Chairshot NFL News Report (8/13/2026): Tua Starts, Waller Lands in Carolina and Browns Split QB Starts

Tua Tagovailoa starts Atlanta’s preseason opener, Darren Waller joins Carolina and Cleveland gives Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders starts.

Atlanta will finally put Tua Tagovailoa into live game action Friday, but the Falcons are not ready to call their quarterback competition finished.

Elsewhere, Darren Waller has found another NFL home, Cleveland has divided its first two preseason starts between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, and San Francisco continues aggressively reshaping the bottom of its roster.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for August 13, 2026!

Tua Tagovailoa Starts Atlanta’s Preseason Opener

Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback when the Atlanta Falcons open their preseason against Denver on Friday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Atlanta’s starters are expected to play roughly one series or around 10 snaps, with Cooper Rush and Jack Strand rotating after Tagovailoa. Stefanski emphasized that the preseason assignment does not mean Atlanta has settled on its Week 1 starter.

That final distinction is what makes Friday worth watching. Preseason depth charts occasionally reveal decisions before coaches want to announce them, but Stefanski is deliberately keeping this competition alive. Tagovailoa now gets the first opportunity to turn an encouraging stretch of camp into something tangible against another defense.

Ten snaps will not decide Atlanta’s season. They can, however, show us which direction this competition is moving.

Panthers Add Darren Waller

The Carolina Panthers are signing veteran tight end Darren Waller to a one-year contract. Carolina is adding the former Pro Bowler to an offense built around Bryce Young, while starting guard Damien Lewis also returned to practice Wednesday after missing several weeks with a calf injury.

Waller is an interesting August gamble because Carolina does not need him to become the Raiders version of Darren Waller again.

If he can stay healthy and give Young another large target who understands NFL coverages, the Panthers have upgraded the passing game without making a major long-term commitment.

The name will attract attention. His ability to remain available will determine whether the move actually matters.

Browns Give Watson and Sanders Their Own Starts

Cleveland head coach Todd Monken announced that Deshaun Watson will start Saturday’s preseason opener against Chicago, while Shedeur Sanders will start the Browns’ second preseason game against Buffalo. Each quarterback is expected to play approximately one half in his respective start.

That is about as clean an evaluation structure as Cleveland could create.

Instead of constantly rotating quarterbacks behind different combinations of linemen and receivers, each player gets a meaningful block of live football with an opportunity to run the offense.

For Sanders in particular, the second preseason game becomes more than ordinary rookie work. If he performs well with an extended opportunity, the conversation surrounding Cleveland’s quarterback hierarchy gets considerably louder.

Emeka Egbuka Leaves Practice With Toe Issue

Tampa Bay wide receiver Emeka Egbuka exited Wednesday’s practice because of a toe issue. The injury is considered minor, according to NFL Network, but Tampa Bay will now have another reason to be conservative with one of its most important offensive weapons during preseason preparation.

“Minor” is the word Buccaneers fans want to hear in August.

Egbuka has already established what he can do in this offense. The Buccaneers gain almost nothing by testing how minor the injury really is before the regular season.

This should be a straightforward case of protecting September rather than chasing August repetitions.

49ers Sign Zamir White, Eli Apple and Xavier Thomas

San Francisco signed running back Zamir White, cornerback Eli Apple and defensive lineman Xavier Thomas to one-year deals Wednesday. To create roster space, the 49ers waived wide receiver Junior Bergen and punter Jack Bouwmeester while waiving defensive lineman K.J. Henry with an injury designation.

This is classic August roster churn, but San Francisco added three players with legitimate NFL experience or developmental upside at once.

White is particularly interesting because running back depth can disappear quickly during a season. Kyle Shanahan’s offense has also repeatedly found useful production from backs acquired without enormous expectations.

Not every August signing survives final cuts. The ones who do often become important several months later.

Efe Obada Announces His Retirement

Defensive end Efe Obada has retired from the NFL. Obada became the first player from the NFL’s International Player Pathway program to make a 53-man roster, ultimately recording 15 sacks across 80 career games with Carolina, Buffalo and Washington.

That is a career worth recognizing beyond the transaction line.

The International Player Pathway exists because the NFL believes players can reach the league through unconventional routes. Obada became living proof that the idea could work.

Every international player who follows him now has an example that did not exist before he arrived.

NFL Transactions — August 12, 2026

• Baltimore Ravens – Signed QB Austin Reed
• Baltimore Ravens – Placed QB Skylar Thompson on injured reserve
• Buffalo Bills – Signed CB Anthony Kendall
• Carolina Panthers – Signed TE Darren Waller
• Green Bay Packers – Released TE Luke Lachey
• Houston Texans – Signed K Chris Freeman
• Las Vegas Raiders – Signed OL Braeden Daniels
• Minnesota Vikings – Signed RB Jermar Jefferson
• New England Patriots – Signed RB Hassan Haskins
• New Orleans Saints – Signed DT Kahlil Saunders
• Pittsburgh Steelers – Signed LB Elandon Roberts
• San Francisco 49ers – Signed RB Zamir White
• San Francisco 49ers – Signed CB Eli Apple
• San Francisco 49ers – Signed DL Xavier Thomas

Wednesday’s roster movement included several notable veteran signings and another wave of preseason adjustments.

The quarterback stories are beginning to separate from ordinary training-camp noise.

Atlanta is putting Tua on the field without declaring the competition finished, while Cleveland has created two extended auditions rather than hiding its decision-making behind practice reports.

For readers, preseason football now has something useful to offer: evidence. The snaps do not count in the standings, but they increasingly determine who will be taking the important ones in September.