league will still fine players for on-field infractions like using their helmet or roughing the passer, but will now put a greater emphasis on the following five penalties:
- Hip drop tackles
- Horse collar tackles
- Launching
- Hit on a defenseless player
- Blindside block
Additionally, if a player commits any of these fouls three times in a season, they will be suspended for one game.
Colts activate WR Alec Pierce off PUP list
The Colts made a major roster move this week ahead of the regular season, activating wide receiver Alec Pierce off the physically unable to perform list.
Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million contract with Indianapolis this offseason before undergoing surgery to repair an ankle injury that plagued him down the stretch of last year.
Still, the 26-year-old notched career-highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (1,005) in 2025, and has led the league in yards per reception over the past two seasons.
“We have two weeks to get him ramped up,” coach Shane Steichen said of Pierce’s return on Thursday. “He’s a veteran. He’s a pro. I know he’s going to handle it the right way. We’ll be smart as we ramp him up and get him ready for Week 1.”
The Colts open the 2026 season at home against the Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 13, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET.
Leonard Williams inks massive contract extension with Seahawks
Death, taxes and the Seahawks signing an integral piece of their roster to a contract extension.
As reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Seattle and defensive tackle Leonard Williams have agreed to terms on a three-year, $90 million deal. The pact includes $56 million guaranteed and keeps him with the club through the 2029 season.
Williams, 32, has notched 61.5 sacks over his 11-year career with the Jets, Giants and Seahawks, and in 2025 earned a second-team All-Pro nod while helping Seattle win its second Super Bowl title. According to ESPN, Williams is tied for the most run-stop wins when double-teamed over the past three years with 120. We at SI named him the seventh-best defensive tackle in the sport heading into this season.
A well-deserved extension.
Patriots trade WR Kayshon Boutte to Texans
The Texans went to the trade market this week to find their Jayden Higgins replacement.
Just days after their 23-year-old wide receiver tore his ACL at a joint practice with the Raiders, Houston acquired fourth-year pro Kayshon Boutte from the Patriots, sending safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick to New England to do so.
RELATED: Five Player Who Could Still Be Traded Ahead of 2026 Season
You can read my grades for the move here, but as a synopsis: The Texans are adding a high-quality player in Boutte, who developed into Drake Maye’s top deep threat last season, to C.J. Stroud’s weaponry alongside veteran Nico Collins—and only had to give up a depth piece from their loaded secondary and a late-round pick in 2028 to do so.
Josh Jacobs charged with two misdemeanors related to May arrest
Packers running back Josh Jacobs was charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property on Thursday in Wisconsin, stemming from an alleged domestic incident with his girlfriend this past spring.
Jacobs was arrested in May on five charges (battery/domestic abuse, criminal damage to property/domestic abuse, disorderly conduct/domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation and intimidation of a victim) after police were dispatched to a disturbance at his Hobart, Wisc., home. The 28-year-old spent a night in jail before the charges were dropped the next day.
The NFL is “closely monitoring all developments in the matter,” league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said Thursday, before adding that the situation remains under review. Green Bay has stated that they are aware of the charges, while general manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier this week that the team could opt to keep an extra running back on its roster in case Jacobs starts the season with a suspension.
Dolphins send WR Tutu Atwell back to Rams in player-for-player trade
Tutu Atwell is headed back to the Rams.
After signing with the Dolphins on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, the 26-year-old was traded back to Los Angeles on Thursday. Miami received running back Jarquez Hunter in return.
Atwell spent his first five NFL seasons with the Rams, winning Super Bowl LVI with the club and hauling in 105 receptions for 1,535 yards and five touchdowns. He now returns to the team that drafted him in 2021 for a chance at another Lombardi Trophy.
Hunter, meanwhile, was a fourth-round pick by L.A. in 2025. He joins a Dolphins running back room alongside De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II.
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MIKE KADLICK
Mike Kadlick is a senior NFL news writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.
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