2024 NFL Preseason, Week 2: One thing to watch for on each of the 32 teams

• WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High (Denver)
• WHEN: 8 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

PACKERS: The Packers boast one of the deepest, most talented young WR rooms in the NFL. That also means they'll have to make some tough roster decisions -- they almost certainly can't keep all the receivers they want on the initial 53. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed are dead locks for spots, and I think Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton should be on solid footing, as well. That's five receivers -- so do the Packers keep six or even seven to start out? It would appear that Malik Heath, Grant DuBose and Samori Toure are at the front of the line to compete for that final spot (or two), and the results of the next two preseason contests could help split those tricky hairs. DuBose looks healthy and stood out against the Browns last week with a team-high 66 receiving yards on five catches, also blocking with spirit. How these receivers perform on special teams could carry a lot of weight, too. You can bet plenty of pro scouts will be watching this game and these wideouts to see if they can poach any who might be let go on cutdown day.

BRONCOS: Bo Nix impressed in his NFL debut, showing a low pulse and a good feel for the Broncos' system, bare bones as it might have been at times against the Colts. He came in late in the first quarter and missed on his first two throws, giving rise to possible talk of rookie jitters. But that soon all went out the window. One impressive throw on the move got Nix cooking, and he didn't slow down much in a strong outing (15-of-21, 125 yards, TD; three rushes, 17 yards). Can he carry that over against the Packers? If so, and if Jarrett Stidham (who threw a pick against Indy) struggles again, that might end the decision-making process for Sean Payton as to who starts Week 1 of the regular season. It should be noted that Zach Wilson replaced Nix and did well for himself, too, but the former No. 2 overall pick appears to have farther to go before he can wrest the starting job away.

• WHERE: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
• WHEN: 8 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Deportes, NFL+*)

SAINTS: There were ugly elements to the preseason victory over the Cardinals, including the performance of the first-team offense. That aside, there were encouraging aspects, too, including the play of three rookies, two of whom should be key contributors. I don't think it's a stretch to say first-round pick Taliese Fuaga might be one of the seven or eight most important Saints this season, and the left tackle held up well in 24 snaps -- 12 runs, 12 passes -- against Arizona. Also faring well was second-round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry, splitting his time almost evenly between the slot and outside corner. He made a nice third-down pass breakup, even while giving up four catches (mostly in man) and 48 yards on 38 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. QB Spencer Rattler, in the running for backup QB, didn't outplay Jake Haener but had a strong first drive and led the Saints on the game-winning possession to end it. Nice debuts for three Saints rookies, and they'll have the chance to raise the bar against the reigning NFC champion Niners.

49ERS: The Niners were forced to cancel their planned joint practices with the Saints this week, which speaks to the health of the roster right now. As in, it's suboptimal. Sure, it's still mid-August, but the 49ers are dealing with notable injuries -- not to mention two major contract-related absences on offense -- in all three phases of the game. This really limits the possibilities for this contest, likely making it a back-half-of-the-roster showcase. A lot of eyes will be glued to first-round pick Ricky Pearsall at receiver, presuming he is healthy enough to make his 49ers debut, and for good reason. But one player I'll be tracking is 2023 seventh-rounder Ronnie Bell, who might be entering a flashpoint moment in his 49ers career (with the Brandon Aiyuk drama potentially heightening the stakes). Bell is coming off a tough outing last week, with one drop (and he nearly had a second one) and a holding penalty. I've always been a big Bell fan, and I am expecting a bounceback performance. This is a big game for him.

