5 Key Stories: 7/12/26 – 7/18/26

The countdown to training camp continues around the NFL, and plenty of unanswered questions remain with respect to veteran players. Clarity on a number of fronts has emerged in recent days, though. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

• Kamara Staying With Saints: Throughout the spring, it was uncertain if Alvin Kamara would remain in place with the Saints for 2026. That will indeed be the case, with team and player agreeing on a pay cut covering the coming season. For 2026 – still the final year of the pact – Kamara will collect $6MM in base pay and up to $2.5MM more via incentives. New Orleans added running back Travis Etienne in free agency, leading to questions about Kamara’s role moving forward. The latter will continue with his only NFL team for at least a 10th season. Coming off a down year in terms of production, Kamara will aim to rebound while operating in a split backfield.
• Cowboys’ Pickens To Play On Tag: July 15 marked the deadline for franchise tag recipients to sign long-term deals with their respective teams. Every tagged player from 2026 had already done so with the exception of George Pickens and the Cowboys. To no surprise, the deadline passed without an agreement being reached. Dallas has long been clear Pickens, 25, will play on the tag this season. The 2025 trade acquisition enjoyed a career year as one of the league’s most productive wideouts during his debut Cowboys campaign. That has helped Pickens line up $27.3MM in compensation on the tag, but it remains to be seen if a multiyear pact worth more an annual basis is in the cards. Negotiations on that front will be something to watch for after the season.
• Donald Conducts Rams Workout: In the latest indication an Aaron Donald return to the Rams could be coming soon, the future Hall of Famer recently conducted a workout at the team’s facility. With Donald giving thought to unretiring, he went through drills similar to the ones he will be doing if he is officially back in time for training camp. By the onset of camp later this month, a commitment one way or the other may be in place in this case. There is still the matter of finances to address if Donald does choose to come back after a two-year absence, but the possibility of the future Hall of Famer playing in 2026 remains a storyline to follow closely.
• Diggs Dealing With New Lawsuit: Free agent receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty following a brief criminal trial earlier this offseason, but he has since been named in another civil suit. The four-time Pro Bowler is said to have falsely accused a man of stealing his Ferrari in 2024; notice being served to other defendants in the case has paved the way for it to proceed. This marks the latest legal issue for Diggs, who was cut this...