"It's clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day," Howell said in a statement. "For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.

"I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years. I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football's future."

Last week, ESPN reported that Howell held a part-time role as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of a small handful of private equity firms that the NFL has approved to pursue minority ownership in franchises.

ESPN's reporting included a former lead outside counsel for the NFLPA, Jim Quinn, calling it "an outrageous conflict for the head of a labor union to have an interest in a third party that is aligned with the NFL."

It was not the first blow to Howell's reputation this offseason. In June, the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast published an arbitrator's report from January, when the NFLPA and the league were at odds over potential collusion by team owners to tamp down the growth of quarterback contracts.

The arbitrator, Christopher Droney, ruled that there wasn't sufficient evidence of collusion between owners -- but he went on to say that "by a clear preponderance of the evidence," commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL's general counsel encouraged owners to restrict guaranteed money in player contracts.

Howell and the union reportedly had a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to keep the full report from getting out. Howell briefed the players but didn't provide them copies of the report, according to ESPN.

Furthermore, Howell sits on the board of OneTeam Partners, a group licensing firm that is under investigation by the FBI.

The move to the PUP list means Onwuzurike will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season.

The Lions didn't divulge the nature of Onwuzurike's injury.

Onwuzurike, 27, started 10 of 16 games played last season and had 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He has 3.5 sacks in 42 games with Detroit since joining the club in 2021.

He missed the 2022 season with a major back injury.

The Lions also placed longtime starting left tackle Taylor Decker on the active/physically unable to perform list. Decker has started all 126 games played for the team since joining the franchise in 2016.

Again, Detroit didn't detail specifics about Decker's injury.

Detroit also placed cornerback Khalil Dorsey, guard Miles Frazier, standout defensive tackle Alim McNeill, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo on the same list. McNeill and Wingo each sustained season-ending knee injuries in 2024 with McNeill starting a four-year, $97 million extension this season.

In addition, the Lions placed defensive end John Paschal and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver on the active/non-football injury list and released running back Anthony Tyus.

The $41 million per year average will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, topping the $40 million average that Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett agreed to earlier this offseason.

Thursday's news will put a bow on contract talks that spanned several months.

Watt, 30, initially caused a stir over social media in April by posting a picture in which he flashed two fingers. That left plenty open to interpretation about his future with the Steelers, with many questioning if he essentially was saying "peace out" to the team that selected him with the 30th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft?

Watt, is entering the final season of a four-year, $112 million extension he signed in 2021. He will receive $21.05 million in 2025.

A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Watt recorded 11.5 sacks last season to reach double digits for the sixth time in his eight-year career. He also registered an NFL-best six forced fumbles in 17 games.

Watt has 108 career sacks in 121 games (all starts) with Pittsburgh. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he had a career-high 22.5 sacks to match the official league record (since 1982).

Williams, 30, was placed on the physically unable to perform list earlier this week.

Injuries have been a common occurrence for Williams since he was selected by the Chargers with the seventh overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He injured his back in both 2017 and 2022 and sustained a torn ACL in 2023, an injury that likely limited him in 2024 when he split 18 games with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Williams totaled just 21 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown last season. He had 12 receptions for 166 yards in nine games (three starts) with the Jets before being traded to the Steelers for a fifth-round pick of the 2025 draft.

Williams, who returned to the Chargers in free agency, also was expected to face competition from unsigned wide receiver Tre Harris out of Ole Miss. The latter was selected by the Chargers in the second round of the 2025 draft.

Williams caught 330 passes for 5,104 yards and 32 touchdowns in 106 career games (67 starts) with the Chargers, Jets and Steelers.

Also on Thursday, the Chargers signed offensive tackle Ryan Nelson, who appeared in 28 games (22 starts) over the last three seasons with the UFL's Michigan Panthers

Richardson did not participate in a minicamp last month after the team said he was experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired throwing shoulder.

He had season-ending surgery to repair his right AC joint in October 2023 and has been limited to 15 starts since the Colts drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023.

Richardson sought outside medical opinions from experts who agreed with the Colts' cautionary approach to this offseason. He has been working with personal coaches in Florida and throwing with velocity, ESPN reported.

