The second week of the NFL preseason is complete, with the third week rapidly approaching. This is the week that matters the most, with starters playing more than just a series or two and teams hoping to make decisions on any position battles. As a result, the rumor mill is heating up with all the latest on those position battles, injuries, potential cuts, signing and more. Here are top the NFL rumors and news you need to know:
Cam Newton Returns
The Carolina Panthers have been without QB Cam Newton for the entire preseason, as he recovers from shoulder surgery. However, it appears that Newton will make his season debut in Week 3 of the preseason, barring some type of setback.
"I am excited, just for the opportunity to see him with all the different players we brought in, all the different playmakers we believe we have," head coach Ron Rivera said. "It should be fun."
It's a positive sign for Newton, who had some worried because he had yet to play. Also expected to play this week against the Jaguars on Thursday are WR Curtis Samuel (a second round pick who has dealt with a hamstring injury) and center Ryan Kalil (shoulder).
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Texans Starting QB
The Houston Texans took Deshaun Watson in the first round of the NFL Draft this year, but he won't be the team's starting QB this year. That's still Tom Savage.
Bill O'Brien on Tom Savage 'Tom is our starter. He's had a good camp' Emphasized he's No. 1 and Deshaun Watson No. 2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 22, 2017
Watson only recently began getting snaps with the first-team offense, withe Savage still getting the bulk. Watson's down game in Week 2 of the NFL preseason didn't help his case either. Watson might be the future of the Texans, but barring injury, he won't be the Week 1 starter.
Mike Martz Rips Goff And McVay
Former NFL head coach Mike Martz ripped into Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff and head coach Sean McVay in an excerpt from the upcoming book "Blitzed: Why NFL Teams Gamble on Starting Rookie Quarterbacks" by Thomas George. Martz did not hold back in the quotes attributed to him, although Martz says they were embellished.
Martz didn't hold back about the fit for Goff and the Rams last year.
"Jared Goff?" asked Martz. "I don't know if he can play or not, but I do know he couldn't have gone to a worse place. If you took him and switched him with Dak Prescott in Dallas, who knows what would have happened for Goff there. Goff at Cal came from an offense where they ran as many plays as they could: fast. Jared in college did an amazing job of throwing a true ball off balance, under duress, making things happen. You knew the speed of the NFL would throw that kind of timing off. But he still throws a true ball. The Rams wanted to rewire him to what? I watched the Rams offense last season. It was awful football. There was nobody there on that staff that could teach him, develop him. You have a high-value guy like that and he went to the worst offensive place, the Rams."
But in a stranger comment, Martz lit into head coach Sean McVay. Martz took issue with McVay's age, as he's just 31 years old.
"What is he, a couple of months older than Jared?" Martz said. "They hired a buddy for Jared. The NFL has nothing to do with being the friend or the buddy of the quarterback. You've got to coach them and work them hard with respect. But buddy? And this guy is a quarterback expert? An offensive expert? Wait a minute while I puke. Right, he's going to be able to teach and handle and guide Jared through tough times because of all of his expertise and knowledge? Right. I'm not going to drink that Kool-Aid."
Martz said in an ESPN Los Angeles Radio interview that he actually didn't say those things about McVay.
"I would never say something like that," Martz said. "[The quote] was kind of embellished. It was a very short interview, and I think what I told [author Thomas George] was there's only a couple years' difference between them, and they probably brought him in because of his ability to communicate. With [Goff], you want somebody more his age, I guess. But all of that other garbage, I would never say something like that."
If Martz did rip into McVay, it doesn't put the former coach in a good light. In fact, it makes him look like the bitter old coach who could do a better job than these young whippersnappers.
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