• WHERE: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

EAGLES: I want to see more of a few highly intriguing Eagles rookies. On offense, RB Will Shipley was a favorite of mine during the pre-draft process, and I felt Philadelphia got a steal when they picked him late in Round 4 (127th overall). I’m not sure he’ll ever be a star, but there’s some “CMC Lite” to his game. I also want to see more of WR Johnny Wilson, the king-sized receiver who can be a blocking and red-zone force. On defense, the Eagles are expecting a lot from first-round CB Quinyon Mitchell, and so am I. But what interests me is he has lined up inside and outside, looking quite comfortable in both spots. There are some DB jobs to be sorted out, and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean will be in that mix, too, but where will Mitchell start out? I also want to see more of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who doesn’t look like a nepotism hire of any kind. He had a good first outing and seemingly has impressed the Eagles every step so far.

PATRIOTS: Not long ago, Bailey Zappe was greeted with a hero’s welcome when he replaced Mac Jones in New England. In last week’s preseason opener, Zappe entered to a chorus of boos -- because that meant Drake Maye’s night was done. It’s hardly Zappe’s fault, even if his extensive playing time was surprising, but the fans have spoken. They want more Maye and more Joe Milton III. Yes, Jacoby Brissett is first on the depth chart, but the excitement over the two rookies -- and especially for Milton after his debut -- has boiled this down to a possible three-headed QB room where Zappe might be on the outside looking in. I’ll be shocked if Maye doesn't receive extensive reps against Philly. There also are battles at receiver, with Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor perhaps battling for the final spot or two.

• WHERE: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
• WHEN: 12 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

FALCONS: Sure, there was excitement over Michael Penix Jr.’s debut, and for good reason. But it was quietly a rough week for the Falcons, who lost WR Rondale Moore to injury during joint practices and then S DeMarcco Hellams and rookie edge rusher Bralen Trice in Friday's game at Miami, with Moore and Trice lost for the season and Hellams expected to miss significant time, according to head coach Raheem Morris. Most of the receiver spots are sealed, but there appears to be heavy competition between Casey Washington, Austin Mack, James Washington and Josh Ali for the final few jobs. The Trice injury might leave Atlanta thin at pass rusher, so those preseason reps now take on added significance. And safety suddenly seems slim. Jessie Bates III and Richie Grant are locked in as starters, but there’s little depth behind them if Hellams is gone for an extended period.

UPDATE: The Falcons addressed the pass rush and safety position on Thursday, trading a 2025 third-round pick to the Patriots for four-time Pro Bowler Matt Judon before signing veteran Justin Simmons to a one-year deal.

RAVENS: Sitting most of their regulars, the Ravens -- who led the NFL with 60 sacks a year ago -- produced few pressures against the Eagles in the preseason opener. One sack of Kenny Pickett came on a rare preseason corner blitz; another came when Pickett held onto the ball a tick too long. Beyond that, there wasn’t much consistent pressure. With Malik Hamm on injured reserve and Adisa Isaac and David Ojabo still working their way through shorter-term injuries, the Ravens must find some pressure sources outside of steady producers such as Justin Madubuike and Kyle Van Noy. The Falcons rested their starting O-line last week, so that group might get some work against Baltimore, setting up a good test for the Ravens’ pass-rush hopefuls.

• WHERE: Soldier Field (Chicago)
• WHEN: 1 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

BENGALS: Amid all the happy vibes after a strong first-team showing from the offense and defense in the preseason opener, bad news arrived: Camp star and first-round OT Amarius Mims will be out for a chunk of time. That’s a tough blow for a player who had done everything to impress his new team so far. Trent Brown is a pretty good insurance plan behind Mims, but he needs to get his footing after a slow start and time missed. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that last year’s first-round pick, edge rusher Myles Murphy, appears to be coming on. He flashed some pressure last week against the Buccaneers in a tidy performance that suggests he’s capable of making a jump in his game. A similar effort against the Bears could give the Bengals confidence in their rush unit, even with Trey Hendrickson just starting to practice. 