It's possible that Richardson could be on a pitch count early in training camp to allow him time to get up to speed, per the report. Players are required to report by Tuesday.

Richardson, 23, faces competition from former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones, who signed a one-year deal for $14 million in March.

Richardson's accuracy and durability will be in the spotlight entering Year 3. In 15 career starts, he has completed 176 of 348 pass attempts (50.6 percent) for 2,391 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The mobile QB has 635 rushing yards and 10 additional scores.

The sentence followed his guilty plea to two third-degree felony counts: collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.

The Dallas district court judge who issued the sentence ruled Rice's jail time can be served at any juncture during his five-year probation.

Per ESPN, Rice likely will be suspended by the NFL for multiple games after the Lamborghini SUV the wideout was driving struck a retaining wall in what the police called a "chain reaction collision" on March 30, 2024. The end result was a six-car crash in Dallas that left seven people with injuries.

Police said Rice was going as fast as 119 mph on a Dallas freeway.

"Last March, I was involved in a high-speed accident in Dallas," Rice said in a statement released by his attorney, Royce West. "There have been a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole. I urge everyone to mind the speed limit, drive safe and drive smart. Last and certainly not least, I am profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property. I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families."

He has paid more than $115,000 in restitution to the victims for their medical expenses, the Dallas County District Attorney's office said.

Rice is continuing his recovery following season-ending surgery on his injured right knee. He sustained the injury after colliding with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in a Week 4 road win against the Los Angeles Chargers last season.

A second-round draft pick in 2023, Rice set the Chiefs' rookie record for receiving touchdowns (seven) and receptions (79) that season. Rice recorded the second-most receiving yards by a rookie in Chiefs history (938), trailing only Dwayne Bowe (995 in 2007).

Rice, 25, caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four starts last season before his injury.

"I'm just going to get mine no matter what," Parsons said at his youth football camp. "You know what I mean? Like, the markets change every year. Their salary cap went up, like, another 18 percent this year. So, if you want to know contracts, all the contracts are based off of percentage. Like, each player, a high-paid player, takes a percentage of the salary cap. So, it's not really the number. It goes off by the salary cap."

To Parsons' point, the Cowboys have been here before.

The waiting game ending with new contracts last summer for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott pushed to the top of the market at both positions.

Parsons, a two-time All-Pro pick with 12 sacks or more in each of his first four seasons, committed to being a part of the Cowboys' offseason and summer while waiting for his deal to be finalized. He said a coaching change, from Mike McCarthy to Brian Schottenheimer, and the arrival of new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus factored into his decision to be around the team.

That doesn't mean he'll be on the field when the Cowboys start training camp. But Parsons pointed to owner Jerry Jones as the one with the power to determine just how quickly peace is restored.

"We obviously wanted to get done early," Parsons said on the "Six Feet Under" podcast.

"We want that relief off our backs. But, obviously, ownership is always gonna make it drag out -- make it more complicated than it has to be. Lack of communication and that standpoint. But, you know, I just always say, God has me this far, he ain't done with me yet, so, you know, I just keep working, keep going, and then when it comes, I'm gonna be ready. But, you know, ain't gonna be no drop off."

Both sides know the cost of signing Parsons will not decrease. The Browns gave pass rusher Myles Garrett $40 million per season and more than $123 million guaranteed on a four-year deal in March. The Raiders signed pass rusher Maxx Crosby to a three-year extension worth $35.5 million per season and $91.5 million guaranteed.

Parsons isn't afraid to point out the cost of the Cowboys playing the waiting game.

"We wanted to do the contract last year," Parsons said. "They were just kind of like, 'We want to do Dak and CeeDee.' Then you go out there and perform again and, you know, you would think, like, alright, we'll get it done early. We know there's some guys that's about to get ready to get repaid, like Myles (Garrett), you know, Maxx (Crosby) is gone. So you'd think like, hey, let's get ahead of that, you know what I mean?"

A three-time All-Pro, Miller shared the news with a visual -- wearing a No. 24 Commanders uniform -- on social media, but the move was not official as of Thursday morning.

"DC... What's good??," Miller's post to Instagram read.

