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Report: Chiefs acquire TE Peyton Hendershot from Cowboys

NFL: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
Dec 30, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Peyton Hendershot (89) catches a pass as Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) defends during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs acquired tight end Peyton Hendershot from the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2026, NFL Network reported. The Cowboys had reportedly been set to cut Hendershot on Tuesday. Hendershot, 25, played in 25 games (three starts) for the Cowboys over the past two seasons with 15 receptions and two touchdowns after he went undrafted out of Indiana. –Field Level Media

No. 21 Arizona entertains old rival in Brent Brennan’s debut
No. 21 Arizona opens the Brent Brennan coaching era on Saturday night in a nonconference game against New Mexico in Tucson, Ariz. The Wildcats are ranked in the preseason AP poll for only the second time since 1999 – they were 22nd in 2015 – and the biggest reason for that is the internal recruiting Brennan did when hired in January to replace Jedd Fisch, who left for Washington. Brennan, previously the head coach at San Jose State, held on to the bulk of the key players from Arizona’s 10-3 team, including wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and quarterback Noah Fifita. “They made an incredibly unselfish choice,” Brennan said of the pair’s decision to turn down NIL opportunities at other schools. “They made the rare choice.” Fifita (2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions) and McMillan, a preseason first-team All-American after catching 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 TDs last year), lead a potent offense that averaged 34.6 points per game last season. New Mexico (0-1) has the benefit of having played a game, albeit with a painful result in head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s debut. The Lobos coughed up a 17-point fourth-quarter lead and fell 35-31 at home to FCS opponent Montana State. New Mexico allowed 567 yards, including 362 yards rushing. “Pretty consistently a gap off here, a gap off there, a missed tackle here, missed tackle there,” Mendenhall said of his team’s run defense. “But enough to where it was really inconsistent.” Arizona could take advantage of that run defense with a revamped but deep running back group that includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 TDs on 189 carries last season … at New Mexico. He and San Jose State transfer Quali Conley (842 rushing yards last season) figure to lead the backfield. The Lobos’ offense is led by athletic quarterback Devon Dampier, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown against Montana State. He also scored on a nifty 34-yard naked bootleg that was one of the highlights from Week 0 of college football. New Mexico receiver Luke Wysong caught six passes for 95 yards last week, while Eli Sanders ran 17 times for 87 yards. “They look like they play hard. They’re definitely creative defensively. Offensively, they’ve got some weapons,” Brennan said of the Lobos. “I feel like they were one catch away from it being over. They’re going to be ready to play.” In addition to Merritt, another tie between the schools is Danny Gonzales, who was New Mexico’s head coach from 2020-23, going 11-32. He is now Arizona’s linebackers coach. Arizona might be a bit of a mystery with Brennan in charge, aided by longtime U of A assistant Duane Akina (now the defensive coordinator) and former Syracuse coach Dino Babers as the new offensive coordinator. “It does take extra time,” Mendenhall said of the preparation for potential tweaks to Arizona’s schemes, “but, really, the personnel they have warrants so much of the attention.” The programs are old rivals, dating to 1908, although they haven’t played since 2015. Arizona leads the series 44-20-3. –Field Level Media

No. 15 Tennessee faces Chattanooga, aims for ‘elite’ running game
No. 15 Tennessee faces Chattanooga, aims for ‘elite’ running game
Tennessee is pegged to do good things this season, and getting off to a strong start will be one of the requirements for that to come to fruition. The No. 15 Volunteers will take on visiting Chattanooga in an intrastate opener Saturday afternoon at Knoxville, Tenn. “We get to go play ball,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said about the arrival of game week. “Good teams get better throughout the course of the season. We still have a lot of things we have to clean up.” The Volunteers will look for signs of domination in the first game of the season. “When we get into the season, you have to be elite running the football,” Heupel said. “Defensively, you have to be able to match people out.” Tennessee, coming off a 9-4 season, will begin the season with a top-15 ranking in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003 