All 32 clubs have taken the field as the opening full week of NFL pre‑season kicks off on Sky Sports, and three compelling narratives are already shaping up 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 officially stepped away from the game more than two years ago, speculation about his possible return has reignited.
Donald, widely hailed as one of the all‑time greats on defense, has been linked to a comeback after the Rams bolstered their line by acquiring last year’s sack leader Myles Garrett from Cleveland. The prospect of pairing Donald’s relentless interior pressure with Garrett’s edge rush creates a tantalising vision of a dominant front four. The three‑time Defensive Player of the Year participated in a private workout with the Rams in August, but he has not yet announced a decision.
Head coach Sean McVay has been careful to shield Donald from excess scrutiny, emphasizing that the veteran is simply "going through his process." McVay said, "He looked great, and he's still continuing to go through his process. No new news on that front. We've had a plan in place for a while, and the workout was one of those things.
He's feeling good, but we're not at the point where we can say he's ready or not. But he's doing great, and he looked outstanding, as I think all of us would expect." With just four weeks remaining before the regular season tip‑off, the league and fans alike are left waiting to see whether Donald will surprise everyone by lacing up his cleats again. His potential return could reshape the Rams’ defensive identity and influence the broader balance of power in the NFC West. The second storyline revolves around the quarterback battle in Cleveland.
New head coach Todd Monken has turned the preseason into a live audition for two very different signal‑callers: veteran Deshaun Watson and rookie Shedeur Sanders, the son of Hall‑of‑Famer Deion Sanders. Monken started Watson in the Browns’ opening preseason matchup against the Chicago Bears, handing the second half over to Sanders. He later confirmed that Sanders will get the start in the following game against the Buffalo Bills, making it clear that both players will see meaningful snaps before the regular season begins. Watson, now 30, has endured a tumultuous tenure with the Browns.
Acquired in 2022 on a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, his time in Cleveland has been marred by injuries—a season‑ending shoulder issue in 2023 followed by two Achilles ruptures the next year. Off‑field controversy also shadowed his career; in 2022 the NFL suspended him for 11 games after allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied, and an investigation ultimately found insufficient evidence to uphold a personal‑conduct violation.
Watson’s first snaps this preseason will be his first live action since October 20, 2024, a gap of 22 months. In contrast, Shedeur Sanders entered the league with a high‑profile pedigree but modest production.
After starting seven games as a rookie in 2025, he posted 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and ten interceptions—numbers that fall well short of Watson’s 2020 peak, when the veteran threw for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Nevertheless, Sanders displayed flashes of poise and arm strength that keep the Browns’ front office intrigued.
The next four preseason contests will be decisive in determining which quarterback earns the starting role for week one and could set the trajectory for both players’ careers moving forward. The third narrative centers on the quarterback situation in Las Vegas. Veteran Kirk Cousins, now in his 15th NFL season, is tasked with retaining the starting job for the Raiders while the franchise’s No.
1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, looms as the future heir apparent. Cousins has already taken the helm of the first‑team offense this summer and is expected to start when the Raiders open the season against the Miami Dolphins on September 13.
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to its first national championship, was selected first overall and is projected to begin his rookie year as a backup, learning the pro game from the sidelines and the second‑team offense during training camp. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak praised Mendoza’s rapid development, noting, "[Mendoza] is continuing to grow.
It's been a really impressive training camp as far as how he's prepared, and then he goes out there to practice. Things don't happen on the paper, the playbook, exactly how they do on the field. I think he's done a good job of adjusting." Cousins arrived in Las Vegas after an injury‑plagued season with the Atlanta Falcons, where he posted 1,721 passing yards, ten touchdowns and five interceptions. While he still has a realistic chance to retain the starting role throughout the 2026 campaign, the long‑term direction of the Raiders will likely hinge on Mendoza’s progression.
This preseason offers the Indiana phenom his first taste of NFL competition and a chance to demonstrate that he can transition his collegiate success to the professional level. Fans can catch every preseason game live on Sky Sports, with the schedule culminating in a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on September 10. For those who prefer streaming, the NOW platform provides contract‑free access to all NFL action, alongside other sports content. The preseason may be a series of exhibition contests, but the storylines emerging now—Donald’s potential comeback, the Browns’ quarterback duel, and the Raiders’ veteran‑vs‑rookie battle—promise to shape the narrative of the 2026 NFL season long before the regular‑season kickoff.