USC Professional Athletes

USC has two alumni dominating NFL headlines this preseason week — and they couldn't be doing it in more different ways. Caleb Williams is generating buzz as the face of the league's most exciting offense, while Leonard Williams just cashed in with one of the biggest defensive contracts of the offseason.

Caleb Williams: Bear Necessities, Elevated

ESPN didn't bury the lede: the Chicago Bears are the NFL's most watchable team heading into 2026, and Caleb Williams is the main reason why. Williams' flair for dramatic comebacks was cited as a driving force behind Chicago earning the top spot in ESPN's league-wide watchability rankings — no small distinction for a franchise that has spent decades searching for a quarterback worth watching.

The national attention isn't just narrative fluff. CBS Sports tabbed Williams as the headliner of its 2026 NFL All-Breakout Team on offense, with analysts pointing to a second-year leap as genuinely attainable. Oddsmakers are already entertaining the possibility that Williams becomes the first quarterback in Bears history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season — a threshold no Chicago passer has ever reached.

Joint practices with the Tennessee Titans this week gave Williams a live stage, and he reportedly used it to mentor rookie Titans QB Cam Ward, who publicly revealed the advice Williams shared. That kind of veteran presence — in Year 2 — speaks to the stature Williams has already built in the league.

Still, the week wasn't without friction. Williams' one-series preseason debut against Cincinnati exposed an offensive line problem that hasn't gone away: a penalty and a missed red-zone opportunity flagged a left tackle situation the Bears haven't resolved. With the regular-season opener against the Panthers approaching, Chicago still hasn't named a clear starter at the position most critical to keeping their $40 million quarterback upright. Ben Johnson has work to do.

Leonard Williams: Paid in Full, Seattle-Style

Across the league, the other Williams in Troy's NFL stable is done negotiating. Leonard Williams agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Ian Rapoport — making him one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the game.

The deal lands just as Williams was entering the final year of his previous contract, giving Seattle the kind of interior anchor that championship-caliber defenses are built around. The Seahawks had already extended Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon earlier this offseason, signaling a clear organizational intent to keep their core together. Williams is now the latest — and most expensive — piece locked in.

The financial commitment isn't without ripple effects: FanSided reported that the $90 million price tag puts pressure on several teammates whose roster futures are now complicated by Seattle's tightening cap picture. But for the Seahawks, the calculus was simple — Williams is the kind of disruptive presence you pay to keep.

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Two Trojans, two defining preseason stories. Williams under center in Chicago is the most compelling quarterback narrative heading into the season. Williams in the trenches in Seattle just became one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL. For USC alumni tracking the pro game, this is as good a week as it gets.

Two USC alumni dominated NFL preseason chatter this week for very different reasons: Caleb Williams is building genuine momentum in Chicago, while JuJu Smith-Schuster finds himself without a team after the New York Giants cut him loose to make cap room.

Caleb Williams Is Making Believers

The narrative around Williams entering Year 2 under head coach Ben Johnson has shifted from cautious optimism to something closer to real excitement. Johnson publicly noted that Williams's accuracy is trending upward — a pointed response to the completion-percentage criticism that dogged the former USC star through his rookie campaign.

On the field, Williams delivered an encouraging red-zone performance in Bears practice before the team traveled to face Joe Burrow's Bengals in joint sessions. Fox Sports reported that Chicago is deliberately leaning into Williams's improvisational strengths, giving him more freedom to make creative plays rather than constraining him to a rigid system. The Bears aren't just trying to fix Williams — they're building around what he does best.

Context matters here: Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love confirmed this week that his team is using a Wild Card playoff loss to Williams and the Bears as motivational fuel for 2026. That's a meaningful data point. Williams isn't just generating preseason buzz — he already has the defending division rival treating him as a legitimate threat.

The Bengals joint practice did provide a reality check. CBS Sports noted that Cincinnati's defense — bolstered by Dexter Lawrence — gave Williams fits, and Burrow himself was involved in a rare on-field scuffle that underscored the intensity of the session. But a tough joint practice against one of the NFL's better defenses is exactly the kind of stress test a young quarterback needs before the regular season.

Smith-Schuster Hits Free Agency

It was a rougher week for Smith-Schuster. The Giants released the veteran wide receiver to clear space for running back Najee Harris — a former Pittsburgh teammate of Smith-Schuster's, which makes the transaction sting a little more. An injury reportedly factored into New York's decision to move on.

Smith-Schuster, 29, is now a free agent hunting for his next opportunity. Bleacher Report outlined potential landing spots, though FanSided pushed back on speculation linking him to Kansas City, arguing the Chiefs need a different receiver profile than what Smith-Schuster currently offers.

Around the Rest of the Trojan Roster

Other USC alumni had quieter but notable moments. Michael Pittman Jr., now with the Steelers, cleared an injury concern and is expected to suit up for Pittsburgh's Week 1 opener against the Falcons alongside DK Metcalf. Amon-Ra St. Brown received recognition this week as one of the Lions' most important players heading into the season. And Jordan Addison got a visit from Vikings legend Randy Moss, who dropped into Minnesota's wide receivers meeting at training camp alongside Addison and Justin Jefferson — not a bad room to be learning in.

Sam Darnold, another USC product, is generating his own quarterback buzz with the Seahawks, connecting with receivers in joint practice against the Titans and reportedly putting the franchise in position to make a significant long-term decision at the position.

For USC fans, the headliner remains Williams. If the Bears' "no limits" approach unlocks what the Trojans always believed he could be, Chicago could be a very interesting team come January.

