Chairshot NFL News Report (8/17/2026): Aaron Donald Works Out Again, Za’Darius Eyes Cleveland Return

Aaron Donald works out for the Rams again, Tucker Kraft returns to team drills and Za’Darius Smith could be headed back to Cleveland.

Aaron Donald apparently isn’t done testing the possibility of an NFL comeback.

The future Hall of Famer worked out for the Los Angeles Rams for the second time this month Sunday, while another accomplished pass rusher could be headed back to Cleveland and Green Bay received a major offensive boost at practice.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for August 17, 2026!

Aaron Donald Works Out for the Rams Again

Aaron Donald completed his second official workout with the Los Angeles Rams in the past two weeks on Sunday, appearing again on the NFL transaction wire as he considers coming out of retirement. Donald previously worked out for Los Angeles on August 5. The 35-year-old has not committed to returning, and the Rams have continued giving him space to determine whether he wants to resume his career.

Once can be curiosity.

Twice starts to feel like something.

Donald still has an enormous decision to make because this is not simply about whether he can survive a workout. Coming back means preparing his body for another NFL season after more than two years away from game action.

But every additional trip through the Rams facility makes this feel less hypothetical.

And if Donald ultimately decides he wants another run alongside Myles Garrett? Los Angeles would suddenly possess one of the most absurd defensive-line combinations imaginable.

Za’Darius Smith Expected to Return to Cleveland

Three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Za’Darius Smith is expected to sign with the Cleveland Browns after working out for the team last week. The 34-year-old previously played for Cleveland in 2023 and 2024 before spending five games with Philadelphia last season. Smith briefly retired during the 2025 campaign before returning to the free-agent market.

Cleveland knows exactly what it would be getting here.

Smith does not need to become a 15-sack centerpiece at this stage of his career. The Browns need another experienced pass rusher capable of joining a rotation and making offenses account for him.

For a defense already trying to create pressure from multiple directions, bringing back a player who understands the organization makes plenty of sense.

The only caveat Sunday evening is that the contract still needs to become official.

Tucker Kraft Returns to 11-on-11 Work

Packers tight end Tucker Kraft participated in 11-on-11 drills Sunday for the first time during his recovery from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. Kraft caught all five passes thrown his way, including a touchdown during a competitive team period, and worked with Green Bay’s first-team offense.

That may be Green Bay’s best training-camp development of the weekend.

A player returning from a major knee injury is one thing. Immediately looking comfortable enough to catch everything thrown at him against a live defense is another.

The Packers do not need Kraft to prove he is ready for 70 snaps tomorrow.

They need the progression to keep moving toward Week 1.

Sunday was a significant step.

Bears Activate Ozzy Trapilo Months Ahead of Expectations

Chicago activated offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo from the physically unable to perform list Sunday, only seven months after he ruptured his patellar tendon during the Bears’ Wild Card victory over Green Bay. The second-year lineman had originally been expected to miss a significant portion—if not all—of the 2026 season and can now rejoin Chicago’s competition at left tackle.

This is one of those August roster moves that feels much larger when you remember the original prognosis.

Chicago entered camp preparing as though Trapilo might not be part of the equation at all.

Now he has enough time before the opener to potentially force his way back into it.

Nobody should expect him to instantly reclaim a starting job after that kind of rehabilitation, but simply making the competition relevant again this quickly is a win.

Raiders Add Veteran Receiver Noah Brown

The Las Vegas Raiders signed veteran wide receiver Noah Brown on Sunday and released defensive tackle Benito Jones in a corresponding move. Brown has played 91 NFL games with Dallas, Houston and Washington, recording 155 receptions for 2,083 yards and six touchdowns over eight seasons.

This is exactly the type of August addition a young quarterback room can use.

Brown is not being brought in to transform the Raiders offense. He is a veteran receiver who understands how to function inside an NFL passing game and can provide another reliable option while Las Vegas determines the bottom of its depth chart.

For Fernando Mendoza in particular, experienced targets are useful even when they are not stars.

Colts Will Sit Their Starters Against Atlanta

Indianapolis does not plan to play its starters in its second preseason game against Atlanta. Head coach Shane Steichen made the decision after Anthony Richardson received extended work in the Colts’ opener, allowing Indianapolis to use the next exhibition game primarily to evaluate players fighting for backup and roster positions.

This is where preseason philosophy starts changing week to week.

Richardson already received meaningful live work. There is no requirement that Indianapolis keep exposing starters simply because another exhibition remains on the schedule.

For the Colts, the next useful question is not what the first-team offense looks like.

It is who deserves to be standing behind it when the roster gets cut to 53.

NFL Transactions — August 16, 2026

Sunday’s NFL transaction wire included veteran additions, injury moves and another wave of roster adjustments as teams moved into the second week of the preseason.

• Baltimore Ravens – Signed RB Jonathan Ward
• Chicago Bears – Activated OT Ozzy Trapilo from PUP
• Las Vegas Raiders – Signed WR Noah Brown
• Las Vegas Raiders – Released DT Benito Jones
• Los Angeles Rams – Signed P Jack Bouwmeester
• Miami Dolphins – Signed QB Mark Gronowski
• Miami Dolphins – Signed ILB Cam Riley
• Miami Dolphins – Placed OL Jamaree Salyer on injured reserve
• Los Angeles Rams – Worked out DL Aaron Donald
• Green Bay Packers – TE Tucker Kraft returned to team drills

August is usually dominated by players trying to make rosters, but Sunday was unusually focused on players trying to return to them.

Donald is testing whether one more NFL season is realistic. Smith appears ready to begin another chapter in Cleveland. Kraft and Trapilo reached major milestones after injuries that once threatened much larger pieces of their seasons.

For NFL readers, those are the developments worth tracking this week. Preseason box scores disappear quickly. A healthy starter—or a Hall of Famer deciding he has one more season left—can change what September actually looks like.