ESPN reported the deal was almost finished and NFL Network cited sources calling the contract all but done.

Miller, 36, is the NFL's active leader in sacks with 129.5, but injuries and age are undeniable factors.

Washington had 43 total sacks last season led by Donte Fowler (10.5) and linebacker Frankie Luvu (8.0).

Miller was released by the Buffalo Bills in March. He had 6.0 sacks last season and has won the Super Bowl twice, once with the team that drafted him -- the Denver Broncos -- and also with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Commanders acquired proven Pro Bowl talent in the offseason, trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, after reaching the NFC Championship game in head coach Dan Quinn's first season in Washington.

Miller had 110.5 sacks in his first 10 seasons with the Broncos, who drafted him No. 2 overall out of Texas A&M in 2011. He was Defensive Rookie of the Year and later the Super Bowl 50 MVP when the Broncos defeated Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

In three seasons with the Bills, Miller never played in more than 13 games. The Bills signed him to a six-year, $120 million deal in 2022.

An undrafted free agent out of West Texas A&M, Braman entered the league in 2011 with the Houston Texans. He played three seasons there before spending the next four years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played at Idaho and Long Beach City College.

Braman's final game was Super Bowl LII as a member of the Eagles, who defeated the New England Patriots. He proudly celebrated in the postgame celebration holding his daughters, Blakely (now 11) and Marlowe (eight), who survive Braman.

Braman said after retirement that winning the Super Bowl win and his daughters were "the three greatest accomplishments in my life."

Braman's agent, Sean Stellato, and former Texans teammate J.J. Watt commented on Braman's death on Thursday.

"Rest in Peace brother," Watt wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Gone far too soon."

"My heart hurts. I love you Bryan," Stellato posted to Instagram.

Braman, a special teams ace in his playing days, underwent multiple surgeries in the Seattle area this year. Watt was among the contributors to his GoFundMe effort, raising around $90,000 to help cover medical costs.

Braman played 97 regular-season games and recorded 56 career tackles.

The Chargers and the Detroit Lions -- with rookies reporting on Thursday and veterans on duty starting Saturday -- will be the first two teams with their entire squads on site. The Chargers, who hold camp in El Segundo, Calif., and the Lions (Allen Park, Mich.) open the preseason with the NFL/Hall of Fame Game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.

Chargers starting linebacker Daiyan Henley, who had offseason shoulder surgery, said on Wednesday that he expects to be a full participant at training camp. Henley, 25, tore his labrum early in the 2024 campaign and still started all 17 games as well as the lone playoff game. He totaled 147 tackles, one interception, one sack and eight passes defended during the regular season.

The 2025 regular season starts on Thursday, Sept. 4 with the Dallas Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys will have their full squad on site on Monday, while the defending Super Bowl champions will do the same on Tuesday.

The Kansas City Chiefs, who face the Chargers in the league's second regular-season game in Brazil on Sept. 5, will have their full squad on site on Monday. There will be 30 clubs fully reported by Tuesday, while the Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers are having players report on July 23.

This year's training camps will feature 29 clubs scheduling joint practices with other teams, and 26 clubs (81.3 percent) will hold the majority of camp at their practice facility, home stadium or at a site within 10 miles of team headquarters. By comparison, 10 of the 31 teams in 2000 chose to stay home.

Six clubs are holding camps away from their facilities: Buffalo Bills (Rochester, N.Y.), Cowboys (Oxnard, Calif.), Indianapolis Colts (Westfield, Ind.), Chiefs (St. Joseph, Mo.), Rams (Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles) and Steelers (Latrobe, Pa.).

Wide receiver Tre Harris, the second-round pick of the Chargers, was a no-show when rookies reported to training camp earlier this week.

A total of 30 players selected between picks 33 and 64 are unlikely to report without contracts in a standoff centered around one team's decision -- the Houston Texans -- to hand out the first ever fully guaranteed contract to a second-round pick.

Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins signed the four-year, $11.7 million contract in May and would receive every penny of that deal even if he's released or injured.

Team president Nick Caserio said the Texans moved up to get Higgins in part because they were surprised he wasn't selected in the first round as their team draft board projected.