and 2004. “As you get into the season, I think everybody is grasping their role, working and competing for the role that they want,” Heupel said. “At the same time, growing as a player is really important, and keeping your team chemistry that you have built is really important as well.” The Mocs are ranked as high as No. 8 in FCS polls, with seven offensive players and seven defenders returning from a season ago. “No matter how many guys you got coming back, we’re adding more pieces now than we ever have besides the freshmen that you signed,” coach Rusty Wright said. “That’s what we talked about as a team after we got to the last practice of camp. What’s our identity going to be? Who are we as a football team?” The Volunteers lost defensive back Jourdan Thomas for the season due to a knee injury suffered during the preseason, and redshirt sophomore Christian Harrison or freshman Boo Carter will fill that spot. On offense, receiver Squirrel White was Tennessee’s top receiver last year, racking up 803 yards and two touchdowns. He had 67 catches. “He had a really good camp,” Heupel said. “He has great command understanding what we are doing, the fundamentals and techniques that go in with the different coverages that he is going to see based on the route concept.” Chattanooga, of the Southern Conference, finished 8-5 last year, reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs, where it lost to Furman. “We have a lot of guys that have played a lot of football,” Wright said. “I think every year, you have to start over to a certain degree and, thankfully, we’ve had a good nucleus of people let us start over with and keep some things going in the right way.” Chattanooga’s defense could be its strength with tackle Marlon Taylor and safety Reuben Lowery III receiving preseason recognition. Yet the Mocs entered preseason practices without clarity at the cornerback positions, so those are spots bound to be tested by the Volunteers during Saturday’s opener. The Volunteers led the all-time series with the Mocs 40-2-2, including a 45-0 win in 2019 in the most recent meeting. –Field Level Media

No. 18 Kansas State gets early test in FCS contender UT-Martin
No. 18 Kansas State gets early test in FCS contender UT-Martin
As opening acts in Manhattan go, there are big implications for the season-opening game at Kansas State. No. 18 Kansas State hosts FCS power UT-Martin on Saturday under the lights with bright expectations encircling both programs. K-State is looking for its second appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game in three seasons and the accompanying guaranteed appearance in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. UT-Martin strives to build on three straight Ohio Valley Conference championships and add another appearance in the FCS playoffs. Changing the final outcome — only one playoff showing in three seasons — is at the top of the priority list for the Skyhawks and coach Jason Simpson. “These guys want more,” Simpson said. “We know we have won three straight conference championships, but we have only been rewarded with one playoff appearance. We have a list of the things that we are chasing, but we have to focus on everything we have to do on a daily basis with relentless intent to ultimately accomplish our goals.” Simpson can lean on experience and a roster that includes 27 seniors or graduate students and 25 redshirt juniors. “I am excited about this team,” Simpson said. “We had a really good summer, and I love seeing the kids in the building and their growth. We have an experienced team at a lot of positions and the players have done a good job of leading by example. We give the players direction and the road map for the journey that we want to accomplish for that day, but these kids have done a good job of being player led. There are some mature, grown men on this team that have great character.” Kansas State can lean on success while introducing a new crop of starters, led by quarterback Avery Johnson and a largely new starting offensive line. Johnson played in eight games last season as a true freshman. His only start was in the Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over North Carolina State, a game in which he was named the MVP. “Be himself,” head coach Chris Klieman said when asked what he wants for Johnson in his first regular-season start. “We have a lot of guys around him that can make plays. I don’t think he’s going to be nervous. That’s not his nature. We just want him to play within himself and make the plays he’s capable of making.” Johnson has a strong arm, but his speed — and perhaps his flowing locks — sets him apart. He rushed for a school-record-tying five touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 38-21 victory at Texas Tech last season. He’ll be joined in the backfield by leading rusher DJ Giddens, who gained 1,226 net yards at a 5.5 yards-per-carry clip last season. Giddens is a power runner, while Colorado-transfer Dylan Edwards will stretch the edges. The Cats will have plenty of options for UT-Martin to prepare for. The Wildcats return eight starters on defense, including five of their top six tacklers from 2023. Linebacker Austin Moore and safety Marques Sigle each had 63 tackles last year. Klieman has smashed FCS competition, going 69-6 with four national championships in five years as the head coach at North Dakota State. Since coming to Kansas State in 2018, he’s 4-0 with a 159-37 point differential against FCS foes. The Wildcats have shut out their last two FCS opponents, South Dakota, 34-0 in 2022, and Southeast Missouri State, 45-0 in 2023. –Field Level Media

