3 things to look out for in NFL preseason

NFL preseason games may feel like a host of somewhat meaningless fixtures with nothing to play for, but there is plenty of questions that need to be answered ahead of the new season.

It may not matter whether you win or lose, yet coaches and players will forever struggle to turn off that competitive instinct deep within their psyche. For them, particularly the stars of the future, making a name for themselves is crucial to their career prospects in the NFL.

After the excitement of the Browns and Jets battling it out in the Hall of Fame game last week, here are three things to look out for in the games before September:

1. Rookie QBs

Preseason is usually a brilliant chance to see quarterbacks taken in the latest NFL Draft who may not be the confirmed starter from Day One. Carolina’s Bryce Young and Houston’s C.J. Stroud, taken with the top two picks respectively in 2023, are expected to start for their teams from the get go, so may not take preseason snaps. But with the rest fighting for positions, there are plenty of names to look out for.

Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts is possibly the most intriguing player of the bunch, given that the league has never seen an athletic profile like his at the quarterback position. At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds and vertically leaped 40.5 inches at the NFL Combine, and has incredible arm strength. He’s raw, but has all the potential, and has even been getting the first-team repetitions in training camp.

Whether or not he’s the starter for the Colts in their NFL opener against the Jaguars in September, we can’t wait to see the first glimpse of him in preseason.

Tennessee‘s Will Levis is another player who should play a major role in preseason, having been listed as the Titans’ QB3 heading into the new year. He’ll battle it out with Malik Willis for snaps this week, as Ryan Tannehill will be the leader on offense once again. But with the Titans seemingly ready to move on, this could be a perfect opportunity for Levis or even Willis to make a name for themselves and put the league on notice.

2. Who will be QB2 in Cincinnati?

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the best teams in the NFL, with a fairly solidified roster and little doubt in who their day one starters will be.

But with Joe Burrow currently on the injury table and a doubt for the opening game of the season, there could be a potential opening for a new guy to step up for a Super Bowl contending team.

It seems that the players sharing the snaps in place of Burrow will be ninth-year veteran Trevor Siemian and first-year pro Jake Browning. Both players, but particularly Browning, will be desperate to take advantage of this time to develop chemistry with the offense while facing a first-team defense in camp and on the field.

The Bengals open the preseason at home on Friday night when they host the Green Bay Packers at Paycor Stadium.

3. Philadelphia’s defensive youngsters

The Philadelphia Eagles are renowned for building in the trenches, and they continued that form by bringing in more youth this summer, notably on the defensive side of the ball. They replaced star pass rusher Javon Hargrave with the dominant Jalen Carter in the NFL Draft, and added even more fire power on defense with the likes of Nolan Smith, Kelee Ringo and Sydney Brown.

Carter is the most interesting pick of the selections, given his slide down to ninth overall. With Hargrave’s departure and Fletcher Cox going into his age-33 term, the Eagles could rely on Carter to provide immediate pressure while defensive tackle Jordan Davis, a 2022 first-rounder, takes on more of the run-stopping responsibilities.

To get Carter ready for a key role on the defensive line, the Eagles should give him plenty of preseason snaps, and we can’t wait to see him on the field.