Around The NFL breaks down what you need to know from all of Thursday's action from Week 3 of the 2026 NFL preseason. Catch up on each game's biggest takeaways using the links below:
- Bills rookie WR debuts to great success. Fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell missed Buffalo's first two preseason contests and a little over two weeks of training camp due to a groin injury. After returning to practice this week, he made his first game appearance Thursday and likely left no Bills fan unsatisfied. The highlight of Bell's night came on a 28-yard end-around touchdown. He was aided by defensive back Doneiko Slaughter slipping while trying to course-correct after the misdirection, but Bell nonetheless beat everyone to the end zone down the sideline. He was third-string quarterback Shane Buechele's favorite target, seeing 10 targets and catching seven of them for 49 yards. The Bills got the ball to him in myriad ways beyond his TD carry -- crossers, designed screens and the first two plays of Buffalo's first-half two-minute drill. Bell also came open for what should've been a gain of at least 25 yards, but Buechele missed him. There's a logjam in front of Bell with DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Josh Palmer, but it's not unthinkable he challenges the latter two for opportunities as the season progresses if his debut was any indication.
- Iheanachor introduced to NFL learning curve. Similar to Skyler Bell, Pittsburgh's first-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor missed his team's first two preseason games due to injury. He debuted against Buffalo with mixed results. The rookie entered in the second quarter and played until early in the final stanza. He allowed four pressures and a sack on 17 pass blocks. His worst rep of the night was the sack, a play on which he completely whiffed blocking against Andre Jones Jr. before the linebacker tore around the edge and took down Will Howard. Iheanachor was put in a few bad situations other times due to his quarterbacks -- Howard and Drew Allar -- holding the ball for far too long or running around the pocket. Iheanachor adeptly continued to seek out threats for the most part in those situations. He also led the charge on a 9-yard Eli Heidenreich touchdown around the right end, running out in front and twice preventing linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo from attempting a tackle. Iheanachor certainly displayed some rust and rookie nerves throughout the night, but a big part of the Steelers' future got an important taste of NFL action.
-- Bobby Kownack
- Forgotten Browns QB shines in possible audition. Despite starting six games last season, Dillon Gabriel was never really in the mix for Cleveland's starting quarterback spot this year. On Thursday night, he might have been auditioning for a new squad, and Gabriel was stellar against the Patriots backups, stacking three first-half touchdown passes to go with 186 yards on 12-of-15 passing for a sterling 157.9 rating. Todd Monken's offense accentuated Gabriel's positives, rolling him out and giving him high-percentage opportunities, and he flourished. If you're old enough to remember, Gabriel was the first quarterback the Browns drafted in 2025 -- two rounds ahead of Shedeur Sanders. With Deshaun Watson having won the QB competition, Sanders set to back him up and athletic sixth-round rookie Taylen Green also rostered, Gabriel, a lefty who doesn't have a field-tilting arm, is very likely a cut or trade candidate. He definitely put out some great tape on Thursday. … Gabriel was buoyed by 5-foot-8 Kent State receiver Luke Floriea, who hauled in his second and third preseason TDs and slots as an underdog Cleveland fan favorite, which the club could use. Second-year running back Raheim Sanders (29 yards on six carries) also flashed, as the 6-foot, 230-pound specimen showed some wiggle along with strength and speed.
- Two Chains solidifies No. 2 standing. It's a bit surprising that the Patriots haven't employed a veteran backup to Drake Maye, who's turning 24 on Sunday and entering his third NFL season. Formerly known as Tommy Cutlets and newly christened by head coach Mike Vrabel as "Two Chains," Tommy DeVito had a nice showing Thursday that underscored why New England has enough confidence in him as QB2. DeVito (2 of 4 for 55 yards, a touchdown, a drop; two carries for 16 yards) showed off his poise and toughness, looked mighty comfortable in Josh McDaniels' offense and made some nice throws. The highlight was easily a deep ball to Kyle Williams, who seemingly only makes big plays, that traveled 44.9 air yards, per Next Gen Stats, and went for a 45-yard touchdown. Vrabel tabbed him "Two Chains" because the QB is almost always rocking a pair of gold chains. "Two Chains" looks to have secured a comfortable spot as the backup to one of the game's elite and ascending QBs. ... The Patriots would surely like to see more sizzle from second-rounder Gabe Jacas, who had one QB pressure on 10 pass rushes, no tackles and was doubled just twice.