BEARS: Well, well. Caleb Williams -- the guy I’ve been warning could get off to a slower start than some fans are expecting -- went out and made some darned plays in his debut. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it was pretty impressive, especially following some camp reports that suggested the Bears’ offense needed work. Does Williams’ strong play against Buffalo portend Matt Eberflus reducing Williams’ snaps going forward? Not sure. But there’s a little concern about the O-line depth, with OG Nate Davis and third-round OT Kiran Amegadjie both out longer than expected with injuries and OG Teven Jenkins and OT Darnell Wright both being banged up at times in camp. Running Williams out there for extended snaps without a healthy offensive line is something that might give Eberflus pause. How that group performs versus Cincinnati will be one of my biggest areas of focus.

• WHERE: NRG Stadium (Houston)
• WHEN: 1 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

GIANTS: The injury to Malik Nabers has dampened the mood, even if he might not miss significant time. Daniel Jones is likely to play against the Texans, which will give us a look at whether the reported progress Jones has made in camp practices can translate to the preseason field -- even with Nabers likely not out there. C John Michael Schmitz and RT Evan Neal also have returned to practice, although it’s not clear if they’ll suit up for this one. Without them, the Giants had some success running the ball last week against the Lions, which was a positive development in a post-Saquon Barkley existence. If Jones can show out, and the run game can continue its momentum, it’ll be a lot easier to feel good about New York's offense.

TEXANS: Heading into Saturday’s game against the Giants, the Texans know their run-game results so far have not been up to snuff, preseason or not. Through two outings, Houston has totaled just 134 yards on 48 rushes. Thirty-four of those yards came from Cam Akers and Dameon Pierce on a combined 15 carries; WR Xavier Hutchinson had 27 yards on two end-arounds by himself. The traditional run game has stalled. Thankfully, both RB Joe Mixon and LT Laremy Tunsil -- perhaps Houston’s two most important run-game contributors -- have been cleared to return to practice. Look for an emphasis on finding some run-game consistency in this contest. Perhaps rookie RB Jawhar Jordan can give the Texans a spark.

• WHERE: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
• WHEN: 4 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

LIONS: The Lions’ offensive starters are pretty well set in stone, but there are a few reserve jobs worth monitoring. After Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, who is next in line at receiver? Undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams helped his chances to make the team as one of the few passing-game standouts against the Giants last week, but Kalif Raymond and Daurice Fountain might be ahead of him for now. There also could be a battle for the final RB spot between intriguing rookie Sione Vaki and camp standout Jermar Jefferson. Lastly, the backup QB battle between Nate Sudfeld and Hendon Hooker took a tough turn when Sudfeld struggled against the Giants and Hooker left with a concussion after two series. The Lions signed journeyman Jake Fromm this week to fill in if needed. 

CHIEFS: There’s a lot of speculation as to how the WR room might shake out after the Marquise Brown injury, and it’s worth considering, but I’m more interested in the cornerbacks right now. The Chiefs had the confidence to trade L’Jarius Sneed this offseason, with Trent McDuffie ready to assume CB1 duties. The problem? I don’t know if it’s clear who the other starting outside corner will be. They have some reasonable options there, including the intriguing Joshua Williams, who might be due for an increase in work, but he was beat for a 41-yard catch against the Jaguars last week by rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. On top of that, Jaylen Watson, Kelvin Joseph and Nazeeh Johnson have all been dealing with injuries, so it’s been harder to evaluate the position. The Chiefs might want to have all their corners play against the Lions to help firm up the position before the regular-season opener against the Ravens. 

• WHERE: Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland)
• WHEN: 4:25 p.m. ET ( NFL+*)

VIKINGS: It appears there’s quite a bit on the line for several Vikings players this week, both in joint practices against the Browns and in Saturday’s game. One big name is 2022 first-round S Lewis Cine, whose career has been ravaged by injury. He played from the second quarter on against the Raiders, and it seems like he has a lot of work to do in order to make the 53-man roster. QB Jaren Hall, who started two games last season, also fits into that category, needing at the very least to beat out Nick Mullens while we await clarity on how long J.J. McCarthy will be sidelined after knee surgery. Other recent picks who could be fighting for jobs heading into this game: DTs Levi Drake Rodriguez and Jaquelin Roy, LB Brian Asamoah and RB DeWayne McBride.

