The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to take advantage of a tough cut the 49ers made, Yahoo Sports reports. The reporting offers the Chiefs an opening as San Francisco reshapes its roster ahead of the 2026 season.
While the exact nature of the 49ers' decision hasn't been detailed in available reporting, the move appears significant enough to catch the attention of Kansas City's preparation process. The Chiefs are on the clock as the season approaches, per Yahoo Sports' coverage.
Elsewhere in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers face their own roster questions at safety with DeShon Elliott starting the season on injured reserve, forcing the team to make decisions about its secondary depth.
In the NFC West, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is making rapid progress in his new system after resolving a months-long contract standoff. ESPN reports that since returning to the field on July 26, Brissett has moved from survival mode in Mike LaFleur's offense to demonstrating what he describes as "leaps and bounds" improvement over five-plus weeks.
When Brissett first took the field in early training camp, tight end Trey McBride recalled the quarterback would reference his previous system in the huddle: "This is what we did last [year]. This is what we called it last year." By late August, that gap had narrowed considerably. "I feel like it's significantly better than when he first started," McBride told ESPN, noting that despite the scheme's different terminology, the foundational concepts remain familiar to a veteran quarterback.
The 33-year-old's grasp of the offense has grown daily, putting him on track for Arizona's Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. McBride credited Brissett's extensive playing experience as a factor in accelerating his learning curve despite the late start.
As the league heads toward kickoff, ESPN's annual top-100 player ranking reveals the Eagles lead with eight representatives for the second consecutive year, while the Lions and 49ers follow with six players each. The Jets remain the only team without a single player on the consensus list, which was built from votes by 12 NFL analysts and reporters. Quarterbacks dominated the ranking with 16 mentions, followed by edge rushers with 13.
This article synthesizes reporting from Yahoo Sports, ESPN. Top story: "Chiefs News: Chiefs looking to take advantage of tough cut for 49ers" (Yahoo Sports).