Western Kentucky first test for No. 5 Alabama, new coach
Western Kentucky first test for No. 5 Alabama, new coach
Kalen DeBoer is taking on what seems to be an impossible challenge. The new Alabama football coach succeeding Nick Saban, who captured six national titles in 17 years, steps to the sideline in the glaring spotlight Saturday night when the No. 5 Crimson Tide host Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer’s legacy in his relatively brief career as a head coach is defined by winning. In nine seasons as a head coach, DeBoer accumulated a record of 104-12, including a 25-3 record at Washington last season with previous stops at Fresno State and three-time NAIA national champion Sioux Falls. Even if a national narrative follows DeBoer tracking how he’s stacking up to Saban’s dominance at Alabama, he’s gone out of his way to acknowledge there can be only one Nick Saban. “There will only ever be one Coach Saban. This program is special, and I guess I just take it as a great honor to be the one that gets to do everything we can to carry on the tradition,” DeBoer said at SEC Media Days. It will be interesting to see how close Alabama’s offense comes to looking like the one DeBoer ran last season at Washington, which reached the national title game. While the Tide have believed in a power running game for years under Saban, DeBoer likes to spread the field and throw short passes, taking what the defense allows. This game and probably most of this season is likely to be an integration of two systems as DeBoer and his staff play a mix-and-match game to get the most out of what the roster in place affords. “We’re going to be able to have concepts and systems that are able to be adjusted to what we have and what our strengths are,” DeBoer said. “That will continue to evolve as the season goes along. You have guys who continue to improve. They’ll make those big steps, and you’ll incorporate them.” Jalen Milroe, who proved to be a superb deep-ball thrower last year, averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt and throwing for 23 touchdowns, is back under center. Milroe is the leading returning vote-getter from last year’s Heisman Trophy race that saw him finish sixth. Saban’s departure led to some personnel changes. Alabama lost leading tackler Caleb Downs and five-star quarterback signee Julian Sayin to Ohio State. Top receiver Isaiah Bond and starting tight end Amari Niblack left for Texas. The Tide still have a cupboard that can best be described as well-stocked. Adding Washington center Parker Brailsford through the portal not only beefed up the offensive line but adds a sleeker look for an offensive line that will have to play more in space than it did in the Saban era. Western Kentucky will bring a high-powered offense and a familiar foe at quarterback. Former LSU and Auburn signal-caller TJ Finley has won the starting job over Caden Veltkamp. Finley, who played at Texas State last year and helped the Bobcats to a bowl victory, is one of 33 Hilltoppers who arrived via the portal. Finley, who threw for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns last year in coach G.J. Kinne’s quarterback-friendly system, now plays in another good QB system with Western Kentucky coach Tyson Helton. “Can’t think of a better game to start with, with a great opponent in Alabama,” said Helton. “I know our guys are really excited to get the opportunity to play them. It’s just been a lot of hard work and now you finally get to go out there and play somebody other than yourself.” Western Kentucky has been tabbed for a second-place finish in the preseason Conference USA poll. Kicker Lucas Carneiro was picked as the league’s preseason Special Teams Player of the Year. The Tide are 3-0 in the all-time series with the Hilltoppers, beating them 38-10 in the last meeting in 2016. –Field Level Media

NFL cuts: Patriots waive QB Bailey Zappe, Chiefs cut WR Kadarius Toney
NFL cuts: Patriots waive QB Bailey Zappe, Chiefs cut WR Kadarius Toney
