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8/21/24
9 min read
25 Most Important NFL Observations After 2 Weeks of Preseason Action
Two weeks of the preseason have passed, and a lot has happened. From position battles to standout rookies and unexpected performances, let's look at 25 observations that have captured my attention thus far.
>> READ MORE: Each Team's Most Intriguing Preseason Player
25 Most Important Training Camp Observations
1. Cardinals Offense Is Ready to Breakout 
Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Kyler Murray is "leaps and bounds" ahead of where he was last season, and that’s the vibe I’ve been getting out of Arizona all summer.
This offense could be sneaky fun with Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Trey McBride, and James Conner.
2. Why Sit Penix?
The Atlanta Falcons sitting Michael Penix Jr. for their second and third preseason games has raised some eyebrows around the league. A few people have mentioned that they wonder if Atlanta is doing that to avoid any unnecessary controversy if Penix performs too well.
Atlanta liked what it saw in the first preseason game and is very happy with his work on the practice field. Meanwhile, Atlanta is open to trading veteran Taylor Heinicke if a team wants to upgrade their QB2 spot.
3. Falcons Have Momentum
Regarding vibe and energy, I don’t think there’s a team with more momentum and positive energy than Atlanta. New coach Raheem Morris has brought that from Day 1.
New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has the players bought in on the offense, and the recent additions of Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon have the entire locker room buzzing with positivity. It reminds me a little of what the Ravens had going last year during camp.
4. Eagles Linebackers Impress
The Philadelphia Eagles have rarely been a team to invest heavily at the linebacker position, and it’s come back to bite them at times.
So far this preseason, they’re very pleased with free-agent signings Devin White and Zack Baun, while they believe rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. could eventually earn playing time.
5. QB2 Problem in Philly
Philadelphia’s backup quarterback position has always been important for Howie Roseman, and Kenny Pickett's preseason performance has been less than impressive. Meanwhile, second-year QB Tanner McKee has been performing well, just as he did last year.
Considering the Eagles traded for Pickett, he’s likely to remain on the team and will probably get the nod as the backup. But McKee has likely earned a spot on the 53-man roster, and they won’t be able to sneak him through waivers with hopes of getting him on the practice squad.
6. Patriots Talent Drain
6. The last thing New England Patriots fans could’ve envisioned when training camp started is not having Matthew Judon or Christian Barmore on their defensive line — neither of whom is absent due to a football injury.
Barmore is out indefinitely with blood clots, while Judon was traded after rocky contract negotiations. Getting a pass rush could be challenging in New England, but there are high hopes that Keion White could take a big step forward in Year 2.
7. Don't Rule Out Maye
Patriots coach Jerod Mayo has changed his tone on who will be QB1 to start the season. All of a sudden, rookie Drake Maye does have a shot at winning the job entering the final week of preseason.
Most scouts and executives believed Maye needed to sit to start his career, but the tone in New England suggests he at least has a shot at proving everyone wrong. On Wednesday, Mayo mentioned a decision could come on Aug. 26.
>> READ MORE: Predicting Every QB Battle Winner
8. Building Up Young
A big problem that went a little unnoticed for the Carolina Panthers last year was the presence of too many offensive minds in the building with different philosophies, all in Bryce Young’s ear, creating a huge mess.
New coach Dave Canales has tried to create a close bond with Young, similar to what Mike McDaniel has done with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. Those two have gotten super close, and there’s hope that Young could turn a new page after a messy first year. Quarterbacks coach Will Harriger has also been very involved.
9. Head Start Benefits Bears
One of the advantages the Chicago Bears have had with Caleb Williams is that they started installing the offense with him during the pre-draft process, so they’re ahead of most rookie quarterbacks.
They’ve intentionally shown little of what they’ve been planning in the preseason, but we’ll see a lot of it come Week 1 vs. Tennessee.
10. Don't Forget Gerald Everett
There’s been plenty of talk about all the weapons Williams will have in Chicago, but one name that has been largely overlooked is Gerald Everett.