"Watch him play. Here is a guy that basically made himself into an NFL football player," Caserio said of Higgins, who began his career at Eastern Kentucky. "I mean, go watch him play. He went down to the Senior Bowl and he had a good week. Why did we pick him? Because he's a good player, he's a great kid, he's got the right mindset."

The precedent of the guaranteed checks pushed the Cleveland Browns to do the same with the only player picked in the second round before the Texans drafted Higgins 34th overall. Cleveland, which began the trend of fully guaranteed deals for quarterbacks when they acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston (and handed him $230 million over five years), guaranteed the four-year contract with UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. He'll pocket $11.8 million over the next four years.

Portions of pay to NFL second-round picks have been guaranteed since the rookie pay pool and slotting wage scale went into effect in 2011. In last year's rookie class, four-year deals were anywhere from 50 percent to 95 percent guaranteed.

The 35th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina), and No. 36, Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State), are extremely unlikely to fold in negotiations without elevated guarantees. From the 2024 draft class, the first pick in the second round -- Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman -- signed a contract that is all but fully guaranteed (at just under 96 percent) for four years.

But despite Judkins' recent arrest, Cleveland's history of giving up leverage in these situations won't be dismissed.

If there is a rookie picked in the second round with the most to lose on the field, it could be Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (Louisville). The 40th pick overall, Shough is competing to start in New Orleans following the release of Derek Carr. The breaking point could come down to Shough's view of the financial risk up front and the fallout involved with not reporting to training camp on time.

The 40th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Eagles safety Cooper DeJean, had $7,469,987 of his $9.2 million contract guaranteed by Philadelphia when he signed in May before rookie minicamp last year.

The Broncos have not yet agreed to a deal with second-round pick RJ Harvey. The running back is one of 30 second-round selections who haven't signed their contract with training camps starting as soon as next week.

Barron's deal leaves Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart as the only unsigned first-round pick in the 2025 draft class.

Barron, 23, had five interceptions as a fifth-year senior at Texas in 2024. His contract includes a fifth-year option and has an initial value of $18.1 million, according to the NFL's rookie contract slotting structure.

Stewart, drafted 17th overall, is at odds with the Bengals over language in his contract allowing the team to void future guarantees in the event he is involved in legal or disciplinary issues.

The star wideout skipped mandatory minicamp last month and broke his silence on Tuesday, expressing his unhappiness over the lack of a new deal.

"I've been pretty frustrated, I'm not gonna lie," McLaurin told reporters. "Everything that has transpired up to this point has been disappointing and frustrating. I've wanted to continue my career here. I've created my life here. My wife and I bought our first home here, so this is somewhere where I've always wanted to be."

McLaurin has one year remaining on his three-year, $68 million contract extension. His status for next week's training camp remains unclear.

"I'm trying to take things day by day," McLaurin said. "I think that's the disappointing part where I was hoping up until this point that things would clear up a lot more than they have. I haven't made that decision yet. I just want to see how the rest of this week goes and take it day by day and go from there."

McLaurin caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and had a career-high 13 touchdowns last season. He was a critical piece in Washington's playoff run to the NFC Championship Game, catching 14 passes for 227 yards and scoring three touchdowns in three postseason games.

Gardner is set to sign days after another of the Jets' trio of 2022 first-round picks, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, agreed to a long-term extension.

"THE DEAL IS DONE. This only the beginning," Gardner wrote on his Twitter account. "My brother @allantegardner bts & @ajv got it done. I appreciate the Jets organization for believing in me, my teammates for the blood, sweat, & tears we put in, and JETS NATION... I appreciate y'all supporting me. Thank you GOD."

Gardner, 24, will make $30.1 million per season. He was named an All-Pro in each of his first two years as a pro but did not have the same standout season in 2024.

Drafted fourth overall and named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, Gardner was in line to earn more than $25 million total over the final two years of his rookie contract.

The deal reportedly includes $70 million guaranteed for Smith, 26, the highest-paid guard in the league.

A Pro Bowl selection at right guard in 2024, Smith was set to earn $23.4 million for 2025 on the franchise tag. The two sides faced a Tuesday deadline to work out a long-term extension to override the one-year deal.