The New England Patriots waived quarterback Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. The deadline for teams to get down to a 53-man roster was Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Zappe played in 14 games the past two seasons, starting eight, for the Patriots and was 4-4. He completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,053 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. While Zappe, 25, relieved an ineffective Mac Jones last season, he was buried in the quarterback room this spring and summer behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III. Maye was the No. 3 overall pick of the draft, while Milton was taken in the sixth round. Zappe was 15-of-25 passing for 137 yards in the preseason. First-year head coach Jerod Mayo has yet to announce who will start at QB when the Patriots open the season Sept. 8 against the Bengals in Cincinnati. Other notable cuts, per multiple reports: –Martavis Bryant’s comeback dreams ended with his release by the Washington Commanders. Bryant, 32, was attempting to play in the NFL regular season for the first time since he was suspended indefinitely by the league in 2018 following multiple drug violations. The league did not reinstate him until last November. He spent time late last season on the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys, who released him in Jan. 4. He caught on with the Commanders two weeks ago after a workout at training camp. –The Tennessee Titans are cutting former first-round draft pick Caleb Farley after three seasons. The No. 22 selection in 2021, the defensive back played in just 12 games (two starts) over three seasons because of a variety of injuries, including a torn ACL and back issues. He had 14 tackles and one pass defended. –Running back Frank Gore Jr. was not on the 53-man roster of the Buffalo Bills when the league deadline arrived on Tuesday. Gore Jr. rushed for 101 yards in the preseason finale and said he was confident he put his “best foot forward” in a preseason bid to follow his father’s footsteps to the NFL. The Southern Miss product hit waivers despite gaining 212 total yards on 37 touches with Buffalo in August. –The Houston Texans released wide receiver Noah Brown. The 28-year-old played five seasons with the Cowboys before signing with the Texans ahead of the 2023 campaign, in which he played in 10 games (seven starts) and made 33 catches for 567 yards with two touchdowns. In 76 career games (25 starts), he has 115 receptions for 1,547 yards and five TDs. –The Green Bay Packers cut kicker Anders Carlson, who missed a key field goal attempt in the NFC playoffs last season. Carlson couldn’t convert a 41-yard attempt in the Packers’ 24-21 divisional-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January — a field goal that could have given Green Bay a seven-point lead with just over six minutes to play. He struggled throughout his 2023 rookie season, missing five extra point tries and converting just 81.8 percent (27 of 33) of his field goal attempts in the regular season. The sixth-round draft pick also missed an extra point in the playoffs. The Packers also released quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt after their trade to acquire Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans was made official. Willis will serve as the QB2 behind Jordan Love. –The two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs released wide receiver Kadarius Toney. The oft-injured former first-round draft pick (New York Giants, 2021) publicly feuded with his team last winter when he claimed on an Instagram Live stream the Chiefs were lying about his injury status to keep him inactive. The 25-year-old Toney has caught 82 passes for 760 yards and three touchdowns in 32 games over three seasons with the Giants (2021-22) and Chiefs (2022-23). He caught a go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl LVII when the Chiefs beat the Eagles, but he was inactive throughout last year’s playoff run. The Chiefs reunited with former wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster earlier this week. –The Los Angeles Chargers released veteran tight end Donald Parham, a part-time starter who was coming off a career season. Parham set career highs with 27 catches, 285 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, his fourth season in the league. First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh appears to be going with Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst at the tight-end position. Among the Chargers’ other cuts is Alex Leatherwood, a former first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 who has struggled to stay with a team after starting all 17 games his rookie year. –The Philadelphia Eagles trimmed their receivers room by cutting Parris Campbell and John Ross. The Eagles acquired wide receiver Jahan Dotson from the Commanders last week and are expected to make him their No. 3 receiver behind A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. That left little room for Campbell, who played four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and one with the Giants, an