There were no preseason games on Wednesday, but there was plenty of news from around the National Football League.
On Thursday, there will be six NFL preseason games on the schedule. On Wednesday, all thoughts were with Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Bruce Arians who had to be taken to the hospital on Tuesday, after feeling stomach discomfort when he arrived for a joint practice with the San Diego Chargers. Arians, who is a cancer survivor, spent the night at the hospital, but was released on Wednesday morning. He was back at the practice facility that night.
Staying in the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys will finally have Tony Romo back under center. Romo is expected to play in the Cowboys preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday, and will play a series or two, according to Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones. Romo saw his season end in Week 4 last year, as he broke his right collarbone. The Cowboys went 2-10 in his absence.
Green Bay Packers star wide receiver Jordy Nelson is very close to returning to the team, after being cleared off of the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. Nelson missed the entire 2015 NFL season, after tearing his ACL in his right knee during a preseason game last year. Nelson was one of the best wideouts in the NFL during the 2014 season, catching 98 balls for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns.
One of the Packers biggest hurdles this season will be the Seattle Seahawks, who have been the class of the NFC for the past two season. However, the Seahawks will be without starting running back Marshawn Lynch this season, after Beast-Mode retired during the off-season. Now it appears they will also be without Jimmy Graham for the beginning of the season, as his rehab may keep him out of the opener. Graham struggled in his first season in Seattle last year, playing ineffectively before an injury ended his season.
The city of Baltimore has had a lot to celebrate lately, as native son Michael Phelps has once again dominated an Olympics. On Wednesday, the city got more good news, as wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. passed his physical, and now his return is imminent. Smith Sr. blew out his Achilles in Week 8 of the 2015 season, which was supposed to be his last. He was not going to go out like that, and he now plans to return to practice soon. He is 39 catches away from 1,000 for his career.