UPDATE: Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Wednesday that McCarthy underwent surgery on the torn meniscus in his right knee and will miss the 2024 season.

BROWNS: It’s been a tough camp and preseason to make much in the way of judgment about the offense. Deshaun Watson has been on a pitch count of sorts (and won’t play Saturday), Nick Chubb remains out, and the offensive line remains painfully thin while starting OTs Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin are still recovering from their knee injuries. What does the Browns’ reported pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk say about their belief in the pass-catching talent? Those issues and questions won’t magically be cured prior to or during Saturday’s game against the Vikings. Instead, Kevin Stefanski must hope that receivers such as Jamari Thrash, James Proche, Matt Landers and Michael Woods II can step up while David Bell and Elijah Moore have missed time with injuries and that some of the reserve offensive linemen (especially at tackle) can prove themselves feasible for regular-season snaps, if needed.

• WHERE: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

JETS: The trade request from Haason Reddick has been the latest camp drama. Reddick wasn’t expected to be a factor in the second preseason game anyway, but his absence has created some intrigue around the final few roster spots on defense. Takk McKinley, who had a good outing last week, is still fighting for one of those spots. Jalyn Holmes and Eric Watts both fit the role of bigger, “base” ends -- can the Jets afford to keep both? Undrafted rookie Braiden McGregor would be an ideal practice-squad candidate if he can’t make the roster, but he could change the discussion with a stronger showing this weekend than he had in the preseason opener.

PANTHERS: The top of the Panthers’ WR depth chart feels pretty set, with Adam Thielen, Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette locks, followed by Jonathan Mingo. Mingo might not be a true lock, but as a former second-round pick, he figures to get every chance possible, even after a drop on his only target in the preseason opener. After those four wideouts, it gets a bit murky. Terrace Marshall Jr., Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore and undrafted rookie Jalen Coker all have an opportunity to stake their claim on the final WR spot(s), and playing well against a good Jets defense might help make the difference. Can Marshall, who’s still only 24 years old, make a strong enough statement to earn a spot? After Saturday’s game, there won’t be much time left to do so.

• WHERE: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

CARDINALS: We won’t see Kyler Murray against the Colts -- he won’t play in the preseason. I figured it wouldn’t be a long night for Marvin Harrison Jr. against the Saints, but he saw a mere three snaps. Fans might just have to be patient with MHJ, I guess. Whichever receivers are out there likely will be working with Desmond Ridder or Clayton Tune, who are locked in a battle for the QB2 job -- and there’s no guarantee the Cardinals will keep three quarterbacks. The Game 1 edge went to Tune, who was about as efficient against the Saints as I’ve seen him play since entering the league, compared to Ridder, who looked far more effective as a runner than he did as a passer. Will Ridder bounce back against the Colts? Or can Tune keep the pressure up?

COLTS: I’m ready to see more from the Colts’ rookies, specifically from their nine-man draft class. Edge rusher Laiatu Latu played just eight snaps against the Broncos but looked the part. He could be a top Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate if he stays healthy. Will we see more of him against the Cardinals? I’d also selfishly like to see more of WR Adonai Mitchell, too, after his 11-snap debut, when he caught one pass from Joe Flacco but wasn't on the same page as his quarterback on a missed connection. Is fifth-round WR Anthony Gould in line for a spot? He looked good as a returner in the preseason opener but had zero targets on 20 offensive snaps. 

• WHERE: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

BILLS: If you looked at the stat sheet and saw 2 yards on five carries for fourth-round RB Ray Davis, you might have assumed he had a bad game against the Bears. But there was almost nowhere to go on those five carries, and his best run (a 7-yarder) was wiped out by a penalty. Davis made some noise on a 13-yard gain off a screen pass, later adding 6 more yards on his other catch. However, he wiped out his own 10-yard reception in between by being guilty of illegal formation. So, it certainly was an up-and-down debut for Davis as he tries to earn a role in the Bills offense. The overall reports on Davis in camp have been positive, and the backup job to James Cook remains his to win, I suspect. A stronger outing against the Steelers can help him in that effort.