A sixth-round draft steal in 2021, Smith has started 80 games -- 13 in the playoffs. He has only missed one game through four seasons and is a two-time Super Bowl champion.

The only other NFL player who received a franchise tag this offseason was Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, who agreed to a four-year, $115 million extension in March.

Monk, now 67, was selected No. 18 overall in the 1980 NFL Draft out of Syracuse by Washington. He spent 14 seasons with the franchise, catching 888 passes for 12,026 yards and 65 touchdowns.

He played his final two seasons with the New York Jets (1994) and Philadelphia Eagles (1995), adding three more TD catches. He ranks No. 24 in NFL history in receptions (940) and No. 23 in receiving yards (12,721).

His number becomes the sixth retired by Washington, joining Sammy Baugh, Darrell Green, Sonny Jurgensen, Bobby Mitchell and Sean Taylor.

Monk got the news when a Washington contingent visited him at home recently. The group included managing partner Josh Harris, as well as former teammates Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders and Doug Williams.

"I've been sitting here these last few days just trying to digest it all," Monk said.

Monk won three Super Bowls and made three Pro Bowls with Washington, was named a First-Team All-Pro in 1984 and was selected to the Hall of Fame's All-1980s team. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in 2008. He also is a member of the team's Ring of Fame.

The deal includes $90 million guaranteed and is the first time in league history a receiver with only three seasons of experience has earned an average over $31 million, according to ESPN.

Wilson, the Jets' first-round draft choice in 2022 out of Ohio State, amassed 1,103 receiving yards in his rookie season, 1,042 more in 2023 and 1,104 last season for a total of 3,249 in 51 games (46 starts).

Bridgewater, 32, confirmed his suspension by Miami Northwestern in a Facebook post on Sunday but said he remains committed to his alma mater.

"The suspension came from MNW and it's impossible to suspend someone who doesn't work for you. So if im suspended from MNW im free to go to another school of my choice but IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

"And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem."

Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern to a Class 3A state championship in his first season as the coach in 2024.

He returned to the NFL in December to serve as Jared Goff's backup with the Detroit Lions but did not appear in a regular season game. In the playoffs, he completed his only pass attempt for 3 yards in a 45-31 loss against the Washington Commanders in the divisional round.

According to multiple reports, Bridgewater posted earlier this month on Facebook that he paid for Uber rides, meals and recovery services for his players last season. He asked fans to donate to help cover such expenses this year.

The Florida High School Athletic Association confirmed to Rivals on Monday that it is gathering more information.

Bridgewater played for six NFL teams from 2014-24, compiling a 33-32 record with 15,120 passing yards and 75 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl after an 11-5 season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015.

Jennings, 28, is due to earn $7.5 million in the final season of his contract in 2025, according to Spotrac.

He set career highs across the board last season with 77 receptions for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games.

There has been little progress with Jennings' request but he is not expected to be a training camp holdout, per ESPN.

He has 155 catches for 1,938 yards and 13 TDs in 60 games since being drafted in the seventh round by the 49ers in 2020 out of Tennessee.

Jeff Sperbeck was 62 when he passed away in La Quinta, Calif.

Chad Bianco, the sheriff in Riverside County, Calif., told 9NEWS that the investigation confirmed the initial findings of an accident and that the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

"We've talked to everyone involved and we found nothing new," he told the station. "There was nothing criminal. It was what we've been saying all along that this was a tragic accident."

An official announcement from the sheriff's department is due soon, according to 9NEWS.

Elway, Sperbeck and their wives were in the desert to attend the Stagecoach music festival, TMZ reported in April.

Elway, 65, and Sperbeck founded 7Cellars winery together in 2013. Sperbeck also was Elway's longtime agent.

Sperbeck, certified by the NFL, represented more than 100 NFL players as an agent and business adviser over a 30-year career, according to his bio on the winery's website.

"I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck," Elway said in a statement after Sperbeck's death. "There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me."

Elway played for the Denver Broncos from 1983-98, winning Super Bowl championships in each of his final two seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. He returned to the team as an executive in 2011, working as the general manager through 2020 and as president of football operations in 2021.