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Between quarterback battles (both starting and backup), rookie performances and players fighting for spots on the 53-man roster, there was plenty at stake during the 2026 preseason. The exhibition game action officially concluded last month, with teams and players offering a number of insights into the season ahead through their performances in August.
Of course, the caveat in all of this is that it was only the preseason. Perhaps some of the takeaways will look foolish in a month. Nonetheless, here is one thing we learned from each team over three weeks of preseason action.
Arizona Cardinals: Injuries are holding back the rookie class
While the Cardinals have gotten some nice flashes out of their rookie class during the preseason, they will have to be patient after their top three picks all endured injuries. Running back Jeremiyah Love suffered a sprained ankle after seeing a heavy load during their first preseason game, though he has not been ruled out for Week 1. Third-round pick Carson Beck also missed much of the preseason after playing well in the Hall of Fame game, but he sustained a rib injury in the same game, too. And second-round pick Chase Bisontis sustained a torn MCL, which will keep him out for extended time.
Atlanta Falcons: It’s Michael Penix Jr. or bust at QB
Penix might not have played in the preseason, but after the Falcons’ three exhibition games, it became clear that Atlanta’s best option at quarterback is still a breakthrough season from the 2024 No. 8 pick. With Penix sidelined from 11-on-11 activities until last week, Tua Tagovailoa had a prime opportunity to seize the starting quarterback job. Unfortunately, his play through much of the preseason was uninspiring, as it was in his final season with the Dolphins. Barring Jack Strand becoming an unlikely undrafted free agent star á lá Tony Romo, the Falcons’ best quarterback option in 2026 is Penix.
Baltimore Ravens: The pass rush is coming alive!
Among the Ravens’ biggest disappointments last season was their pass rush, which finished both 28th in sacks (30) and pass rush win rate (30%). The unit appears poised to improve in 2026. This was expected with the additions of Trey Hendrickson in free agency, Zion Young in the draft and the hiring of Jesse Minter. The unit particularly excelled at pressuring the Vikings during their preseason game, registering five sacks and heavily pressuring quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Ravens will look to carry that into the regular season.
Buffalo Bills: Maxwell Hairston retains starting cornerback job
Despite the difference in tackling from Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun in their third preseason, Bills coach Joe Brady put to rest any competition for the starting cornerback job opposite Christian Benford, confirming that Hairston will be the team’s No. 2 corner. Hairston, the Bills’ 2025 first-round pick, had an up-and-down rookie season while missing time due to injury, but will get the starting nod over Igbinosun, who’s had a promising camp.
“Maxwell’s exactly what we look for in a corner, and I was excited for him to be back out playing football,” Brady told reporters after the Bills’ win over the Steelers. “… I know he had the missed tackle; that’s why we’re practicing. That’s why you go through the preseason to clean that stuff up.”
Carolina Panthers: There are tight ends galore in Carolina
The Panthers decided to keep five tight ends on the 53-man roster after training camp: Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Darren Waller, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Feleipe Franks. It’s unusual for a team to keep so many tight ends on the final roster, but the Panthers are keeping their options open at the position.
“I think keeping five tight ends, it really comes down to each of those guys having specific skill sets that we like,” Morgan told reporters Tuesday. “If you go down the line, with Tommy [Tremble], a really good blocker and receiver. Mitch [Evans], just a big-bodied blocker who’s also a very capable wideout for us. You go down the list, and Darren Waller, he has a unique skill set that we can utilize. I know Coach [Dave] Canales and his staff are really excited about having him and what he can bring to our offense.”
Chicago Bears: Ben Johnson has another explosive weapon in Zavion Thomas
Bears third-round pick Zavion Thomas flashed his 4.28-speed with a 97-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in Chicago’s preseason contest against the Titans. Coach Ben Johnson prioritizes explosive playmaking in his offense, and Thomas showed exactly that on Saturday. While Thomas is, of course, behind Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Kalif Raymond on the depth chart, he should get opportunities to show off his speed at points during the season on both offense and special teams.
Cincinnati Bengals: Some young defensive players are flashing
Naturally, much of the attention on Cincinnati’s defense this offseason has gone toward prized addition Dexter Lawrence II, but he isn’t the only Bengal who has flashed on that side of the ball. Third-round corner Tacario Davis impressed while going up against Makai Lemon in the Bengals’ third preseason game. Along with Davis, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted that second-round pick Cashius Howell has been a “monster” throughout camp and that fourth-year defensive end Myles Murphy has also put together a good camp.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns’ QB misery continues
After Deshaun Watson played poorly in the Browns’ second preseason game and followed it up with a horrendous press conference, the Browns naturally decided to name him their starting quarterback for Week 1 anyway. As SI’s Conor Orr put it, the Browns finally reached peak Browns. It’s been over a year since owner Jimmy Haslam made the Watson move—one that saw Cleveland give up three first-round picks for Watson while he faced more than two dozen sexual misconduct allegations, then hand him a fully guaranteed $230 contract—a swing and a miss. Yet even after Watson’s poor play, injuries and drafting multiple other quarterbacks, the Browns still refuse to pull the plug on this nightmare move.