STEELERS: I’ll be fascinated to see how Mike Tomlin handles the QB reps versus Buffalo. Last week against the Texans, Justin Fields had some positives (5-for-6 passing) and some negatives (two sacks, two bad exchanges with his center) that didn’t dramatically alter his battle against Russell Wilson, who did not play versus Houston. Tomlin wasn’t tipping his hand early this week on how he’d work Wilson into the mix now that he’s been back at practice. In the big picture, I strongly suspect Wilson will be starting in Week 1 against the Falcons. But for the Steelers to have any kind of confidence in the stability of their passing game, it would be nice for both QBs (and the offensive line) to improve their efficiency against the Bills.

UPDATE: Tomlin announced on Thursday that Wilson will start against the Bills.

• WHERE: Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tenn.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

SEAHAWKS: Seattle's "Big Three" receivers -- DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba -- are expected to do a lot of the heavy lifting in the passing game this season. But the backup spots behind those three are still important. In fact, some of the more intense battles could come down to the final WR spot or two. Jake Bobo has maintained his local-legend status and feels like a safe bet to make it. Laviska Shenault Jr. and Dareke Young also put their best feet forward in the preseason opener, presumably firming up their chances. Even so, the remaining games matter for Shenault and Young, as they're battling with the likes of Dee Eskridge, Cody White, Easop Winston Jr. and Ty Scott. Special teams also will weigh heavily here, so I'll be monitoring how the rotation goes against the Titans, to see if Mike Macdonald might be tipping his hand one way or another at the position, based on playing time and usage.

TITANS: It didn't get a lot of national attention, but QB Will Levis and the first-team offense looked pretty strong last week against the 49ers. Levis led two scoring drives and misfired on only one throw in his five tries. The rebuilt offensive line also passed its first test, keeping the pocket clean most of the night, until a second-half sack. Tony Pollard stood out with a 24-yard run, and sidekick Tyjae Spears scored a touchdown, giving them the look of a promising RB duo. A continuation of that success this weekend against the Seahawks could have us considering a more dangerous projection for the Tennessee offense, even with DeAndre Hopkins at risk of missing part of the regular season with a knee injury.

• WHERE: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
• WHEN: 7:05 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

RAMS: Last week's wild showing from Stetson Bennett included some fine plays, but also four interceptions, potentially creating something of an early-season headache for Sean McVay. With veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, my assumption had been that Bennett will back up Matthew Stafford for the first couple weeks, with the future of the QB2 spot being an open question from there. But what if Stafford, who's missed time in each of the past two seasons with injury, were to get hurt early in the regular season? Has Bennett shown enough to earn the team's trust? A steadier performance against the Chargers would surely go a long way toward easing McVay's mind.

CHARGERS: No way to sugarcoat it: The Chargers' offense, operating without injured QB Justin Herbert, fell flat in the preseason opener. Easton Stick made some poor decisions and threw a pick, which was all the more disappointing in that he was working alongside several offensive starters. Granted, the Chargers kept things very basic and didn't game-plan, so the concern level remains muted, especially as the team hasn't publicly veered from its projection that Herbert will be healthy enough to play Week 1. But if you're a Chargers fan, you have to want to see more from the offense against the Rams -- not least because there are so many interesting battles at wide receiver. Brenden Rice had no catches on three targets against the Seahawks, but I'll predict he has more chances to make noise this weekend. The stakes are high for him, Simi Fehoko and the other wideouts, as they are quickly running out of time to impress.

• WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

COMMANDERS: Jayden Daniels passed his first test, albeit in a brief outing against the Jets. Checking out of a screen pass and delivering a 42-yard dime shows the rookie is not playing scared. But there are reasons to tune in outside of Daniels, too. Two key spots I’m eyeballing are offensive tackle and the secondary, two areas also sure to be tested this week against the Dolphins, both in the joint practices and in Saturday’s game. But stay for the Ben Sinnott show. The rookie tight end, another personal favorite in the 2024 draft class, ripped off a 44-yard catch last week, building off what has been an impressive camp.

DOLPHINS: Neither Skylar Thompson nor Mike White stood tall in the Dolphins’ first preseason game. Thompson took the first half, completing 8-of-19 passes for 95 yards and a TD, also throwing a pick. White, who played in the second half, was a mere 4-for-14 passing for 26 yards. It raises the question: Is the backup to Tua Tagovailoa on the Dolphins’ roster right now? I still say yes, but with roster battles getting tight, Miami strikes me as a two-QB team for the opening 53-man roster. Whoever performs best against the Commanders could take a big lead in the QB2 battle as we head closer to the cutdown finish line.

• WHERE: EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET ( NFL+*)

BUCCANEERS: Is there a battle for the RB2 job behind Rachaad White? My assumption was that once Chase Edmonds was hurt early in camp, rookie Bucky Irving was in line to be White's backup. The fourth-rounder didn't disappoint against the Bengals, producing six strong carries for 28 yards and a nice touchdown run. But Sean Tucker made some noise, too, once he got his shot, running for 68 yards on 10 carries, including a 26-yard highlight. And though the passing game isn't considered Tucker's strength, he added two catches for 8 yards. If he can improve in pass protection, beginning this week against the Jaguars, it would go a long way toward helping his chances of not only making the opening roster but also possibly cutting into Irving's role a bit.

JAGUARS: Two 2023 draft picks really shined in the preseason opener against the Chiefs, helping ease concerns about both players after their sometimes-frustrating rookie seasons. RB Tank Bigsby ran the ball very efficiently Saturday night, ripping off a 19-yarder that was longer than any of his 50 regular-season carries last season, when he lost the RB2 job mainly because of ball-security issues. With a strong showing on offense, plus a 45-yard kickoff return, Bigsby made a potent case to earn a role again this season. Parker Washington was even better on his kickoff return, nearly housing it on a 73-yarder -- the longest in the NFL heading into Week 2 of the preseason. The multi-tool weapon also added a 10-yard catch and 13-yard punt return. More play like this against the Bucs could firm up solid roles for each in the regular season. 

• WHERE: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
• WHEN: 10 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

COWBOYS: The Cowboys nailed their first-round picks in 2021 and '22, with Micah Parsons and Tyler Smith becoming instant contributors as rookies, respectively, but the trend stalled a bit last season. DT Mazi Smith struggled to find his footing as a rookie rotational lineman; he eventually started three games down the stretch but then barely saw the field on defense in Dallas' blowout loss to Green Bay in the playoffs. Needless to say, the pressure has been on Mazi -- who underwent offseason shoulder surgery -- to take big strides in Year 2. His preseason debut against the Rams was solid, as he made three tackles in 20 snaps, stopping a screen in its tracks deep in L.A. territory. It was encouraging -- but not first-round encouraging, if you know what I mean. I know his progress won't really matter until the regular season begins, but I still would like to see more from the defensive tackle in the preseason, starting with this game against the Raiders.

RAIDERS: I thought Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew both acquitted themselves well in the Raiders' first preseason game, all things considered -- at least, relative to the camp reports of each player struggling at times during the battle. But neither was good enough against the Vikings to become an obvious favorite for the QB1 job; it very much feels like the competition is just heating up heading into this Dallas game. O'Connell was more efficient against the Vikings, but Minshew had more splash plays. We might not find out who'll start the regular-season opener until the first week of September. That's why so much remains on the line heading into the second preseason outing.