Chairshot NFL News Report (9/1/2026): Miami Claims Cook, Levis Goes Unclaimed & Dallas Dumps Milton

Miami claims Brady Cook, Will Levis clears waivers and Dallas releases Joe Milton as NFL rosters keep changing after cutdown day.

The 53-man deadline did not end roster season. It just moved us into the next phase.

Miami continued rebuilding its quarterback room, Dallas changed its depth chart again after landing a running back on waivers, and former Titans starter Will Levis discovered just how dramatically his NFL value has changed.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for September 1, 2026!

Dolphins Add Brady Cook to Their Quarterback Overhaul

The Miami Dolphins claimed quarterback Brady Cook off waivers from the New York Jets on Monday. Miami also claimed six additional players, including tight end Justin Joly and several offensive linemen and defensive backs, as the Dolphins aggressively reshaped their roster following Sunday’s cuts.

Miami’s quarterback room has been almost completely rebuilt behind Malik Willis in a matter of days. Quinn Ewers was traded to Jacksonville, Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski were released, Kyle McCord arrived from Green Bay and now Cook gives the Dolphins another developmental option.

The number of moves suggests Miami was not satisfied with simply preserving the best options from its own training camp. The Dolphins used the waiver process to compare their backups against the entire league’s available talent pool, which is exactly what teams near the top of the waiver order should be doing.

Will Levis Clears Waivers

Former Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Will Levis went unclaimed Monday after Tennessee released him during final roster cuts. The former No. 33 overall pick had fallen behind Cam Ward, Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker on the Titans depth chart before being waived.

That is a significant fall for somebody who entered the league only three years ago as a potential franchise quarterback. Going unclaimed means every NFL team had an opportunity to add Levis to its active roster under his existing contract and declined.

Clearing waivers does give Levis control over where he goes next. A practice-squad opportunity with the right coaching staff may ultimately serve him better than immediately landing on another roster where he would be buried as QB3, but the market has made its current evaluation unmistakably clear.

Cowboys Waive Joe Milton

The Dallas Cowboys waived quarterback Joe Milton III after successfully claiming running back Emari Demercado from Kansas City. Sam Howell is now positioned as Dak Prescott’s primary backup, while the Demercado claim gave Dallas another option in its backfield.

Milton’s physical tools have kept him intriguing since he entered the league, but Dallas reached the point where roster space mattered more than developmental upside. The Cowboys had already made one significant move by acquiring Broderick Jones from Pittsburgh, and claiming Demercado forced another decision elsewhere.

Howell gives Dallas a more established backup behind Prescott. Milton remains the more fascinating developmental athlete, but backup quarterback jobs are often won by the player a coaching staff trusts to manage an offense on short notice rather than the player with the most spectacular arm.

Cade Klubnik Becomes the Jets’ No. 2 Quarterback

Rookie Cade Klubnik will open the season as the New York Jets’ backup quarterback after the club’s final roster decisions and Brady Cook’s departure to Miami.

Klubnik surviving cutdown day and emerging as QB2 gives the Jets a genuine developmental quarterback behind their starter rather than keeping another veteran solely for insurance. That creates some risk if the backup has to play early, but it also gives meaningful practice repetitions to a player the organization could potentially develop into something more.

The decision is another reminder that roster construction is rarely about identifying the 53 best individual players. Teams have to balance immediate reliability against future value, and New York decided Klubnik was worth keeping on the active roster rather than risking losing him elsewhere.

Cardinals Get Encouraging Jeremiyah Love Update

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said running back Jeremiyah Love is “progressing really well” from his ankle injury and is expected to take another step this week toward potentially playing in Week 1 against the Chargers. Quarterback Carson Beck is also expected to practice fully this week.

Love’s status matters because preseason injuries become much more significant once teams begin installing actual Week 1 game plans. Arizona no longer has exhibition games available to slowly test his workload, so each practice becomes part of determining whether he can handle regular-season contact.

The Cardinals appear encouraged without declaring the issue resolved. That is an appropriate position this far from kickoff, especially when pushing a running back through an ankle problem in early September can create problems that linger much longer than one game.

Giants Bring Braxton Berrios Onto the Practice Squad

The New York Giants are adding veteran receiver and return specialist Braxton Berrios to their practice squad, with Berrios expected to be available for Week 1 against Dallas.

Practice squads are no longer simply holding areas for developmental players. Veterans can move between the practice squad and game-day roster throughout the season, allowing teams to keep experienced specialists available without immediately committing an active-roster position.

Berrios fits that structure well because his value comes from several different places. He can provide receiver depth, return experience and familiarity with high-pressure situations while the Giants retain flexibility elsewhere on the 53.

Ravens Keep Jake Moody Close

Baltimore added former 49ers kicker Jake Moody to its practice squad Monday. Tyler Loop remains expected to handle kicking duties in Week 1, but Moody gives the Ravens an experienced alternative inside the organization.

Kicker depth rarely becomes interesting until a team suddenly needs it, and Baltimore now has a former third-round pick and Super Bowl participant available without creating an immediate competition for the starting job.

Moody’s inconsistency ultimately cost him stability in San Francisco, but his leg strength has never been the question. Baltimore gets an inexpensive opportunity to work with him while Loop enters the season knowing the team already has another viable option nearby.

Monday’s Waiver Claims and Roster Moves

Fourteen teams submitted successful waiver claims Monday, with 29 players changing teams after the league’s initial 53-man rosters were established. Miami was the most aggressive club, claiming seven players.

• Atlanta Falcons – Claimed OT Cameron Williams
• Atlanta Falcons – Claimed LB Yasir Abdullah
• Atlanta Falcons – Claimed LB Jared Ivey
• Carolina Panthers – Claimed C Corey Bullock
• Cincinnati Bengals – Claimed OT Myles Hinton
• Cleveland Browns – Claimed DB Toriano Pride Jr.
• Dallas Cowboys – Claimed RB Emari Demercado
• Indianapolis Colts – Claimed DB Kapena Gushiken
• Kansas City Chiefs – Claimed DT Bryson Eason
• Kansas City Chiefs – Claimed LB Jack Pyburn
• Las Vegas Raiders – Claimed CB Darrell Luter Jr.
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed QB Brady Cook
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed TE Justin Joly
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed OT Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed OT Jarrett Kingston
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed DB Marcellas Dial
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed DB Reese Taylor
• Miami Dolphins – Claimed DB Julius Wood
• Minnesota Vikings – Claimed G Trevor Keegan
• Minnesota Vikings – Claimed C Nick Samac
• New England Patriots – Claimed TE Cameron Latu
• New England Patriots – Claimed LB Darius Muasau
• New Orleans Saints – Claimed OT Mason Murphy
• New Orleans Saints – Claimed DT Colby Wooden
• New York Jets – Claimed LB Trevin Wallace
• New York Jets – Claimed K Blake Grupe
• Tennessee Titans – Claimed DT Nazir Stackhouse
• Tennessee Titans – Claimed LB Owen Pappoe
• Tennessee Titans – Claimed DB Melvin Smith Jr.

The roster deadline gave every team a nominal 53. Monday demonstrated how temporary that number really was.

Miami treated the waiver wire like another round of the draft, Dallas sacrificed one developmental quarterback to strengthen another position and Will Levis learned that a former starting job does not guarantee another opportunity. Practice squads now add another layer as teams preserve players who may be one injury away from meaningful snaps.

Week 1 is close enough that these are no longer training-camp experiments. Every addition now has to fit a roster that is preparing to win a real football game.

This report includes information from: NFL.com and CBSSports.com.