New OC Shane Waldron has used multiple tight end sets through the years, and Everett’s skill set is different from Cole Kmet’s, so we could see Everett more involved in the offense than some might anticipate.
11. Velus Jones Position Switch
The Bears have also been trying Velus Jones at running back, hoping he could emerge as a Cordarrelle Patterson-type player. Chicago has been working with the former third-round pick rather than giving up on him after some struggles.
12. Chicago Found Late-Round Gem
12. The Bears continue to be very impressed with fifth-round rookie edge rusher Austin Booker. He has shown his skills on the practice field and in preseason action.
"He's light years ahead of where a rookie should be," Montez Sweat recently said.
13. Chase, Bengals Far Apart
The Ja’Marr Chase situation in Cincinnati remains one of the more under-covered storylines in the league. Chase has not practiced all of training camp and is looking to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver.
Talks are still ongoing, but the clock is ticking, and no one seems to know what will happen if no deal is reached.
14. Iosivas Adds Even More WR Talent
Cincinnati Bengals second-year WR Andrei Iosivas has been a standout at training camp, and there’s been growing buzz that he could fill Tyler Boyd’s spot in Cincinnati’s offense.
15. Browns' QB Backlog
The Cleveland Browns have an overabundance of quarterbacks, with Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Tyler Huntley. Thompson-Robinson has been floated in trade talks.
16. No Reddick, No Problem
The New York Jets don’t seem to be bothered by the Haason Reddick situation. Most players on the field have never met the guy, while the coaching staff is happy with their current defensive line and view Reddick as more of a luxury.
The standoff will continue, but the Jets appear adamant that they want him in the building before discussing any numbers on a contract adjustment.
17. Questionable WR Depth
The Miami Dolphins WR3 spot is wide-open, especially with Odell Beckham Jr. yet to practice as he recovers from a pre-existing injury. River Cracraft’s recent upper-body injury did not help matters.
18. Ravens Starting OL Still Unclear
The Baltimore Ravens offensive line is transitioning after losing Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson in free agency and trading Morgan Moses. Andrew Vorhees, a 2023 seventh-round pick, is in a position to be the starting left guard, while Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick, is the likely right guard.
Rookie Roger Rosengarten and veteran Patrick Mekari have been battling it out for the starting right tackle spot, which remains up for grabs.
19. Steelers QBs Aren't Cutting It
No one has stepped up and wowed in the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback position. It feels like it will go down to the wire between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. I believe Mike Tomlin will lean with the veteran should this end in a tie.
20. Colts Expect Breakout From Blackmon
The Indianapolis Colts expect a huge year out of safety Julian Blackmon, who opted to return on a one-year deal this offseason instead of taking a multi-year deal elsewhere.
He has been one of their biggest training camp standouts.
21. Offensive lines Impress in New York
21. Both New York teams – the Giants and Jets – have been pleased with their offensive lines after both made it a huge emphasis in the offseason. The Jets are especially happy with their first-round OT Olu Fashanu.
22. Packers Defense Is Ready for Rebound
The Green Bay Packers defense, under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, has emphasized playing with energy and an attacking play style.
The players have bought in, so Green Bay is hopeful its defense — which has a lot of young talent — could ascend this year.
23. Aiyuk Deal Might Be Close
People are tired of hearing updates on Brandon Aiyuk and just want the situation to be over, but there is finally some real momentum on the San Francisco 49ers getting a contract done.
>> READ MORE: How Valuable Is Aiyuk to 49ers?
24. Williams' Holdout Continues
Trent Williams’s holdout in San Francisco is still going on, and no one seems to have a good answer to get him back in the building.
Something all rival teams would agree on: Williams is the one irreplaceable offensive player on the team.
25. The Next Drew Brees?
Bo Nix has been everything Sean Payton could’ve asked for in a quarterback, and one person compared him to a “modern Drew Brees.”
Along with Payton, quarterbacks coach Davis Webb has been very involved in working with Nix.
>> READ MORE: Should You Believe Nix's Hype?
