New Players Join Three NFL Teams

May 10, 2026, 21:33
USSports

Introduction

Three football teams finished their first practice for new players. The teams want to see if the players are healthy and ready.

Main Body

The Atlanta Falcons have many new players. Two quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, are competing. Penix Jr. had a leg injury, but he can throw the ball now. The Miami Dolphins have 12 new draft players. Will Kacmarek and Michael Taaffe work very hard. They want to stay on the team. The New England Patriots signed many new players. Some players did not play on Saturday. Gabe Jacas and Eli Raridon watched the practice but did not play.

Conclusion

The teams finished the contracts. Now the players practice on the field for the big camp.

Learning

⚡ The Power of "NOT"

In the story, we see a very important way to change a sentence from 'Yes' to 'No'.

The Rule: To make an action negative in the past, we use: did not + [action word].

Examples from the text:

  • Some players →\rightarrow did not play
  • Gabe Jacas →\rightarrow did not play

Why this matters for A2: Beginners often say "no play" or "not played." That is incorrect. Always use did not for things that happened before now.

🛠️ Action Words (Verbs)

Look at how the text describes the players. These are simple blocks you can use to build your own sentences:

GoalWord UsedSimple Meaning
To win a spotCompetingFighting for a place
To put a name on a paperSignedAgreed to join
To do an activityPracticeTraining to get better

Quick Tip: If you see "-ing" (like competing), the person is doing it right now.

Vocabulary Learning

practice (n.)
A session of training or rehearsal
Example:The team has a practice every afternoon.
healthy (adj.)
In good physical condition
Example:He feels healthy after the check‑up.
ready (adj.)
Prepared to do something
Example:The players are ready for the game.
injury (n.)
Harm or damage to the body
Example:She had a knee injury during the match.
throw (v.)
To propel something with the arm
Example:He can throw the ball accurately.
ball (n.)
A round object used in many sports
Example:The ball bounced on the field.
draft (n.)
A selection process for choosing new players
Example:The draft will choose new players for the teams.
work (v.)
To exert effort or labor
Example:They work hard to improve their skills.
stay (v.)
Remain in a place or situation
Example:They want to stay on the team.
signed (v.)
Legally agreed to a contract
Example:He was signed by the club last week.
play (v.)
To participate in a sport or game
Example:They will play tomorrow.
watch (v.)
To observe or look at something
Example:She watched the practice on TV.
contracts (n.)
Written agreements between parties
Example:The contracts were signed before the season.
field (n.)
An open area used for sports
Example:The field is green and ready for the game.
camp (n.)
A training period for athletes
Example:The camp lasts two weeks each summer.