Dallas Cowboys: Second-year CB Shavon Ravel has stood out for Dallas
After missing the first 10 weeks of his rookie season due to an ACL tear he sustained in college, the 2025 third-round pick appeared in seven games for the Cowboys a season ago. He seems bound for an even better role in Christian Parker’s defense after shining throughout camp and the preseason, recording multiple pass breakups in practices and an interception against the Cardinals.
Denver Broncos: Jonah Coleman could have a real impact on this rushing attack
The Broncos’ running game was one of the team’s few weaknesses in 2025—particularly after J.K. Dobbins sustained a season-ending injury. Denver selected Jonah Coleman in the fourth-round of the draft, and he’s already turned heads—including coach Sean Payton’s. Coleman carried the ball four times for 24 yards in their first preseason contest against the Falcons, which was enough for Payton.
“I didn’t need to see additional evidence of what I’ve been seeing for three weeks,” Payton told reporters of pulling Coleman.
Detroit Lions: The Lions have found their new backup quarterback
After Teddy Bridgewater suddenly retired, the Lions signed Josh Dobbs, who solidified himself as the team’s backup quarterback behind Jared Goff. In the final preseason game against the Colts—a contest that saw Indianapolis play some of its starters—Dobbs completed 15-of-19 passes for 128 yards, two touchdowns, and no picks in his best preseason performance. Goff has been durable for the Lions and has not missed a game since the 2021 season, his first in Detroit, but the Lions have found a good backup.
Green Bay Packers: The special teams unit appears to be on the rise
The Packers have gotten some positives from their special teams unit this summer, now coached by new special teams coordinator Cam Achord. Despite some practice misses, sixth-round kicker Trey Smack has made all of his kicks, including a 59-yard field goal. And returner Will Sheppard had his coach pumped up after returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown.
Houston Texans: The offense has some promising young pieces
Houston’s defense has been terrorizing opponents through preseason and joint practices, but we already knew the defense is great. What we don’t know is whether the offense will be good enough to allow the Texans to capitalize on their championship aspirations. This preseason has shown promising moments from some of the Texans’ offensive pieces, such as rookie tight end Marlin Klein hauling in four passes for 62 yards or second-year back Woody Marks weaving his way to a 20-yard touchdown. These pieces, along with trade addition Kayshon Boutte, will be key in helping C.J. Stroud rebound from last season’s playoff performance.
Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson Sr. will remain a Colt
After he was given permission to seek a trade at the beginning of the offseason, Richardson is officially sticking around in Indy. Neither Richardson nor Riley Leonard did a ton to separate themselves in the QB2 battle, but general manager Chris Ballard confirmed Richardson has maintained a spot on the depth chart and Shane Steichen announced the following day Richardson is the primary backup. Richardson had his best showing against the Lions, completing 7-of-10 passes for 80 yards with no touchdowns or picks. After missing much of last season due to an orbital bone fracture and requesting a trade this offseason, Richardson has carved out a key role on the Colts. It’s not the role the Colts hoped for when they drafted him No. 4 in 2023, but it is an opportunity for Richardson, especially as Daniel Jones, who has an injury history, returns from a torn Achilles.
Jacksonville Jaguars: There’s another Brian Thomas Jr.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. isn’t the only player of his namesake on the roster. Jacksonville also has an edge rusher with the name. Still, a slightly different spelling: Bryan Thomas Jr. The latter Thomas is an undrafted edge rusher out of South Carolina, who made a name for himself in the preseason, tallying three sacks, including 2.5 in the finale to make his case for a roster spot. It worked. Now, the Jaguars have Travis Hunter and a Brian (Bryan) Thomas Jr. on both sides of the ball.
Kansas City Chiefs: The rookie class had a nice debut
The Chiefs’ rookie class largely took advantage of its first preseason action. This is a pivotal rookie class for the Chiefs, who turned over a good deal of their roster—especially defensively—this offseason as they look to build another Super Bowl contender with Patrick Mahomes at the helm. So far, No. 6 pick Mansoor Delane showed his stout tackling, second-round pick R Mason Thomas strip-sacked Jalen Milroe, fifth-round running back Emmett Johnson rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown while averaging 4.7 yards per carry and sixth-round receiver Cyrus Allen was involved in the offense. Even third-string quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had some nice moments.
Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza looks good, but he’s not the only rookie shining
No.1 pick Fernando Mendoza saw extensive preseason action over the Raiders’ three games. While there were some ups-and-downs, Mendoza looked the part, showing his ability to play from under-center and layer throws over the middle. Another rookie, however, has made a statement in fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr. The former Arkansas running back has carried the ball 17 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns. With Ashton Jeanty dealing with a sprained ankle, look for Washington to earn a real role in the offense as the No. 2 back.
“I think that they’re both going to prepare to play a lot of football,” coach Klint Kubiak said of Jeanty and Washington. “I think we’ve got two guys that we’re really excited about. … All of our backs are going to play this year. Offense, defense and special teams. They’ve just got to make the most out of every rep that they get.”
Los Angeles Chargers: Their offensive line issues aren’t going away
The Chargers’ offensive line injury luck isn’t getting much better after their prized free agent signing, center Tyler Biadasz, went down with a season-ending injury. Last season, Los Angeles was plagued by the losses of tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, resulting in quarterback Justin Herbert getting hit at a historic rate. With Biadasz out for the year, the Chargers will once again have to overcome a major loss along the offensive line. More importantly, they’ll need to ensure Herbert is better protected for a real shot at contending.
Los Angeles Rams: They are a machine
It’s only the preseason, but the Super Bowl favorite Rams already look like the machine they’re expected to be. From Sean McVay designing efficient plays for Ty Simpson’s solid first outing against the Chiefs to them rolling over the Saints 34-0 with superfan Brenda Song (a.ka. London Tipton) on the call, the Rams’ preseason looked like a foreshadowing of the dominance that awaits. With Aaron Donald officially coming out of retirement to join them, the hype train is not going away anytime soon.
Miami Dolphins: 2026 is about player development
It’s well-known that the Dolphins are in a rebuild, but it was still shocking to hear new coach Jeff Hafley more or less admit it by telling Stephen A. Smith the Dolphins are more focused on player development than wins and losses. It’s rare for coaches to be candid about many things, but especially that earning wins are not their No. 1 priority.
“Success is not gonna be measured in wins and losses this year, and I know nobody wants to hear that. I want to see where we end and how far we can take this thing, and how much we develop these players. … I think this year’s about developing who we are as a football team, finding the right guys and by the end of the year saying, ’we’ve got something real powerful going forward.’”
One of those players they’re focused on developing is rookie receiver Chris Bell, their third-round pick who returned from injury for the team’s third preseason game against the Falcons. The Dolphins made targeting Bell a priority, and he responded with a couple of nice catches for 22 yards.
Minnesota Vikings: Kyler Murray will be leading the Vikings
It wasn’t necessarily a surprise to see Kyler Murray win the starting job—it was expected by many when he signed with the Vikings—but it did confirm who the Vikings will start in Week 1 against the Packers. By naming Murray the starter before the Vikings’ first preseason game, the Vikings ensured their confidence in their choice and gave Murray plenty of time to get all the first-team reps and learn the offense. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy didn’t help his case much this preseason, showing in two appearances that he still has plenty of room to progress as a consistent and accurate thrower of the football.
New England Patriots: Kyle Williams making a case for more playing time
The majority of the Patriots’ targets will be going toward prized offseason additions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Still, second-year receiver Kyle Williams has certainly made a case for more playing time during the preseason. The 2025 third-round pick is primarily known as a deep threat, and he showcased that ability once again by catching touchdown passes of 69 and 45 yards in consecutive preseason games. After recording 10 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, look for Williams to see his role increase in 2026.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints’ receiver depth is already thin again
With Mason Tipton and first-round pick Jordyn Tyson dealing with injuries, the Saints’ wide receiver room is thin once again. The Saints drafted Tyson at No. 8 to bolster their receiving core, but Tyson, who came into the NFL with injury concerns, was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The Saints will be relying on Chris Olave again, as well as rookies Barion Brown, Bryce Lance and third-year vet Devaughn Vele.
New York Giants: The Giants have found their next kicker
After four different kickers attempted field goals for the Giants last season, New York has found their new kicker, undrafted free agent Dominic Zvada. Kicking was among the Giants’ myriad of issues in 2025, and the problem was most glaring when Younghoe Koo failed to kick a field goal because he accidentally kicked the turf instead of the ball. Zvada did not play in the Giants’ first preseason game, but made all of his kicks in the last two, including a 53-yarder against the Jets to win the job.
