All 32 franchises have taken the field as the inaugural full week of NFL pre‑season rolls out on Sky Sports, and three compelling narratives are already emerging as the league gears up for the 2026 campaign. First, the name that dominates every conversation about the upcoming season is Aaron Donald, even though the former Rams defensive stalwart stepped away from the game more than two years ago. Widely hailed as one of the all‑time greats on the defensive line, Donald has been hinted at a possible comeback after the Rams bolstered their front four by acquiring last season’s sack leader Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns.
The prospect of pairing two elite pass‑rushers on the same defensive front has ignited excitement among Los Angeles fans. Donald, a three‑time Defensive Player of the Year, participated in a private workout with the Rams in August. While the session went well, head coach Sean McVay has deliberately kept the situation low‑key, emphasizing that the team does not want to add any extra pressure while Donald evaluates his health and readiness. "He looked great and he’s still going through his process," McVay said.
"We’ve had a plan for a while, and the workout was one of those pieces. He feels good, but we’re not at the point where we can say definitively if he’s ready to return. He performed outstandingly, as we all expected." With only four weeks left before the regular season tip‑off, the Rams and their fan base remain on edge as Donald weighs a potential return that could reshape the defensive line and give Los Angeles a formidable edge. The second storyline centers on the quarterback battle in Cleveland.
New head coach Todd Monken has set up a clear contest between veteran Deshaun Watson and rookie Shedeur Sanders for the starting role. In the Browns’ pre‑season opener against the Chicago Bears, Monken elected to start Watson, handing Sanders the second‑half duties. Monken later confirmed that Sanders will receive the start in the following pre‑season game against the Buffalo Bills, leaving the ultimate decision for week one of the regular season wide open. "We’ll see both of them," Monken explained.
"One starts this week, the other starts next week." Watson and Sanders are at opposite points in their careers. The 30‑year‑old Watson has endured a tumultuous tenure with the Browns, marked by a series of injuries and off‑field controversies.
Acquired in 2022 on a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, he suffered a season‑ending shoulder injury in 2023 and then ruptured his Achilles tendon twice in the following year. In addition, Watson faced an 11‑game NFL suspension in 2022 after allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he denied; the league ultimately found insufficient evidence to uphold a personal‑conduct violation. His upcoming snaps against Chicago will be his first live action since October 20, 2024—a gap of 22 months. Sanders, the son of Hall‑of‑Famer Deion Sanders, showed flashes of potential during his rookie season in 2025, starting seven games and compiling 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and ten interceptions.
Those numbers pale in comparison to Watson’s 2020 peak, when he led the league with 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns and just seven picks. Nevertheless, the Browns’ remaining pre‑season contests will be pivotal in determining which quarterback earns the nod for 2026, and the outcome could set the trajectory for both players’ futures. The third narrative follows veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins as he attempts to retain his starting job with the Las Vegas Raiders amid a generational shift. Cousins, now in his 15th NFL season, has been the Raiders’ primary signal‑caller throughout summer training camp and is slated to start the season‑opening game on September 13 against the Miami Dolphins.
However, the franchise’s top draft pick, No. 1 overall selection Fernando Mendoza, is looming as a potential heir apparent.
Mendoza arrived in Las Vegas after a standout college career at Indiana, where he captured the Heisman Trophy and guided the Hoosiers to their first national championship. Despite his collegiate accolades, he is expected to begin the professional year as the backup, working with the second‑team offense in camp. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak praised Mendoza’s development, noting, "He’s continuing to grow.
It’s been a really impressive training camp in terms of preparation, and he’s translating that work into practice. Things don’t happen on paper exactly as they do on the field, and I think he’s adjusted well." Cousins comes into the Raiders after a season with the Atlanta Falcons that was marred by injuries but still yielded respectable production—1,721 passing yards, ten touchdowns and five interceptions. While he has a solid chance to remain the starter throughout the 2026 campaign, the long‑term outlook for the franchise will likely hinge on Mendoza’s progression, and this pre‑season offers the Indiana phenom his first taste of NFL competition.
Fans can catch all four weeks of pre‑season action live on Sky Sports, including the season‑opening Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on September 10. For those who prefer streaming without a contract, the NOW platform provides contract‑free access to NFL games and a broader slate of sports content. The pre‑season period not only serves as a proving ground for established stars and rising talents alike but also sets the stage for the storylines that will define the 2026 NFL season.