NFL Player News

Stick is slated to start Saturday's preseason game against the Rams, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Stick also got the start in the Chargers' preseason opener against the Seahawks and will get the nod again this weekend after turning in a good week of practice, according to coach Jim Harbaugh. Of late, Stick has been filling in for franchise QB Justin Herbert, who's working his way back from a plantar fascia injury in his right foot.

The Vikings signed Corral to a contract Friday.

Corral signing with Minnesota corresponds to the team's official placement of rookie No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy (knee) on season-ending injured reserve. A 2022 third-round pick, Corral began his NFL career with the Panthers but missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury. He then spent some time developing with the Patriots and saw some action this spring with the UFL's Birmingham Stallions, but he's still waiting on an opportunity to make his official NFL debut. He now gets a chance to compete with Jaren Hall for a role in the quarterback room behind Week 1 starter Sam Darnold and journeyman backup Nick Mullens.

The Vikings placed McCarthy (knee) on injured reserve Friday.

Minnesota signed quarterback Matt Corral in a corresponding transaction. Head coach Kevin O'Connell had already ruled McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in April's draft, out for the season, so his official placement on injured reserve was expected. McCarthy will turn his attention to making a recovery from the surgery he underwent Wednesday to make a full repair of the meniscus in his right knee, while the Vikings turn to Sam Darnold as the Week 1 starter. Corral joins Nick Mullens and second-year quarterback Jaren Hall behind Darnold on the depth chart.

Rattler said after Friday's practice that his bruised thigh now is 100 percent, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

Rattler completed nine of 17 passes for 70 yards and notched two carries for eight yards and one touchdown in his pro debut this past Saturday in Arizona, but he emerged from the preseason contest with a thigh injury and subsequently didn't practice Sunday. He returned to drills Tuesday, and by Friday he was operating as he normally would. It's unclear how the QB reps will break down for this Sunday's exhibition at San Francisco, but Rattler likely is in line for another significant workload, even if Derek Carr and Jake Haener make appearances.

Coach Sean Payton said Friday that Nix will start Sunday's preseason game against the Packers, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Payton's comments confirm the plan he proposed ahead of Denver's preseason opener last week, which Jarrett Stidham started. Nix, who completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown while rushing three times for 17 yards versus the Colts last week, will work with the first-team offense against Green Bay on Sunday. Stidham will then enter the contest, followed by Zach Wilson.

The Bills plan to play Allen and the starting offense for roughly a quarter and a half during Saturday's preseason matchup against the Steelers, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Allen played the first quarter of last week's exhibition matchup against the Bears, in which he completed two of three passes for 22 yards and rushed once for seven yards. The star quarterback looks set for a slight uptick in on-field reps Saturday, and that could increase further during Buffalo's preseason finale against the Panthers on Aug. 24. Allen is working to build chemistry with a revamped wide receiver corps headlined by rookie second-rounder Keon Coleman, incumbent Khalil Shakir, and Curtis Samuel.

Following Thursday's 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles, which Brissett started, coach Jerod Mayo noted that the competition for the team's starting QB job "definitely isn't over," Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.

Per Mayo, rookie signal caller Drake Maye -- who has been the No. 2 option throughout training camp -- "definitely took a step forward" during his four-series stint in Thursday's contest. Meanwhile, Brissett wasn't sharp in his three series versus Philadelphia, which sets the stage for both players to see action in New England's exhibition finale against the Commanders on Aug. 25. Mayo said in July that Maye could get the Week 1 start if he "lights it up" in practice and the preseason.

Coach Jerod Mayo said Friday that Mayo has made strides and is competing for the Week 1 starting job, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Jacoby Brissett has taken most of the first-team practice reps in practice and started the first two preseason games, but his performance in the preseason hasn't helped his cause, with the veteran completing three of 10 passes for 17 yards and throwing an ugly end-zone interception. While Maye's passing stats haven't been great -- 8-for-14 for 66 yards, with no TDs or INTs -- he was much better than Brissett in Thursday's 14-13 loss to the Eagles, running for a TD in the second quarter and later throwing a perfect deep ball that was dropped by fellow rookie Javon Baker. Mayo said he'll talk with the rest of the coaching staff Friday before deciding if it's time to give Maye more first-team reps in practice, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports. Mayo also hinted at more playing time to come in the final week of the preseason, saying, "I think the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to jell, and that's what we're going to do."

Maye completed six of 11 passes for 47 yards while rushing four times for 15 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles.

Maye played the second and third quarters after Jacoby Brissett mustered only three completions, no points and an interception in three first-quarter drives. While Maye was only marginally better with his arm, the rookie third overall pick showed off his wheels by running in a four-yard touchdown on an option play in the second quarter. Maye's inability to add points in the third quarter showed why Brissett remains the favorite to open the regular season as the starter under center, but neither quarterback has exactly seized the job heading into the Aug. 25 preseason finale against the Commanders.

Brissett started Thursday's 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles and completed three of seven passes for 17 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Brissett played the first three drives before giving way to Drake Maye, who led the offense to a field goal on his first possession and added a rushing touchdown later in the second quarter. While Maye is still adjusting to the NFL after being drafted third overall in 2024, it was Brissett who made a rookie mistake on the Patriots' second drive, throwing an interception in the end zone. Brissett's edge in experience (48 regular-season starts) is the reason that he's favored to be New England's Week 1 starter, but he hasn't bolstered his case by completing only three of 10 passes through two preseason games, so the veteran quarterback may still have something to prove in the team's preseason finale against Washington on Aug. 25.