New York Jets: Geno Smith is in a better spot in second go-around with the Jets
The Jets are one of several teams expected to be in the market for a quarterback come next April, but their current starter, Geno Smith, appears to be in a much better place than he was a year ago in Las Vegas—or when he was in New York for his first stint as a Jet. Per SI’s Albert Breer, Smith has impressed through camp and the preseason and been a good fit in Frank Reich’s offensive system. This doesn’t mean Smith will lead the league in passing, but it should indicate the Jets’ passing offense will be better than a season ago when it ranked last in passing yards per game and 30th in EPA per pass.
Philadelphia Eagles: The rookies might take some time
The Eagles drafted a couple of talented rookies: receivers Makai Lemon and tight end Eli Stowers. However, if the preseason is any indication, there might be an adjustment period before Lemon and Stowers become regular contributors in Philadelphia’s new-look offense. Lemon missed time during training camp due to a hamstring injury, and had a couple of errors in his preseason debut against the Bengals. Stowers, meanwhile, has struggled during practice, according to SI’s Matt Verderame. The Eagles will need to lean on veterans such as DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and trade addition Dontayvion Wicks as they transition to Sean Mannion’s scheme.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers have something promising in Drew Allar
It’s important not to overreact to the preseason, but rookie quarterback Drew Allar flashed during three appearances for the Steelers. Coming into the pros, Allar had a long way to go to improve his mechanics, but he is showing growth thus far. While he never fully put it all together at Penn State, he has shown his playmaking ability and arm talent, completing 77% of his passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game against the Packers.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the Steelers have their successor to Aaron Rodgers or should abandon scouting the 2027 quarterback class, just that Allar has legitimately flashed.
San Francisco 49ers: De’Zhaun Stribling ready to play key role in 49ers offense
The 49ers caught some flak for selecting De’Zhaun Stribling with the top pick in the second round of the draft, higher than many expected them to go. If Stribling continues to look the way he has in the preseason during the regular season, he’ll continue to make those critics look silly. Through two preseason games, Stribling caught 11 passes for 109 yards while showcasing that he is already a go-to target for Brock Purdy. At the very least, he should get plenty of opportunities, given the slew of injuries plaguing the 49ers yet again.
Seattle Seahawks: The road to repeating will not be easy
It’s never easy to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and the preseason has thrown a few wrenches in the Seahawks’ path. While the Seahawks did not play many of their starters in the preseason, they did suffer some notable season-ending injuries to receiver Jake Bobo and their second-round pick, safety Bud Clark. Rookie running back Jadarian Price did not get to make his pro debut in the preseason amid a minor injury, though he should be ready for Week 1. To top it off, the Seahawks’ biggest rival, the Rams, just brought Aaron Donald out of retirement to boost their own Super Bowl aspirations. The Seahawks proved they could beat the Rams twice last season, but it won’t be easy to repeat that after Los Angeles added multiple Hall of Famers this offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr. will be key for Bucs’ pass rush
The Buccaneers sought to revamp their pass rush this offseason after recording only 37 sacks in 2025, most notably by drafting Bain, who fell to the No. 15 pick. There were concerns about Bain’s arm length during the predraft process, but he’s impressed thus far through training camp and the preseason. As SI’s Matt Verderame noted while visiting Jets-Buccaneers joint practice last month, Bain had wins while going up against Armand Membou, a rising young tackle. Bain’s burst and pass-rush abilities have flashed in practice and the preseason, particularly when he swiftly beat Chiefs tackle Kahlil Benson to disrupt quarterback Justin Fields.
Tennessee Titans: The Titans have to clean up their operation
Between Cam Ward’s poor ball security on a fumble, undisciplined penalties, blown coverages and allowing a 97-yard catch-and-run against the Bears, the Titans have looked sloppy this preseason. Fortunately, the Titans have time to clean up these errors and use them as “teachable moments” before their regular season opener against the Jets, but if they don’t, the Titans could be in for a long season.
“It’s gotta be better; I’m not trying to sugarcoat it,” coach Robert Saleh said of the offense after Tennessee’s preseason loss to the Seahawks. “It does gotta be better, but there’s always things we can take from. The urgency doesn’t change.”
Washington Commanders: New-look defense poised to force more turnovers
The Commanders’ defense was deficient in many areas last season. As a result, they’ve undergone a makeover this offseason, tabbed Daronte Jones as their new defensive coordinator, and bolstered the roster in free agency and the draft. It’s unclear how all the new pieces will meld together in Washington’s new scheme, but one area that looks promising is an increase in turnovers. Last year, the Commanders forced only 10 takeaways, 31st in the NFL, and one in the preseason leading up to the season. This preseason, the Commanders had six turnovers. While it’s only preseason and it’s often easier to come up with takeaways against second- and third-stringers, turnovers are a statistic that tends to regress to the mean, another indication that Washington could come up with the ball more this season.
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EVA GEITHEIM
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
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