-- Grant Gordon
- Mendoza does nothing to steal QB1 spot. After spending most of the offseason saying it would be ideal to begin the campaign with a veteran under center, Klint Kubiak has played it coy throughout training camp, keeping the quarterback competition alive. Las Vegas' preseason finale likely didn't do a ton to move him toward handing the reins immediately to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Kirk Cousins got the start and played two drives, leading the Raiders 56 and 45 yards, respectively, for two field goals. He looked characteristically immobile and doesn't have the strongest arm at this stage of his career, but Cousins operated the offense and spread the ball around, getting Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor all involved. He went 8 of 11 for 51 yards before giving way to Mendoza, who played the next five possessions and delivered half the points Cousins did -- although his final drive ended on a missed 54-yard field goal attempt. Mendoza overthrew Nailor on his second throw of the game, which was tipped twice before Tatum Bethune intercepted it. Mendoza, who was sacked twice, did settle in to make a few throws worthy of a top-picked QB and kept his eyes moving on most dropbacks. Despite getting sacked twice, he also showed off a scrambling element Cousins lacks, evading pressure on a play-action, then spinning past another defender for a 7-yard gain. His stats weren't pretty overall, though. He managed 57 yards on 7-of-14 passing with a 31.0 passer rating. He could use more reps, but that doesn't mean he needs them in Week 1.
- Niners rookie RB has a few nice runs. The 49ers showcased second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling over the past two weeks. Stribling sat Thursday, as did pretty much all San Francisco starters, but third-round running back Kaelon Black generated a highlight or two in limited action. Black averaged seven yards per carry on four attempts, good for 28 yards. He showed good burst and hit holes hard. On his best run of the night, a 14-yarder, Black found a crowd after emerging through the gap, then hit another gear to bounce outside down to the Raiders' 8-yard line. He's still a work in progress -- Black seemed to have a miscommunication regarding the end of his route on a misfire from Mac Jones, and he allowed a pressure on his only pass-blocking snap credited by Next Gen Stats -- but he showed some promise.
- Washington concludes amazing preseason. There might not be a player in the league who has had a finer past three weeks of games than Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. He played Las Vegas' first two possessions and quickly racked up 49 yards on eight carries, bringing his preseason total to 23 carries for 168 yards (7.3 yards per attempt). In his first outing, he busted out a run of 53. He had a long of 33 in his second game. Washington's longest carry went only 13 yards against the Niners, but he appeared a split-second away from breaking another big one on multiple attempts as he danced around defenders. The rookie simply has it. This is still Ashton Jeanty's backfield, but Klint Kubiak had no problem mixing carries between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet last year with the Seahawks. Washington has certainly provided the Raiders with confidence for as long as Jeanty needs to recover from his ankle injury, and he's likely earned a chunk of carries regardless of the RB's health moving forward.
-- Bobby Kownack
- Herbert highlight just what's needed. Clearly, Mike McDaniel's first-team offense wanted something positive to take into the regular season. Following a string of sub-par plays dating back to the week prior, Justin Herbert found that highlight in a very big way. The Pro Bowl quarterback launched an absolutely gorgeous ball to Quentin Johnston that glided 57.6 yards in the air, per Next Gen Stats, and equated to a 65-yard touchdown. In the Chargers' preseason Week 2 game against the 49ers, Herbert and the ones went three-and-out in their only drive. On Thursday, Herbert fumbled away a handoff to Omarion Hampton on the team's second scrimmage snap. McDaniel's crew trotted back out for a second drive this time around, though, finding the splash the Chargers wanted to head into the 2026 campaign. There's been Bolts buzz all offseason regarding how McDaniel will infuse excitement -- and production -- into the offense. Now a fitting highlight accompanies it.
- Simpson sparkles statistically. Over three preseason games, Ty Simpson certainly produced. In Thursday night's battle for Los Angeles, the rookie was on point to the tune of going 18 of 23 for 119 yards, an 11-yard touchdown to Brennan Presley, no interceptions and a 102.7 rating. In three preseason tilts, Simpson was 47 of 60 for 382 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. Not bad, at all. Sean McVay's offense is a juggernaut with Matthew Stafford at QB and Stafford possesses all-time great arm talent. Simpson doesn't flex the strongest arm, as somewhat evidenced by his 6.36 yards per attempt, but that's a concern for another day. The No. 13 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up his first preseason with some great results. With Stetson Bennett's absence from the playing field Thursday essentially signifying he'll be the backup to the reigning MVP Stafford, Simpson is very much a long-term project ,and his preseason performances can be chalked up to positives.
-- Grant Gordon
