The Morning Brief: Preseason kicks off as major injuries reshape NFL rosters

The NFL's preseason weekend arrives with injury news overshadowing the opening exhibition games. Ricky Pearsall's season has ended before it began. The 49ers' first-round receiver underwent surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament on Wednesday and is targeting a nine-month recovery, as the desk reported, aiming for a 2027 return. Pearsall initially injured the knee in Week 4 last season against Jacksonville and missed 10 games. The 49ers had opted against surgery in the offseason, hoping rest and rehabilitation would allow him to play, but swelling during training camp forced the team to reverse course. In three NFL seasons, Pearsall has appeared in only 20 games, a trajectory interrupted by injury and, in his rookie year, by a gunshot wound. His absence reshapes San Francisco's receiver depth and raises questions about whether the team will commit to a fifth-year extension when his contract comes into view.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, two quarterbacks are testing their readiness. Deshaun Watson starts for Cleveland against Chicago on Saturday in his first game action since tearing his right Achilles tendon in October 2024. The Browns named him the starter after the preseason opener against Chicago, with Shedeur Sanders drawing the second preseason game at Buffalo on August 22, per the desk's reporting. Watson missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing a second Achilles surgery in January and will face live conditions for the first time in nearly two years. The Browns' quarterback competition will crystallize through these games, with Todd Monken eventually naming his starter before the regular season. Arizona's Carson Beck, meanwhile, is sitting out Thursday's preseason game against Las Vegas after sustaining a rib injury in the Hall of Fame Game during the first quarter. The Cardinals characterized the injury as not serious with zero long-term concern and kept him out as a precaution, allowing Tobias Mendoza to play earlier than originally scheduled. Beck's status for the next preseason game will signal whether the soreness has resolved.

In Buffalo, Josh Allen and the Bills' healthy starters will play Saturday against Carolina at new Highmark Stadium, marking the venue's first football game and Allen's first preseason action since 2024, according to the desk. Coach Joe Brady announced the decision, a departure from the previous coaching regime's approach to preseason reps for veteran starters. Separately, Philadelphia's defensive tackle Moro Ojomo and offensive tackle Fred Johnson fought during team drills on Thursday, the final practice before the Eagles' preseason opener against Baltimore. The altercation began when Ojomo took exception to a late shove, escalated into punches and a tackle to the ground, and required intervention from general manager Howie Roseman, head coach Nick Sirianni, and security. Both players remained on the field after separation, and neither's availability has changed heading into Saturday's game, though any injury status updates will clarify their condition.

Beyond football, the day brought significant news in professional sports ownership and athlete transitions. Josh Kushner and Bob Iger agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter for $12.5 billion, a record price for a professional sports franchise, according to the desk. Walter acquired controlling interest roughly ten months ago at a $10 billion valuation; the agreed price represents a 25 percent increase in under a year. The sale requires NBA board of governors approval, with the board next meeting in September. In the NBA, Russell Westbrook announced his retirement after 18 seasons, ending a career with 209 triple-doubles (the most in NBA history), 27,176 points, and 10,351 assists across 1,301 games and seven franchises. In soccer, six Arab football federations declared support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday even as UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC issued a joint letter condemning his failed $20 billion World Cup privatization proposal. The governance crisis will test Infantino's standing ahead of the March 2027 election, with the challenger nomination deadline arriving November 18. Separately, Zinedine Zidane appointed Fabien Barthez as France's goalkeeper coach, reuniting the World Cup-winning pair as Zidane builds his coaching staff for the Nations League fixtures beginning in September.