Three USC alumni are making noise as the 2026 NFL season takes shape — one arriving as a Super Bowl champion, one cementing his status as one of the league's elite receivers, and one carrying the weight of franchise history on his shoulders.

Darnold and St. Brown Land on the NFL Top 100

Sam Darnold and Amon-Ra St. Brown were both named to the 2026 NFL Top 100 list — a peer-voted honor that carries extra weight when the ballots are cast by the players who face you every Sunday. For Darnold, the recognition arrives on the heels of leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship, a run that has cemented his redemption arc as one of the more remarkable storylines in recent NFL memory.

Despite the title, Darnold and the Seahawks haven't exactly been showered with mainstream respect. Colin Cowherd noted this week that Seattle continues to be overlooked by the broader football conversation even as defending champions — a dynamic Darnold seems to embrace. The USC product has also made clear he's not interested in relitigating his time with the Jets or Vikings; the focus is squarely on defending in Seattle.

On the field this preseason, Darnold won't be suiting up for the opener. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that established starters — Darnold included — will sit out the Seahawks' preseason game against the Cowboys, with Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe rotating series instead.

St. Brown's Top 100 nod, meanwhile, reflects what Lions fans already know: the former USC wideout has evolved into one of the most reliable and productive receivers in the NFC. His presence anchors Detroit's passing game as the Lions look to reclaim the NFC North crown — a race that Cowherd has them winning in 2026.

Williams Carries the Weight of Bears History

Caleb Williams enters 2026 in a different kind of spotlight. The Chicago Bears have never had a 4,000-yard passer in franchise history — a staggering organizational gap that Williams now has a legitimate shot at closing. CBS Sports examined the futures odds around that milestone this week, and with head coach Ben Johnson's offensive ambitions, the number is firmly in play.

Johnson has made no secret of his aggressive goals for Williams and the Bears offense this season. The second-year quarterback is also generating contract extension buzz, with Yahoo Sports breaking down what a Williams deal could look like — and noting it would be unlike anything the Bears have ever done at the position.

Don't expect a preview in August, though. Williams will not play in Chicago's preseason opener against the Browns, and Johnson is reportedly leaning toward keeping his quarterback off the field entirely during the exhibition slate.

The quieter subplot: USC's current QB, Jayden Maiava, is already drawing Caleb Williams comparisons from Big Ten rivals ahead of the Trojans' season — a testament to the standard Williams set in Los Angeles before taking it to the NFL.

MarShawn Lloyd Looks for His Moment in Green Bay

One USC name flying under the radar: running back MarShawn Lloyd, who gets a fresh shot in the Packers' preseason opener. After two injury-plagued seasons derailed his early career in Green Bay, Lloyd is healthy and drawing significant attention heading into the exhibition slate. All eyes will be on whether he can finally translate his preseason promise into a meaningful role.

Caleb Williams Is Building Something Real in Chicago

The Caleb Williams era in Chicago isn't just surviving — it's accelerating. The Bears quarterback, entering his third NFL season, earned rare praise from an opposing head coach following Chicago's playoff run, with one HC calling him "fearless" and declaring "this guy is special." That's not just bulletin-board talk; it tracks with what's happening at training camp, where Williams has already turned a viral embarrassment from last year — a drill he botched publicly — into a showcase for his improved accuracy.

The external noise is more complicated. NFL executives and coaches ranked Williams as a Tier 2 quarterback in a recent survey, and a comparison to Jared Goff and Jordan Love raised questions about whether his 2025 season was elite enough. The Bears' answer has been to keep building around him. This week, Chicago locked up right tackle Darnell Wright — a Tennessee product blocking for a USC quarterback — on a record-breaking four-year, $116 million extension with record guarantees. The message from the front office is unambiguous: Williams is the franchise, and the investment in his protection reflects it.

Jordan Addison's Thumb, Contract, and Leverage

Over in Minnesota, Jordan Addison is generating buzz for two reasons — one unavoidable, one strategic. On the injury front, the Vikings wideout jammed his thumb in camp but coach Kevin O'Connell downplayed the concern, indicating the absence would be brief. The bigger storyline: Addison's contract situation just got considerably more interesting after Zay Flowers signed a lucrative extension. As Minnesota's 2023 first-round pick, Addison now has a clear market comp — and the Vikings could be facing a significant negotiation. His camp performance will only sharpen that leverage.

MarShawn Lloyd Is Turning Heads in Green Bay

The Packers' 2024 draft pick MarShawn Lloyd is making noise at training camp, and the buzz is legitimate. Multiple reports out of Green Bay note that Lloyd has been making play after play, capitalizing on reps with Josh Jacobs sidelined. The excitement got so contagious that head coach Matt LaFleur had to ban backflips — yes, literally — after Lloyd and fellow oft-injured receiver Christian Watson celebrated touchdowns with the acrobatic move. LaFleur's reasoning was straightforward: he doesn't want two injury-prone players risking anything unnecessary. Lloyd's start to camp suggests the Packers may have found a real weapon in the backfield.

Tuli Tuipulotu Back in Full Pads for the Chargers

In Los Angeles, Tuli Tuipulotu has returned to full pads with the Chargers and was active in team drills this week. The edge rusher's presence in live team sessions is a significant development for a Chargers defense with high expectations. His performance in training camp will be closely watched as the team builds its pass-rush identity.

The Bigger Picture

No program has more footprints across the NFL than USC right now. From Williams commanding one of the most expensive protection packages in league history to Lloyd doing backflips in Green Bay and Addison quietly stacking contract leverage in Minnesota, the Trojans are writing storylines from quarterback to skill positions to the trenches. Training camp is barely underway, and the USC contingent is already impossible to ignore.